City, others say they're OK with reality show idea

Fort Scott, Kan. -- Fort Scott City Manager Joe Turner said he and other city officials do not intend to ban or censor a television network that plans to film a reality program next week in Fort Scott.

"Absolutely not," Turner said Friday. "We don't believe in censorship of any kind."

Turner said an In Demand Networks production crew, which plans to start filming episodes Sunday for an upcoming television reality show called "Wack Pack at the Christy's" in portions of Fort Scott and Bourbon County, may film the series wherever they wish inside the city, provided the crew doesn't participate in any illegal activities.

"Person-ally, I have no feelings about it one way or the other," he said. "As long as they obey the laws, I don't see a problem with it. As long as they don't obscure traffic or foot traffic, or abuse property, things like that, then I feel that they can just about do what they want, within reason."

The reality show, which would air starting Nov. 6, will be offered through digital cable service by Howard TV On Demand, a service named after noted radio personality Howard Stern that is an affiliate of In Demand Networks.

A few weeks ago, officials representing In Demand Networks requested permits from Fort Scott City Hall to film parts of the program on the Fort Scott Trolley, Gunn Park, and Buck Run Community Center, which are all public properties.

Turner said the network also requested permits to film on city property, but the city doesn't issue permits for such actions.

"They were asking permission to film on city property, but we don't require permits," Turner said. "The city contracts with the chamber to run the trolley, so it would be up to them (the chamber) to sell tickets for them to ride the trolley."

Because the city of Fort Scott doesn't require permits for filming on city property, city officials have not denied the network access to city property, but they have also not given the network the city's blessing or support because of lack of information the city has received concerning the program's content, Turner said.

"I haven't given my blessing to anything," he said.

Turner added that while much of the material associated with Stern's programming is often controversial, the production crew will not be prevented from filming the show in Fort Scott.

"The city definitely doesn't condone anything (related to Stern's material)," he said. "It's their right to freedom of speech. It's all a matter of taste really. I don't have a feeling one way or the other."

Numerous attempts to reach In Demand Networks and Howard TV officials the last few days for comment have been unsuccessful. Last week, Howard TV officials would only confirm that the network was planning to film a TV show in Fort Scott, but plans for the show weren't final.

Bourbon County Clerk Joanne Long said In Demand has also requested to film scenes from the reality show at the county-owned Elm Creek Lake, a request that commissioners recently approved on the condition that the commission receive a copy of the company's liability and worker's compensation insurance, which In Demand officials recently provided.

"In Demand Networks is a fully insured company," Fenimore said in his letter.

The production crew wishes to rent three campsites at Elm Creek Lake, and also build a bonfire at one of the sites. The Bourbon County Commission approved the request after recently receiving the network's insurance information, Long said.

"In case someone out there falls and breaks their arm, we want to be covered," she said.

According to a July 31 letter from Howard TV Senior Producer Keith Fenimore, In Demand plans to film the show through Aug. 29. The concept of the show involves sending three Wack Pack members from different parts of the United States to Kansas to participate in farm activities at the home of Tom and Pat Christy, the parents of Fort Scott native Richard Christy, who now works for Stern.

During their stay, cast members of the show plan to participate in activities such as farm work, preparing meals, square dancing, camping, hunting and fishing, and touring unique Fort Scott historic sites. Christy said last week that he granted the network permission to film on his property some time ago.

The Wack Pack is an assortment of regular guests of Stern's radio show who are unusual in some way, and are often pariahs or outcasts from mainstream society.