Jan 5, 20192 min read

Jordan Klepper of Comedy Central visits WOJB

By Nicole Smith

Communications Officer

This past week Jordan Klepper, from Comedy Central paid a visit to WOJB. Jordan Klepper is a comedian, writer, producer and television host. He is known most recently for a program called The Opposition with Jordan Klepper that aired on Comedy Central from 2017 to 2018.

Klepper will be airing a new primetime weekly talk show called Klepper which is scheduled to air in early 2019.

Crystal Echo Hawk who is a member of the Pawnee Nation in Oklahoma and President, CEO of Echo Hawk Consulting traveled to LCO to appear as a guest for the new docuseries. WOJB and Waadookdaading Ojibwe Immersion Institute were also a huge interest to Klepper and his staff.

Crystal Echo Hawk and First Nations Development Institute released research in June of this year about attitudes toward and perceptions of Native Americans as part of a jointly managed effort called "Reclaiming Native Truth: A Project to Dispel Americas Myths and Misconceptions. According to the press release, the project also released two messaging guides based on the research findings and a narrative-change strategy framework that will be used to begin to change the false and misleading narratives about Native peoples.

Klepper said his team was struck by the story Echo Hawk was telling and this idea of invisibility of Native people. "Especially in media and entertainment and how there are no representation of Native American people, or so very few in this day and age."

"I think that as people who work in the media community, we would agree," said Klepper. "So, we wanted to know a little more about it."

Klepper explained that they are doing a show right now where they get on the road and they try to tell stories that are not being told. "We try to highlight interesting people with interesting stories, and to shine some light there."

Klepper and his team received a special concert given to them by the 4th and 5th grade class from Waadookodaaading. The class spoke only Ojibwe to him when he asked them questions, he did his best to adapt and figure out what the children were saying to him.

"The children were amazing, and I wished that I could be serenaded every day." Klepper said. "It was so wonderful to meet them, talk to them even through translation. And a chance to get a feel of what's happening in this community."

WOJB staff was interviewed about the history of the radio station and will appear in this series. Kleeper will give a full interview when the series launches in 2019.

"WOJB was excited to host the Klepper Show and be given the opportunity to show a national audience some positive aspects of LCO," said Carrisa Corbine, WOJB, General Manager.

Klepper and his team also stopped in at Koobie's for coffee and a chance to talk to some elders and have coffee.