John Stamos Debuts at Chicago's Riot Fest After Long-Standing Anticipation

After more than a decade of playful teasing and humorous demands from Riot Fest organizers, John Stamos finally appeared at Chicago's Riot Fest in 2025, joining The Beach Boys on stage. The festival's long-running joke began in 2013 when Riot Fest unsuccessfully tried to book Stamos' fictional band Jesse & The Rippers, leading to the creation of butter sculptures and other tributes in his honor. Stamos agreed to attend only if several conditions were met, including a tattoo of him on the festival founder, a look-alike contest, a Greek-style pizza named after him, and a prohibition on making eye contact with his hair. Riot Fest fulfilled nearly all of these demands, and Stamos expressed appreciation for the kind-hearted nature of the festival's fun over the years. His appearance was a highlight of the festival's 20th anniversary, which also featured major acts and a new amusement-park-inspired attraction called Riotland. This event marked the culmination of a unique and humorous relationship between the actor and the festival community.