n March 4, 2004, the "The Buzz" section of Louisville Scene, an online service of the Louisville Courier-Journal, ran the following report:

How much would you pay for Hollywood hunk George Clooney to wash your car in a toga?

The star of such films as "Ocean's Eleven" and "The Perfect Storm" is hoping to raise money for father Nick Clooney's congressional campaign.

According to the New York Post, Clooney, 42, made the oddball offer in a handwritten appeal to potential donors, who were invited to a fund-raiser at his home in Studio City, Calif.

The letter begins: "OK, this is a little tricky. I'll start with a warning: I'm asking for money so you might want to stop reading and pretend you never got this letter. My father, Nick, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Kentucky's 4th District. He's the Democratic candidate . . . There's a limit to what anyone can donate to a campaign. If I was allowed, I'd pay for the whole thing (and cover a few Father's Days), but I can't. So I'm writing you in hopes of scaring up some cash for his Congressional bid.

"If you can't or don't want to, I understand. However, if you can . . . I'm having a cocktail party at my house on Saturday March 6, at 7 P.M. It's a benefit so there will be entertainment, hors d'oeurves and booze. And I'll wash your car every week till it's paid off and Armor-all the tires . . . in a toga. Hope to see you there, George."

The former "ER" hunk notes the minimum contribution is $500 and the maximum $4,000. And who wouldn't pay top dollar to have him rub his hands all over your car?

Is Clooney's handwritten note an offer that could bind him to wash cars (in a toga) if accepted?

One can imagine, if Clooney were asked whether he intended to be making a formal offer to contract, he would likely respond something to the effect, "I certainly did not mean to commit myself to toga-clad car washing. I was joking!" What legal significance does this subjective intent have on whether the letter constitutes an offer to contract?

How would the determination of whether Clooney was joking be made as a legal matter? Is it relevant to whether the letter is an offer?

Assuming it is not a joke, is the letter specific enough to be an offer?