My Date With Drew

August 4, 2003 10:29 AM

Here’s the deal.Brian has been crazy about Drew since the 2nd grade when he first saw her in E.T. So now it’s 20 years later and he figured since she hasn’t come knockin’ on his door, he’s gonna have to make the first move. Problem… She’s Drew Barrymore! But wait, it’s not as crazy as you might think. See, Brian figured he’d combine his two great passions in life – making movies and Drew Barrymore – and document his quest to meet Drew. That way he will represent the “everyman”, and his quest will seem noble… instead of just desperate. Next problem… Brian is completely broke. And he doesn’t even own a video camera to make this documentary. Fortunately, he recently won $1,100 on a game show! So he figured it must be fate. He will use this cash prize to seize the moment and pursue his dream. And as it turns out, you don’t even need any money to buy a video camera these days, thanks to Circuit City’s 30-day Return Policy. So he grabbed a friend’s credit card and picked out the most expensive camera in the store, knowing he will have to finish his documentary before the camera has to go back. So now Brian has 30 days and $1,100 to get a date with Drew Barrymore.
posted by amro (60 comments total)

i am afraid to click on this link, what if he paid for the web hosting with his friends credit card
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 10:35 AM on August 4, 2003

Don't feed the troll stalker.
posted by norm at 10:39 AM on August 4, 2003

How did he get the $$$ for such a nice site and bandwidth? I smell a rat...
posted by aacheson at 10:39 AM on August 4, 2003

How did this stalker get the trailer voice-over guy to, um, do the voice-over for his trailer? I smell a...

on preview, what norm and aacheson said.
posted by gwint at 10:43 AM on August 4, 2003

Y'know, if she was willing to date Tom Green, who knows? She may give this guy a chance.
posted by eyebeam at 10:45 AM on August 4, 2003

Yeah, the voice over guy sometimes gets paid more than the actors in the movies he's promoting. He probably has more money than Drew Barrymore, so maybe this guy should date him instead.
posted by robbie01 at 10:48 AM on August 4, 2003

Whois info:

mydatewithdrew.com Back-order this name


Registrant:
Winn, Brett (MZZPEUYZOD)
5182 Brian Lane
Encino, CA 91436
US

Domain Name: MYDATEWITHDREW.COM

Administrative Contact:
Winn, Brett (35578296P) [e-mail]
5182 Brian Lane
Encino, CA 91436
US
8184156919
Technical Contact:
Downes, Bobby (BD7862) [e-mail]
Robert Merrill Media
113 N. Church Street, Suite 310
VISALIA, CA 93291
US
559-625-3381

Record expires on 09-Jul-2008.
Record created on 09-Jul-2003.
Database last updated on 4-Aug-2003 13:46:19 EDT.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS1.HOSTCENTRIC.NET 216.157.47.47
NS2.HOSTCENTRIC.NET 216.157.55.51

A google search on "Brett Winn" + "Drew Barrymore" turned up this interesting PDF.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:50 AM on August 4, 2003

That's not the voiceover guy. That's a guy trying to sound like the voiceover guy.
posted by dogwelder at 10:52 AM on August 4, 2003

If he starts to die from a mortal illness then we'll *know* something is up.
posted by mecran01 at 10:53 AM on August 4, 2003

If he ever gets there, he should know that Drew's pretty much good to go after a couple of drinks. :-)
posted by psmealey at 10:59 AM on August 4, 2003

yeah, that's voiceover wannabe guy. I'm sure this guy is an actor with various actor friends (and no doubt a fair amount more money than $1100, but he'll keep his living money and his movie money separate...)

it could be a cute idea if the guy wasn't so charmless.
posted by mdn at 11:03 AM on August 4, 2003

psmealy: could you site some sources, please?
posted by PigAlien at 11:05 AM on August 4, 2003

oops, cite! LOL
posted by PigAlien at 11:05 AM on August 4, 2003

How did he get the $$$ for such a nice site and bandwidth.

The site's clean, but not so spiffy as to require the effort of more than one average designer for one average day. And there's nothing insane about the hosting - it's a shared account with hostcentric.com, with personal accounts starting at $18/mo ($50/mo with 30GB/dy bandwidth, and a lot of extras they're not using here.)

Is it viral? Dunno. If it is, it's certainly more plausible than a lot of the other attempts I've seen so far.

on preview, what mdn said.
posted by Vetinari at 11:11 AM on August 4, 2003

Ok, not to be a spoilsport, and IANAL, but I doubt using Drew Barrymore's image on the website is 'fair use'. Are they inviting being sued, or is Barrymore in on this somehow?

Also, publicizing a website about going on a date with a famous person seems to be a rather direct way to win that person's attention. No doubt someone in Drew's camp has seen this if they're not involved directly. If it is for real, that's like cheating. Its much more fun to go through the old-fashioned networking/6 degrees approach.
posted by PigAlien at 11:12 AM on August 4, 2003

mdn - He's not an actor. I went to high school w/Brian and last I heard he was working for Skywalker Ranch. Don't know if that's true or rumor but I do know that his interests lie with direction/production. In fact if I remember correctly he directed and produced our video yearbook...
posted by amro at 11:13 AM on August 4, 2003

Good luck contacting her, while promoting her latest film she said she didn't even know her home phone #.
posted by thomcatspike at 11:15 AM on August 4, 2003

It would be a lot cheaper and faster to win her love by assassinating the president.

