Michigan saw a bit of Hollywood glitz this week as actor Miles Teller, best known for his roles in 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Whiplash,' swung into local bars to promote his co-owned Finnish Long Drink. The celeb's visit brewed a storm of enthusiasm with lines wrapping around the block and venues like SpeakEZ in Grand Rapids reaching full capacity as they hosted the star.
Grand Rapids bar-goers were in for a surprise Monday night when Teller appeared at SpeakEZ to push the gin-based canned cocktail. According to Freep, fans packed out the bar, some ready for an autographed can, others just hoping to catch sight of their favorite movie maverick. His next targets were Crunchy's Burgers and Beers, East Lansing and Ann Arbor's The Brown Jug
Fresh from his grand tour, Teller made the atmosphere electric in Ann Arbor's The Brown Jug and The Blue Leprechaun, per The Michigan Daily. Fans like Richard Yurcak, who waited since 5:20 p.m., reveled in the vibrant energy, saying, "It makes me feel vibrant, it makes me feel young again and all that good stuff."
While Teller was stirring up fandom, a patron at SpeakEZ caught his impromptu dance to "Take My Breath Away," instantly turning the moment into viral gold. The TikTok video posted by Raigan Novotny has since garnered 123,000 views. "I started recording," Novotny said, "and the crowd went wild." was reported by WZZM13.
Despite the lines and the wait, LSA senior Guneet Shah saw the queue outside The Blue Leprechaun as a bonding experience: "We’re all just a little cold. It’s kind of a waiting game — we’re just waiting it out to see him." The Michigan Daily also recorded LSA senior Chayla Gould's remark on the marketing genius of such events, hinting at mutual support for celebs and local businesses.
