Jaremy Hernandez, a junior at Kankakee High School in Kankakee, Illinois, carries a large piece of a gazebo from a park after students dismantled the structure. After Places Rated Almanac called Kankakee the worst metropolitan area to live in the U.S. and Canada in 1999, late night talk-show host David Letterman poked fun with a Top 10 list and sent two gazebos to Kankakee to spruce things up. Now students are dismantling the gazebos and making a commemorative rocking chair out of the wood for Letterman's retirement.
Associated Press/The Daily Journal
KANKAKEE, Illinois — A northern Illinois city that David Letterman lampooned as an awful place to live is plotting its revenge, more than 15 years later.
After Places Rated Almanac called Kankakee and its surrounding area the worst metropolitan area to live in the U.S. and Canada in 1999, Letterman piled on with a Top 10 list of suggested area slogans. Among them were, “We put the ‘Ill' in Illinois,” and “You'll come for our payphone — you'll stay because your car's been stolen.”
To spruce things up, Letterman sent Kankakee two gazebos, which some high school students hope to turn into a rocking chair to commemorate his upcoming retirement.
A spokeswoman for Letterman's show says crews plan to film the students working on the project for a future episode.
Remnants of a gazebo sent to the City of Kankakee, Illinois, as a gift from late-night talk show host David Letterman in 1999 sit on a trailer at a park after being dismantled by Kankakee High School students who are planning a prank on Letterman. After Places Rated Almanac called Kankakee the worst metropolitan area to live in the U.S. and Canada in 1999, Letterman poked fun with a Top 10 list and sent the two gazebos to spruce things up. The students are making a commemorative rocking chair out of the wood for Letterman's retirement.
Associated Press/The Daily Journal