Oshawa Goes All Out For Stephen Colbert Day
Posted March 20, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Tuesday was “Stephen Colbert Day” in Oshawa, and the only thing missing from the typically quiet working class community’s celebration was the man himself.
The day was intended to celebrate the American comedian, whose alter-ego — a buffoonish, right-wing pundit — made a hockey bet with Oshawa Mayor John Gray on his popular program “The Colbert Report.”
It all started when the Saginaw Spirit — a Michigan-based Ontario Hockey League club — held a contest to name its mascot. After prompting from Colbert more than two million fans inundated the site, and Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle was born.
From there Colbert began throwing his support behind the team, an effort which included weekly trash talk about Saginaw’s opponents, particularly the Oshawa Generals.
Gray responded by issuing a challenge to Colbert prior to a recent showdown between the two teams: If Oshawa won Colbert had to wear a Generals jersey for an entire show. If the Spirit won, Gray had to declare Colbert’s birthday “Stephen Colbert Day” in Oshawa. Colbert agreed but with one alteration: that the day not be held on his birthday, but rather on Gray’s, which is March 20th.
Saginaw won.
And that’s why Colbert burgers, sandwiches and beer were on sale at downtown restaurants Tuesday, all as part of evening festivities at the town’s brand new General Motors Centre. More than 3,000 people purchased tickets for the event, which included an appearance by Don Cherry, a Colbert look-alike contest, a showdown between the Spirit and Generals mascots and lots of free cake and Dr. Pepper, Colbert’s favourite soft drink.
And even though Colbert frequently pokes fun at the small industrial town, people there appeared to enjoy the uncharacteristically silly event.
“The whole community’s behind it,” said Oshawa spokeswoman Shannon McFadyen.
“It’s a great day to be in Oshawa .”
And a much different one. Until Tuesday Oshawa was best known as the home of General Motors Canada and for its OHL club that once featured Bobby Orr and now has future NHL star John Tavares, who recently broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most goals scored in the OHL by a 16-year-old.
As for Colbert, he wasn’t on hand, but he did send along a taped message to be played on the arena’s big screen for those in attendance.