Famous in 31 Days

Cleveland, OH, August 30, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Is it possible to become famous in 31-Days? One Central New Yorker is betting the house on it. Three weeks ago, 43 year-old, John Gerard, of Syracuse, quit his job and collapsed his first home purchase deal to conduct what he calls a ‘compelling social experiment.’ “I want to see if it’s possible for a person to become famous in 31 days,” Gerard says enthusiastically, “and basically for doing very little.”

The ‘experiment’ began in earnest on August 23rd, when Gerard set out on a month-long, cross-country, promotional road-trip. Wearing brash, branded t-shirts, behind the wheel of his banner-laden car, he drives from city to city, meeting as many people as possible and spreading the word.

“People really seem to enjoy this story”, he says happily. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, they all think I’m crazy. But at the same time, everyone really likes it. I think it’s because at some point, everyone fantasizes about leaving stability behind to go on a wild adventure. And by following my journey, they can experience that without ever leaving the safety of their own comfy sofa.”

Some of Gerard’s early trip highlights (or lowlights depending on your perspective) include using a bullhorn to draw attention of Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower in Manhattan, slipping a business card to Matt Lauer on the sidewalk of the Today Show, and receiving a ‘security escort’ out of the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia after infiltrating American Idol auditions.

“I hope people don’t take me too seriously,” Gerard says, “although there actually is a serious side to my project. I want this experiment to be both fun and insightful so I need to strike the right balance.” And what type of insight is this fame-seeker hoping to provide? “I really want to explore our cultural fascination with fame,” Gerard says earnestly. “I think we’re fascinated because deep down we all crave recognition. And fame is the ultimate experience of feeling recognized.”

The adventure is scheduled to conclude the third week of September, in Burbank, California, with what Gerard hopes will be an invitation to appear as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. “I chose The Tonight Show mainly because it has always been used as a cultural yardstick to measure fame.”

Gerard is planning to record the entire 31-day voyage and compile the material into a compelling documentary on the seductive yet elusive power of fame.

For more information, please visit www.FamousIn31Days.com. Or call (315) 657-6625.

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