SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2005
Ricky, don't lose that TV number
by
Vinay Menon |
Pay close attention to the phone
numbers used on your favorite TV shows. They could be real.
On the Jan. 17 episode of Fox's 24, after young Debbie (Leighton
Meester) was killed by the sinister Mrs. Araz (Shohreh
Aghdashloo), the dead student's cellphone suddenly trilled.
It was her mother calling. The incoming number flashed on Debbie's cell for
a split-second. But some viewers — especially those with digital video
recorders — were able to pause the frame and jot down the Los Angeles-based
number.
Minutes after 24 aired on the East Coast, the cellphone belonging to one of
the show's technicians started ringing. Yes, instead of using a prop or one
of those ubiquitous 555 numbers, producers had opted for a real number,
assuming nothing would come of the quick-cut scene.
The number — 310-597-3781, if you're curious — has received more than 50,000
calls since the episode aired last week. Bemused staff now refer to it as
the "fan phone." And get this: It's often answered by a crew member or
actor, including Carlos
Bernard, Reiko Aylesworth
and Mary Lynn Rajskub.
Stunned to hear a voice, many callers panic and hang up.
Initially, when the calls started pouring in, the technician cancelled the
number. But the reaction was intriguing and the line was reconnected.
I tried the number yesterday and got a message: "Sorry, but the mailbox
belonging to Nextel phone for 24 is full. It cannot accept any more
messages. Please try again later." Fear not, dear fanatic. Producers plan to
use another real number in the show's 10th episode.
For three decades, 555 numbers have become an expected and inextricable
element in film and television. These days, the numbers between 555-0100 to
555-0199 are set aside in North America for fictitious use by the
entertainment industry. The prefix has been used for cab companies (Dawson's
Creek), help lines (Home Improvement), escort services (Seinfeld), legal
offices (Beverly Hills 90210), and even police stations (Frasier).
However, in recent years, some creators have drifted away from using 555.
Using a more plausible number, I suppose, creates an added layer of
authenticity. And a real number also creates a marketing opportunity.
In a November episode of Scrubs, surgeon Chris Turk (Donald
Faison) made an off-hand remark about having the perfect cell phone
number.
"If you call Turk, you get Turk," he said, explaining his new 916-CALL-TURK
line.
Again, fearless dialers got a taped message from the fictional character: "I
can't come to the phone right now, but you've called Turk. And that's a
great thing, I'll tell you that much."
Other callers were floored when another character, Dr. Kelso (Ken
Jenkins), answered. When I tried it yesterday, there was an outgoing
message from the good doctor:
"This is Dr. Bob Kelso at Scrubs Sacred Heart Hospital. Turkleton is not
available to come to the phone right now. For once, he's actually doing his
job — he's in surgery. Please leave a message and someone will get back to
you with a perfectly useless response."
Alrighty.
This potent combination of real numbers and beloved characters has created
new ways for actors to do charity work.
In an episode of Gilmore Girls this season, Lorelai (Lauren
Graham) picked up a voicemail from Luke (Scott
Patterson). Viewers heard him leave this number: 860-294-1986. If you
call that number, you can hear Patterson soliciting donations for a new
children's clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Of course, problems can arise when reality collides with fiction.
In the 2003 film Bruce Almighty, there is a scene in which God calls Jim
Carrey's character and leaves a non-555 return number. Producers decided to
use it because the number was not active in Buffalo, where the film takes
place.
Alas, the number worked in other parts of the United States, creating a
surge of crank calls. One elderly couple in North Carolina didn't know what
was happening when people started calling and asking to speak with God.
So start taping your favorite shows. And think of something to say.
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