CashTomato Cash Giveaway Mobbed By Leap Day Throng

March 2, 2008 9:59 a.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - They say people become a bit eccentric on leap days, but this one definitely takes the cake.

A CashTomato Leap Day promotion scheduled outside Union Square Park turned into "Mayhem in Manhattan" after an impatient audience mobbed tomato mascots to get their $29- giveaways.

Jason Buzi, senior vice president of the online video-sharing site, said the crowd became restless and aggressive towards the appointed 2:29 p.m. cash payout.

Shouting "Make it rain!" and "Give me my money!" the angry mob said, according to AP reports, as it closed in on CashTomato.com's costumed representatives, people wrenched from the representatives' hands envelopes containing a mere $29.

The throng turned on one another too-- kicking, scratching and trampling dozens of other Cash Tomato fans. Police didn't say however if there were any injuries or arrests made from the melee.

Buzi noted that his company had set up similar giveaways in other cities, but this kind of mayhem only happened in Manhattan.

And what was the Leap Day lesson for CashTomato's boss? Buzi told Newsday, "Maybe next time, I would plan this better."