The 'Hazzard' of reviews

What's in a name?

By Todd Leopold
CNN
 

(CNN) -- I think it was Broadway impresario David Merrick who once advertised a show using blurbs from people who had the same names as New York theater critics.

People looking at the ad quickly would either assume the people were the real critics, or they would do a double-take before laughing at the ad's cheek.

At the time New York had seven newspapers. A copy editor at one of them spotted the ruse, spread the word to the other papers and the ad was pulled from all but one edition. But Merrick got his wish -- all kinds of publicity for his show.

So I couldn't help but think of Merrick's gambit when I saw, in Sunday's New York Times, an ad for "The Dukes of Hazzard." At the very top was a blurb raving about the movie.

The name under the quote? Jimmy Carter.

Now, in the ad's defense, it did say that this Jimmy Carter was affliated with a Nashville, Tennessee, TV station. And indeed there is a Jimmy Carter who fits this description. (He even has a Web site: http://www.askjimmycarter.com .)

But my first thought was, the former president is endorsing "The Dukes of Hazzard"?

These days, I'm not sure that would help or hurt a movie's prospects. But it definitely would make life interesting.

Now, if only Millard Fillmore would offer his take on "Fantastic Four."

Eye on Entertainment pops a wheelie.