The Beefcake of Truth or Consequences

The game show Truth or Consequences (radio 1940-1957, tv 1950-1974, plus two revivals) had nothing to do with telling the truth or lying.  You had to answer an impossibly difficult trivia question.  Most contestants couldn't, and had to face the consequences: sing, mimic milking a cow, get dunked in a water tank. 

In the spring of 1950, radio host Ralph Edwards offered to broadcast the show from  any town that would change its name to Truth or Consequences.  The small town of Hot Springs, New Mexico did, figuring that the unusual name would be a big tourist draw.

Tourists did come, but not necesarily for the game show connection, which soon faded into obscurity.  They came for the unusual name (called TorC by the locals).  If you're on the I-35 between Albuquerque and El Paso, what's the harm in stopping in?

You'll find a neat, tidy little desert town on the Rio Grande (where it's not all that grande),with several medicinal hot springs (the Indian Hot Springs Bath House is not what you think).

 The main street, optimistically named Broadway, is lined with unexpected shops, like Rio Bravo Fine Arts Inc., Black Cat Books and Coffee, Koala Tea.  Also what you would expect in the Southwest: The Firewater Lodge, Blake's Lottaburger (which I've only seen in Indian country).

Me Gusta World Street Food is an optimistically named taco truck with a picnic table out back.

The Historic District is a little farther south, between Main and Van Patten, with dozens of colorful historic buildings and murals.










No colleges, one middle school (Truth or Consequences), one high school (Hot Springs).  The only sport they offer is basketball, and there's only one photo.

I should have looked into that before researching the town.

Oh, well, truth or consequences.  Here's a swim team from Albuquerque.










A wrestler from Los Alamos.



















And a bodybuilder from...well, who cares?