HBO Responded To The “Game of Thrones” Coffee Cup Controversy

Earlier today, we reported on how the people of the internet were freaking out because a Starbucks cup made a surprise cameo in last night’s episode of Game of Thrones. HBO has finally responded, and honestly, thank goodness. The freakout needed to come to an end eventually.

“The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea,” HBO stated in a press release via Variety earlier today, May 6th. We really didn’t take Dany for a tea drinker, but okay.

Thrones art director Hauke Richter told the site that this kind of thing happens, and unfortunately, that’s just show biz. “Things can get forgotten on set,” he wrote in an email. “[The coffee cup error has been] so blown out of proportion [because] it has not happened with Thrones so far.”

Um, yeah. We suppose. Or it could be so blown out of proportion because the cup literally looks like it was placed there on purpose. It’s pretty much center stage and the Starbucks logo is actually turned to face the camera. Was this a poor example of product placement?

It’s sad because we were supposed to feel upset about Jon saying goodbye to old friends and [SPOILER]’s tragic beheading. But instead, the Starbucks cup stole the Iron Throne — we mean, show. It stole the show.

You're telling me they had TWO YEARS to put together a decent show and they couldn't even spot the goddamn Starbucks cup in Winterfell??!?! #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/8opg7nyydv

— Jenna Guillaume (@JennaGuillaume) May 6, 2019

But hey — it’s not our fault. We didn’t want to make a misplaced Starbucks cup famous.

The Starbucks cup rn pic.twitter.com/xUXc69Iixf

— ant (@CerAlv03) May 6, 2019

And what’s even worse is that the showrunners were literally in this scene. Now that the Battle of Winterfell is over, we’re all out here being loosey goosey, aren’t we?

OH MY GOD, the showrunners were literally in the same scene as the Starbucks cup. pic.twitter.com/TS7wNPUCDf

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 6, 2019

Or… Or are we…?

This could all be part of the intertwining plot. That could be why HBO didn’t say more on the topic.

Whiny? This Starbucks cup opens up an entirely new can of worms. What drink does the Mother of Dragons prefer? Does she customize? Does she order off the secret menu? There’s *a lot* of new information to unpack now!

In a series that features fire-breathing dragons, incest, an army of dead people, giants, and 10-year old monarchs, it feels a little whiny that people are complaining the Starbucks cup is killing the realism of the show. Those bloopers happen all the time in TV.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 6, 2019

She honestly must be a nightmare to deal with. Those poor Winterfell baristas.

Who knows? Maybe that Starbucks cup will take the Iron Throne. Perhaps we’re onto something here…

People should wait till the series finale of Game of Thrones before they jump to the conclusion that the Starbucks cup doesn’t belong.

— Eugene Mirman (@EugeneMirman) May 6, 2019

It’s all starting to make sense now. We understand.

That Starbucks Cup in Game of Thrones was not a mistake, just wait until the last episode: pic.twitter.com/VS34GKrfbq

— Michael Tannenbaum (@iamTannenbaum) May 6, 2019

However, the one thing that is telling us that this was a flub is the fact that Starbs in the North is totally not a thing. If you’re going to do it, do it right.

Seeing a Starbucks cup in game of thrones really frustrates me. In the books Westeros only has Peet’s coffee, while Starbucks can only be found in eastern parts of Essos and-

— Shayne Topp (@supershayne) May 6, 2019

And TBH, this isn’t actually the first time a coffee cup has snuck its way onto the Game of Thrones set. Jamie Lannister likes his hot bean water, too.

There’s actually been a full Ford 150 in a shot before. Lest we forget…

Ah, well. It happens to the best of us. Emilia Clarke might as well own it.

Let’s hope the people responsible for this epic blunder don’t get the Rob Delaney treatment. We’re sending thoughts and prayers.

Surprised ppl joking around about the Starbucks cup on Game of Thrones. When our props guy on Catastrophe (Kevin Sloane) left a Red Sox cap on a counter in a scene I had him fired that day & blacklisted as well. He died a few weeks later of what doctors called “a broken heart.”

— rob delaney (@robdelaney) May 6, 2019

At the end of the day, the Starbucks cup is just a convenient distraction. We know there will be imminent destruction and we’re just pretending not to notice the signs.

Thank you, whoever made this mistake, for letting us laugh about Game of Thrones instead of crying, hyperventilating, and wishing we could go back and rewrite the show to save our favorite characters. It’s been a nice reprieve.