# How in the fuck did this slip through? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 27, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889 "2003-05-27T23:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/21 "2003-05-28T10:43:11Z")
Quick question: it costs the owner of a American cell/mobile phone to _receive_ calls? šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/22 "2003-05-28T10:57:56Z")
**Narrad:** Yes it does. Lovely, eh? **JSexton:** > [@](#): > > 1. Use a 555 number. Have Jim Carreyā€™s character comment about how 555 numberā€™s are fake. Have the number work anyway when he dials it, thus showing him that something decidedly strange and supernatural is happening. I think this would have been perfect! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/23 "2003-05-28T12:03:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*Personally, I think itā€™s sad we _have_ to resort to things like 555 in situations like this. What kind of pathetic loser moron calls a number he saw in a movie or a TV show? \*\* I agree completely. Do these people sit in the cinema and go to the trouble of remembering a number in the middle of a film, just so they can go and call it later on? What a bunch of idiots. I think it might say something about US moviegoers that American movies, AFAIK, are the only ones that use 555 numbers (or their equivalent). In Australia and Britain, the numbers in movies and on TV shows always seem to be just regular phone numbers, although it could be that the numbers used are not in service. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/24 "2003-05-28T12:05:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > **I agree completely. Do these people sit in the cinema and go to the trouble of remembering a number in the middle of a film, just so they can go and call it later on? What a bunch of idiots.** Thanks to the marvel of home video, weā€¦ I mean other people ā€¦ can pause a frame, jot down the number, and call it to see where it goes. Fun, fun, fun! > [@](#): > > I think it might say something about US moviegoers that American movies, AFAIK, are the only ones that use 555 numbers (or their equivalent). In Australia and Britain, the numbers in movies and on TV shows always seem to be just regular phone numbers, although it could be that the numbers used are not in service. Seem? Have you called one to find out? No? Then how do you _know_ itā€™s a regular phone number, eh? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/25 "2003-05-28T12:38:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\* _The Simpsons_ does this sort of thing with the Internet all the time: theyā€™ll throw out some improbably named web address, and throw up a quickie website to go with it. Check out [www.whatbadgerseat.com](http://www.whatbadgerseat.com) for an example. \*\* Not to mention the [chunkylover53@aol.com](mailto:chunkylover53@aol.com) email they very carefully gave out on episode. I believe the story was it went to one of the writers of the show who replied to a few of the emails sent to the addy as if he was Homer. Nice! Here is a list of all the Internet stuff on the Simpsons: [http://www.snpp.com/guides/internet.html](http://www.snpp.com/guides/internet.html) Enjoy! šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/26 "2003-05-28T13:00:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ooner \* > \*\*Iā€™d think the attention was kind of cool, and Iā€™d fuck with all the callers for a while, then get a new number and move on with my life. \*\* Ooner, why donā€™t you put your cellphone number here on the boards? Then you can get all sorts of cool attention from a bunch of idiots calling you at all hours, leaving stupid messages on your voicemail, running up your bill, and forcing you to get a new number. Sounds like fun! Of course, I donā€™t REALLY mean for you to put your number up here on the boards. Since it wonā€™t really be your number anyway, Iā€™d hate for some random schlub to get that sort of hassle. BTW, the reason the movie guy was a fucktard loser is because he went against standard movie protocol and caused a bunch of people trouble. They could have gone the Magnolia route and paid for the 800 number used in the movie, but they decided to transfer that hassle to random people. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/27 "2003-05-28T13:22:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ooner \* > \*\*And the guy who decided to put a real number in the movie is a ā€œfucktard loserā€? Puhlease, weā€™re stretching. Far. \*\* Without going through the effort of seeing it was a legit number, yes, they are. How would you like getting calls at all hours? I would call him worse than a _fucktard loser_. Hypothetical - Say the phone number they picked was oh, a Doctor on call, or some other emergency number. A number that _couldnā€™t_ be changed easily and someone had to answer it every time. ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/28 "2003-05-28T13:35:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Put an 800 number ont here that leads to the studio. Have some out goung message saying ā€œYouā€™ve reached God. Please leave a message, and He will return your call as soon as He can.ā€ Or something to that effect. Something less blasphemous, if you want. Awesome! This would be a great Marketing opportunity! Hell, they could throw commercials at your for other movies from the studio while theyā€™re at it! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/29 "2003-05-28T15:29:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by **JSexton** _ > > 1. Put an 800 number ont here that leads to the studio. Have some out goung message saying ā€œYouā€™ve reached God. Please leave a message, and He will return your call as soon as He can.ā€ Or something to that effect. Something less blasphemous, if you want. Better yet, make it a 900 number. Fewer fucktardsā€“and you make money off of them! Plus, itā€™s nice and irreverent, which I assume is about all this movie has going for it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/30 "2003-05-28T15:40:35Z")
From the IMDB listing for Ghost Busters: > [@](#): > > In the middle of the filmā€™s initial release, to keep interest going, Ivan Reitman had a trailer run, which was basically the commercial the Ghostbustersā€™ use in the movie, but with the 555 number replaced with a 1-800 number, allowing people to call. They got a recorded message of Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd saying something to the effect of ā€œHi. Weā€™re out catching ghosts right now.ā€ They got 1,000 calls per hour, 24 hours a day, for six weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/31 "2003-05-28T16:19:42Z")
