Whedonesque Mobile : Comments on 12881 : Drive Cast to Pump Free Gas at Century City Gas Station.

April 03 2007

Drive Cast to Pump Free Gas at Century City Gas Station. The Mayor of Television is reporting that the cast of Drive will be promoting the show by pumping free gas this Thursday from 9-11 a.m. at the station at 10389 Santa Monica Blvd. (corner of Beverly Glen) in Century City. This report has been confirmed in a telephone conversation with Ishraq, the manager of the gas station.

BrewBunny | 02:32 CET | 47 comments total | tags: tim minear, nathan fillion, drive

way cool

rivergirl | April 03, 02:51 CET

That's one way to get people to promote the show and get people to watch. It's also a sure thing this will certainly be on "Entertainment Tonight" and "Extra".

impalergeneral | April 03, 03:04 CET

Well, hopefully. I don't know myself as Lindsey Lohan won't be there.

FOX paying for Firefly fans gas. That's kinda hilarious.

gossi | April 03, 03:17 CET

Well, it's a shame that it's during work hours, but I imagine a weekend pumping would be too overwhelming. Darn, I sure do need some gas too...and for it to be free and pumped by Nathan Fillion would be extra special. (Of course, I'd probably end up getting one of the other cast members that I don't know from Adam, knowing my luck.)

Rogue Slayer | April 03, 03:22 CET

Oh, gods, it's tempting to go, just 'cause having Nathan et al. pump our gas would be hi-larious in the extreme. And it would only take a half a tank to get there.

:>

It's so the wrong direction for us to go in the a.m. But is it so wrong it's right?

I just wanna pull up and say, "Catalyzer on the port compression coil blew. It's where the trouble started."

Okay, nothing to do with Drive, but still... Oops, forgot I don't drive, myself.

It's a conundrum.

QuoterGal | April 03, 03:24 CET

Heh. Very cool. I'm tempted to go down there myself. If it was Sean Maher pumping my gas, I'd be first in line. . .

leiasky | April 03, 03:26 CET

Steal a car and go on a road race there, QuoterGal! Tell them the TV made you do it.

gossi | April 03, 03:27 CET

In the U.S., they frown on you ~~racing~~ driving without a license. But I guess I could steal a car, alright...

And I've already used the "TV defense" once before for a murder rap.

Can you be influenced by a TV show you haven't watched yet? I mean, like, precognitively?

QuoterGal | April 03, 03:33 CET

Heh, I'm getting flashbacks to Tim's story from B3 (the one about the angry "fan" who thought people were going to die in car accidents while emulating Drive).

Dizzy | April 03, 03:48 CET

I'll just settle for looking nervous and bewildered whenever my cellphone rings.

theonetruebix | April 03, 03:58 CET

I was at that particular WorldCon seminar when the fan went off and apparently threatened to harm Tim's manhood. Oddly, I managed to miss that part of it, as I was off in the QuoterGal-Happy-Place-Pink Bubble-Space-In-Her-Head to which I retreat whenever voices are raised to that volume and intensity.

It helps you stay calm, but you miss a lot of exciting and informative stuff that way...

I do remember looking at Tim afterward and noticing that he looked a might shaken. Not that he ever remotely lost his sang-froid.

I can't carry a cell-phone unless I have to, as it makes me drop things and scream when it rings. Not pleasant for any of us...

QuoterGal | April 03, 04:11 CET

So I wonder if this is Nathan's super secret thingy that he's never done before...

;)

Dizzy | April 03, 04:15 CET

Oddly, I'm remembering "Out of Gas," and laughing rather a lot over it.

Meltha | April 03, 04:39 CET

Heh. So many logistics to think about re the gas pumping:

1) How did they choose that particular station
2) Did they think about the possible traffic snarl this could
cause?
3) Are all the actors insured in case a car accidentally backs up
over their foot?
4) Will they have bodyguards to prevent unwanted attention or
groping?

Yes, I think about these things. Not unduly, but I do.

Tonya J | April 03, 05:09 CET

I think it's right under the Drive billboard near 20th.

Allyson | April 03, 05:13 CET

mumble...stupid east coast...mumble

skeezycheeses | April 03, 06:05 CET

Are we sure this isn't a belated April Fools joke?

You know this is a great idea. Just giving out free gas makes the local news. Cars line up around the gas station.

Add some actors. Add lots of Browncoats.

Anonymous1 | April 03, 06:53 CET

Right there with ya, skeezycheeses.

Oh well, at least there'll no doubt be awesome pictures of Captain Mal cleaning windshields and whatnot.

holeintheworld | April 03, 07:14 CET

Awww... that's during work and I just filled up my tank. Oh well, my car is kind of embarrassing anyway.

Lady Brick | April 03, 07:27 CET

My car doesn't need gas anymore. It's more of an installation at this point. Am I pathetic enough to rent a car and drive it there, in the hope of having Nathan pump a gallon of gas and then drive that car back home and pump the replacement gallon before turning it in? Stay tuned.

dreamlogic | April 03, 08:57 CET

I kind of figured that free gas is a bigger deal to most people than the fact there are celebrities involved. Still, that's pretty neat and an unusually desperate localized way of trying to promote the series. Cool nevertheless though!

orangewaxlion | April 03, 09:13 CET

What a strange publicity stunt. You couldn't make this up.

Simon | April 03, 10:22 CET

I wonder if any of the other actors will join them? Because it would be nice if, say, Amy Acker was there as well. Or maybe Timmah himself might fill tanks, just for the whole Jossverse gasoline experience.

