Texas Town Responds After Colbert Calls It An "Incorporated Outhouse"

CANTON, Texas — Stephen Colbert's one-man campaign against towns named Canton has its latest target firing back. A city councilman in Canton, Texas, joked that he would "mash his nose" after the comedian referred to the town as an "incorporated outhouse."

"What does that sucker know about it? He's never been here anyway," Councilman John Fuller said in a story Friday in the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

In an ongoing gag on his Comedy Central show "The Colbert Report," Colbert has been taking pot shots at various towns named Canton. It began when he referred to a Georgia town as "the crappy Canton."

Colbert then referred to Canton, Kan., with an unprintable epithet, and referred to Canton, S.D., as "North Dakota's dirty ashtray."

Cantons in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Ohio have so far escaped Colbert's ire.

Leaders of the Texas town of Canton, which has a population of about 5,100, invited Colbert to the town's monthly flea market _ which, according to a city Web site, harkens back to Texas' frontier traditions, "when it was common to trade a rifle for a good hunting dog."

"Canton is known worldwide," City Manager Andy McCuistion said of the town, located about 55 miles southeast of Dallas. "You can go anywhere in the world, and people will say, `Canton? Yeah, I know where that is. It's where that big flea market is.'"

Comments

[tweeksmom]

Well, it's the truth. Most Texas towns ARE incorporated outhouses or worse...The main problem with them though, is that they utterly lack anything resembling a sense of humor.

[JailNeoconVicts]

Also that no one bothers to flush them. Would solve a world of problems.

[gurukalehuru]

"Get me a ticket to whatever state Canton is in."

[watermelon]

Stephen Colbert is a comedian. Hello?

[Chuckwheat]

Canton has the world's biggest fleas, cowboys shy away from riding them at rodeo time, sure death.

[Bettysdad]

There's an association of Springfield postmasters.

[bmermaid]

Yes, I'm hoping he'll pick on Springfields after he's insulted all of the Cantons.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Not ALL.

[PurplePhase]

if a hunter gives up his rifle for a hunting dog how will he hunt? :)

[texastrixie]

In what universe do you think a hunter has only one gun? They will all tell you they need a bird gun, a quail gun, an over and under bird gun (not near as sexy as it sounds), a deer rifle, etc., etc., Its like a woman with 10 pairs of black shoes (which is exactly the argument I use when I want more shoes - or in my case, PURSES!).

[PurplePhase]

The AP article states "according to a city Web site, harkens back to Texas' frontier traditions, "when it was common to trade a rifle for a good hunting dog.""

I was referring to the frontier days of the 1800s, perhaps even before that. Back then guns weren't as cheap.

I am in the same universe as you and well aware of the Texans' preference for guns over human life.

[Toonadude]

You need plenty of spare guns for when Hillary comes to your front door and confiscates them. She knows you have them because of the domestic spying files left behind from when President Bush tapped your phone/computer and saw that you were a big hunter and gun enthusiast.

[PaulinaSmedes]

LOL 5 down, 15 to go?
Which one'll be next: CT, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MA, MN, MS, MO, NY, NC, OK, VA, WV (did I leave one out?)

[JBS]

So, what's he got against towns named Canton?

It's not like it was named Killeen, TX. I could understand someone not liking towns named Killeen.

[RJKruger]

He better not mess with Canton, China.

[PurplePhase]

If he does he can seek advice from CNN's Cafferty.

[Toonadude]

Yeah.....they'll call for us to pay back the loan in full.

[craneman]

don't forget all that interest.

[sassafra]

what do we know? well we know the town is full of nose mashers and i would suppose probable mouth breathers to boot!

[JuniorBug]

"Our pride and joy is a flea market that harkens back to frontier trading in which you could trade a rifle for a dog" was said to *refute* Colbert's insult?

(And I can talk 'cause I'm a Texan.)

[expatwing]

There's also a Canton, Michigan! Colbert should cover that!

[MiddleRoadLiberal]

I was just going to say that.

[piperson]

I have been to Canton, TX before and it is true, that flea market is absolutely huge. A friend of mine went to that famous one that they have in Spain and said that the one in Canton is bigger. It was also hotter tha Hades every time I ever went.

[sweetchuckd]

Check out http://detentionslip.org for a story about a Texas town that is now allowing their teachers to carry guns to school!

[texastrixie]

The real reason they are all carrying guns is so everybody can go bird/deer hunting during recess!

[Tommygun264]

The running Canton gag is hilarious and it has the double pay-off when people who obviously have no idea that the show is satire respond as if they have been seriously insulted.

[OneMoreTime]

yeah it's amazing. Every city so far has been so offended. When will they get it's just a joke?

[kevinwiz]

It's like they've never heard of stephen colbert! Who would have thought the south would be out of touch, huh?

[Arei]

Alot of people only have basic cable, which never includes comedy central =P

[Roses]

Who's to say that they "they feel they have been seriously insulted". Maybe they want some free publicity from Colbert and play along. I know I would. There are some people in small towns that have a sense of humor (and some in large cities that don't).

Obama '08

[trish74]

I'm waiting for one of the cities to play along and agree with his statement, that would be hilarious.

[bmermaid]

Just look at that sweet Colbert face.
He's right up there with George Clooney.
My husband knows that if Steven Colbert or George Clooney ever shows up at my house, that my husband will have to go!

[Ray46]

"harkens back to Texas' frontier traditions, "when it was common to trade a rifle for a good hunting dog."

I wonder how much they would give us for a terrible, soon to be ex president?

[SurrealPumpkin]

I doubt we could get the good hunting dog.

[Roses]

Besides, he is planning on going to Dallas for free, unless we can get him and his criminal abettors put away somewhere first.

Obama '08