All language subtitles for Nathan.For.You.S04E01.The.Richards.Tip.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-SiGMA.eng

- My name is Nathan Fielder,

and I graduated from one of
Canada's top business schools

with really good grades.

Now I'm using my knowledge

to help struggling
small business owners make it

in this competitive world.

This is "Nathan for You."

Mmm mmm mmm.
Look at this food.

You want it, right?

Well, you can't have it

unless you pay a visit
to Joe K's Deli Restaurant

in the small town
of Vernon, California.

But lately, owner Steve Mullen
has been struggling

to draw in customers
from the rest of L.A. County.

- People are not
aware of us anymore.

So we need something new.

We need--

We need exposure.

- The problem could be
that the last piece of press

they got was from
an unknown news journal

published over a decade ago.

So I decided to pay
Steve a visit

with a plan to change that.

- I do watch that program
on TV with, um...

What is it, "Dine and Drive"?
What is it?

- Oh, "Diners, Drive-ins,
and Drives"?

- Yeah, yeah.
That's a--That's a good show.

- Well, you know
this isn't that show, right?

- Yeah, I know it's not.
- Okay, yeah.

That's Guy Fieri.
- Yeah, that's right.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Um, it's okay.
- You have to contact them, no?

I--
- How to get on

"Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives"?
- Yeah, yeah.

- I don't know
how to get on that show.

- No.
Well, you came through.

So let's see--You know,
I'd be very happy

to...work with you
to get this thing promoted.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

- One thing
I've noticed that always

gets restaurants
press coverage

is when a celebrity
leaves a bit tip.

If we were to get
an impersonator to pose

as a celebrity and leave
a $10,000 tip

at Joe K's Deli,
the real celebrity

would never deny it was them

because it make them
look so good

and Joe K's
would instantly become

the talk of the town.

- Okay.

Yeah...

- Steve was excited
about my plan to get him

to get him some new press,
but to pull off

the illusion of a major star
leaving a giant tip,

I would need
a celebrity impersonator

who was completely convincing.

So I held an open audition
to see if anyone had the goods.

- Do not go in there.

Whoo!

Yikes.

Well, all righty then.

- So are you
a Jim Carey impersonator

or an Ace Ventura
impersonator?

- I guess, uh, I'm more focused
towards Ace.

Um, but I'm a little bit
of Jim Carey overall.

- With all the talent
that came in,

it was hard to decide
who would be best

for this critical role.

- * If you live like that

* Blood runs cold

- So once the auditions
were done,

I brought the footage
to Joe K's

to see who Steve liked the most.

- He doesn't look
like Bill Gates.

- When I founded Microsoft...

- I don't think
this guy will work.

- Steve turned out to be
a pretty tough audience.

- Can you feel it?
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

- No.
- And of the dozens of options

I showed him,
he seemed to only connect

with one.

- Jerry.
Jerry, I'm pleading with you.

- I-I like this guy.

- Kramer from "Seinfeld"?
- Yes.

- The guy was a dead ringer
for Michael Richards

who played Kramer
on "Seinfeld."

I was a little concerned
about his relevance.

Do you think he might be
a little bit dated?

- Maybe, but a lot of people
know him.

- But Steve loved him,
so we officially decided

that Michael Richards
would be the celebrity

leaving the tip
and later that week,

I had our impersonator
meet me at a rehearsal space

I rented so we could
run through the plan.

Is this something
you do full-time, or...

- Well, I was--for a while
I was doing it a lot.

I was doing it a lot
and then when Michael--

When Michael Richards--
When he had his little problem,

like after The Comedy Store...
- Right.

- My persona was--
for a little while,

corporately non gratis.
- Right.

- I know Michael Richards
is a great guy.

I know he's not racist.

- I began by asking Ostrow
to walk me through

how he would leave a large tip
at a restaurant

as Michael Richards
to be sure his performance

was realistic.

And...whenever you're ready.

[door slams]

[chair clattering]

[slaps]

It was clear right away
that we had some work to do.

I think it might be a little
bit too...big.

Remember, people need to believe
you're Michael Richards,

not Kramer.
- Oh.

Got it. Okay.
- Okay. Cool.

But after hours of rehearsal,

it felt like
we were getting closer

to a believable performance.

A lot better.
- That's what I do.

- But to pull off this tip
under the scrutiny of the media,

the details would matter.

It seemed like the centerpiece
of every celebrity tipping story

is a photo
of the transaction receipt

with the celebrity's full name
and account number on it.

If we fake the receipt,
there's a chance

a nosy journalist could verify
the transaction

and expose the fraud.

So if we really wanted it
to appear real,

We'd have to use a bank card
that was owned by someone

with the same name
as our celebrity.

