Thousands Line Up for Josh & Jase Meet-and-Greet at Novi Planet Fitness
British content creators Josh Clarke and Jase Riley packed a Planet Fitness parking lot in Novi on Friday, drawing more than 1,000 fans during their summer tour of Michigan.
The line started at the front doors of a Planet Fitness on Adell Center Drive in Novi on Friday morning and just kept going, around the building, through the parking lot and past neighboring businesses, as fans waited hours for a few seconds with two British men who post videos about Michigan.
Josh Clarke and Jase Riley, who go by Josh & Jase online, drew more than 1,000 people to the gym for a meet-and-greet that ran until 3 p.m. Some fans had traveled from well outside Oakland County. Jennifer Yats, 57, drove down from Davison carrying a homemade sign that read "Josh, Jase & Jenn."
"A lot of us can't get out and can't go places and travel as much as we'd like to, and it's really nice to be able to see the world, especially through their eyes, because they've got such a positive spin on everything," Yats said.
Fans of all ages showed up, some in shirts reading "I love British boys." Detroit Tigers mascot Paws and Detroit Pistons mascot Hooper worked the line, posing for photos with the crowd while people waited their turn. Bianca Mylan, 46, of Chesterfield, snapped a selfie with Hooper as she inched toward the front doors.
The pair from Nottingham, England, has spent weeks crossing Michigan and posting videos of the trip, including firing a cannon on Mackinac Island and watching sunsets along the state's lakeshores. They first visited in winter, and Michigan residents kept telling them to come back once the weather turned.
"It's almost like they were upset that we weren't here to experience the sun, the lakes, all that kind of stuff," Riley said. "They really wanted us to experience the other side of the fence, so that's what made us come back."
During this summer's swing through the state, the two have tried Jet's Pizza, sampled regional specialties in different towns and helped raise more than $21,000 for the nonprofit Hospice of Michigan. Riley said the food has stood out to him as he's moved from city to city.
"Every different part of Michigan seems to have different foods," he said.
The trip hasn't been without friction. In Traverse City, the pair drew criticism from some social media users who accused them of being paid to promote specific towns, prompting Clarke to push back in an Instagram post, calling the critics "scalawags" and telling them the comments left "a sour taste in your mouth." Clarke said the two are not being paid to visit particular cities.
Friday's stop in Novi carried its own commercial backing. The event was run in partnership with Planet Fitness, which sponsors the duo. Mary Scott, the company's vice president of marketing, said she first noticed Josh & Jase during their winter visit and reached out because the chain had gyms in towns they were already stopping in.
"They're fantastic. I love their positivity, and really, we just kind of felt like their spirit and everything they're about kind of aligned with what our brand is all about," Scott said.
What began as an offer to let the two work out at local gyms turned into Friday's meet-and-greet, which the pair had promoted on social media as an attempt at "the biggest meet and greet ever." Judging by the line snaking through the Novi parking lot, plenty of fans wanted to help them get there.
Clarke said the reception across Michigan, and again in Novi, has stuck with him.
"The thing about Michigan is, people want you to experience Michigan like they have, so when we arrived on Mackinac Island, we would go to these places and people would say, 'You have to do this. It's fun. Come with us.' We've been accepted with open arms," he said.
The turnout in Novi drew fans who first found Josh & Jase online, now lined up in person outside a gym. A line stretching past neighboring storefronts is not typical for the Planet Fitness location, and staff spent the afternoon managing a crowd more often seen at concerts or sports appearances.
Josh & Jase have not said publicly where their Michigan tour heads next. Their stops so far, Mackinac Island, Traverse City and Novi, have moved south across the state. Scott said Planet Fitness sees "endless reasons" to keep the partnership going, and the pair's social media accounts have continued posting near-daily updates from the road.
