Colbert doesn’t plan to host Stephen Colbert

The council seemed receptive to the idea initially, but Mayor Chris Peck called the Journal May 5 to make it clear that Colbert will not get an invitation from the council to come to the city.

“Nothing against Mr. Colbert personally,” said Peck. “But it isn’t going to happen. That’s not something we’re considering. The whole thing has been nixed.”

On May 3, Preston Coleman, a communications teacher at the Oconee campus of Gainesville State College, spoke with the council about a potential visit from Colbert. He said he developed the idea of renaming the city after the comedian Stephen Colbert as a classroom assignment for his students.

“I was looking for a project to teach my students about being an activist in civil affairs and how to use the Internet,” he said. “So we started a petition on the Internet to see how many people my students could get to sign it, and by the end we received 496 supporting signatures.”

Though he emphasized May 5 that the comedian’s visit would not happen, Peck initially entertained the idea Monday, noting that it could be a “good school-type activity.”

It was then mentioned that a local Colbert resident had offerd a similar suggestion on a previous occasion. Ellyn Trinrud offered thoughts on the matter.

“I suggested getting in touch with the man to see if he would at least be interested in being the emcee of our 4th of July parade at any point, because I thought that would be pretty crazy,” said Trinrud.

Coleman listed numerous reasons in which he believed the comical renaming would not only attract positive attention to the town, but would prove to be economically beneficial as well.

“It could be a proclamation of the 4th of July parade,” he said. “It would attract new people to the parade and significantly raise the profile of the town, while giving the city of Colbert local, state and even national media coverage in the event that he did come down or use the town as a form of comedy on his show.”

“He pretends to have a huge ego, and loves to have things named after him!” said Coleman.

Addressing the situation from a legal standpoint, city attorney Dale Perry gave his insight on the matter.

“If we could get him to come down and emcee the Fourth of July parade, then I don’t see any harm in pronouncing the name of Colbert differently for one day,” said Perry. “There would be no legal effect!”

Coleman thanked the members of the council for their consideration and support.

“I know this is probably not the sort of thing you usually talk about, but I appreciate your time and hope you really consider it,” he said.

Peck said May 5 that the comedian will not be asked to come to the city, adding that the Fourth of July celebration is about celebrating patriotism and that a comedy act may not be appropriate for the occasion.