Thursday, April 30, 2009

There's No Place Like Nome on TV (Yet)

I've often said that getting off the plane in Nome is stepping into a whole, separate reality.

There are many places on earth that I love, but none really can compete with Nome. Dear, boozy, charming, strange, and to be absolutely truthful here, sometimes just heartbreaking Nome. Quirky doesn't quite cover it. Nor does offbeat. And I should be surprised by the recent news I received via our System of Tubes, but the fact is, it is just so ... fitting.

Word via The Internets is that TLC, home to many a reality show, has agreed to pick up a reality show filmed in the town whose best motto is, "It's not the end of the line, but you can see it from here."

Yep. Reality teevee. In Nome. I'm only sad that it comes after the demise of two of the town's older institutions: Fat Freddies and The Glue Pot. (RIP.) The world really missed out on an opportunity to see either of those two places.

A production crew spent some time there this winter getting footage, and it remains to be seen if the network will go beyond the two episodes initially ordered. It also is uncertain if the whole thing will have a touristy gloss or truly capture the unreality of the place.

3 comments:

Ishmael said...

Fat Freddie's is closed???? At least I've got my T-shirt. Please tell me the Board of Trade still stands.....

CabinDweller said...

Yep. Freddie's closed after Bob Madden passed away a few months ago.

I always planned to get a t shirt.

The BOT still stands. :) I think it will be there as long as Nome is.

Celia Harrison said...

Now I know there is no God. Yes, the BOT(Bottom of the Toilet) is still there. Nome is on a death march(I mean the town) and desperate to do about anything to survive. They are even will to make their environment toxic with a bad mine.