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Geico Fires TV Ads Actor D.C. Douglas Over Voicemail (Audio)

by Yuliya Talmazan | April 21, 2010 at 12:43 pm

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"Fifteen Minutes Could Save You 15% Or More On Car Insurance?" -- Not From D.C. Douglas

Actor D.C. Douglas (aka Lance Baxter), the voice behind Geico commercials, has been fired by the auto insurance company for leaving a controversial voicemail message.

It is alleged that Douglas called FreedomWorks, one of the organizations that organizes Tea Party protests, and left a controversial voicemail message sarcastically pretending to be doing research and asking what percentages of people who work for the organization are mentally retarded. In his signature deep voice, Douglas also asked how the organization would "spin it when one of [their] members actually kills somebody." He even left a phone number to call him back at.

The FreedomWorks went public about the voice mail and posted the audio file of Douglas's message, asking offended members to call and complain to Geico.

Why would the voice of Geico Insurance (“Save $50 dollars or more…”) attack the staff and followers of FreedomWorks as “mentally retarded?” Does he really think that the good men and women who make up the tea party movement – mothers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren – are all potential murderers that will inevitably “actually kill someone?”

Feel free to contact Lance. He was so kind to provide his number in the voicemail. Call his employer too. The customer service line for Geico is 800.871.3000.

On his blog, Douglas confirmed that the voice in the audio posted by FreedomWorks is indeed his. Douglas's blog is down at this time, but different sources report that Douglas said he was angry with Tea Party activists for their controversial rhetoric, but said his actions were "stupid." He says he understands why Geico fired him, saying the company was good to him in the past. Some sources allege that GEICO held auditions to replace Douglas the next day after FutureWorks posted the controversial audio tape with Douglas's voicemail.