From Ask Ausiello:

Question: I was watching last week's Veronica Mars when they showed Logan's e-mail address — gottapes@gmail.com — on screen, and I decided to send off a message. Would you believe he wrote me back in character? Was this a staff member? — Kevin

Ausiello: After receiving your tip, I did what any self-respecting TV sleuth would do: I sent "Logan" an e-mail myself to see if you were telling me the truth or just spewing tall tales between bong hits. Lo and behold, within seconds I received a response from Logan that went like this:

I already have the tapes and destroyed them. If you want to hound someone, why don't you hound Veronica Mars. She can be reached at: upn.com/shows/veronica_mars/

Logan

Cool, eh? Well, the plot thickens. Moments letter, another e-mail came through — this one from Rick Pickett, a graphic designer for Veronica Mars, who proceeded to explain that he "uses these real e-mail accounts… [because] it's easier, and more realistic. I then set up to have a bounce-back message for fans, and there're a lot of them who write to the address. I realized after Episode 21 from last season how dedicated fans were with these details. It's like the whole 867-5309 phenomenon — they will try it out. I figured I'd give them a little excitement for their efforts. I've gotten roughly 80 emails for Logan's e-mail and 50 for Inga. Some play along with the script and what's going on, offering money, favors, etc." Um, only 80 e-mails for Logan? Guys, whaddaya say we add to that total a little bit? Here's that address again, gottapes@gmail.com. Go to it.

Anyone here try it?

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Yes, I had to try,

I already have the tapes and destroyed them. If you want to hound

someone, why don't you hound Veronica Mars. She can be reached at:

http://www.upn.com/shows/veronica_mars/

-Logan

Cute. I have mail from Logan in my box. Hee.

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I just love that they use logical email addresses for the characters. gmail, AOL, etc.

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I was watching last week's Veronica Mars when they showed Logan's e-mail address — gottapes@gmail.com — on screen, and I decided to send off a message. Would you believe he wrote me back in character?

My favorite stunt like this was on King of the Hill where they set up an actual Spank Peggy's Feet fetishist website after there was an episode which featured that very thing.

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My favorite was when the BtVS writers set up a website for Cassie.

You can still find some of it on the Wayback machine: [link]

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My favorite was when the BtVS writers set up a website for Chloe on geocities.

That was a good one! Am I a goob for calling the cell number Dean gave on Supernatural (to hear a recording of Dean again exhorting Dad to come help) ?

edit: just in case it counts as spoilery, as I am so clueless about keeping those rules straight.

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Huh. My Tivo SAYS that Veronica Mars is on, but this looks a lot more like "Everybody Hates Chris" to me....hmph.

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"uses these real e-mail accounts… [because] it's easier, and more realistic. I then set up to have a bounce-back message for fans, and there're a lot of them who write to the address.

The true original of this is 25+ years old: the novel I am the Cheese takes place in a fictional town, Monument, MA, but the phone number the protagonist is endlessly trying to call is a real one. It's the home phone number of the author, Robert Cormier, who lived in the same house for decades in Fitchburg and would talk to any kid who called him up.

Apparently, there were a lot of unhappy kids who called him -- it's a novel about loneliness and insanity -- and they would ask for the person the protagonist is calling in the book (I think her name was Mary; I've forgotten), and Bob would tell them he had created her, and the conversation would go from there.

Bob died 4 years ago (he lived to be in his late 70s), and now I'm wondering whether the phone number will be changed for new reprints.

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That Logan e-mail thing pushes my must-have-fourth-wall button. How crazy am I that the thought of getting an e-mail from a fictional character freaks me out? Craxy.

But. What I came here to post was that AFI named VM one of its top ten shows of 2005: [link]

Yay. The full list for those not wishing to link:

24

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

DEADWOOD

GREY'S ANATOMY

HOUSE

LOST

RESCUE ME

SLEEPER CELL

SOMETIMES IN APRIL

VERONICA MARS

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In addition, the WGA nominated NITW for episode of drama.

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