Talking french fries? Get the bomb squad!!!

[tikistitch]

This is just too awesome:

Hoax Devices Part Of Cartoon Ad Campaign

BOSTON The suspicious devices which forced bomb units to scramble across Boston today were actually magnetic lights that are part of a marketing campaign for a television cartoon.

The reports forced the temporary shutdowns of Interstate 93 out of the city, a key inbound roadway, a bridge between Boston and Cambridge, and a portion of the Charles River but were quickly determined not to be explosive.

"It's a hoax -- and it's not funny," Gov. Deval Patrick said.

All of the devices are magnetic lights which resemble a character on the show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", on Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network.

WBZ has obtained a statement from Turner Broadcasting:

"The "packages" in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger. They are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of Adult Swim's animated television show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. They have been in place for two to three weeks in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards. We regret that they mistakenly thought to pose any danger."

Comments

[tacohime.livejournal.com]

To be fair, this terrified people, and when traffic's shut down on 93, it ain't funny. I will be interested in seeing how this plays out now.

All in all, this clearly tops IBM's corporate graffiti thing of a couple years ago (http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/04/19/ibm.guerilla.idg/).

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

Put up suspicious electronic-y things in Boston, get an armed response from law enforcement.

Put 'em up in Seattle, and we're all like, "Oooo, pretttttttty!"

[loli-cat.livejournal.com]

Heard about that on the radio while driving home from work today. They omitted the one fact that makes it only too funny though: "They have been in place for two to three weeks..."

Which is pretty sad when you think how long it took them to noice them...

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

THE MOON RULES #1!!!!!

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

Talking french fries? Get the bomb squad!!!

I guess there wouldn't be such a fuss if they were talking "freedom fries", but then again how can you tell the difference?

[jeepersjournal.livejournal.com]

The Mooninites are coming! And they bring terrorist light sources with them!

[domestic-wolf.livejournal.com]

2 things:

1: Hoax? Wouldn't that imply that Cartoon Network intended for these to be mistaken for bombs?

2: If you're going to place bombs throughout a major city, would you really mark them with bright characters flipping the bird?...


...ok, so I might be inclined to do that, but I don't think those pesky terrorist would make it so easy.

[jabberwockypie.livejournal.com]

I think that if I were a terrorist I'd put "This is not a bomb!" on the bombs in really big letters because that would fool everyone.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

I was reading something in the news that in Seattle people spotted them but thought, "feh, they have a cartoon character on them." Maybe we watch more Cartoon Network out here.

[celymarcano.livejournal.com]

Hey, have you seen this??? Soooo cute... I want one but too far (Japan, as always)

http://66.249.93.104/translate_c?&u=http://buffalo.jp/products/new/2007/000408.html

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

No! That's adorable!! Oh, thanks for sharing the link!

[spazzygirl19.livejournal.com]

In yesterday's L.A. Times -- they *did* get the bomb squad out to one L.A. Times newspaper rack last summer. When you opened up the rack to get a newspaper, the Mission Impossible theme was supposed to play. Some people saw the tape recorder (& wires) in the newsrack & thought it was a bomb.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/los_angeles_metro/la-me-newsracks1feb01,1,157926.story?coll=la-commun-los_angeles_metro&ctrack=1&cset=true