Originally Posted By Darkbeer Universal Studios Hollywood Press Release Name Dropping: If Your Name's Earl, You Get in Free at Universal Studios Hollywood Popular TV Show, Moving to Thurs. Night at 9:00 PM, is Cornerstone of Quirky Jan. Event UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Dec. 27 -- The name "Earl" has had a few well-known takers in its day. There was famous newspaper columnist Earl Wilson, the father of modern jazz piano, Earl "Fatha" Hines, legendary actor James Earl Jones, bluegrass pioneer, Earl Scruggs, Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren. And for a cup of tea, it's hard to beat Earl Grey. Earls may not be as common as Joes or Johns, but the name is beginning to gain in popularity as a result of a NBC's new hit comedy series, "My Name Is Earl." And if you're an Earl, you're in luck during January, 2006. To celebrate the show's shift, beginning January 5, to Thursdays at 9:00 PM PST (8:00 pm Central), NBC is teaming with its sister company, Universal Studios Hollywood, to give free park admission to anyone with the name "Earl" during the month of January. There are roughly 10,000 guys named Earl in the Los Angeles area alone. The "Earl" freebie runs all through Jan. and includes an official t-shirt. Better get there "earl"y. For more info, log on to <a href="http://www.universalstudios.com/mynameisearl" target="_blank">http://www.universalstudios.co m/mynameisearl</a>. Universal Studios Hollywood (<a href="http://www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com" target="_blank">http://www.UniversalStudiosHol lywood.com</a>) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios (<a href="http://www.universalstudios.com" target="_blank">http://www.universalstudios.co m</a>). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. Formed in May, 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I suppose it's a 'cute' way to promote the show, but the amount of extra traffic this will draw will amount to next to nothing. So in the end, a stupid campaign.
Originally Posted By cstephens More desperation to get people to go to Universal Studios. I know a number of people whose names aren't Earl, and they got free APs last year during the "we're begging you to come to Universal so here's a free AP for no reason at all" offers last year. Are they really hurting that badly? /cs
Originally Posted By knoxvelour Universal would get a LOT more of my dollars if they'd just carry some classic horror merchandise. I'm an avid collector of Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man, Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney, et al. A couple years ago I went there on my birthday. Had LOTS of disposable cash on me, ready to be used to purchase some monster merch. Best I could find was a magnet and 8 1/2 x 11 reprints of movie posters I already own full sized. Now, of all the places one could go to get some cool monster stuff, you'd think Universal would be the place to go, right? At least I thought so. It was Shrek and Spiderman as far as the eye could see in each and every shop I went to. USH missed out on getting about $500 from me on that day. Eventually, I walked over to one of the collector shops on City Walk and over payed for some 12-inch Universal Monsters figures, determined not to leave empty handed. In my opinion, USH's biggest mistake right now is overflooding themselves with what's new, what's happening (Spiderman, Shrek, Hulk, etc.), that they've forgotten the rich history of their studio. Is there anybody out there that still cares about Fear Factor? To heck with that! Dig through the photo archives and print up some 8x10 glossies of Frank Pierce applying Karloff's Mummy make up. Slap a $15 price tag on it and watch me snatch it up!
Originally Posted By Elderp Ok, I am now waiting for my "United Front of Dole Whip Members Get in Free Day." Now, when that happens I promise to be there.
Originally Posted By Elderp Oh BTW it better not be on a Sunday because I don't go to amusement parks on Sundays.
Originally Posted By retlawfan My (middle) name is Earl! I will not be in LA anytime in January, so I guess I'm going to miss out on a free "official" T-Shirt. Besides, I don't think I'd pay for the rest of the family to get into USH. BTW, it is a very funny show. Strange, but funny.
Originally Posted By cindyland How about if your name is Earlene? My MIL was named after her dad "Earl"...does that count?
