Something’s Afoot In Chickasha…

Not everything is economic development and not all economic development is good.

In 2022, the town of Chickasha Oklahoma decided that – in the name of ‘economic development’ – they would erect a 50 foot leg lamp statue mimicking the one found in Warner Brother’s, A Christmas Story.

You know the one. Ralphie’s dad gets the lamp as a prize of some kind and installs the ‘soft glow of electric sex’ in the front window, much to the chagrin of the neighbors and his mom. Quickly, the leg lamp meets an untimely death by reasons unknown (although his mother was watering plants in the room when it happened…) and is carted to the trash bin.

Chickasha has had the Festival of Lights for many years – an amazing display of lights put together by the town for the benefit of the many people who flock to see them as part of their Christmas celebration traditions. Yet, one day, townspeople were told that – in the interest of economic development – the angels traditionally sitting atop the downtown light polls during Christmastide would be removed and lamp shades used instead.

Many residents were upset and wanted to know more about these plans, which included the installation of the giant leg lamp.

Since that time, concerned residents have been trying to crack the mystery of the lamp – especially how it was planned and erected without the blessing of Warner Brothers Studios – the owner of the rights to the movie.

Today, what started as questions regarding why the town would want a statue of the ‘leg lamp’ from the movie A Christmas Story, has become a full on pursuit of the truth over its funding, resulting in reams of Open Records Requests and angry interactions among normally-friendly townspeople, the Economic Development Authority, and other town leaders.

Watch the full live video (YouTube and Rumble) with town resident Laurie Wood-Allen for more information and how to get answers from YOUR town when you are concerned that something might be amiss. Also, don’t forget the show we did with regular Julianne Romanello where we talked about the GRIFT Of Economic Development. It can really help to put this story in context.

But first, watch the short clip below where Laurie tells why she decided to start pursuing the issue of the lamp.