Invitation from The Daily Show with John Stewart
Mayor Dani Wilson
City of Eureka Springs, AK [sic]
April 16, 2008
Dear Mayor Wilson,
I am following up on the phone call we had this afternoon in regard to the proposed Daily Show shoot in Eureka Springs. We are producing a story that originated from a video by the American Family Association purporting to show a secret gay agenda occurring in your town. We aim to debunk this paranoid and ridiculous notion that Eureka Springs has been taken over by gay activists.
We plan to present Eureka Springs as a diverse, friendly city that does not discriminate in any way. While some people on the far right have suggested that having a visible gay community negatively impacts tourism, we hope to show that there is absolutely no correlation. We wish to present a snapshot of a community that is gracious and hospitable, no matter their race, creed, color, or sexual preference.
We would like to interview Mayor Wilson as a part of the piece, as well as several local residents. We would utilize whatever local resources we can (including crew, lodging and catering), and would be in town from one to two days.
Please feel free to call me with any further questions or concerns.
Best,
[signature]
Miles Kahn
Producer
CC: Jim Williams, Ken Rundell
Filed under: CAPC, Eureka Springs, Mayor, Politics, Special Events | Tagged: Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Well Barbara, thanks again for stepping in where you don’t belong. This time instead of just irratating the citizens of this town you have actualy hurt the town with your little blog. It appears that your overzealous actions have ruined a great PR opportunity for our town. Due to your posting the above information the Daily Show will no longer be coming to our town.
Thanks so much for a missed opportunity!
Yes, I understand that a few of the more unscrupulous in town are blaming me– because I FOIA’d the City for materials they had on the show. I did it after a reliable source provided me with inside information, and I thought it confirmed because I had seen something in a stack of papers in front of the Mayor at a workshop that said “The Daily Show”– it had an orb with crossbars on it. As for your comments:
You do know, don’t you, that an FOIA goes only to the City, not the Daily Show? The Daily Show is not governed by FOIA law.
Therefore, someone in City Hall had to tell the show that I had FOIA’d them. If so, why? I seriously doubt that the City told the Daily Show. If so, I doubt that the Daily Show would care one whit. It is good publicity.
If the Daily Show did care, then the City– not ES Folk– dug their own grave in telling them about the FOIA.
– Or, to carry this on to ridiculous extremes. Perhaps the right wing read the article, and wouldn’t go on the show. I don’t think so. First, I doubt they read this newspaper. But even if they do, it is much more likely they wouldn’t appear on the show because they know Jon Stewart would hoist them on his progressive petard. –If even that makes sense.
Those folks love publicity, and any publicity– good or bad– is loved by a “prosecuted, persecuted” motley crew of bigots like the Jerichos.
What we do know from reliable sources is that the Mayor was under great pressure not to have the Daily Show in town. Jim Williams of the CAPC has confirmed his opposition.
Could it be that the Mayor could not afford to alienate her Lesbian/Gay troops, and so had to find some way out other than admitting she did not want Stewart to come. Is it possible that either she– or one of her lackeys– had to find someone else to blame?
Who better than ES Folk? And would there be anyone better than James deVito and Alvin Byrd to spread blame to protect the Mayor– perhaps with a little clerking help from inside City Hall?
Is it the pervasiveness of political lies and manipulation from the Mayor and her supporters that got ES Folk started? Is The Daily Show incident one very good example?
You decide.
[...] ES Folk for keeping Jon Stewart from coming to town– because we FOIA’d the City for materials they had on the show. ES Folk did it after a reliable source provided us with inside information, [...]