Lexus Brings the Late-Night Talk with ‘Darkcasting’

Actress and stand-up comedian Whitney Cummings is hosting a brand web series presented by Lexus: Darkcasting, a late night talk show that takes place inside Lexus’ all-new premium compact hybrid, the CT 200h.

Part interview, part test drive, Darkcasting takes guests for a spin in their home cities. The city “cast ensembles” include social media influencers, young entrepreneurs, and movers and shakers from technology, fashion, media, and entertainment.

“With Darkcasting, we’re providing a mobile studio from which an entertaining talk show takes place against a moving cityscape. It helps us see the car through the lens of creative people from a variety of professional fields,” said Dave Nordstrom, Lexus Vice President of Marketing.

In recent episodes master turntablist DJ Qbert and soul singer Goapale

discuss Oakland’s music scene while driving across the Bay Bridge, and it-girl model Harley Viera-Newton points out her favorite boutiques in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Other guests include Carlo Mirarchi and Baratunde Thurston in New York, Brian Solis and Matt Accarrino in San Francisco, and yet to be announced guests in Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, and New Orleans.

Darkcasting is a part of Lexus’ new Darker Side of Green campaign for the CT 200h, a new vehicle aimed at urban progressive consumers. Unlike Lexus’ L Studio, whose programs such as Lisa Kudrow’s Web Therapy appeal to a Lexus lifestyle rather than its products, Darkcasting focuses specifically on the CT 200h, hoping to build interest in the near luxury market before an early 2011 launch.