FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17,2002

SCHUMER TO LENO: DON'T DIS BUFFALO

Tonight Show Host Jay Leno mocked Buffalo in his monologue on Monday night

Schumer invites Leno to go to Bills game with him – Proposes bet that if Buffalo wins, Leno do a show from Western New York

US Senator Charles Schumer today took Tonight Show host Jay Leno to task for mocking Buffalo in his monologue on Monday night. Leno said that the best way to punish the five men arrested on terrorism charges in Western New York over the weekend is to "let them stay in Buffalo and die of boredom." Schumer invited him to go to Buffalo and check out a Bills game. The Bills are playing the New England Patriots on November 3 (Leno is a native of New England.) Schumer's letter to Leno follows below:

"Buffalo is boring? Fuhgedabout it. Buffalo is a great town with the perfect mix of blue collar grit, grand arts, natural wonders (Niagara Falls), historical significance (the Underground Railroad), and the best eating west of the Hudson (beef on weck).

"On behalf of the entire city and it's surroundings, I'll wager a bucket of our tastiest Buffalo chicken wings against the best of what L.A. has to offer (Jay Walking?) over the outcome of this year's Buffalo Bills - L.A. Rams game. Oh yeah, L.A. doesn't have a football team, does it?

"I know the popular refrain is that one shuffles off to Buffalo, but those of us who know the city love the city, and we happily jump at the chance to travel there. I'd like to invite you to join me on a visit there so that you get a chance to see why your comments on last night's show were off the mark.

"As luck would have it, the Bills are playing your hometown team, the New England Patriots, on November 3 in Buffalo. You book a plane reservation—or just drive your Harley on over—I'll get the game tickets, and we'll make a day of it. To make things interesting, I also propose that if the Bills win, you broadcast a show from Buffalo. If they lose, I'll send you and the Tonight Show Band a bucket of Buffalo's finest chicken wings!

"I hope you'll take me up on my invitation and join me on November 3.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer

"PS. I hear Drew Bledsoe prefers Buffalo to New England."

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