AT 'CLONES' WITH FLU? 'STAR WARS' AILMENT COULD DRAIN LABOR POOL.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer If some offices look conspicuously empty on Thursday, the blame could lie with the Force. On opening day of ``Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones,'' U.S. companies stand to lose more than $319 million in productivity as employees play hooky Verb 1. play hooky - play truant from work or school; "The boy often plays hooky" bunk off jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo" to trek to the multiplex, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. projections compiled by the outplacement out·place·ment n. The process of facilitating a terminated employee's search for a new job by provision of professional services, such as counseling, paid for by the former employer. firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Chicago-based Challenger estimates that 2.6 million full-time wage and salaried workers earning an average of $122.80 per day will decide to take an unscheduled day off of work to see the movie. The figures assume that opening-day attendance for the film will at least match the 5.7 million people who saw ``Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace'' on opening day in 1999. `` 'Attack of the Clones' has not enjoyed as much pre-release hype as 'The Phantom Menace' but the fervor and loyalty of 'Star Wars' fans is truly unique,'' said John A. Challenger, president of the firm. ``There is already a line forming at Grauman's Chinese Theater Grauman’s Chinese Theater famous for the imprints of movie stars’ footprints in its forecourt. [Am. Cinema: Payton, 284.] See : Fame in Hollywood and lines are being organized in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of .'' The biggest portion of opening-day absenteeism is more likely amid computer and technology-related jobs. ``It is probably not a coincidence that the cities having the most box office success throughout the release of the last film were those with large concentrations of workers in high-tech industries,'' Challenger said. ``Theaters in those cities are likely to do brisk business again but possibly at the expense of worker productivity. Box office revenue for ``The Phantom Menace'' was highest not only in major cities like New York, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and Chicago, but also in high-tech epicenters such as Boston, Seattle and Dallas. Robert Bucksbaum, president of Reel Source Inc., a box office research market firm, said companies should be especially wary of some kind of ``Star Wars''-related affliction spreading among their Generation X employees. ``We aren't talking about the 40-year-old CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. type; they leave work for a movie all the time,'' Bucksbaum said. ``We are talking about the 16- to 28-year-old. I advise any employer who plans on having a heavy business day on Thursday to prepare for the worst, especially with males in that age group.'' While die-hard fans have already begun lining up outside of theaters, some people planning to skip work aren't willing to take a chance of not securing a seat so they are swarming advanced online ticket sellers. Santa Monica-based Fandango fandango (făndăng`gō), ancient Spanish dance, probably of Moorish origin, that came into Europe in the 17th cent. It is in triple time and is danced by a single couple to the accompaniment of castanets, guitar, and songs sung by the Inc. reported Tuesday that 90 percent of its ticket sales were for ``Attack of the Clones'' with a majority of the purchases for Thursday and Friday shows. Moviefone, owned by AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Time Warner, had sold more than 100,000 tickets with most of the purchases coming from Los Angeles and New York. CAPTION(S): box Box: ATTACK OF THE EXCUSES |
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