Satirical Comedy Program To Weigh In On Church-Bell Flap
By Megan Bard, Day Staff Writer - published on February 2, 2007
Griswold — They came, they yelled at the chimes, they interviewed and then they were gone.
Representatives from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” spent the day in Jewett City Thursday talking to people about the bell chimes that sound hourly from the Jewett City Baptist Church's belfry.
All three men interviewed as part of the show hope something positive will come of the broadcast, but all are keenly aware that the show, a satirical newscast on Comedy Central, pokes fun at serious issues.
“It's a comedy show, for goodness sake,” said borough business owner Philip Anthony, who was interviewed along with borough resident Ron Ward and Norwich resident William Russell.
Although the bells have been ringing for 12 years, in November an atheist group, at Russell's request, filed a complaint with the borough and town governments claiming that the town-owned chimes playing from a church violate the constitutional separation of church and state.
Russell spent more than three hours Thursday with “The Daily Show” crew.
“It's a constitutional issue, and I made sure they knew that,” Russell said.
In addition to the question-and-answer portion, Russell walked Main Street in front of the church with the crew and took part in a scripted skit. Crew members pretended to be “people on the street” that Russell approached and asked about their belief in God.
“I should have asked about their belief in the Constitution, but I got into the moment,” Russell said later.
The crew got to the borough at 7:30 a.m. and created a makeshift set at Mad Science in Slater Mill Mall. There they interviewed Ward, a bell advocate.
Ward said they didn't share their questions with him but indicated he would represent the community's interest in defending the bells.
“My gut feeling is it's a comedy. It's going to be funny. If you can look past the satire and look at the real issue, I think it will be good for Jewett City,” Ward said.
The only request the crew made of Ward, other than to sign a release at the end, was for him not to reveal the show's slant on the issue.
“And to be honest, after nearly two hours of question-and-answer ... I don't know what their position is,” he said, laughing.
After finishing the morning interview with Ward, “Daily Show” crew members began a tour of Main Street. Ten minutes before noon, show correspondent Samantha Bee and her crew had set up their cameras on the sidewalk across the street from the church. As the bells began to chime, Bee, in character, began shouting for them to “Shut up!”
Thirty minutes later inside the church, Pastor David Honeychurch said he told Bee that he didn't appreciate her yelling, which he could hear over the chimes, in his office at the rear of the church.
“As a whole the church doesn't mind being in the middle,” said Honeychurch, who was not interviewed for the show.
An interview with First Selectwoman Anne P. Hatfield was canceled and an interview with Anthony, originally set for 1 p.m. at his Ace Hardware, was delayed until 4:45. By that time, Anthony said he was in perfect character to take on the “funky, rude, crude” questions the executive producer warned would be lodged at him.
“I said, 'Bring it on',” he said.
Anthony described his exchange with Bee as heated, but in jest, with her first question setting the tone.
“The first thing she asked me after she came storming into the store was 'Why are you torturing the atheists when they stand on firm legal ground?' We went at it after that,” Anthony said.
“I'm aware they may take my piece out of context, but the bottom line is: It's a comedy show,” Anthony said.
All three men said they felt good about their time before the camera. They hoped the broadcast is in good taste.
The Jewett City segment of “The Daily Show” is tentatively scheduled to air the week of Feb. 12, possibly on Feb. 15.
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