Kalamazoo, MI Gets a Very Specific Shout Out From Stephen Colbert

Michigan's "Mall City" gets the Hollywood treatment in this spoof from late night host Stephen Colbert.

I have been saying this for what feels like forever:

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Bring back Michigan's film tax incentive!

During my college days as a student living in Grand Rapids, Michigan I can recall not one, but two Hollywood productions filming at my workplace and my neighborhood, The End of the Tour and 30 Minutes or Less.

For example, a film crew took over the radio station I was working at in downtown Grand Rapids transforming it into a Minnesota NPR station for The End of the Tour with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg. I ran into both Jesse and Jason in the halls and I'm pretty sure my '94 Ford Taurus can be seen in some exterior establishing shots. It was thrilling to say the least!

Productions such as Batman v. Superman, Transformers: The Last Knight , and Road to Perdition have filmed in Michigan-- but not anymore. The recent Nicole Kidman thriller Holland was set entirely in the city of Holland, Michigan yet only shot a few establishing scenes there. Why doesn't Hollywood come to Michigan anymore?

Taxes! That's why.

Michigan once had one of the country's most enticing tax credits offering up to a 42% rebate on production costs, however Gov. Rick Snyder discontinued that incentive in 2015. Recent legislation aimed to bring the film tax credit back to Michigan, however with the recent change in administration at the White House and rising costs due to tariffs I'm sure the new proposal has stalled.

The President has suggested implementing new movie tariffs which would make productions even costlier, but I think I like this idea from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert better:

Send them to Kalamazoo, Michigan!