Did the Fire Department get paid for their appearance?
ANSWER: Yes, says Ed Yee, spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department, the television commercial is legal, but should not be viewed as an endorsement of KFC.
The television advertisement is several years old, Yee said.
No firefighting vehicles were used, and the city did not make any money and was not paid anything by the ad agency, Yee said.
The firefighters were auditioned by the ad agency, paid for their acting services and were on leave when the filming was done.
Yee said the agency also was told not to show any patches that might give the appearance that the city endorses the product.
The commercial was filmed Aug. 17, 1994, at the Waikiki station and involved a battalion chief and four firefighters.
The firefighters appear in uniform.
The commercial was done by Starr Seigle McCombs advertising agency and was first aired on Aug. 29, 1994.
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