[An04Prius]

On Wed 11-17, the Prius was star of the TV show West Wing, if you didnt see it. Story started w/family at Toyota dlr, who had waited 8months for their Prius. While they were getting ready to leave the lot, one of the White House staff in the show was starting a test drive in a giant SUV, and totaled the Prius as he was leaving the lot Ouch.

The incident was used throughout the show, as sort of metaphor for clean air, improved mpg, battle with Prius vs Goliath SUV.

Show went on to, among other topics, cover the difficulty in limiting use of oil, exploring alternative fuels, and difficulty in passing laws to improve mpg requirements. Prius was mentioned several times, as example of what could be done to anticipate the coming shortage of oil & gas.

 

[BIF]

But they still wrecked a Prius to make their point? I just remembered why I don't watch television.

 

[bcool]

According to some people who TiVo'd it and replayed it in slow motion, the Prius didn't actually sustain any damage - they just rigged it to look that way. The program was quite an unbelievable commercial for the Prius - I wonder if Toyota paid to have it promoted the way that it was?

 

[An04Prius]

I have no idea if the crash was simulated or actual. TV/Movie folks are very good at simulating all kinds of destructive events, without causing any actual damage.

e.g., the note at the end of shows/movies that use animals, that no animal was actually injured or abused...when the on screen action shows injuries, deaths, shootings of animals, etc.

As far as coporate placements of products in TV/Movies...some co. pay for their products to be used & some do not.

It is evidently getting to be a more popular way of "advertising", since more & more people skip traditional commercials via various systems for taping & recording shows. Many corp. have depts whose job is to get their products used in the content of the show in a positive way...as opposed to a traditional commercial.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i can only speak for seattle area tv, but the only auto sponsor for the show in question was subaru.

personally i think the writing staff of West Wing has at least one very satisfied Prius owner.

 

[ElectricTroy]

The SUV barely nudged the Prius. Worst-case they needed a new bumper. Best-case, they scratched some paint.

No big deal.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

the vehicles did not touch each other. also you will notice that there is immediate damage to the SUV but even in slo-mo, the Prius suffers no dents or damage of any kind. also the "impact" was not felt by the Prius as the vehicle did not budge.

in a real accident, you would have front to back body rocking and side sway. neither of which was present on the Prius.

so the "accident" was simply hollywood magic....

given the supply situation of the Prius, the car in the show was most likely owned by one of the crew or at best, borrowed for the shoot from a dealer where it has no doubt, been sold

 

[Hep]

the vehicles did not touch each other. also you will notice that there is immediate damage to the SUV but even in slo-mo, the Prius suffers no dents or damage of any kind. also the "impact" was not felt by the Prius as the vehicle did not budge.

in a real accident, you would have front to back body rocking and side sway. neither of which was present on the Prius.

so the "accident" was simply hollywood magic....

given the supply situation of the Prius, the car in the show was most likely owned by one of the crew or at best, borrowed for the shoot from a dealer where it has no doubt, been sold

...at MSRP +$3000

 

[An04Prius]

The Prius is very popular w/Hollywood types. Leonard DiCaprio & Tom Hanks are two of the names that come to mind as being "green vocal" & driving Prii.

The allusion to the Prius being "totaled" in the WW incident was from the dialog in the show where the SUV perp was asked if he caused much damage, and he said something like, yeh, pretty much totaled it.

I believe that was to continue to work the David vs Goliath theme the writers were shooting for.

 

[shawn]

Also Larry David (creator of Seinfeld) owns one and drives it all the time on his show on HBO ("Curb Your Enthusiasm").

 

[ElectricTroy]

Meanwhile these "hollywood types" burn through thousands of pounds of jet fuel flying all over the place and/or heating 30-room mansions.

(Sorry... I can't help noticing the hypocrisy.)

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

electric Troy... you mean yours?
considering that the Prius is one of the best half step measures for preserving our environment yet conceived, i find your blanket statement to be out of character for a typical Prius owner.

now i realize that its a common off-hand statement made by many mostly in jest. but to me, every mile driven in a Prius is helping the planet. just because every mile driven isnt done in the most efficient way, doesnt mean the person doesnt have good intentions. the fact that they own a Prius, tells me that at least they are willing to try.

 

[ElectricTroy]

I don't want to start a fight. I just find the stars hypocritical. Save 5 gallons in a car & burn 10,000 gallons in a jet.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Troy, dont get me wrong... i dont take offense to your post. but not all stars jet around in their own private jets for kicks.

most do it simply because there is no easier way to do so. their schedules demand they be certain places at certain times and too many would be bothered to no end by fans if they used conventional means of travel.

there are many many stars that fly just like you and me and can get away with it with disquises, but at the same time, there are some who cant get away with it.