A claim that Walken had launched a campaign for the White House caused a stir as it made the Internet rounds in recent days, fueled by a sophisticated website (
http://www.walken2008.com) that lists a campaign platform, testimonials and bits of purported Walken wisdom intended to carry him far with voters in red and blue states.
Only, it's all a joke.
"The person who put this together was just trying it as a hoax, I presume," said Mara Buxbaum, Walken's publicist. "My take on it is it sounds like the person who put this on the Web took his role in 'Wedding Crashers' too seriously and now wants him to run for the presidency."
A spokesman for New Line Cinema, which released the film, said the website is not part of any publicity campaign by its marketing department. The movie already has grossed $165 million and doesn't appear to need extra help at the box office, he added.
Although the campaign is fake, there's a certain Ross Perot quality to the website that lends it an air of authenticity.
The "Walken for President" web sites were actually the communal product of members of an Internet forum who opted to launch a faux celebrity presidential campaign as a prank.