Ol' Lonely(R), the Popular Maytag(R) Icon, Cites Dependability in the Right to
Vote as Reason for His Final 2004 'Random Acts of Dependability' Tour Stop
NEWTON, Iowa, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- With Election Day quickly
approaching, Ol' Lonely, the Maytag Repairman, wants to help Floridians
celebrate voting as a dependable way to exercise their voices. Accordingly, he
will appear at the Miami Bayside Marketplace on Thursday, Oct. 21, to assist
registered voters with last-minute questions regarding the election process.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000505/MYGLOGO )
The Maytag Man's visit to Miami will be the final stop in his 2004 "Random
Acts of Dependability" tour. The dependability of Maytag appliances compelled
him to tour the nation this year in search of other things Americans tie to
dependability.
During his Miami stop, Ol' Lonely will visit with Bayside Marketplace
patrons from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. to ensure they have necessary information
about the voting process before heading to the polls on Nov. 2. He will be
on-hand to provide information such as what voters need to take with them on
Election Day, polling hours and locations.
"I have a lot of time on my hands and have read and re-read pre-election
coverage -- I understand how all the information on the issues and candidates
can be overwhelming," said Ol' Lonely. "I want to make sure that voters do not
overlook what they need when they go to the polls and remind them how
fortunate they are to depend on the voting process to make their voice heard."
The 2004 Tour in Review
The first "Random Act of Dependability" occurred at San Francisco's SBC
Park, when Ol' Lonely floated with the kayaks in McCovey Cove waiting for
Barry Bonds to hit a home run. As the tour progressed, the Ol' Lonely
repairman enjoyed the Minnesota State Fair, rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals
with the best baseball fans in the world and answered phones for the Jerry
Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.
"I am fortunate that the dependability of Maytag appliances allowed me to
leave the office to do this. Thirty-seven years of waiting for the phone to
ring was enough to take my loneliness on the road." said Ol' Lonely. "I have
found comfort in the events I visited in the Random Acts of Dependability tour
-- and company in the people who depend on them."
History of the Ol' Lonely Repairman
In 1967, Ol' Lonely, the Maytag Repairman, made his first appearance in a
TV spot. The spot featured the Maytag Man(TM) character training new
repairmen. He instructed them to carefully inspect each machine, but to be
prepared to fill up their time in other ways -- doing crossword puzzles and
knitting.
The original Maytag Repairman was portrayed by actor Jesse White. In 1989,
the Maytag Man(TM) hat was passed to Gordon Jump of "WKRP in Cincinnati" fame.
Jump portrayed the Ol' Lonely repairman in more than 100 different advertising
scenarios. In 2003, Jump retired and Hardy Rawls, a veteran character actor,
began as the Ol' Lonely repairman.
American television viewers have seen the Ol' Lonely repairman's solitary
life unfold in many ways, including teaching a parrot to speak, snoring
through a 30-second commercial, and navigating through a lighthouse to
discover the washing machine needed only to be plugged in. The lighthouse
keeper shrugged and said, "I get lonely too!"
About Maytag
For the better part of a century, Maytag(R) appliances have been
synonymous with dependability and quality. Based in Newton, Iowa, Maytag
offers a full line of high-performance appliances that you can depend on --
including the Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Drying Center, the two-in-one dryer to meet
your laundry needs; the Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Top-Load washer; the Maytag(R)
Wide-by-Side(TM) refrigerator; the Maytag(R) Double Oven Free-Standing range;
and the Maytag(R) Jetclean(R) II dishwasher, the world's first and only
dishwasher with three full racks. For more information on any Maytag
appliances visit http://www.maytag.com or call 800-688-9900. Maytag is part
of the complete collection of brands offered by Maytag Corporation, a leading
producer of home and commercial products. The corporation's principal brands
include Maytag(R), Hoover(R), Jenn-Air(R), Amana(R), Dixie-Narco(R) and
Jade(R).
Media Contact: Katie Sonderman
Maytag Corporate Communications
(641) 831-1032
ksonde@maytag.com
Jill Spiekerman
Maytag Corporate Communications
(641) 787-6886
jspiek@maytag.com
SOURCE Maytag
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Related links:
http://www.maytag.com
Photo Notes:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000505/MYGLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Katie Sonderman, +1-641-831-1032,
ksonde@maytag.com , or Jill Spiekerman, +1-641-787-6886,
jspiek@maytag.com , both of Maytag Corporate Communications
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