The 7 Surprising TV Moments That Made Shreveport Famous

For a long time, Shreveport was a hot spot for Hollywood. Several big budget blockbusters including Click, Battle: Los Angeles and The Guardian were filmed here. But, despite the fact these movies were shot in town, they were always presented as somewhere else. Shreveport became LA. Shreveport became Cuba. Shreveport became INSERT PLACE HERE. We didn't get many opportunities to be Shreveport, Louisiana.

However, that doesn't mean that Shreveport never made it into popular culture. The Kid in the Stephen King novel The Stand is from Shreveport, LA. Shreveport became world famous for a time thanks to Elvis becoming a national sensation thanks to the Louisiana Hayride. We've been in the national news a lot lately thanks to 50 Cent and his new G-Unit Films plan.

But all that aside, those are not the only times Shreveport, LA made their way into the pop culture universe. I'll be honest, I'm not originally from Shreveport. I grew up in Baltimore, MD and until I moved here, I thought Shreveport was a fictional place that was created just for the Simpsons (we'll get to that in a minute).

So, in case you've missed them, here's a look a back some of the most iconic and memorable Shreveport appearances on Television.

Schiller Visions: Saturday Night Live

The legendary Chris Farley stars in this famous SNL sketch. Basically, Farley plays a Shreveporter who loses his mind when he finds out he got served decaf coffee. It's hilarious and definitely worth a watch.

The Entirety of Billy the Exterminator

It seems like a long time ago now, but from 2009-2017, Billy Bretherton aka Billy the Exterminator from Vexcon in Benton, LA was probably the most famous 'Shreveporter' in America. The TV show was a huge hit and every week featured Billy fighting some kind of pest issue around Shreveport - including notable locations including Fairgrounds Field (yes, we were still fighting bats way back when).

Radio Bart - The Simpsons

Growing up, I LOVED the Simpsons. Heck, who am I kidding, I still LOVE the Simpsons. In fact, this was my first introduction to Shreveport, LA. The episode appeared during the 3rd season of the show and is one of my favorites. The basic premise - Bart fakes that little Timmy O'Toole got stuck in a well and the entire town comes together to rescue little Timmy. Then, Bart actually gets stuck in the well. And the only way to get him out is a very special piece of a equipment only available in Shreveport, LA. However, the city has budget problems and refuses to pay for it to save Bart...but they would have for Timmy O'Toole.

Decisions 3012 - Futurama

I don't know if Matt Groening has some kind of connections to Shreveport or not, but not only did Shreveport get mentioned during the Simpsons (see above), but we also appeared in an episode of Futurama. Again, unfortunately, the quick clip doesn't appear to be available on YouTube, but you can stream the episode on Hulu. Keep an eye out for Mr. Shreveport and his failed attempt to become President.

'Coushatta' - Better Call Saul

If you loved Breaking Bad, you'll REALLY love Better Call Saul. The Breaking Bad prequel/sequel is just as good as the original...and in some people's minds, it's even better. In the 4th Season, during the episode Coushatta, Saul boards a bus to Shreveport (to eventually get to Coushatta) in an attempt to save his Cajun partner - Huell Babineaux. It's a fantastic episode and a fantastic series.

The Entirety of True Blood

Shreveport is featured heavily throughout the series. Real life locations are used during the opening (including shots of Lucky's Liquors). And, as far as the context of the show, several key locations are in Shreveport including Fantasia and the Moon Goddess Emporium. While most of the show takes place in fictional Bon Temp, there's a lot of key moments that happen in the very real place of Shreveport.

My Big Redneck Vaction/My Big Redneck Family

These CMT reality shows 'My Big Redneck Family' & 'My Big Redneck Vacation', aired for several seasons and followed around Shreveport's Clampet family. Comedian Tom Arnold hosted the shows. While not as long lasting as some other Shreveport based reality shows, there was a time that the Clampets were America's darlings.