>> YES.

>> Mary: OKAY, BIG PIECES FOR THE SUSTAINER.

LET'S GO BACK UP TO THE STAGE.

>> Eric: IT IS ONE OF THE FINEST "ALMANAC" STATE E>>ric: IT IS ONE OF THE FINEST "ALMANAC" STATE FAIR TRADITIONS.

TRADITIONS.- NEST "ALMANAC" STATE FAIR KEADITIONS.- FINEST "ALMANAC" STATE FAIR KEVIITIONS.- FINEST "ALMANAC" STATE FAIR KEVIN IONS.- KEVIN KLNS.- FINEST "ALMANAC" STATE FAIR KEVIN KLIN.- KEVIN KLING SHARING A STORY ABOUT WHAT CONNECTS ALL OF US HERE AT THE GREAT MINNESOTA GET-TOGETHER.

LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR STORYTELLER EXTRAORDINAIRE KEVIN KLING.

GLEFNLG, EVERYBODY.

>> Kevin: HEY, EVERYBODY.

IF WE ARE WHAT WE >> Kevin: HEY, EVERYBODY.

IF WE ARE WHAT WE EAT, THEN I AM T IF WE ARE WHAT WE EAT, THEN I AM THE STATE FAIR!

YEARS AGO, I TAUGHT A STORYTELLING COURSE FOR AN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASS.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND WE GOT ON THE TOPIC OF FOOD.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

THE WHOLE CLASS JUST TOOK OFF.

EVERYBODY HAD STORIES.

THERE WERE HUGS.

THERE REWE LAUGHTER.

THERE WAS TEARS.

THEN A HUGE ARGUMENT BROKE OUT ON W THEN A HUGE ARGUMENT BROKE OUT ON WHO COULD EAT THE HOTTEST FOOD.

IT WAS ASIA VEURS FOOD.

IT WAS ASIA VERSUS AFRICA, MEXICO JUMPED IN IT WAS ASIA VERSUS AFRICA, MEXICO JUMPED IN AND SOUTH AMERICA.

I'M FROM MINNESOTA AMERICA.

I'M FROM MINNESOTA, SO I STOOD OUT OF THAT ONE.

I MEAN, IT'S WHY OUOFT THAT ONE.

I MEAN, IT'S WHY E I MEAN, IT'S WHY E CALL LINGONBERRIES SWEDISH JALA S. LINGONBERRIES SWEDISH JALAPEC I MEAN, WE S. JALAPEC I MEAN, WE JUST DON'T DO HOT WELL.

I THINK OF THE WONDERFUL MINNESOTA HUMORIST HOWARD MOHR.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE MIDWESTERN PALATE.

HE SAID, DON'T WORRY; IF YOUR FOOHAD S TOO MUCH COLOR OR FLAVOR, WE HAVE OR FLAVOR, WE HAVE WHITENERS.

MAYONNSEAI, MARSHMALLOWS, RANCH DRESSING, CREA CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP.

IT'S TRUE.

I THINK FOR THE IT'S TRUE.

I THINK FOR THE FIRST 40 YEARS OF MY LI,FE I THINK FOR THE FIRST 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE, I DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING OUT OF THE SHADE OF MY LIFE, I DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING OUT OF THE SHADE OF BEIGE.

BUT IN THAT LANGUAGE IGBEE.

BUT IN THAT LANGUAGE CLASS, EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE FOODS, AND THE SENSE OF R FAVORITE FOODS, D ANTHE SENSE OF REV REPUBLICANS TOOK OVER.

CONJURING MEMORIES AND PEOPLE THEY LOVED.

CAUSE LOOK, FOOD IS FAMILY.

FOOD IS TIME TRAVEL.

THE PRESERVES AND PICKLES FOOD IS TIME TRAL.VE THE PRESERVES AND PICKLES AND PIES CONNECT US THE PRESERVES AND PICKLES AND PIES CONNECT US WITH OUR ANSTCEORS.

THE CORN AND WILD RICE AND MAPLE RUSYP, TO THE FOLKS THAT WERE FIRST HERE.

AND THEN TO THE NEW TRADITIONS THAT ARE COMING.

THERE ARE THAT ARE COMING.

THERE ARE HYBRIDS.

I CAN'T WAIT.

RD OUT THAT CHEF I CAN'WAT IT.

WORD OUT THAT CHEF YIA VANG HAS TEAMED WORD OUT THAT CHEF YIA VANG HAS TEAMED UP HAS TEAMED UP WITH KRAMARCZUK'S TO MAKE A HMONG CORN DOG.

I AM A CORN DOG PUREST, BUT I AM TINGLING.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AM TINGLG.IN YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A MINNESOTAN TINGLE?

A FEW YEARS AGO, I'M D A MINNESOTAN TINGLE?

A FEW YEARS AGO, I'M DRIVING BY THE FAVOR AND A FEW YEARS AGO, I'M DRIVING BY THE FAVOR AND I'M ON MY WAY TO A MEETING IN ST.

PAUL.

AND I S WADRIVING BY THE STATE FAIR.

I CO I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF.

I PARKED IN FRONT OF A FIRE HYDRANT, PAID THE ADMISSION, RAN IN, AND GOT A CORNDOG, RAN BACK OUT, ANSTD ILL MADE THE MEETING.

MEETING.

NO TICKET, GOT IN THE CAR AND MADE THE MEETING.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?

IN A HEARTBEAT.

I TELL IN H AEARTBEAT.

I TELL YOU, WHEN THAT CORN DOG MONKEY IS ON YOUR BACK, YOU'LL DO MONKEY IS ON YOUR BACK, YOU'LL DO ANYTHING TO GET THAT CORN DOG.

SO IF DOG.

SO IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, AND I KNOW I AM -- IF YOU GET THAT KNOW I A--M IF YOU GET THAT HANKERING FOR A CORN DOG, HERE'S A WORD IF YOU GET THAT HANKERING FOR A CORN DOG, HERE'S A WORD OF ADVICE.

WEAR A YELLOW SHIRT.

IT WILL PAY OFF.

THEN TAKE A BITE.

AND THEN TAKE A BITE.

AND REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE STATE FAIR!

THANK YOU.