Where Did This Kickstarter's $30,000 Go?

It was the viral phenomenon that wouldn't lose steam, as the now-infamous potato salad project continued to amass more and more funding, finally reaching more than $70,000 on Wednesday evening. But somehow the potato salad Kickstarter project lost $30,000 overnight, because on Thursday morning, the amount was back down to $40,000-something. Hey, that's still about $39,990 more than he needs to make a bowl of potato salad. But naturally, the sudden and drastic decrease has us wondering, "Where did all that money go?"

What started out as a modest proposal for $10 to buy the ingredients to make one bowl of potato salad has become the most funded project on the platform. The idea that some guy out there in the world was worried about making one of the easiest sides in existence, and asking the world for help, really struck a chord. Suddenly people were donating by the hordes, and one bowl of potato salad became two or three, then a potato salad party for hundreds of people, and then potato salad business enterprises. To be honest, it really wasn't clear what Brown was going to do with all that money, but people seemed to donate just to donate.

Just a little over a week after it first launched, however, it seems like the potato salad phenomenon is finally losing steam. After funding soared past 700,000 percent of its $10 goal, a large chunk has suddenly been subtracted from the total. Were backers regretting their donations? Are people finally sick of hearing about this potato salad guy? Has all this talk of potato salad forever ruined it for their appetites?

When the L.A. Times reached out to Kickstarter to find out what exactly was going on, company spokesman Justin Kazmark told them that three large pledges of $10,000 each did not pass the verification process and were therefore canceled. In other words, not only are backers sticking by their pledges, but they're taking their pledges to the next level. Either that or someone was trying to pull a stunt with the three $10K donations.

Now we can't stop thinking about the $30,000 that would have been. If those pledges were indeed real, perhaps you guys can put them toward other worthy causes besides potato salad? Here's what we would do with $30,000 if we were ballers like you...

Donate to the Chipotle Skydiving Kickstarter

Yes, this exists. Art Institute of Chicago student Noboru Bitoy started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $8 so that he could consume a delicious Chipotle chicken burrito. When he started receiving way more than his projected goal, he upgraded his project to eating a Chipotle chicken burrito while skydiving. You gotta admit, that's a lot more creative than potato salad. As of press time, he had $1,050 from 258 backers.

Buy Your Own Potato Farm

If you high-rolling backers are purely in it for the potato salad, then you should consider being your own boss. With $30,000 you could put a down payment on your own potato farm. Think of all the potato products you could be making, selling, and consuming! Why leave something as important as potato salad in someone else's hands when you can have full creative control?

Donate to Charity

$30,000 is a lot of money. There are needy people out there who could probably use that money more than Brown — nothing against his potato salad dreams or anything. Instead of contributing to a potato salad party for the Internet or a potato salad delivery service, why not use the money to feed the hungry? There are countless food-based charities to donate to, and $30,000 could save countless lives.

Put It Back in Your Pocket

Here's a thought: keep your hard-earned money. Again, I think it's great that people reacted so positively to an average American guy's modest project, but at the end of the day, he's not exactly making history. Viral sensations tend to have pretty short lifespans, and by next month something else will have overshadowed the great potato salad Kickstarter.

So while the hype may not last forever, your donation will, and you'll probably be relieved that you didn't drop $10K on a side dish you can get at the grocery store for $4.

Images: Potato Salad/Kickstarter, Graphing the deliciousness of a chicken burrito!/Kicksarter