Thousands Petition To Rename Columbus, OH 'Flavortown' To Honor Guy Fieri

So far, almost 50,000 people have signed the petition to rename Columbus, OH “Flavortown” in honor of Guy Fieri

The Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus, Ohio, is on its way out, and for some residents, the statue isn’t enough. They want a new name for the city, and why not pay homage to Columbus-born Guy Fieri by renaming it “Flavortown.”

Fieri has branded himself the “mayor of Flavortown,” in his Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and his fans think this is the perfect moniker for Columbus. According to an online Change.org petition, over 47,000 people agree (and counting).

The petition’s creator, Tyler Woodbridge, said the purpose of the proposed name change takes care of two things. “For one, it honors Central Ohio’s proud heritage as a culinary crossroads and one of the nation’s largest test markets for the food industry,” the 31-year-old wrote. “Secondly, cheflebrity Guy Fieri was born in Columbus, so naming the city in honor of him (he’s such a good dude, really) would be superior to its current nomenclature.”

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and other city officials haven’t yet responded to the petition but I, as a native-born Ohioan, would wholeheartedly support this decision. Why not bring a little levity to renaming the city? You can’t watch Guy Fieri and not smile. The dude is passionate about food, chunky silver rings, all things “off the hook,” and “riding the bus to Flavortown.” It’s an easy change to get behind.

The petition comes days after Columbus State Community College dismantled the statue of Columbus and Columbus statues in other states are also being removed because the colonization that brought him to America was full of violence and murder against Indigenous people. David Harrison, the college’s president, described the move as a “symbolic gesture” to “continue and accelerate the fight against systemic racism.” A second statue of Columbus, located at City Hall, is also expected to be removed.

Fieri, 52, was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up mostly in Ferndale, California. In 2017, he brought the cast of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to Columbus’ Riverside Methodist Hospital where he was born to surprise the staff.

Last year, Fieri received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he’s filmed more than 600 episodes of his popular Food Network shows (of which I’ve seen 590).

Woodbridge, who now resides in Tennessee, said on the Change.org page that he’s, “not up to date on my Columbus town charter, so whether it takes a council vote or a petition or a town referendum – let’s get the ball rolling for a more flavorful tomorrow.”

Let’s make it happen, people.