Beliebe

Meet Justin Bieber’s Sandwich Savior, Homeless Drag Artist Kody Christiansen

When Bieber's credit card bounced in LA last week, a customer settled his tab. Meet Kody Christiansen, a former drag artist and writer who, until last year, was living in NYC homeless shelters.

Credit card refusal happens to us all, even multi-millionaire pop brats like Justin Bieber.

However, in a scenario unlikely to befall the maxed-out man on the street, when Bieber found himself empty-handed at the cash register at Subway, a fellow shopper waiting in line offered the $16 needed for his milk and cookies.

Now the mystery man has come forward and identified himself as a writer, wannabe actor and former drag artist named Kody Christiansen.

Up until a year ago, Christiansen was living in a New York City homeless shelter.

Christiansen wrote about the encounter on the website for his book, “Hollywood Heartbreak, New York Dreams” which he says is the ‘true story of his life’ (with changed names) which tells the story of a man who is a “renowned female illusionist”, a “once enchanting creature”, who “turns into a homeless alcoholic struggling through New York City’s shelter system.”

An enthusiastic self-publicist with a significant digital footprint, Christiansen’s story is backed up by a photograph from inside the store which he says shows him standing next to Bieber and a receipt which he claims is for the purchase of Bieber’s sub, three milks and some cookies.

Christiansen writes: “I saved the receipt as a memento.”

His account of the meeting on his website runs as follows: “I walked into Subway on Sunset Boulevard, craving some cookies. (And maybe to see who the 20 paparazzi outside were shooting.) When I got in line I noticed him.

"Having worked with celebrities in film and tv, and hanging out with them often, seeing him was not a huge deal to me. I mean the 12 year-old girl inside was squealing with excitement, but the young adult male on the outside played it cool.

"He ordered his foot-long cold cut combo and we glanced and nodded at each other… when Justin got up to pay for his meal, he put his card into the machine and it was declined.

“He said, 'I have to run out and get another card.' Knowing the paparazzi would ask him why he didn't come out with his food, I decided to pay it for him to spare him that second trip out into the crush of photographers. He was so thankful and so gracious. A really nice guy.”

Christiansen said he gave him a copy of the book to read on his travels, and added, “I was not going to share this story, but since it has been leaked by someone—I'm guessing someone who worked there—I decided to let you know what really happened.“He was a great guy and I hope he reads the book and is inspired… I would have done that for anyone who's card was declined. Not just because of who he is. It's good karma!”

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.