So I started calling
every Michael Richards

listed the local white pages
to ask for permission

to borrow their bank card
for a one-time transaction

they'd be fully reimbursed for.

...and for--

- But unfortunately,
none of them would help me out.

Ok--hello?
Mr. Richards?

For a moment, I thought
I was all out of options,

but then it occurred to me
that if we could find someone

who was willing to temporarily
change their legal name

to Michael Richards,
we'd be able

to open up a bank account
on their behalf

and get the debit card we needed
to make the transaction real.

And after posting several ads,
we finally got a response.

What's your full name?
- Robert Paul Holmes.

- So can I ask why you wanna
change your name?

- I've been Paul
for a long time.

Since I was a kid,
uh, I think probably five.

Um...

my family started
calling me by my middle name

and it just stuck.
- So you just wanted

to be Paul Holmes?
- Yeah.

- Okay, for this project,
I'm willing to pay you...

- Mm-hmm.
- To change your name

to Michael Richards.
- Okay.

[laughs]
Why?

- We're trying to make it seem
like a man by that name

left a big tip
at a restaurant.

- Okay.
- And...

for that I'd be willing
to pay you $1,000.

[lightly chuckles]

Uh, what's going through
my brain right now

is the huge
pain in the ass this is.

You know? Uh...

and I'm thinking
if $1,000 is worth it.

Um...

I mean, is this a yard sale?

Can I counter offer
with some money?

- What amount do you feel
comfortable with?

- 14's in my head.
I like it.

Uh, you can counter offer
with 12.

Whatever man, you know?
Give me anything over 1,000

and I'll think that I win.

- So, like, $1,001?
- Mm-hmm.

- You'd be happy with that?
- Yeah, sure.

- Okay.
So, she we do $1,001?

- Sure. Yes.

- I mean, is that--
- Mm-hmm.

- As long as you're happy.
- I am happy.

- I just wanna make
sure you're happy with that.

- Mm-hmm.

- Okay, well, it was great
negotiating with you.

- Yeah, good.
I'm an easy negotiator, man.

- Yeah, great.
- Yeah.

- Well thank you.
- Absolutely.

- After settling on an amount
that we are both

happy with, I had Paul
fill out the legal paperwork

that was required to begin
the name change process.

But that's when I realize
we had a big problem.

To complete a name change
in California,

you're legally obligated to
publically announce the change

in a newspaper
of general circulation

for four weeks in a row.

If anyone suspected that the
Michael Richards tip was fake,

finding this name change
in the paper

would be their smoking gun.

I tried calling my legal advisor
Judge Anthony Filosa

to see if there was
any way around this.

You have to publish it?

You can't just
change your name secretly?

- But unfortunately,
there wasn't.

So I felt like
the only way to do this

while maintaining our secrecy
was by creating a newspaper

that no one would ever read.

My hope was that by calling it
"The Diarrhea Times,"

no one would ever want
to pick it up,

but to ensure our publication
seemed legitimate to the courts,

I rented us an office space
in a media building downtown

and hired a professional
ghost writer named

Austin Bowers--
who once wrote me an entire book

in less than a week,
to serve as the paper's

Editor-in-Chief.

You ever been the editor
of a newspaper before?

- Nope, this'll be
the first time.

- The paper would obviously
need content

and it seemed like Austin
had a big vision.

- Um...definitely wanna include
lots of topics:

um, business, arts, politics.

Draw lots of people in
and they'll come.

They'll read.
They'll share.

- Right?
Just make sure there's a section

for name change announcements?
Okay?

- Right.
- I felt a little bad for Austin

that no one would be reading
this newspaper,

but hopefully, it will be
a valuable experience for him

that would lead
to future opportunities.

So after having him
introduce himself

to the other tenants
in the building,

to add to
the paper's legitimacy...

- I'm the Editor-in Chief
of "The Diarrhea Times."

We're new in the building.
- Uh-huh?

- Austin got to work
and a few days later,

I was excited to learn that
our first edition was complete.

Your lead story is a movie
review of

"Nick & Nora's
Infinite Playlist"?

- Yup, it is my favorite movie
of all time.

- Really?
- Mm-hmm.

I feel like how they came
together was kinda beautiful.

I'd like to find
something like that one day.

- Are you single?
- I am. Yes.

What about you?

- Yeah, I'm single.

- You wanna see the--
- Yeah, let's see

what else you got.

Austin walked me through
the rest of the paper

which included articles
on entertainment,

current events,
and even a section

for political cartoons
that he drew himself.

That supposed to be
Donald Trump?

- Yes.
- And after including the name

change announcement in the
bottom corner of page three,

next to an op-ed about
"Zelda Symphony,"

the first issue
was ready to print.