Or he could just content himself with jacking off to all the naked pictures of her all over the internet. Well... I guess if he could content himself with that we wouldn't be here.

Watch out Dubya!
posted by scarabic at 11:15 AM on August 4, 2003

So with your help and a little bit of luck, Brian will succeed in his quest and “My Date with Drew” will inspire moviegoers everywhere to follow their dreams.

Or inspire them to stalk their idols...
posted by Termite at 11:17 AM on August 4, 2003

To follow up on what PigAlien said ... I also doubt that his use of that Hall & Oates song in the trailer is legit. Licensing that would cost the big bucks.
posted by ScottUltra at 11:20 AM on August 4, 2003

How is he a stalker?
posted by signal at 11:21 AM on August 4, 2003

Damn... I wish I woulda thought of this.
posted by maniactown at 11:28 AM on August 4, 2003

Hands off, Brett - Drew is MINE. She just doesn't know it yet.
posted by widdershins at 11:32 AM on August 4, 2003

scarabic:
Hope you enjoy your visit from the Secret Service.
posted by sharksandwich at 11:38 AM on August 4, 2003

Does basically saying he's going to use the camera with no intention of actually purchasing it violate some aspect of the purchase agreement? IANAL, but something's fishy here.
posted by tommasz at 11:45 AM on August 4, 2003

tommasz: A lot of big ass retailers (Circuit City, CostCo) will allow returns on anything for any reason these days... CostCo will take (almost) anything back forever, since their "wholesale" sales often violate manufacturers' warranties. Pretty sweet deal, actually.
posted by maniactown at 12:01 PM on August 4, 2003

Wow, what a crap trailer. The least he could do is trim two-thirds and shave his face. Or get someone cuter to play him.
posted by jessie at 12:03 PM on August 4, 2003

Why would anyone want Drew Barrymore when there are Monica Beluccis in the world?
posted by rushmc at 12:12 PM on August 4, 2003

Wasn't this done before, in documentary form, with Carrie Fisher? Here.
Not sure if this is the same thing, 'cause I'm too damn lazy to click the link, but... :)
posted by graventy at 12:23 PM on August 4, 2003

I doubt using Drew Barrymore's image on the website is 'fair use'. Are they inviting being sued, or is Barrymore in on this somehow?

I don't see why Barrymore would have to be "in on it" to refrain from suing someone giving her free positive publicity.

No doubt someone in Drew's camp has seen this if they're not involved directly. If it is for real, that's like cheating.

yeah, I agree, although they'll probably act like they haven't, to keep things interesting. But that's kind of like everything these days - there's the real world, and there's the internet, and people look each other up online and then (often) pretend not to know stuff they found out that way.
posted by mdn at 12:28 PM on August 4, 2003

How is he a stalker?

Well, he's a creepy broke guy with a lifelong obsession with a famous female actor. He's launched a publicity campaign to get a "date" with her armed only with $1100, a website, and a possibly fraudulently obtained video camera. It's a shame he didn't post pictures of his little home shrine so we could get the proper flavor of it.
posted by norm at 12:59 PM on August 4, 2003

Seems to me like with the amount of random different footage shown in that trailer, his 30 days are pretty much over by now, or this whole this is being presented very differently than it really is.
Amusing though.
posted by Wingy at 1:05 PM on August 4, 2003

err.. this whole "thing"
posted by Wingy at 1:06 PM on August 4, 2003

I think more people should check out PinkStainlessTail's PDF link. Good find - enlightening.
posted by cell at 1:08 PM on August 4, 2003

Wingy- On the "updates" section of the website, it notes the first bit of news as being from July 11th, 2003. Assuming he started filming generally around that time, it would seem that he should be needing to return that camera fairly soon.
posted by ScottUltra at 1:21 PM on August 4, 2003

I think more people should check out PinkStainlessTail's PDF link. Good find - enlightening.

how did it enlighten you?

For those who don't want to deal with acrobat, it's a call for drew barrymore lookalikes for a shoot that was scheduled for june 25. I don't know what that means, though - maybe they were the girls in the trailer pleading for his chance? Or maybe he did some mock date? But then you'd think that'd be in the trailer, as it'd make it more interesting.
posted by mdn at 1:31 PM on August 4, 2003

Wingy- On the "updates" section of the website, it notes the first bit of news as being from July 11th, 2003.
So his timing was around the release hipe/date that Charles Angels II came out. think if she was interested in his request he would have gone to a premier with her by now. Does she have any new movies coming out? Drew you still have time to date use this guy to plug a movie. Bet he makes the movie, date or no date.
posted by thomcatspike at 1:37 PM on August 4, 2003

How is he a stalker?

Well, he's a creepy broke guy with a lifelong obsession with a famous female actor. He's launched a publicity campaign to get a "date" with her armed only with $1100, a website, and a possibly fraudulently obtained video camera.

