(GK: Garrison Keillor; SS: Sue Scott; TR: Tim Russell; TK: Tom Keith; RD: Richard Dworsky)
GK: On tonight's show we are giving the world premiere showing of a new video promoting Minneapolis, a video made by St. Paul Video Associates Ltd. One of the top video production companies in St. Paul, they've made numerous videos about St. Paul and also South St. Paul and West St. Paul and North St. Paul, and they're happy to present this one about Minneapolis. Let's dim the lights here in the hall and bring up the screen. We'll roll that video in just a moment.
TR: (SOUR ORGAN COMING UP TO SPEED) Justly famous as the headquarters of the Ninth Federal Reserve District, birthplace of the indoor shopping mall and the heart pacemaker, and one of the Five Largest Cities in Minnesota---- Let's drop in and see what all the excitement is about. Let's take a trip to (ECHO) Minneapolis, Home of the Minnesota Orchestra.
1) Home to thousands of people who like to imagine they're a suburb of New York, Minneapolis was built on life insurance, insulated clothing and cream of mushroom soup. The Minnesota Orchestra, now celebrating it's 100th anniversary, or centennial, is an object of pride in the community, along with Dinkytown and the Foshay Tower.
2) The busy metropolis comes to life early as parents rush to get their kids to accelerated classes, and make it to work for that 7 a.m. meeting. Many Minneapolitans, sophisticated as they may seem to North Dakotans, are only a generation or two removed from the farm, and may of them, out of habit, go to work carrying big shovels for the manure.
3) A proud city located on Minnehaha Creek, Minneapolis has struggled to overcome its sense of inferiority to its neighbor, St. Paul, and to develop a cultural life of its own, including first-run movies, restaurants with tablecloths, paved streets and gutters, and a fine orchestra, The Minnesota Orchestra performs often in St. Paul, but it also gives many concerts in Minneapolis.
4) Justly proud of its ethnic diversity, Minneapolis is home to hundreds of non-Scandinavians. It's a real melting pot, or as we say here, a very heterogeneous hotdish. Many Mexican restaurants offer such dishes as enchildadas and tacos. There are delis that sell Kosher hot dogs.
5) Quality of life is important in Minneapolis. Good schools, convenient parking, and a very nice Orchestra. No, it's not the capitol of the state of Minnesota, and it's not the Gateway to the Great Lakes, nor is it the home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic or the Walleye Capitol of the World or the Granite City or the Home of Paul Bunyan, but it's good enough as it is: the seat of Hennepin County and St. Paul's neighbor to the west, Minneapolis.
© Garrison Keillor 2003