So you're gonna start working
on the next issue?

- Yes.
- Okay, awesome.

So after receiving thousands
of copies back from the printer,

we circulated our inaugural
issue of "The Diarrhea Times"

to the dozens
of distribution partners

we had set up
around L.A. County.

Meeting the minimum requirements
to be recognized by the courts

as a legitimate publication.

Since California law dictates
the name change be published

for four weeks in a row,
over the next month,

Austin wrote three more issues

with the name change
announcement in each

that were made publically
available to L.A. residents.

So with all the legal
requirements now met,

Robert Paul Holmes
was given a date to appear

at the L.A. Superior Courthouse
where his name change

to Michael Richards
was approved.

- Here I am. I am
officially Michael Richards.

Which is...weird and...

again, I'm not relating to it
that much, but...

time will tell, I guess.

- With his new identification,
he was now able to open

a bank account under the name
Michael Richards

and receive a Visa/debit card
that would hopefully stand up

to media scrutiny when our
impersonator left the tip.

Now, all we had to do
was fund the account

with the money we needed
for the transaction.

Because the production has
limited cash on hand,

I decided to borrow
the $10,000 for the tip

from the bank account
of a Holocaust Awareness Charity

that I started
knowing that I'd get it back

from the restaurant
once the tip was complete,

but when I called up Michael
to schedule a time

to make the deposit,
he casually brought up

that the last time he had
handled this much cash

was when he stole it
from someone.

So what was the charge?

- Okay.

- Michael told me that
he was once involved

in an armed robbery
and even though the crime

occurred almost a decade ago,

I became very concerned
that once the money

was in his account, he'd be
tempted to take it and flee.

After all,
if this guy changed his name

to Michael Richards
for $1,001,

I couldn't imagine
what he would do for 10,000.

- So, as you know,
I'm gonna be, like,

depositing $10,000 cash...
- Yup.

- Into your account.
- Uh-huh.

- And, uh, I was just thinking,
like, after the--

the call we had where you--

where you told me
you had committed, uh...

armed robbery...
- Oh, yeah. Yeah.

- Yeah.
- [laughs]

- I was a little nervous...
- Yeah. Yeah.

- Just about--
- Makes sense.

- And I trust you. Yeah.
- Cool.

- Like, I trust you.
I know it was a long time ago.

- Yeah. Yeah.
- But I was thinking,

just if it makes me, like--

if it makes it
a little bit safer, um...

would you be comfortable
just being handcuffed

to me until tomorrow when we--
I actually do the tip?

- No.
Wait, what?

[laughs]

So you want me to be
handcuffed to you for 24 hours?

- I mean, just 'cause the money
will be in your account.

- Right. Right. Right. Right.

Ah, I got ya. I got ya.
I got ya. I got ya.

I'm having a hard time
following.

So we're gonna
deposit the money

and then I'm gonna
handcuff myself to you...

- Yeah.
- So I don't leave and go take

that shit out.
- Exactly. Yes.

- I'm following you now.
- Yeah.

We'd be handcuffed
before we go in.

Just like right now.

I mean--
- Sure. Yeah.

You know, I don't have anything
going on today.

[bleep] it.
- I mean, I definitely want

you to be comfortable with it.

- Yeah, yeah.
I think it's a weird request,

but now that you explained it
a little more,

I understand where you're coming
from and I get the logic.

- Yeah.
- Totally get the logic.

- Cool.
- And--yeah, again, sure.

- Thanks. Yeah, it would just
make me feel more comfortable.

- Cool, man.
- After a bit of convincing,

Michael Richards agreed
to be handcuffed to me

for a full 24 hours
until the tipping plan

was completed the following day.

It might be best if we do it
in a way where it--

we can make it look like
we're just holding hands...

so it doesn't look suspicious,
you know?

'Cause we're going into a bank.
- Sure.

- And once Michael
was locked in beside me,

it was time to head out
to make the deposit.

Entering a bank
handcuffed to another man

is a very risky maneuver,

so I was hopeful people
would just see us

as two close friends
making a deposit together.

- Thank you, man.
- Thanks.

- Oh, hanging out.
Enjoying the--the clouds.

- Mm-hmm.

- Good.
Yeah, you as well.

- Thank you.
- See ya.

- Thank you.
And with that,

the account was fully funded.

But since I needed
to stay handcuffed to Michael

until noon tomorrow when the tip
was scheduled to take place,

I booked us adjoining hotel
rooms for us to spend the night.

So once inside, I switched
our traditional handcuffs

for some
custom ones I had made

with an extra-long chain

so we'd be able
to have our own space

so I could be sure
he wouldn't run off

in the middle of the night.
Have a good night.

- You, too, my friend.

