As of December 2019, Topeka has put forward a new pilot plan called, “Choose Topeka Program”, this plan guarantees talented professionals who move to Topeka $15,000 in reimbursement funds by partnering with Shawnee County employers and help them to relocate to Topeka, with their slogan of “15,000 reasons to make a change” some may find it hard not take advantage.

This program sparked national attention and was mentioned by Stephen Colbert on his late-night show. In this controversial clip, Colbert makes a joke stating that “Topeka residents are all drivers who ran out of gas on their way to anyone else.”. He then adds on to this satirical comment by saying “God love you Topeka.”

The Greater Topeka Partnership fired back to this joke with their own extension of it. They responded by making a video in which a woman is walking down Kansas Ave. and holding an empty gas can. She then turns and opens the door of a building where she met by a large group of people who start to cheer and welcome her and in the corner, there is a pile of other empty gas cans. The video ends with the ending tag line, ” A great place to run out of gas” and then continues with the program’s website http://ChooseTopeka.com

Many saw this as a witty and well-made come back and for the most part a good response to Colbert’s joke.