A few days ago, Zack Danger Brown of Columbus, Ohio decided he wanted to make potato salad. However, he had no idea what kind he wanted to make, so he turned to the Internet for ideas. He launched a Kickstarter and only hoped to raise $10, but it has become a global phenomenon.
As previously reported, Zack’s only description for the Kickstarter project at first was “I'm making potato salad. ... I haven't decided what kind yet.” After just a few days, he easily blew past $10, reaching $11,500. At this moment, the project has raised $40,900 and there is still 24 days left.
“I’m so overwhelmed by the awesome power of the Internet,” Brown said in an interview with ABC News. “I am honored to be in the position I'm in.”
Suddenly, with the project taking off, Brown had to start coming up with rewards for anyone who donated over $1. If you donate at least $2, you get a photo of Brown making the salad. If you donate at just $5, you get the “deluxe package,” which gives you the right to name an ingredient and a taste of the salad. There are already over 350 pledges at that level, so he will have to make quite a big salad.
Brown hasn’t had the time yet to think of what will happen now that he’s past $40,000. His original “big stretch goal,” once the Kickstarter took off, was just $3,000. At that point, his kitchen will be way too small.
“I will rent out a party hall and invite the whole internet to the potato salad party (only $10 and above will be allowed in the kitchen)!” he wrote. “The internet loves potato salad! Let's show them that potato salad loves the internet!!”
While more cynical people may think that he’s just trolling the Internet, Brown does seem genuinely impressed with the support he has been shown.
“We're going to throw a massive party in Columbus [Ohio] and the whole Internet is invited,” he told ABC News. “We are going to do right by the Internet.”
The potato salad party will be Labor Day weekend.