In August, he'd reached out to Florida State equipment operations manager Darin Kerns, hoping for a quiet job behind the scenes with his favorite college football team. "He's just got so much personality."īut Grizzle-Malgrat understands how preposterous the situation is. "Everybody is his friend," Candi Fisher said. After he's pulled away, the men agree: "It's like we're following Jesus." He's cornered by a trio of men wanting to buy him a drink in exchange for advice on life. He takes photos with FSU basketball coach Leonard Hamilton, who was eager for an introduction. The original mixture was a bit tame, and by night's end, Grizzle-Malgrat refined the recipe to one more appealing to his fans. Still, bartenders are eager to relay their knowledge as he mixes up concoctions for the growing crowd, including a special "Red Lightning" shot. When an event organizer informs Grizzle-Malgrat that Candi Fisher, Jimbo's wife, will be arriving soon and that her usual drink order is a Madras, he's instantly flummoxed. But mostly, Grizzle-Malgrat is a blue-collar student doing his best to navigate celebrity life with the same earnest enthusiasm that earned him that fame in the first place. ![]() He's part Internet meme, part sports icon, part social construct - an average guy living every football fan's dream. Grizzle-Malgrat is 21, just six months into his tenure at Florida State after transferring from Tallahassee Community College, and his overnight fame courtesy of a YouTube video has afforded him a unique brand of celebrity. He offered to donate any proceeds gleaned from his overnight success to the cause, and on this night he was guest bartending while organizers auctioned off Red Lightning prizes, including a chance to challenge him to a footrace. This was a charity event for coach Jimbo Fisher’s foundation less than a month after Florida State won the 2013 BCS National Championship and Grizzle-Malgrat, the Seminoles' equipment manager, became a superstar. "They all come in and say, ‘Hey, it's Red Lightning,'" Frankie Grizzle-Malgrat said. As he'd done countless times in the past few months, he graciously agreed, scribbling the words "Red Lightning" across the cotton with practiced ease. ![]() Two women snapped pictures and then asked the legend to autograph their T-shirts, which were already emblazoned with his likeness. An attractive waitress begged for a follow on Twitter. Slowly, they'd shuffle over, camera phones or Florida State souvenirs in hand, and make their request.Ī father asked the legend to take a picture with his young daughter, then dropped any pretense of dignity and requested another photo of his own. ![]() There were parents with their children, rowdy fraternity brothers with beers in hand, and bubbly coeds laughing amongst themselves, all trying not to seem too eager. They entered in packs, tentatively exploring the upscale bar just a block from Doak Campbell Stadium in search of a Florida State legend. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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