The "Little Lad" who loves "Berries and Cream" is arguably one of the most unexpected and enduring viral sensations of the 21st century. What began as a bizarre, unsettling, yet strangely catchy 2007 commercial for a new Starburst flavor resurfaced over a decade later to become a global TikTok phenomenon, proving that true internet gold never really dies. As of today, December 15, 2025, the actor behind the iconic bowl cut and peculiar dance is not only alive and well but is actively shaping the world of contemporary art with fresh projects.
This deep dive explores the complete journey of the Little Lad—from the original Starburst ad to its massive resurgence on social media platforms like TikTok, and the current, fascinating life of the performance artist who brought the character to life. We reveal the latest updates on actor Jack Ferver, including their major 2025 dance-theater work and the surprising longevity of the "Berries and Cream" meme.
Jack Ferver: Full Biography and 2025 Professional Update
The man behind the Little Lad is Jack Ferver, a highly respected American dancer, choreographer, actor, and professor. While they are globally known for a 30-second candy commercial, their professional life is rooted deeply in the New York performance art and dance-theater scene.
Jack Ferver's Biography at a Glance
- Full Name: Jack Ferver.
- Born: 1979.
- Known For: Performance art, dance-theater shows, choreography, and the viral "Little Lad" character in the 2007 Starburst "Berries and Cream" commercial.
- Early Career: After acting in film and television, including a role in *Strangers With Candy*, Ferver began performing their own full-length dance pieces in 2007, the same year the Starburst ad aired.
- Academic Role: Ferver is also a professor, teaching acting at various institutions.
- Artistic Focus: Their genre-defying performances are often described as bold and darkly humorous, frequently examining themes of trauma and the queer experience.
- Pronouns: They/Them.
Shocking Fact 1: Ferver Premiered a Major New Work in March 2025
Far from the world of sugary candy ads, Jack Ferver's primary focus in 2025 has been on their critically acclaimed dance-theater piece, *My Town*. This work, which premiered in March 2025 at EMPAC in Troy, New York, is a bold, darkly humorous piece loosely inspired by Thornton Wilder’s classic play *Our Town*. The work explores the queer experience outside of major urban centers and how physical geography impacts one's identity.
Shocking Fact 2: They Contributed to The New Group’s 2024-25 Season
Jack Ferver continues to be a contributing force in the New York theater world. They were part of The New Group’s 2024-25 season, an organization known for featuring contemporary, boundary-pushing theatrical works. This contribution highlights their commitment to serious, experimental performance art, a world away from the Little Lad’s simple jingle.
From 2007 Ad to 2025 TikTok: The Berries and Cream Meme Resurrection
The Starburst "Berries and Cream" commercial was originally released in 2007 to promote a new flavor of the chewy candy. The ad featured two men discussing the new flavor before the Little Lad, with his distinctive bowl cut and embroidered collar, appears to perform his signature, highly stylized "Little Lad Dance" and sing the famous jingle.
Shocking Fact 3: The Jingle Has Gone Viral Twice, 14 Years Apart
The commercial had a minor viral moment shortly after its 2007 release, but its true global explosion happened over a decade later. In 2021, the audio and character were rediscovered and became one of the biggest, most inescapable trends on TikTok. This second wave of virality cemented the Little Lad as a pop culture icon for a whole new generation who had never seen the original advertisement.
The Anatomy of the Little Lad Dance Trend
The "Berries and Cream" TikTok trend revolves around the audio clip where the Little Lad exclaims, "I'm a Little Lad who loves Berries and Cream!" followed by the bizarre, high-stepping dance. The trend evolved into various forms:
- The Little Lad Dance Challenge: Users attempted to perfectly replicate Ferver’s unique, stiff-legged dance moves.
- Meme Mashups: Creators mashed up the audio clip with popular songs and other well-known sound effects, creating endless remixes and parodies.
- The Nostalgia Factor: The trend’s success was fueled by a combination of nostalgia for the early 2000s internet and the character's unexpectedly charming, cottagecore aesthetic.
The Enduring Legacy of the Little Lad Dance
The "Berries and Cream" phenomenon is a perfect case study in internet culture, showing how an obscure, niche piece of advertising can be resurrected and repurposed into a cultural touchstone. The sheer topical authority of the meme is undeniable, spawning thousands of videos and solidifying the Little Lad Dance in the meme hall of fame.
Shocking Fact 4: The Actor Has a Complex Relationship with the Character
While the Little Lad brought Ferver unexpected fame, the actor has expressed a complicated relationship with the character. In various interviews, Ferver has discussed the dichotomy between their serious, often dark, performance art and the lighthearted, silly viral role. They have, however, embraced the character's resurgence, even participating in a brief interview to teach fans the correct way to perform the Little Lad Dance.
Shocking Fact 5: The Little Lad is Still a Pop Culture Reference in 2025
The meme continues to surface in new and surprising ways. In late 2024, the "Berries and Cream" haircut was referenced when social media users compared the appearance of food influencer Nara Smith during a television appearance to the Little Lad's distinctive bowl cut. This demonstrates that the character has transcended the original commercial and the TikTok trend, becoming a permanent, recognizable shorthand for a specific aesthetic and cultural moment.
The Little Lad’s journey is a powerful reminder that the internet has a long memory. The Starburst commercial, initially just an odd piece of marketing, has been transformed by a new generation into a piece of digital folklore. Jack Ferver, the brilliant artist at its core, continues to create meaningful, challenging work while forever being known as the Little Lad who loved Berries and Cream. The meme’s longevity ensures that the bizarre jingle and the high-stepping dance will continue to echo across the internet for years to come.
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