Truth or Consequences, the US town named after a radio show

On New Mexico’s map, going south, not far from Las Cruces there is a town called Truth or Consequences. An attractive the name, that leverages on the power of those two words put together “truth-or-consequences”  – it makes automatically think of some kind of religious community, like Menonites or Hamish. A small and lively artistic community wellcomes visitors with a museum and an info point, but above all a hot springs town populated by about 5,000 people. Sitting on the sofa of a cafe opened by a German barista in the 90s, we found ourselves surrounded in a few minutes by a group of locals, each with their own cup of coffee brought from home, talking about foreign affairs, atomic fusions and life in RVs.

Sacred territory of the natives of the place, including the Chiricahua Apache for the healing properties of the hot waters of the Rio Grande that flows there on one side, the ancient thermal houses have remained intact and still functioning today, small semi-interred rooms that take water directly from the river, arranged in a row in what we would call Far West architecture, where you can enter without too much compromise for only 5 dollars per hour. The thermal water at Truth or Consequences is fantastic. But why the strange name? A curious, all-American story.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Hot Springs (yes, that’s the original name of Truth or Consequences) was nothing less than one of the most popular spa destinations in the area, where Americans went to treat all kinds of physical – especially rheumatism, arthritis and childhood polio – and psychological ailments. In the 40s things changed due to the commercialization of over-the-counter medicines that put an end to the binomial cure-therme, at least until very recently. From then on most visitors stopped making long trips to bathe in beneficial waters and the local economy went towards a sad and inexorable collapse.

Right in the 1940s a very popular nationwide radio program was aired, one of those family humourous shows hosted by Ralph Edwards and titled Truth or Consequences (which later became a TV show). It was on one of these shows that Edwards made a strange announcement to celebrate 10 years of the radio show. He asked all the cities listening if there was one willing to change its name to Truth or Consequences. Of all the interested towns, only one could have taken on the famous name. In return, on each anniversary the production would air the program from that city, accompanied by a festival with Hollywood celebrity guests and national media coverage. The story of ToC (as the locals call it) convinced Edwards, who was also one of the biggest philanthropists of the time and head of numerous fundraising associations for people in need: he was moved by the history of decline of this hot springs destination.

On March 31, 1950, Hot Springs held a referendum to change its name: with 1,294 votes in favor and 295 against, the inhabitants of this tiny corner of New Mexico seized an opportunity and decided to change chapter. The next day, the Truth or Consequences Fiesta was a memorable event, a parade with over 10,000 participants that marked its triumph. Since then, and for over 50 years, Ralph Edwards has never missed an appointment with the city, bringing with him a profitable number of stars and paparazzi.

But as with any democratic choice, this one also brought with it discontent. Nostalgics of Hot Springs over the years have asked for new votes, always lost in favor of the radio name. It was rumored that even as late as March 2022 there could be new votes to try once again to bring the town’s name back to its thermal baths-vocation but according to many residents tis would be a disaster, they want the name to remain as it is. “There are a myriad of towns in the U.S. named Hot Springs and, honestly, they’re not places you really want to go to,” the bookseller at an independent bookstore that specializes in magical plants tells us. “If there should be any new votes, I’m going to fight to keep Truth or Consequences, an original name that stands out from the rest and that we all identify with now,” says a music producer from New York who moved here several years ago.

On the state of the art of the current economic status in the city, however, it seems that the tourism given by the name, the spas and the incredible excursions that can be done in the area is not enough. “Our youngsters run away to Albuquerque or Santa Fe as soon as they get out of high school,” explains Bruce Swingle, City Manager of Truth or Consequences. “This is a place for snowbirds and retirees. Yes, there are a lot of creatives and a vibrant art community, but it’s not enough to sustain a comfortable life without financial worries.” “Ideally, in addition to tourism, there should be a stronger economic foundation; we would like to attract companies that want to invest here. At the moment we are growing a lot thanks to improved infrastructure.”

In a curious little restaurant full of second-hand objects and fossils and minerals for sale (an activity, that of buying and selling minerals, present in almost every store in ToC) two women sitting at the table welcome us as if they were friends. “We are originally from New Orleans, we used to be tour guides there but because of Covid we lost almost everything, so we sold what little we had left and bought ourselves a piece of land here cheaply, where we could park our RV and live. It’s an amazing and welcoming place: if someone is in need the community is always ready to lend a hand or at least not leave you to starve. That sense of community doesn’t exist in big cities anymore.”

If we think about the names of our European cities, this story strikes us not so much for the change of name, which has happened many times due to historical, political or religious vicissitudes, but for the freedom with which these inhabitants have been able to self-determine to the point of choosing to call themselves after a very popular radio program. Who knows if there is a municipality in Italy free and cohesive enough to call itself “La Zanzara” (a popular Italian radio show, Ed.) so to fight oblivion.

Opening image: Mural in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA. Photo Marianna Guernieri