"This is not a comedy, it's relatively serious and will get recognition for Muncie," Deputy Mayor Phyllis Amburn said.
Last time we checked, mechanical bull riding in the midst of a bar full of drinking college students was anything but taking something seriously.
Following Jason "Wee Man" Acuna's night out on the town, the point of "Armed & Famous" has become blatantly obvious - there's comedic intent from start to finish.
The program has the potential to demean the Muncie police, members of the university community and the town of Muncie as a whole.
The premise of the show itself is disrespectful of the role police officers fulfill in communities across the country. Hard-working men and women attend academies and schools to earn a coveted spot on a police force.
However, when an almighty network and production company approach the city to exploit the process for entertainment purposes, that training can suddenly be hurried to allow for better television.
Taking "has-been" celebrities and suiting them up - complete with guns - to patrol the streets after an expedited training process trivializes the very nature of genuine officers' work. And by no means is mechanical bull riding a function of training.
Muncie, its residents and members of the Ball State community are being played as pawns in the game of reality television.
We're nothing more than a cheap cast of extras.
There might be temporary excitement during the celebrities' short tenure in town, but once they're gone, a network with an expanding bankroll will have the loudest and final laugh.
If Muncie officials thought they were signing on to a good deal, they certainly are losing their end of the bargain.
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