So, um, how is he a stalker?
posted by signal at 2:06 PM on August 4, 2003

Oh, and does the use of the quotes around "date" imply you don't think he actually wants a date?
Looks to me like he wants a date.
posted by signal at 2:08 PM on August 4, 2003

'Cause nothing says "I want a production deal" like stalking a famous person...
posted by jokeefe at 2:10 PM on August 4, 2003

Nobody's said anything about "ChristianCinema.com" yet.
posted by Sidhedevil at 2:19 PM on August 4, 2003

Nobody's said anything about "ChristianCinema.com" yet.
Huh?
posted by thomcatspike at 3:18 PM on August 4, 2003

So, um, how is he a stalker?

How 'bout you make your case that he's not a stalker, instead of asking painfully obtuse rhetorical questions?
posted by norm at 3:26 PM on August 4, 2003

Hmm, that to me looks like it was recorded with a camera that costs more than $1100. Certainly he's got more equipment than that.. a microphone of some sort, for instance, because I didn't notice the crappy wind howling in the background of the trailer, like it always did for those videos we made for high school projects.
posted by Hildago at 3:28 PM on August 4, 2003

How 'bout you make your case that he's not a stalker, instead of asking painfully obtuse rhetorical questions?

Burden of proof's on you, man. Stalking is a crime, has a clear definition of what it entails, isn't the same as being a huge fan of someone, etc..
posted by Hildago at 3:29 PM on August 4, 2003

norm: I've never said that he's not a stalker. I'm just asking why you think he is.

And I haven't asked any rhetorical questions. Also, what Hildago said.

Apologies if I came off as snarky, I just don't understand why this guy is considered a stalker.
posted by signal at 4:31 PM on August 4, 2003

sharksandwich: ever hear of John Hinckley? He shot Ronald Regan because he wanted Jodi Foster to smell his glove. Oh dang, that was another pop culture reference. Still with me?
posted by scarabic at 4:31 PM on August 4, 2003

You have got to be kidding me. The guy is not a stalker. If he is a stalker than I am too because if I knew a way to snag a date with John Cusack I'd be all over it. And added bonus if it forwarded my career (and I don't mean in Monica Lewinsky fashion).
posted by amro at 4:48 PM on August 4, 2003

Hmm, that to me looks like it was recorded with a camera that costs more than $1100. Certainly he's got more equipment than that.. ...because I didn't notice the crappy wind howling in the background of the trailer, like it always did for those videos we made for high school projects.
Notice in reality shows or even the Discovery Channel you will see the cameraman holding a small digital cameras.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:57 PM on August 4, 2003

When harmless minor obsessions have been medicated and legislated out of existence, the major and dangerous ones will rush in to fill the void.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:44 PM on August 4, 2003

Drew's publicist hired him, yeah?
posted by squirrel at 7:29 PM on August 4, 2003

Kinda funny trailer, though. Thanks, amro.
posted by squirrel at 7:32 PM on August 4, 2003

Notice in reality shows or even the Discovery Channel you will see the cameraman holding a small digital cameras.

Well, yeah, but I played around with an $800 handheld and it still looked like crudola. This looked pretty good, is all I'm saying.
posted by Hildago at 9:57 PM on August 4, 2003

why does he only have 30 days? he can buy and return the video camera 30 days later and then immediately after he returns it go to another electronics store and do the same thing. he could use brand new digital video cameras for a few years using that scheme.

this 30 days thing is bullshit. that's assuming he only has one electronics store in a 250 mile radius of him. there are probably 20-40 best buy, fry's, circuit city and compusa's within a 30-60 mile radius of where he lives(assuming he doesn't live in bumblefuck nowhere, iowa).
posted by suprfli at 12:36 AM on August 5, 2003

Two words: Set up.

One word: Fake.
posted by Blue Stone at 3:59 AM on August 5, 2003

Stalking is a crime, has a clear definition of what it entails, isn't the same as being a huge fan of someone, etc..


Ok, people, this isn't a court of law, I never intended to imply that he was actually guilty OF THE CRIME of stalking, and it's not like I'm the only one who thought that he was creepy. Lighten up.

And I thought I was a legalistic SOB...
posted by norm at 5:01 AM on August 5, 2003

Hidalgo: the post (copied from the website) states that he used his buddy's credit card to buy the camera, and that he bought the most expensive one they had. The $1100 is for everything else. Assuming buddy's card has a decent limit, I find the quality believable.
posted by ehintz at 5:01 PM on August 5, 2003

the gf (and former LA casting agent) says: he's obviously an actor who's trying to get some publicity and this is a really cheap way to do it, it's something that people in LA will think is hilarious, he'll probably wind up making some B-movie piece of crap, then Drew Barrymore will fuck him cause she's a big whore, and he'll just live out his 15 minutes of fame.
posted by scarabic at 10:17 PM on August 5, 2003

"... then Drew Barrymore will fuck him cause she's a big whore,"

No misogyny here, no sir.
posted by signal at 9:19 AM on August 6, 2003

She claims to be 1 degree of separation, signal. What can I tell ya?
posted by scarabic at 5:06 PM on August 7, 2003