In a rare appearance outside the television studio, “Dinner and a Movie” host Paul Gilmartin traveled to the Sonic Drive-In of Bakersfield, California, to film a recent episode of the hit comedy cable program.

“Dinner and a Movie” host Paul Gilmartin pictured with Sonic carhop Winter Bathe

Every Friday night the TBS Superstation show, “Dinner and a Movie,” airs a film during which the hosts of the show cook dinner and watch the movie. The June 9 episode featured “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” inspiring Gilmartin to play hooky and visit the local Sonic Drive-In.

With the help of carhop Winter Bathe, Gilmartin laced up his own roller skates and spoke with customers. The scenes were filmed at the Sonic Drive-In located at 1401 23rd Street, in Bakersfield. Bathe flew to the site from Oklahoma, where she is a carhop at a Sonic location in Midwest City. Sonic negotiated placements with TBS as part of the company’s national cable advertising buy this year.

“This year, Sonic has increased its cable television presence through a national, concentrated advertising schedule,” said Pattye Moore, executive vice president of marketing. “This opportunity with ‘Dinner and a Movie’ was a new way for Sonic to promote its unique, made-to-order items and personal service to a larger audience.”

In recognition of Bathe’s TV debut, Sonic hosted a Preview Party at the Midwest City Sonic. Bathe signed autographs while co-workers, family and friends enjoyed watching her appearance in the program. This isn’t Bathe’s first brush with fame. In July 1999, Bathe was featured in USA Today when the publication ran a story about Sonic’s business success. Bathe is a pre-med student at the University of Oklahoma and has been a carhop for the past six years.