Lights, camera, Wallace

WALLACE — It’s only a matter of time now until audiences across the country find out about one of Shoshone County’s worst kept secrets — Wallace is the Center of the Universe (probably).

A film crew NBC’s Sunday TODAY Show with Willie Geist was on hand Saturday to record and document the incredibly well-attended rededication of the Probable Center of the Universe.

Held at the probable exact location, a manhole cover at the junction of Sixth and Bank streets in Wallace, attendees packed into the junction to see the elaborate ceremony and get a chance to be seen on national television.

The event began at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday with performances by the Wallace Jr./Sr. High School cheerleaders and the Wallace Elks Drum and Bugle Corps.

Then on a stage adjacent to the festivities, self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Wallace Rick Shaffer read aloud the speech given by former mayor Ron Garitone in 2004 at the first ceremony and gave the city’s “scientific reasoning” for the claim.

“…In the absence of such proof (that it isn’t the Center), we are mandated to conclude that, therefore, be the Center of the Universe!”

The rambunctious crowd cheered when the rededication was announced as NBC crews took in every moment on camera.

Accompanying the film crew was prominent NBC journalist Harry Smith, who was thoroughly convinced of Wallace’s claim by the end of the ceremony.

“It wasn’t just convincing, he locked me in!” Smith said of Shaffer’s speech. “There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever, because if you can’t disprove it, then it must be true! I somehow followed what he was talking about.”

Smith added that he has been to many municipal ceremonies in his life, but none were quite as amazing as this one.

“I stood there (the manhole cover) several times today and I don’t know what it was. I was overcome with some sort of strange emotion. Being really connected to everything around me in ways I’m not quite sure I can describe.

The night concluded with some swing dancing at the neighboring Cogs Gastropub.

NBCUniversal Producer Alicia Hastey was the person who had the idea to bring the film crew to Wallace after seeing a report of the town aired on Boise’s NBC affiliate KTVB.

“I came upon the Center of the Universe and thought that was really interesting, so I thought I would pitch it and I’ll see what they say and here we are.”

Wallace Chamber coordinator Dave Copelan was thrilled with how everything turned out.

“We had a great time with Harry Smith and his crew with the Today Show. They started filming and conducting interviews at 11 a.m. and were still on the job at 8 p.m. Five drones, three camera people, two interviewers. And the party was so much fun. It was all very, very Wallace.”

The 2-3 minute segment will be aired on a to-be-determined Sunday episode in the future.