Inside the Teddy Fresh pop-up in LA, where hundreds of 'H3 Podcast' fans waited in the heat despite
- "H3 Podcast" host Hila Klein held a packed pop-up for her clothing brand Teddy Fresh.
- Hundreds of fans lined up in East Hollywood for a chance at getting inside the free event.
- Online disputes over the crowded pop-up illustrate how large the podcast's fandom has become.
On Saturday, November 13, fans of the "H3 Podcast" stood for hours to get inside an exclusive pop-up event in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES, Cal. — "It's hot as balls out here," a tall man in a color-blocked hoodie observed outside the "Teddy Fresh x Looney Tunes" pop-up. "I hope we make it inside."
At 81 degrees, November 13 was the hottest day of the month in East Hollywood. The sun shone down on hundreds of YouTube fans who waited for up to 10 hours outside the pop-up for a chance to get into the highly anticipated free event.
Even though "H3 Podcast" hosts Ethan and Hila Klein had already left the venue, the line of their fans stretched down Sunset Boulevard, past a tiki bar, a tire shop, and a Scientology studio. As the line looped around the block, fans who said they had shown up "on time" for the free 8-hour event worried about their chances of getting in.
Teddy Fresh is the brainchild of Hila Klein. The clothing brand has exploded along with her podcast's popularity.
The Kleins launched their flagship YouTube channel "h3h3Productions" in 2011, which has since amassed 6 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views. The married duo became known in the YouTube world for sketch comedy that parodied online culture. But that original channel has laid dormant for over a year as the Kleins have shifted their focus to their podcast channel.
The "H3 Podcast" channel, which hosts multiple shows and has 3 million subscribers, has become a massive online cultural hub, due in large part to the runaway success (and eventual crash and burn) of its "Frenemies" podcast — featuring Trisha Paytas as co-host — during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Separate from the YouTube world, Hila launched her passion project — clothing brand Teddy Fresh — in October 2017, six months after the creation of the dedicated "H3 Podcast" YouTube channel. Both projects have since grown exponentially, and the Kleins promote the brand on YouTube, leading to a devoted Teddy Fresh customer base within their fandom.
Hila said she couldn't find "colorful and playful clothing" for adults and sought to fill a gap in the market.
Hila told Women's Wear Daily this month that she drew on her own personal style, '90s nostalgia, and her 2-year-old son Theodore's name to create the vision behind Teddy Fresh. The most popular Teddy Fresh items are hoodies, but the brand has expanded to include items like sweaters, jeans, cardigans, jewelry, and backpacks.
"I love vintage stuff. I just love the amount of detail that you'll find in those kinds of pieces, the novelty craft," she told the publication. Hila's capsule collections tend to sell out thanks to fan support, and this month's Los Angeles pop-up store was no exception.
In line with the retro, childlike aesthetic, Teddy Fresh has collaborated with brands like Spongebob Squarepants and Care Bears. For the November 2021 collection, the brand partnered with Warner Bros. to feature iconic "Looney Tunes" characters like Tweety Bird, the Road Runner, and the Tasmanian Devil.
High demand for Teddy Fresh led to an overwhelming crowd, which Ethan later apologized for.
Initially, the November 13 pop-up was advertised as a chance to meet the "H3 Podcast" cast and crew, including a signing with Hila herself. But days before the event, Ethan and Hila canceled the meet-and-greet due to a COVID-19 case on their staff.
The day of, Hila showed up early to survey the scene and take pictures with Bella Poarch, a TikTok star and pop singer with more than 85 million followers. She and Ethan also showcased the long line outside the pop-up on social media, but they were gone by the time fans were able to enter.
Fans on the "h3h3" subreddit argued over the event not being able to accommodate all attendees.
Tension over the pop-up appeared online on the "H3 Podcast" subreddit, which is one of the largest and wildest fan spaces on the internet. The subreddit has existed since 2014 and has grown to over 520,000 members.
Posts mocking complaints about the pop-up and defending the Kleins appeared on the subreddit after a few individuals said they waited for hours and still didn't get in. One particular poster claimed that they overheard fans in line bashing the event and planning to smear the Kleins, which echoes division among some "H3 Podcast" fans.
Two days after the event concluded, Ethan apologized to fans who didn't make it inside.
On his "H3TV" show, Ethan said the hot weather was unexpected, as well as the volume of fans who showed up. He thanked attendees and said that after canceling their meet-up, he and Hila were afraid no one would come.
"For some reason, it was the hottest fucking day," Ethan said on his podcast. "We were passing out water bottles trying to make sure people stayed hydrated."
