http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/15110517.htm
The segment pokes fun at Indiana’s terrorist target list, the longest of all 50 states
By Michael Sanserino
After watching a grown man skate around to the song “Celebration” in a thin white tank top, a red headband and orange short-shorts, 84-year-old Roller Dome owner Marge Wall was in near disbelief.
“Now you’ve seen everything,” she said to her son, Kim.
So had she.
For 4½ hours Friday, the Roller Dome morphed into a TV studio for the taping of a segment on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” a satirical news program on Comedy Central.
The Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning show came to Fort Wayne for a story on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s list of potential terrorist targets. Indiana has the distinction of having the most: 8,591.
After a one-on-one interview with “Daily Show” correspondent Dan Bakkedahl, Wall answered questions while giving Bakkedahl, his producer Tim Greenberg, and a sound and camera crew a taped tour around the Roller Dome.
During the tour, Bakkedahl asked Wall if a package of prank gum at the rink could be used to snap on an unsuspecting terrorist’s finger.
“Now that would last for two seconds,” Wall replied.
“That’s all you need: two seconds. Then you go call the cops,” Bakkedahl said.
He later asked if some toy Chinese “finger cuffs” could be used to detain terrorists. Wall thought any terrorist would be smart enough to escape such a device, although Bakkedahl himself wasn’t.
Bakkedahl also broke a number of the rink’s rules during the taping, including wearing shorts while skating, taking rental skates outside the rink and climbing over a wall that separates the skate floor from the carpeting.
“By the time I’m done here, you’re going to have my picture on the wall saying, ‘Do not let this guy in here,’ ” Bakkedahl told Wall.
The segment, which Greenberg said will likely air July 31 or Aug. 1, will take a light-hearted look at how “security-conscious” the Roller Dome is, though it’s not clear whether the rink is actually on the list of terror targets.
Bakkedahl highlighted how the skaters must relinquish their shoes to rent skates – much as they would have to remove their shoes at an airport security inspection.
The show’s short comedy pieces are typically sarcastic in nature, making light of a situation others might take too seriously. Bakkedahl said guests on the show are never duped because the show’s producers always explain the nature of the interview.
“They’ve all been nice, but I’m not used to this,” Wall said between tapings.
She appeared on CNN Headline News’ Glenn Beck show a few weeks ago, but strictly to be profiled.
Initially, she was less than enthusiastic about cooperating with “The Daily Show.” After an initial query, Wall had her son Kim call the show to get more information. It took “coercion” for Wall to appear on the show, her granddaughter Jenna Wall said.
“I was a little hesitant about saying anything, because I didn’t want to frighten her to think it’s going to make her look like ridiculous,” said Wall, who has never seen “The Daily Show.”
“It’s fine,” Wall said. “I realize they have to talk to somebody.”
