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By Liz O'Connell
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A song addressing the proper pronunciation of PetSmart reached a new level of internet fame this weekend when a rally over the long-running debate drew an unexpected celebrity appearance from John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.
The couple showed up with their dogs at a “Rally for the Truth” outside a PetSmart store in Sherman Oaks, California—an event organized by musical comedian Ben Lapidus after his song about how to say the retailer’s name went viral.
Lapidus told Newsweek the idea began in 2022, when he posted a short video on social media questioning the pronunciation. PetSmart responded at the time, but the mystery lingered. He later expanded the bit into a full song on his debut album, Deeper and Dumber, which will be released on April 1, blending sincerity with humor.
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The track quickly took off, racking up millions of views across his social media accounts, including TikTok @benlapidus, and reigniting the familiar question: "Is it Pet Smart or Pet's Mart?"
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The viral attention escalated over the weekend with the rally outside the Sherman Oaks store, which Lapidus framed as a movement to uncover the “truth” behind the brand name. Addressing the crowd, he spoke and sang as fans held handmade signs alongside their pets and cheered for answers.
Among the rally-goers were the Legend and Teigen. Lapidus said he only learned the celebrity couple would be attending the day of the event, making the weekend a true "whirlwind" for the artist. He added they arrived on time, and he only spoke to them when he introduced Teigen before she addressed the crowd.
The couple's dog food company, Kismet, shared a video of Teigen's remarks on Instagram, in which she urged PetSmart to choose. Speaking directly to the company's CEO, she said: "We will not give you one precious bite of kibble until we have answers!"
Newsweek reached out to Legend and Teigen's publicists via email on Monday for additional comment.
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More Than Just a Viral Song
For Lapidus, the rally—and the surprise celebrity turnout—underscored just how far the joke has traveled.
“We had no idea if it would hit or not,” he said. “We were just riding the momentum.”
Some viewers speculated the viral moment was a marketing stunt orchestrated with PetSmart, but Lapidus said he is not affiliated with the company. He added that PetSmart did not reach out to him until the night before the rally.
Lapidus now hopes to keep the momentum going by releasing more music and eventually taking his talents on the road. While the song may seem silly on the surface, he said it carries a deeper message—one that resonated with rally attendees.
His best intentions for the song to carry a deeper meaning appeared to land, as Lapidus noted that some people attended with what he described as "authentic anger," believing the company might be hiding something. To him, that reaction speaks to the depths of corporate America.
"This is a political movement," he said. "This is about standing up to the overreach of corporate power and their attempts to hide the truth."
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PetSmart Responds
The company itself leaned into the viral moment.
“This debate has been circulating on and off for years,” Bradley Breuer, senior vice president of marketing at PetSmart, told Newsweek in a statement.
The retailer launched in 1986 as PetFood Warehouse before rebranding to PetSmart in 1989. Breuer said the intended pronunciation was originally closer to “Pets Mart,” but a 2005 brand refresh shifted the emphasis to Pet Smart. He noted the updated logo—with “Pet” in red and “Smart” in blue—was designed to highlight the change and position the company as a pet-care expert rather than simply a large retailer.
Still, the company says it isn’t overly concerned about settling the debate.
“Our biggest priority is making sure pet parents have the resources they need to care for their pets,” Breuer said. “People have been calling us different things over the years, and that’s okay.”
Breuer added that the company has enjoyed watching the enthusiasm around Lapidus's song spread online, saying the moment highlights how important it is for customers to feel connected to the brand.
But to put the debate to rest once and for all, Breuer said: "It's Pet Smart and the bouncing ball is just a bouncing ball, not an apostrophe. Case closed!"
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Correction 03/11/26, 11:33 a.m ET: This article was updated to reflect the correct album release date as April 1.
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