Barstool's revolving door swung the right way for once. Dave Portnoy teased late Thursday night that he was closing in on a reunion with one of the names on his personal 'they'll be back someday' list, and by Friday afternoon it was official.
I have a list of guys that I knew would come back one day. Very close to acquiring one of them
That cryptic tease turned into a full-blown homecoming a few hours later when Portnoy dropped the confirmation everyone had been waiting on: Ben Fredette, the videographer and editor known to the internet as Buddha Ben, is officially back in the building.
For anyone who wasn't around Barstool in its earlier era, Buddha Ben was the guy behind the camera and in the edit bay for years before stepping away in 2019. Portnoy called him one of the hardest workers the company ever had, employee or not, and predicted even back then that he'd find his way home eventually. Turns out that take aged well.
Big whale hunting! Welcome back Buddha Ben
The reaction across the company has been instant and genuine. Cons framed it as part of a bigger pattern worth watching, betting that Fredette won't be the last familiar face to boomerang back through the door in the coming years.
a lot of companies out there are prone to boomerangs - people who leave and come back (duh) in the next 5 years, I think you'll see more folks returning to Barstool great to have @BenFredette back!
Pat's reaction summed up the vibe of the whole timeline — an all-caps welcome for a get that felt about as unlikely as it gets in this line of work. Add in staffers pulling up old Buddha Ben originals to rewatch and the sunscreen jokes flying about his sun-scorched glory days, and it's clear this isn't just a hire, it's a reunion the fanbase has been quietly rooting for since the day he left.