(1888PressRelease)
October 03, 2009 - ZUG.com, the world’s longest-running humor site, recently auctioned the debris found in the gutters of Academy Award® winning actor Charlize Theron. Proceeds from the auction, which is still in progress, will go to the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, a charity dedicated to helping impoverished children and their families in South Africa.
The auction began as a parody business called “Celebrity Gutters,” started by ZUG.com writers Sir John Hargrave and Marc Horowitz. The business, designed to “clean, repair, and protect the gutters of celebrities,” was founded after the duo noticed that no detail of celebrity lives was private—certain tabloids and celebrity blogs even dug through celebrity trashcans, trying to dig up fresh dirt.
“We figured it was only a matter of time before they started looking in celebrity gutters as well,” said Sir John. “Which is where our valuable celebrity gutter protection services would come in.”
The duo filmed a series of promotional videos, as well as a funny writeup of their experiences knocking on the doors of celebrities like Lawrence Fishburne, Nicole Richie, and Kevin Smith (see http://www.zug.com/pranks/gutters/ for details).
Their first client, acclaimed actor Charlize Theron, the star of “The Cider House Rules,” “Monster,” and “North Country,” was not exactly aware that she was a client. Theron’s Hollywood Hills estate was undergoing renovation, and the founders of Celebrity Gutters simply made friends with construction workers, who let them up on Theron’s roof to clean her gutters.
The duo then installed gutter protection shields, free of charge, to keep Theron’s gutters free of leaves, debris, and the prying eyes of celebrity journalists. “We don’t normally like to do work for free,” said Sir John, “but here in Hollywood, sometimes you have to do things ‘on spec.”
Rather than throwing away the twigs, berries, and other debris they had collected, the duo put Theron’s debris up for auction on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going to Theron’s charity, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. Attractively presented in a silver bowl, the gutter debris would look handsome as part of any fall table centerpiece.
“Rather than throwing away the gutter debris,” said Horowitz, “we saw the opportunity to help our client’s charity. That’s the kind of out-of-the-gutter thinking you can expect from our business.”
For the complete story, and up-to-the-minute auction prices, please visit ZUG.com.
ABOUT ZUG.COM
ZUG.com is the world’s longest-running humor site, serving up pranks, stunts, and real-life experiments since 1995. ZUG.com works with clients to provide funny viral marketing stunts that attract attention and drive sales. Visit http://www.zug.com?1888pr.
ABOUT CHARLIZE THERON AFRICA OUTREACH PROJECT
Academy Award®-winning actress Charlize Theron, in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation, established the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. The Project's goal is to create a safer, healthier and better life for impoverished children and their families in South Africa, especially those suffering from HIV/AIDS. As a first project funding to create a mobile health and computer to serve kids in rural South Africa with one of the highest HIV rates in the world. Today, more than 10,000 students from 12 high schools are served. Visit http://www.CharlizeAfricaOutreach.org.
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