On Tuesday morning, a giant, provocative billboard display appeared alongside the 101 Freeway in Echo Park announcing that Ozempic, the popular diabetes medication turned viral weight loss drug, is an official sponsor of the 2028 Olympics.
Twenty-four hours later, the mysterious billboard was covered up.
A spokesperson for LA28—the Los Angeles Olympic planning commission—did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent via email. But the here-today, gone-tomorrow timeline of the billboard’s lifespan suggests that it’s not a legitimate partnership. Especially considering that Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant who sells diabetes and weight loss drugs that compete with Ozempic, already announced a partnership with LA28.
When reached for comment, Jesus Hands AKA Zach Fernandez, the artist whose name appeared in the right-hand corner of the billboard, told L.A. TACO that they could not confirm or deny if they were responsible for the stunt.
Jesus Hands is best known as the “disruptor” and artist who scaled the Hollywood sign back in 2017 and changed it to read “Hollyweed.”