Classified jokers get second 'Leno' mention
Saturday - 10/15/2011, 7:33am ET
Even Jay Leno couldn't figure out what round, squishy thing someone would sell in the local newspaper.
The Frederick News-Post's classified ad pranksters Rich Coullahan, Jack Sincevich and Jackie Reese struck late-night gold again this week when the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" host featured a second of their weekly joke ads in his "Headlines" segment.
"You'll never guess (whose) silly classified ad ended up on Leno's show Monday night," Coullahan wrote in an email this week to the FNP.
Sincevich, Reese and Coullahan got a taste of fame when their ad for a book titled "How To Make $300 Fast & Easy," selling for $325, was noticed by the show host last month.
This week, the Frederick County land surveyors were standing in a field doing work when they got a call about Monday's episode from one of their regulars.
On the show, Leno sighed and shook his head before placing the placard with the News-Post ad on screen: "1 round thing, very squishy, good cond. $120."
"What does that mean? What does that mean?" Leno shouted after reading the blurb.
"It's incredible. Crazy," Coullahan said of the national joke that has grown from the simple fun the three have every day at work.
The trio even bought a "round, squishy thing" as a sort of thank you for the couple who called to let them know about the second "Tonight Show" appearance.
"There really wasn't (ever) a round, squishy thing," Coullahan said Friday.
Coullahan and crew have no idea who is sending the ads to the late-night show, but the group continues to receive texts and amusing phone calls, they said.
"Some of them got vulgar," Coullahan said. "Some crazy people call us. But that's what makes it fun."
The 15 minutes of fame is still new to the land surveyors.
"We're getting invited to multiple parties now because of our celebrity status," Sincevich joked by phone Friday.
Could a third mention by Leno come with an in-person interview? The trio certainly hopes so, wondering whether the host presenting another one of their ads could break a "Tonight Show" record.
"I'm letting this all go to my head," Sincevich said with a laugh.
Copyright 2011 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.
