TV
3:14 PM PDT 8/15/2019
by
Katie Kilkenny
,
Trilby Beresford
Twitter users reported that the FYC promotion was halted around rush hour due to popular demand.
The police had to get involved on Thursday when a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel FYC promotion caused a traffic jam in Santa Monica.
Santa Monica police arrived Thursday morning at a Chevron gas station where Amazon Studios was running a “Maisel Day” promotion that offered 30-cent-per-gallon gas due to popular demand causing traffic delays. Police limited the number of cars that could enter or wait in line to keep traffic flowing.
ABC7’s John Gregory reported that police “suspended” the promotion at 10 a.m. PT, and reopened the station an hour and 45 minutes later. “The great deal on gas is back on, but be prepared to wait in traffic to get it,” he tweeted.
Twitter users reported that police shut down the promotion as early as 9:30 a.m. due to the disturbance during rush-hour traffic. One user claimed to have gotten up at 6 a.m. before work to get gas, only to get turned away.
When reached by The Hollywood Reporter, Lieutenant Candice Cobarrubias of the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed that police were present at the event and that it “generated a tremendous amount of activity in the area.” She further identified a “public safety issue” due to gridlock traffic, which necessitated the event being shut down at 2:30 p.m.
“Our first ever Maisel Day was a huge hit today, with fans coming out all over the city to more than 30 locations,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “We worked closely with the police in the Santa Monica area, and the number of cars waiting in line at any given time was limited to help maintain the flow of traffic, until the promotion ended around 2:30pm PT.”
Maisel Day, occurring across Los Angeles on Thursday, is taking over select businesses and bringing 1959 prices to their items and services. Angelenos could purchase a Drybar blowout for $2, a Pink’s hot dog for 59 cents, see a movie at the Bay Theatre for 51 cents and stay a night at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel for $40, among other promotions.
The Santa Monica Chevron wasn’t the only Maisel Day promotion to spark a great deal of enthusiasm and mind-numbing wait times. Bellacures, which was offering a $2 manicure, had a three-hour wait, while McConnell’s ice cream had a 45-minute wait. At The Grove, See’s Candies sold out at around 11 a.m. of their featured product; Dominique Ansel sold out of about 400 items at 12 p.m.; and Laduree sold out of 600 items by 12:30 p.m. and boasted a line going across the shopping center’s iconic fountain bridge. Susie Cakes in Studio City was also sold out of their featured Maisel product by Thursday afternoon, but was offering a free cupcake to anyone who downloaded their app.
“A show with the style and personality of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel deserves an entire day to celebrate its amazing 20 Emmy nominations, and to thank its fans and the community for all of their support,” Mike Benson, Amazon Studios’ head of marketing, told THR of the promotion.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been nominated for 20 Emmys this year, including outstanding comedy, best lead actress in a comedy series, best supporting actress in a comedy series and best supporting actor in a comedy series.
See some of the tweets from the Chevron in Santa Monica below.
WATCH #LIVE: Santa Monica gas station offers gas for 30 cents a gallon on ‘#MaiselDay,’ attracting huge lines of drivers https://t.co/2SmeIm95gM pic.twitter.com/FLZfrEKXqA
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) August 15, 2019
Santa Monica Police suspend an Amazon Prime promotion offering gas for 30 cents a gallon. Traffic issues are the big concern. Details coming up at 11am on ABC7. #maiselday pic.twitter.com/sJHQLcDUaK
— John Gregory (@abc7johngregory) August 15, 2019
The great deal on gas is back on, but be prepared to wait in traffic to get it. #MaiselDay @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/wosy0oR7s3
— John Gregory (@abc7johngregory) August 15, 2019
Welp the gas station closed. Only 30 minutes after the promotion . Damn you #maiselday
— Sade Sellers (@IAMSadeSellers) August 15, 2019
Me at the office after I woke up at 6 only to drive two hours in traiffc for .30 cent gas and get turned away #maiselday pic.twitter.com/fgNOsEcusx
— Sade Sellers (@IAMSadeSellers) August 15, 2019
$0.30 gas off for now, probably due to the crazy traffic it was causing during rush hour. Police shut down 24th Street by 9:30, try again later #maiselday
— Crystina (@bobbieness) August 15, 2019
Associate editor Lindsay Weinberg contributed reporting to this story.
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