Gandalf question

[Haszor]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't work, but does •Gandalf, The Grey Wizard allow you to exert him to drop the twilight cost of your starting fellowship?

[hrcho]

No. Because it says play and your starting Fellowship is already there.

Actually, this is not entirely correct.

Only the Ring bearer and The One Ring are put to the table, all the other companions are played (including starting fellowship). This is also the reason why Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence will remove a bidding burden (if there is one) if he is in the starting fellowship.

However, you cannot use The Grey Wizard text because it says Fellowship: and that means it's a Fellowship phase action and starting companions are played before the first Fellowship phase.