Finally proof that bad humor pays off.
Radiant Plumbing & Air Conditioning, an Austin company whose zany ads include movie parodies like “The Toiletnator” and “Toilet Dune,” was featured on HBO’s March 5 episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” Oliver had a proposal for Radiant – do a parody of a film of Oliver’s choosing and he’ll donate $10,000 to the Central Texas Food Bank.
The lyrics came in soon after. Brad Casebier, co-founder of Radiant Plumbing & Air Conditioning, wasn’t watching the show in real time and found that they were introduced by friends.
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“I texted one of my friends, ‘Is this good or bad?’ And they said, ‘Super good,'” Casebier told the American-Statesman.
Casebier and the Radiant team got to work straight away as Oliver only gave them seven days to respond and accept the challenge. Radiant has a recording room in its North Austin office, and the team decided that the response video should parody Oliver’s show.
In the video, Casebier sits on a toilet behind a desk and wears glasses similar to Oliver’s.
“We ran the spectrum of possibilities – ‘Casablanca’ to ‘Predator’ to ‘Downton Abbey’. None of them scare us. John, we accept this challenge,” says Casebier.
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When we spoke to Casebier this week, Radiant had yet to hear a response from the HBO host.
Since the segment aired, the plumbing company has received many warm and friendly comments from customers, Last Week Tonight viewers and others, Casebier said, adding he wasn’t sure the TV segment would boost business.
“It’s just such a fun pat on the back for 14 years of hard work and dedication to a marketing concept that emerged on a national platform. It’s really a very affirming moment in my life,” Casebier said.
What movie is Radiant hoping for?
“I don’t know how to guess,” Casebier said. “It feels like an infinity pool.”
www.statesman.com
https://www.statesman.com/story/entertainment/things-to-do/2023/03/09/austin-radiant-plumbing-john-oliver-challenge-accepted/69986289007/