It was a little uncomfortable
at first,

but after we each negotiated
a fair amount of slack,

I was able to go to bed
knowing that Michael

and my Holocaust money
wasn't going anywhere.

- After a night
of subpar sleep,

it was time for the big day.

So I unlocked myself
from the cuffs

and secretly snuck out without
telling Michael I had left

I then met up with our
Michael Richards impersonator

near Joe K's Restaurant
to give him the debit card

he'd be using
for the transaction.

So you feel good about all this?
- I'm good. I'm ready.

Let's make it happen.
Giddy up!

- Okay.
Um...

Just remember,
you're Michael Richards,

not Kramer.
- Yeah.

- Right? Got it?
- Yeah. Yeah.

- Okay, great.
All right.

Before Joe K's open that day,
my crew had set up cameras

throughout the diner
so I could monitor

everything that happened
from a surveillance van

down the block.

So with the lunch rush
in full swing,

it was time for
Michael Richards to arrive.

The plan was for customers
to take notice

once the tip happened
in the hopes word would spread

to the local press
so I instructed our impersonator

to keep a low profile at first

and order whatever dish
he felt

the real Michael
Richards would have.

- Okay, you all ready, sir?

- I believe I am.
- Okie dokey.

What we having today?

- Mmm...
All right, I'm gonna go

veggie melt.
- Okay, one veggie melt.

- The staff was fully prepped
on what was about to happen

and we went through extensive
rehearsals to make sure

everything ran
like clockwork.

- I'm gonna go--
we're gonna go with

the vegetaria--
the veggie melt.

- Okay, one veggie melt.

- But the only thing that
really mattered was the tip.

So to ensure the signature
on the receipt

would be authentic,
I had a light box

built into the back
of one of the restaurant's

check holders with a traceable
overlay of Michael Richard's

actual signature
that I found online.

So once he was done eating,
and the restaurant ran the card,

it was time for the pivotal
moment of my plan.

- Thank you very much.
Glad you enjoyed your lunch.

You have a wonderful,
wonderful day

and a great weekend
as well.

- And my heart was racing
as our impersonator

filled in the largest tip
to ever be left

on a $14.00 sandwich.

[dramatic music]

And after having him
exit quietly,

it was time for Steve's server
to execute the surprise reaction

we had rehearsed so many times.

- Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.
$10,000 tip?

Are you kidding me?

Steve, Linda.
- What is it?

- God. $10,000 tip.
- That says $10,000.

- No way. What?
- A $10,000 tip.

- That's crazy.
- Who is this guy?

- $10,000?
- It was Kramer.

I think it was Kramer
from "Seinfeld."

Michael Richards?
- Michael Richards?

- Yeah.
- The staff's performances

were flawless
and our waiter made a huge point

of ensuring that everyone
in the restaurant

knew about the generous tip.

- I couldn't believe it, man.
It was Mike--

It was Kramer
from "Seinfeld."

- Yeah.
- Oh, my God.

- Michael Richards.
The guy Kramer from "Seinfeld."

- Oh!
- Just ate...

- I was hopeful
this would be enough

for word to spread
to the local media.

- And lucky for us,
it was.

- This next story
is so wild it might belong

in a "Seinfeld" episode,
and it apparently involves

a cast member
from that hit TV show.

A waiter at Joe K's Deli
in Vernon

received a $10,000 tip
on Friday night

from Michael Richards
who played Kramer on "Seinfeld."

Customers took
some photos there.

Claimed the waiter
was so happy

they thought he was actually
gonna cry.

While the story is not verified,
the customers insist

it was Cosmo Kramer himself

who left that very generous tip.
- I love it.

- I had delivered on my promise
to put Joe K's Deli

back in the spotlight
and when I returned

the next day, Steve
couldn't have been happier.

- You came like an angel
and, uh...

[laughs]
- An angel? Really?

- Angel, yes.

- And with all
the press coverage they got,

I was sure business would be
booming for a while.

- "Seinfeld" Michael Richards
leave $10,000 tip.

- Yeah.
- Perfect.

I can't make it out.
What's that?

"The Diarrhea"?

- I had decided to keep
"The Diarrhea Times" open

for one final issue
so that Austin's work

could be displayed proudly
in a place of honor.

But it still wasn't easy
to say good-bye.

- Well,
I had a lot of fun here.

- Well, maybe we could,
like...

get a beer sometime
or something.

Or a tea.

- Mm, that'd be cool.

- All right, see ya around.
- All right.

Pleasure working with you.
- Yeah.

- All right.
- Okay, bye, Austin.

- Bye.

[somber music]

*

- Absolutely.

- Smokin'.

Somebody stop me!

Hold on, sugar,

daddy's got a sweet tooth
tonight!