Dell Dude Arrested on Pot Charge

Dude, you’re busted.

Actor Benjamin Curtis, who plays the wise-cracking “Steven” in Dell Computer Corp.’s “Dude, you’re getting a Dell” commercials, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession Sunday night, officials announced Monday.

Curtis, 22, was charged with criminal and unlawful possession of marijuana, two misdemeanors that carry possible jail sentences of up to three months.

However, at his arraignment Monday afternoon, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Ellen Coin adjourned the case for one year and said the charges could be dismissed if Curtis, a senior at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, gets in no trouble for the next 12 months.

Neither Curtis nor his lawyer would comment.

Dell, the No. 2 personal- computer firm, began TV and print commercials featuring Curtis three years ago. “Steven” became a cult advertising figure not seen since Joe Isuzu and Clara Peller of Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?” fame.

Inundated with calls from adoring fans, Dell set up a Web site (www.dell4me.com/dude) and offered a line of “Dell Dude” apparel.

Dell recently moved to a less “dude-centric” ad campaign. One of Dell’s new spots, which features interns who learn about Dell’s way of doing business, includes Curtis as Steven at the end, Dell spokesman Venancio Figueroa said.

“We are following the situation,” Figueroa said after Curtis’ arrest.

“We are working with our ad agency to understand what’s happened. It’s too premature to speculate on what we may or may not do.”

DDB Chicago produced the ads.