A Florida man has sold the right to name his unborn son (due in December) to a trio of radio hosts in exchange for a gas card.
David Partin called the Orlando-based Dixon & Willoughby Morning Show last week after the hosts asked what listeners were willing to do in exchange for a $100 gas card. (Currently, gas costs $4.06 a gallon in Florida.)
“We heard from Partin immediately, and he knocked the other offers out of the park,” said J. Willoughby, one of the WHTQ co-hosts.
The hosts (and their executive producer, Alan Spector) had wanted the given name to be “Dixon & Willoughby With Alan Spector,” but all parties eventually agreed on Dixon Willoughby.
The radio hosts, who joked that they plan to be in the delivery room when Dixon Willoughby is born, said that the gas card won’t be handed over until the name is official.
“[Partin will get the card] when he shows us the birth certificate,” said Willoughby.
Update, Apr. 2010: What happened to the gas card baby?
Well, parents-to-be David Partin and Samantha Bailey were regularly mentioned both on the show and on the show’s blog after the agreement was made. Their baby — a girl, turns out — was going to be named Dixie Ann Willoughby Partin.
I say “going to be” because, right after the baby shower on Nov. 21, the radio program was canceled. Dixon and Willoughby were bumped to make room for a guy called Bubba the Love Sponge.
After that point, there’s no news of the show, the hosts, the parents or the baby. Were all bets off? Did the parents go ahead and use the name anyway?
Update #2, Oct. 2011: I was contact by a person named Danielle Partin who said: “I’m his sister, and no, they named her Kyndylyn Marie Partin.”
Sources: Dad Trades Baby’s Name for $100 Gas Card; Central Florida Radio – WHTQ, Dixon & Willoughby out; Bubba the LoveSponge in