A segment about Eureka Springs aired Wednesday night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Stewart is leaving the show, which airs on Comedy Central, 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 four staff members. They interviewed residents 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.
Artist Zeek 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," said Taylor, who was not featured in the segment. "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."
Klepper 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.
Metro on 07/30/2015