Comedian Leo Gallagher of watermelon-smashing fame will be coming to Laramie despite the cancellation of a previously scheduled performance.

Gallagher is set to perform September 30 at the Cowboy Saloon and Dance Hall in downtown Laramie. Contract details are still being finalized. Gallagher's manager, Artie Fletcher, assumes the show will start around 9 p.m.

Fletcher says it's improvement on their previous plan following the cancellation -- a 'stick it to 'em' event in front of City Hall. 

Jason Palumbo, owner of Shocktoberfest, coordinated with management at the Cowboy to book the performance following the Laramie Plains Civic Center's decision to cancel a show scheduled for the same date. 

"I love the civic center," says Palumbo. "They just made a choice that led to us making a different choice."

"Let's give this guy a shot. He's on his farewell tour, and I know that he has a lot of fans," says Palumbo. "So let's let his fans buy tickets to see him."

In their decision to cancel the original date, the Civic Center cited concerns from Laramie residents that Gallagher makes racist and homophobic remarks in his act.

"He's not a racist comic. That's ridiculous," says Fletcher. "We did the bible belt. Think you're gonna get away with that in the bible belt? I don't think so."

"It's stupidity, that's all it is," says Fletcher.

Gallagher will travel to Laramie from Sheridan and then continue on to Idaho Falls as part of his 70th birthday bash tour, which will run about a month. Fletcher says the Cowboy Saloon is the type of venue that's "right up our alley."

"We're gonna blow the ceiling off that place," says Fletcher.

Laramie Plains Civic Center staff did not respond to requests to comment Friday.

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