Lana Del Rey worked a shift at a Waffle House in Alabama for some reason
One of the things I like about Lana Del Rey is that she’s unpredictable and random. About twelve people sent me this story over the weekend and I thought, it makes perfect sense. Why wouldn’t Lana decide to work a shift at a Waffle House in Alabama? As an artist, Americana is one of her main themes, along with men who are Mad, Bad, and Dangerous To Know. And it doesn’t get more “Americana” than “Waffle House in Alabama.” I try to explain the Waffle House Disaster Index to my European friends, and they find it completely bizarre, but that chain is an institution as far as I’m concerned. In a way I think Lana probably views these little forays into small-town America as research for her songwriting.
Lana Del Rey is serving up waffles.
The “Summertime Sadness” singer has apparently been moonlighting as a waitress at a Waffle House in Florence, Alabama, according to social media posts from a few of her customers shared on a fan account. Pictures posted Thursday show Del Rey in uniform, warmly serving patrons and working behind the counter.
In one video, she can be heard saying, “Oh look at this guy. Oh God, Charlie don’t film him without his permission.”
“Just Lana Del Rey working as a waitress at a restaurant,” the caption reads.
She even has her own Waffle House name badge.
Another person posed with the singer inside the Waffle House, writing, “To say I am ecstatic is an understatement!!!.”
It’s not known why Del Rey is currently in Alabama, but she has reportedly been spotted in recent days at an area nail salon and a Starbucks.
The “Charlie” Lana is talking to is possibly her brother Charlie, just a guess. Lana references the town of Florence, Alabama in the song “Paris, Texas” off her latest album: “Then I went to see some friends of mine/Down in Florence, Alabama.” It seems like she probably does have connections there. There are references to the Deep South in her unreleased music that date back to 2009, so I think she’s spent more time there than people might expect. Why is she there in between tour stops on the international festival circuit? Who knows! I don’t think it was a stunt or anything, because Lana didn’t post about it on her newly re-instated Instagram.
I like that Lana tries to keep her finger on the pulse of what’s going on in regular, small-town America. Lana pops up in un-glamorous places you wouldn’t expect to find A-list celebrities all the time, like Reno, Nevada or the Long Beach Chili Cook Off. A lot of other celebs would think working a shift at Waffle House was totally beneath them, but Lana probably thinks it’s fun. It likely reminds her of the summers she spent as a teen on Long Island being a waitress. Her mom apparently told execs at Interscope that she was an awful waitress, but reading between the lines of Lana’s last two albums, I think she and her mom never really got along and her mom was just being overly critical. She references her summers working as a waitress in the song “White Dress” and recalls it as one of her happiest times. Honest to God I think my Halloween costume this year is going to be “Lana Del Rey at Waffle House” because it’s so off-beat and random.
Photos via social media including Pigeons and Planes on Facebook
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