Operation’s Cavity Sam Got a New Ailment on Scrubs
For those product placement watchers, last night’s Scrubs provided a bit of entertainment.
Cavity Sam, the submissive patient in the board game Operation, got a new ailment during the NBC hit comedy series Scrubs. In the scene the 
cast members played the game—which requires the removal with tweezers of bones and such from Sam’s body cavity without setting off a buzzer—and were challenged by Sam’s new ailment, Brain Freeze.
A national Operation Scrubs sweeps is underway at Nbc.com/Scrubs where fans have a chance to win a three-day, two-night trip for four to Los Angeles to visit the set of Scrubs. The prize includes a one-day pass to Universal Studios. The Web site also includes a link to an online Operation game demo where visitors can play the game. The sweeps was promoted in on-air ads prior to last night’s show. Print, online, magazine rack cards, online and on-air promotions supported the product placement.
The new ailment had been picked last year when thousands of Americans cast votes by phone and online to pick one of three possible new ailments for the 39-year-old Cavity Sam—Brain Freeze, Growling Stomach or Tennis Elbow. The new ailment was identified for the first time last night.
