The Virginian-Pilot
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The businessman behind the newspaper ad touting his "purchase" of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel said he got his money's worth from the $3,000 April Fools' hoax.
"Everybody hates the tunnel, so it was an easy mark," Basim Mansour said Friday. "I've had calls today from people thanking me for making them laugh."
Mansour's half-page advertisement in The Pilot on April Fools' Day claimed Mansour bought the tunnel for $659 million and plans to double its capacity, making it "traffic free at no cost to the public." The ad includes a photo of a Popsicle-stick model touting his "patented compartmental interlocking tunnel system."
"We were trying to make it Onion-esque," Mansour said, referring to the news satire outfit The Onion. "I'm a big believer of laughing and smiling. It's a better way to live."
Mansour is president of Michael & Son Services, a plumbing, electric, and heating and air conditioning company based in Washington, D.C., with an office in Virginia Beach.
"Crossing the tunnel is a big deal the wrong time of day," Mansour said. "Our guys dread it."
State highway officials know it's a headache. They are reviewing three private proposals, which cost as much as $4.5 billion and carry tolls of up to $6 for cars, to expand it.
Virginia Department of Transportation's district administrator Dennis Heuer was amused by Mansour's stunt: "I'm from New York and we tried to sell the Brooklyn Bridge for years and didn't get any takers, so now I'm trying to sell the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel."
Mansour is also the creative inspiration behind billboard advertising in the D.C. area that says: "Your wife is hot... Time to fix your AC."
"I'm always looking for ways to make people smile," he said.
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Unconquerable part of a set
Unconquerable part of a set of writing,realization for putting this together! This is clearly one surprise post. Credit for the costly in order and just around the position you have so in occurrence here. Keep it up!
Don't Take Yourself To Serious...
If you do a little research, you'll realize this business has given over $200K in charitable acts in the past year and is nominated for a 2011 philanthropy award by the WBJ. This is all made very apparent on their Facebook page. You'll notice a $50k pledge to Susan G Komen, $10k donated to the Police Unity Tour and they have their own "Michael & Son Cares" charity where they donate service to families in need. Did no one see the last pilot article about the family that almost died of C02 poisining? Did someone say give the money to kids earlier? How about the fact they are the official sponsor for the Dreams for kids non profit or the video they have on youtube of their holiday party they threw for two foster home programs?
Waste of Money
"I'm always looking for ways to make people smile," he said.
Use the money spent on the joke and give it to a local children's charity. There is no better sight than a bunch of kids smiling.
typical liberal!
typical liberal!
What?
How is that liberal?
Its simple...you are a
Its simple...you are a liberal because you are dictating what somebody should do with their own money!!! Its really none of your buisness!
nivlo, how do you know
nivlo, how do you know Mansour doesn't also give money to charities? It's his money, he can spend it as he likes. Meanwhile....enjoy the joke, we could all use a good laugh once in a while.
Advertising
Seems like he just wanted some advertisement for his AC company.
@Anonymous
I don't know that, but I do know this was several thousand dollars that went towards nothing.
Whether or not the money
Whether or not the money went towards nothing is a matter of opinion. Mansour felt like the laugh was worth the price, so to him the money wasn't wasted. Either way, since it was his money it's his perogative to spend it in the manner of his choosing. Were it my money, I'm certain I wouldn't have spent it the same way....but I did enjoy the humor just the same.