PRESS
The Advertiser
Edition 1 - StateSAT 16 OCT 2004, Page 082
Writing on the wall for popular bachelor
By ANNA COCK in New York
IT might be temporary, but photography assistant Marc Horowitz has just become America's most popular man thanks to a phone number he sneaked into a home furnishings catalogue.
The bachelor, 28, has fielded an estimated 3000 calls, including hundreds from prospective dates, since his mobile telephone number appeared on page 89 of the Crate & Barrel autumn catalogue mailed out in August to one million US homes.
``It's the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to me,'' says the quirky Californian who was unprepared for, but delighted by, the consequences of what could have been passed off as a prank.
Horowitz, a conceptual artist, who took the job as a photo assistant early this year to earn ready cash, was working on a personal project involving dinner meetings with strangers when he spotted an opportunity to further his cause in a studio shoot in Chicago.
That came in the form of a desk cabinet being photographed for the catalogue, complete with white board given a homely touch with a handwritten reminder reading ``Furniture delivery, Sat 10.30''. Underneath, Horowitz penned ``Dinner w/ Marc'', followed by his phone number.
People called, including hundreds of single women, many of whom contacted the fresh-faced San Francisco resident after seeing him doing TV interviews. He has spurned offers of millions from reality television producers and is talking to a publisher about a book.
Caption: IN THE LIMELIGHT: Marc Horowitz holds a copy of the catalogue.
NOTICE: The whiteboard carrying Marc's message.
Illus: Photo: marc horowitz
Photo: home furniture catalogue advertisement
Section: FOREIGN