Posted on January 21st, 2012 in Press

WTHR Channel 13 in Indianapolis, the local NBC affiliate, ran this feature on a gift basket that the Indiana Convention and Visitors Association sent to late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon in anticipation of his arrival in Indianapolis to do several of his shows from the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indy.

In the gift basket was a jar of Hoosier Momma Spicy Bloody Mary Maker. We are honored to be included as one of the things that best represent Indiana and hope Jimmy loves Hoosier Momma!

 
INDIANAPOLIS -

During Super Week, Jimmy Fallon will host NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from Hilbert Circle Theatre.

Since he’s in Indianapolis for a full week, tourism officials want to be sure he has a lot of good things to say about the city. That’s why the Convention and Visitors Association is sending Fallon a welcome package before he arrives here.

While the ICVA’s Chris Gahl admits, “we don’t do this for every visitor,” Fallon is a big star with a big following and it is his first trip here.

He says the message is, despite a few lingering stereotypes, Indy is no longer Naptown.

“We have a thriving arts and cultural scene, lots of independent restaurants and a great brew scene. It’s really a thriving metropolis,” said Gahl.

So what are they sending? All things hip and Hoosier, like a bottle of Hoosier Momma Bloody Mary Maker and some craft beer from Sun King Brewery.

Fallon will also get a replica of the car that won the first Indy 500 in 1911 and a Norman Dale Basketball Camp T-shirt which Gahls says pays homage to the film “Hoosiers.”

There’s also a reference to another of Indiana’s all-time favorite flicks, A Christmas Story. The welcome pack includes a “leg lamp,” made famous in the movie.

“We hope it might adorn his desk while he’s here or well past that,” Gahl said.

Fallon is also known for playing “beer pong” on his show. He and his guest stand on opposite sides of a ping-pong table trying to bounce balls into plastic cups on their opponent’s side.

Hoping Fallon might stage a match in Indianapolis, the ICVA is sending a couple of dozen cups from King David’s hot dog restaurant.

“We know when he goes to a new city he looks for those original, funky, hole-in-the-wall places so we hope he’ll play beer pong here and go to King David’s for lunch,” said Gahl.

Fallon is also getting a copy of Jailbird, a novel by Kurt Vonnegut and a small replica of the LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana.

“We’re going to let him know he can see the original at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and that we love the fact that he’s taking his show to Indianapolis for the very first time,” Gahl said.

They can’t forget the blue and white Super Scarf hand-knitted by a Hoosier.

While the ICVA hopes to see at least one of the gifts make Fallon’s show, either way, they’ve given the NBC late night host plenty to talk about.

Courtesy of WTHR