'Daily Show' segment on Eureka Springs to air Wednesday

A segment about Eureka Springs is scheduled to air Wednesday on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The television program runs at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central.

Zeek Taylor, a Eureka Springs artist who was interviewed for the segment, said he received an email Wednesday from writer/director Asaf Kastner saying the segment would air on Wednesday.

Eve Kenny, a spokesman for Comedy Central, said the production schedule is subject to change, so the segment could be postponed. Stewart is leaving the show after 16 years. His final episode will be Aug. 6.

Jordan Klepper, a comedian who plays a correspondent on the show, traveled to Eureka Springs on June 24 along with and four staff members. They interviewed locals about the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance, which is the broadest law of its kind in Arkansas.

Passed by the Eureka Springs City Council on Feb. 9, the ordinance protects gay and transgender people from discrimination in areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. On May 12, Eureka Springs residents voted 579-231 to keep the ordinance on the books.

Taylor, who is a supporter of the ordinance, said he spent an afternoon with Klepper and the film crew.

“It really was a lot of fun,” Taylor said. “The skit is going to be about the aftermath of testing the equality limits. Jordan Klepper plays a conservative reporter visiting Eureka Springs because he heard Christians aren’t welcome here because we passed that ordinance.”

Besides Taylor, other ordinance supporters interviewed for the segment include Justice of the Peace Lamont Richie and Jayme Brandt, who owns two shops along Spring Street.

Klepper also interviewed Randall Christy of Ada, Okla., chief executive officer of the Great Passion Play near Eureka Springs. Christy opposed the anti-bias ordinance and said his life was threatened over the issue.

Christy said The Daily Show crew watched much of the Passion Play performance that night.

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