All the phone numbers in GTA: Vice City work as well. (Closer to the topic) I listen to a national radio show that allows callers to tell jokes but they must give out their phone numbers if the joke is not funny. (I have never heard a funny joke, the number is always given out). I listen to the show delayed, so by the time I called her, I think the storm was over. We actually had about a 5 minute conversation, she was shocked that hundreds of people had called. Um, hello, you gave out your number on a national show?! (On topic) Yeah, the number works with one of the area codes here in SC, not sure which one. If anybody want to call me, Iā€™m at 1-800-275-4277 ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/32 "2003-05-28T17:04:17Z")
Mustā€¦resistā€¦urgeā€¦toā€¦callā€¦Bruceā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/33 "2003-05-28T17:04:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheesesteak \* > \*\*Ooner, why donā€™t you put your cellphone number here on the boards? Then you can get all sorts of cool attention from a bunch of idiots calling you at all hours, leaving stupid messages on your voicemail, running up your bill, and forcing you to get a new number. Sounds like fun! > > Of course, I donā€™t REALLY mean for you to put your number up here on the boards. Since it wonā€™t really be your number anyway, Iā€™d hate for some random schlub to get that sort of hassle. > > BTW, the reason the movie guy was a fucktard loser is because he went against standard movie protocol and caused a bunch of people trouble. They could have gone the Magnolia route and paid for the 800 number used in the movie, but they decided to transfer that hassle to random people. \*\* _boggle_ Are you nuts? I didnā€™t say that it would be something Iā€™d enjoy enough to volunteer for, so Iā€™m not about to post my number. But if by some chance my phone number DID end up in a movie or a crowded message board or anywhere else, it wouldnā€™t be that big a deal. It would be a wierd couple of days talking to strangers, some minor complaining, and a new number. Kind of annoying, kind of fun. Big fucking whoop. I donā€™t get this thread at all šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/34 "2003-05-28T17:20:10Z")
Ooner, youā€™re saying itā€™s not a big deal, but Iā€™m ā€˜nutsā€™ for suggesting you volunteer for it. You and I and everyone else agree that itā€™s not something you want to happen, yet this movie forced just this situation (even worse since itā€™s the #1 movie in the country) on the lady in the OP. Why shouldnā€™t she be angry about it, and why shouldnā€™t we say the movie producers are jerks? Every single time a real number is put on screen, it gets hundreds or thousands of calls. Every. Single. Time. The producers knew this would result in _someone_ getting harassed, but they didnā€™t give a crap. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/35 "2003-05-28T19:31:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ooner \* > \*\* Kind of annoying, kind of fun. Big fucking whoop. > > I donā€™t get this thread at all šŸ˜• \*\* Youā€™re right, Iā€™d say you donā€™t either, even after spelling it out for you. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/36 "2003-05-28T19:42:43Z")
Donā€™t most cell phones have caller ID built in? Iā€™d keep a log of the incoming numbers and call them back at odd hours to ask if \*they \*were God. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/37 "2003-05-28T19:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jackelope \* > \*\*Donā€™t most cell phones have caller ID built in? Iā€™d keep a log of the incoming numbers and call them back at odd hours to ask if \*they \*were God. \*\* Even after the first 1000? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/38 "2003-05-28T19:57:38Z")
I wonder if a lot of these punks were calling the number _during_ the movie. Wouldnā€™t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/39 "2003-05-28T20:03:31Z")
For those who still donā€™t think this is a big deal: 1. In one case, the number given out was to a cell phone. In the U.S., cell phone users are charged based on the number of minutes they use the phone, regardless if the call was incoming or outgoing. In other words, the lady with the cell phone in question could easily rack up a cell phone bill in the thousands of dollars ā€“ through absolutely no fault of her own. 2. Many people have had the same phone number for decades. In many cases, their phone number is imprinted on the checks they receive from their bank, along with other important papers/financial data. Changing phone numbers isnā€™t a lark to these people ā€“ it involves a ton of hassle and effort. Plus, depending on when their telephone book is printed, they could have up to a yearā€™s worth of effort explaining to people how to call them, since the number in the phone book would be incorrect once they changed it. 3. Itā€™s entirely possible that the numbers used in the film could have been assigned to a physician, a suicide hotline, a womenā€™s shelter, or any number of businesses or services that would be **extremely** inconvenienced by having their lines constantly swamped by idiots dialing the number. All this, because a screenwriter/director was too lazy and/or uncaring to use the common ā€œ555ā€ prefix or set up a separate marketing line for the movie. (It wouldnā€™t even have to be an 800 number, either; idiots will actually pay money to dial these numbers.) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889/40 "2003-05-29T00:31:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ooner \* > \*\*_boggle_ > > Are you nuts? I didnā€™t say that it would be something Iā€™d enjoy enough to volunteer for, so Iā€™m not about to post my number. But if by some chance my phone number DID end up in a movie or a crowded message board or anywhere else, it wouldnā€™t be that big a deal. It would be a wierd couple of days talking to strangers, some minor complaining, and a new number. Kind of annoying, kind of fun. Big fucking whoop. > > I donā€™t get this thread at all šŸ˜• \*\* Sorry, you donā€™t get to have it both ways. Either itā€™s not a big deal that the number was shown in the movie, in which case you should feel perfectly comfortable giving all of us your own number; or it IS a big deal and you accept that someoneā€™s private number - published or not - being broadcast in a widely seen motion picture is a huge invasion of privacy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-fuck-did-this-slip-through/177889.md?page=3)