One subreddit user who posted a picture of herself with "H3 Podcast" crew member AB Ayad wrote that she drove from Arizona to LA for the pop-up, waited 8 hours, and didn't get in — but was still happy to have met Ayad.
The provocative "H3 Podcast" brand converges with Teddy Fresh marketing.
While Teddy Fresh is run by a separate crew from the "H3 Podcast," there's a lot of crossover between the Kleins' brands — including the drama Ethan sparks with other YouTube creators.
In September 2020, Ethan accused YouTuber James Charles of copying Hila's color-blocked hoodie design for his own merchandise. Charles denied that he was aware of the Teddy Fresh design, but conceded that his own branded hoodie looked very similar.
The interaction spawned a war on Charles led by Ethan that has continued up to the present day.
Attending the pop-up was an all-day event for devoted Teddy Fresh fans.
Fans who made it inside told Insider that the day involved a lot of waiting, but they were thrilled to experience an event devoted to their favorite YouTubers. One woman in attendance said that she arrived at the pop-up at 6 a.m., entered at noon, then waited another two hours inside for a custom design to be airbrushed onto her new hoodie.
"I'm ready to go home, but I'm glad I came so early," she told Insider.
On the subreddit, fans praised the freebies that were offered to attendees, which included Teddy Fresh face masks, stickers, and signed posters — although the event eventually ran out of some of the goodies.
"You can tell there was a lot of love that went into the event. Good vibes all around from the fans and the whole H3 crew," one attendee wrote.
Once fans got inside, there were indoor and outdoor activities at the pop-up.
Insider was granted media access to enter the pop-up ahead of the long line. The store had two levels: one where fans could buy the "Looney Tunes"-inspired merch and another outside area where they could wait for their complimentary airbrush customization to be finished.
The "Looney Tunes" collection was later released online, and it ranges in price from $35 knit beanies with character appliques to a $350 varsity jacket.
The pop-up included free activities like customization with each purchase.
Although Hila's signing was canceled over COVID-19 concerns, the pop-up still hosted a slate of free activities. For anyone who bought Teddy Fresh items, there was the option to upgrade your look with airbrush customization.
Customers could choose from 13 Teddy Fresh designs, some of which referenced past collections, and others that drew inspiration from traditional tattoo styles.
Airbrush artists could be seen hard at work completing orders.
Artist Isa Beniston, who launched her art and merchandise store Gentle Thrills in 2015, collaborated with the Kleins to provide airbrush customization. Beniston's original airbrush t-shirt designs sell for $200 each.
Beniston's designs mesh with Hila's style: she said in a 2018 interview that she aimed to challenge the idea that "colorful equals tacky" and "tacky equals bad."
References to "Looney Tunes" were scattered throughout the pop-up.
Hila told Women's Wear Daily that the '90s aesthetic of "Looney Tunes" was perfect for Teddy Fresh. She said it was her favorite brand collaboration thus far.
"'Looney Tunes' and fashion was really a crossover that affected all kinds of people," Hila told the outlet. "It's something I personally grew up on. It's just such a nostalgic collaboration."
Outside, fans had more room to linger and enjoy the design of the pop-up.
In the backyard of the pop-up, space was less limited, since the environment was outdoors. A giant 12-foot Bugs Bunny statue set the tone, while covered areas and standing tables allowed attendees to linger in the shade and sip drinks from coolers.
Ethan said that Warner Brothers loaned Teddy Fresh the Bugs Bunny statue for the event, but that the head of the statue fell off when it was in the process of being returned.
A nail station was set up to provide Teddy Fresh-inspired manicures.
LA-based nail artist Britney Tokyo set up shop in the outdoor section of the pop-up to provide nail customization with Teddy Fresh logo appliques. Racked reported in 2016 that Tokyo had become one of the most in-demand nail artists in LA, thanks to zany custom designs, and her clientele includes Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Rita Ora, and more.
"I receive most of my business inquiries through my Instagram," Tokyo told Racked in 2016. "I've always been surrounded by art, and loved to draw since I was a little girl."
A local vegan burger chain also set up a food truck to feed hungry fans.
Monty's Good Burger catered the pop-up, offering "100% plant-based" burgers, chicken sandwiches, tater tots, and fries. Each attendee received a free meal.
Each burger had a stamped Teddy Fresh logo on the bun.
Ethan called the pop-up an overall success on "H3TV" and said the brand plans to host more in-person opportunities to shop in the future. Ethan also said he and Hila hope to open a brick-and-mortar Teddy Fresh store in LA, which would allow for multi-day events and the ability for everyone to get inside.
"A thousand people showed up and about six hundred went through," Ethan said. "It was a big project for us and a good time."
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