Meet Office Guy

Dilbert-esque Mike Judge comedy spawns unusual publicity stunt

High above Time Square, enclosed in a glass box not much larger than the cubicles so many of his fans inhabit, Office Guy takes another call. On the other end of the line there might be an agitated accountant, a bored beautician or a crazed customer service rep. Anyone whose job has them ready for a permanent vacation. And the calls have been coming in at a furious pace.

In an unusual publicity stunt, Fox Studios has arranged for Office Guy--who, like the famous spy, gives his name only as "Guy...Office Guy"--to spend eight hours a day from now through February 19 in a specially constructed office. From there, Office Guy answers his toll-free hotline (877-WORK-SUX), as well as his email ([e-mail]).

"The phone calls have been everything from tragic to inebriated. The most bizarre, hilarious, wonderful people have called in," Office Guy says. "It has been really fun."

In theory, Office Guy is there to promote the new film Office Space, the first live-action comedy from Beavis and Butt-head creator Mike Judge. But as far as Office Guy is concerned, he is there for a much more noble purpose. "I am the Office Guy because I represent you," he says passionately. "I represent everybody who is just completely bored and sick of being in a cubicle all day."

Office Guy can be seen at work via two live Web cams on his own Website (www.officeguy.com). There, readers can also learn more about Office Guy by reading his daily journal and reviewing his résumé. Office Guy boasts such qualifications as having served as "vice president, shipping/receiving" and skills including being "monolingual."

Also on the site is a message board where Internet audiences have been trading horrible boss stories, as well as sounding off on such topics as the worst job ever.

Office Guy says he has heard from a film developer who spends entire days in a dark room and never sees the sun. But not even he has it as bad as the one unfortunate soul whose job entails collecting samples of phlegm for medical research.

For those stuck in a cubicle all day, Office Guy has some creative suggestions on how to pass the time other than working. "There are plenty of things you can do. I am setting up a Nerf basketball tournament myself. I have one player so far, and that is me," he explains.

At least one caller has found Office Guy to be a welcome respite from her workday. A paralegal in Akron, Ohio, who must remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, says her boss is an "ogre" and that Office Guy "brought a laugh to my otherwise hellish existence."

But Office Guy says that his career advice should only be taken in the spirit in which it is intended. "People have been asking me how to get a raise, and truthfully I have no idea. I am just trying to think of something funny they could do to see what would happen."