Netflix, ‘Arrested Development’ banana stand gives O.C. the slip

Netflix has no immediate plans to bring a replica of the “Arrested Development” banana stand to Newport Beach, a spokeswoman said Friday.

More than 300 people have signed a Change.org petition urging the company to bring the stand, which is touring the United States to promote new episodes of the comedy series, to the city where most of its action takes place.

Since Newport resident Krupali Tejura launched the campaign Tuesday, even Mayor Keith Curry has pledged support to bring Bluth’s Original Frozen Banana stand to town. But the company representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Netflix has no plans to do so.

She noted, though, that the tour schedule is not yet final. The “Arrested Development” Twitter feed has posted updates on the stand’s appearances, and the spokeswoman said Los Angeles is slotted for the near future.

Tejura expressed disappointment at the company’s decision, saying Netflix should honor Newport, not just because of its connection to the show but because of its connection to frozen bananas — the city is believed to have had the first stand in the 1940s.

“I’m kind of bummed,” Tejura said. “They should bring it home. It’s kind of ridiculous that they don’t go to the place where the original banana stand started.”

If the real-life Bluth’s stand makes it to Newport, hopefully it will be spared the fate of the one on the show: In an early episode, a character burns it down without realizing that $250,000 in cash was embedded in the walls.

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