Hey, this is just weird. Fox actually giving promotion and support to new and promising dramas. Since when did they actually start doing that?

deanna b | April 03, 10:48 CET

Am I the only one to think that this idea, if it is true, is not very ecologic? I'm sure it is apt to incite people to take their car and drive there just to have some gas they would not need to spend right now... besides, it simply incite people to take their cars instead of other means of transportation.

PS: I know that the layout and infrastructures of LA already incite people to take their car, but that's not a reason to add to this ecological disaster.

Le Comit� | April 03, 10:53 CET

Le Comit�, I was reading the comments to this thread and was thinking just the same. Anyway, there are at least two of us thinking about the environment. This action does not only promote Drive, but also driving. (Then again, I'm not sure how much the series itself will actually promote driving, considering the title ;-)).

Edited to correct typo.

[ edited by Celebithil on 2007-04-03 18:21 ]

Celebithil | April 03, 11:14 CET

Yes, I somehow doubt Drive has an eco agenda..

gossi | April 03, 11:27 CET

Then next week, we might see a free car pool service offered by the cast? Fox's "Will Work For Viewers" agenda has a lot of potential.

Simon | April 03, 12:20 CET

For the full 'Drive' experience maybe people will pull in, Nathan et al will just start to squeeze the handle, releasing a few drips into the tank and then a Fox exec will rush up and 'cancel' your petrol citing low demand and complaints from the Middle Eastern demographic. ;-).

OK, eco issues aside this is actually a pretty unique and interesting promo, they really do seem committed to it which makes me feel slightly better about the early hiatus thing.

I'll just settle for looking nervous and bewildered whenever my cellphone rings.

A mobile ? In a petrol station ? Crazy. That's life on the raggedy edge right there. A friend's brother's girlfriend's Mum's sister once saw a guy blow up an entire city just from a cellphone spark in a petrol station.

Saje | April 03, 13:09 CET

So now, when you Los Angelites see Nathan at conventions, you can, you know, remind him of that time he was so helpful about pumping gas for your car, and remembered to wipe the windshield, and everything. Oh, wait...

[ edited by toast on 2007-04-03 11:55 ]

toast | April 03, 14:51 CET

Saje, I have to ask .... have you ever considered a career as a comedy writer? You so often give me a LOL moment :)

Shey | April 03, 15:03 CET

Heh, glad to oblige Shey.

Not considered it really, i'd feel bad about depriving the IT world of my presence ;).

Saje | April 03, 15:39 CET

Ooo! I totally would go there to get pumped by Nathan!

Er... ;-)

(And I love you guys, but I have to crack up at the "Oh! That's not very ecological now, is it?" comments. First off, it's LA: everyone drives. E.ver.y.one. Secondly, it's promoting a show about driving. Driving fast. Driving fast and a lot. Which requires gas. Thirdly, it's FOX and they have no conscience. ;-)

OzLady | April 03, 16:25 CET

See how I'm not making comments about the "full service" nature of this promotion? Or making slightly randy comments about "checking under the hood?"

I think I've grown.

mockingbird | April 03, 17:05 CET

What a strange publicity stunt. You couldn't make this up.

It's been done before.

There is a Canadian TV show called Corner Gas, and they used this same publicity stunt before they aired, sponsored by their network, CTV.

There were massive lineups - more to do with free gas I'm afraid, than a chance to meet any of the actors involved.

Ruadh | April 03, 17:48 CET

"Not considered it really, i'd feel bad about depriving the IT world of my presence ;)."

A genuinely funny IT guy. Is there an apocalypse due soon?

Kudos, Saje, on utilizing both sides of your brain so well! ;)

Willowy | April 03, 18:05 CET

I can imagine the reaction of the cast to this news being something along the lines of:
WTF? Is that in my contract?

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-04-03 19:51 ]

kerfuffle | April 03, 18:33 CET

The only thing left to do now is sit back and wait for the "Nathan Fillion pumped my gas and it was the best pumping I ever had" t-shirts to go on sale.

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-04-03 15:43 ]

kerfuffle | April 03, 18:38 CET

If only this show, instead of Drive, was called Pool Boys ...

Tonya J | April 03, 18:41 CET

Ahem...shirtless, slighty disheveled Pool Boys.
;)

kerfuffle | April 03, 18:47 CET

Are we sure this isn't a belated April Fools joke?

Anony, I thought the same thing too when I saw the blog, which is why I called the gas station and spoke to the manager before posting it.

BrewBunny | April 03, 19:25 CET

BrewBunny,

Thanks.

Did the station manager give you any extra information? Was it a certain kind of station...you know like Shell etc. Might be a sponsor too of Drive. Did the network pick the station because a billboard is near by?

So where is that handy, dandy list of contact information for TV shows etc so we can spread this info to the media. If I was at home I could find it.

Anonymous1 | April 03, 20:49 CET

Anybody told the So California Browncoats yet?

Anonymous1 | April 03, 20:50 CET

The first thing that came to my mind seeing this was the episode of Angel in Season 2 where those actors have to 'rob' guests of their donations. 'I'm gonna kill my agent'...
Blood Money, just remembered.

lone fashionable wolf | April 03, 21:16 CET

Kudos, Saje, on utilizing both sides of your brain so well! ;)

Cheers ;). I try to use both halves about equally, otherwise it just seems a waste to have them in the same head ;).

Saje | April 04, 02:03 CET

In a week, maybe two, theyll make you a star. Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass. And all the stars that never were, are parking cars and pumping gas...

Caroline | April 04, 14:32 CET

This is a great promo idea. Good job FOX.. Too bad, I don't live anywhere near Santa Monica! Someone has to go and take pictures.

VaderDawsn | April 08, 00:13 CET

Oh, come on! No one from this board who lives in L.A. went??

Tonya J | April 08, 00:31 CET

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