This Is Iowa: Newton's prize pig Joy is the star of the show
Updated: 7:34 AM CDT Jun 23, 2023
This Is Iowa: Newton's prize pig Joy is the star of the show
Updated: 7:34 AM CDT Jun 23, 2023
FOUND A DIFFERENT JOY MOVING IN TO THE TOWN SQUARE. <ON NEWTON'S TOWN SQUARE, THERE'S DRAMA UNDER THE DILAPIDATED AWNING. <BANG.> CONSTRUCTION CREWS HAVE BEEN RIPPING APART THE CENTURY-OLD TOWN THEATER FOR MONTHS - <PART OF THE DISCOVERY WAS THESE MOLDINGS.> BLENDING ORNATE HISTORY WITH LEATHERED COMFORT. <THERE ISN'T A BAD SEAT IN THE HOUSE.> BUT ONE DAY BEFORE OPENING? <IT'S INCREDIBLE. I AM SO EXCITED.> EVERYONE WAS ON EDGE. BECAUSE THE THEATER'S DRAMA QUEEN? <IT'S JOY.> HAD JUST PULLED UP - <TODAY'S YOUR DAY. YES IT IS. SHOULD WE GET YOUR DRESS ON?> READY TO INSPECT áHER SILVER- SCREENED PALACE- <OINK.> AFTER A QUICK POTTY BREAK AT THE TREE OUT FRONT. <SOMEBODY HAS A PICTURE OF ME HOLDING UP HER DRESS AS SHE GOES POTTY. (LAUGH)> JOY MINIPIG HAS BEEN A FIXTURE AT NEWTON'S THEATER SINCE THE BLEEKER'S BOUGHT IT SIX YEARS AGO - AND DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR PET AT HOME ALL DAY. <ALRIGHT, JOY. WHAT DO YOU THINK? C'MON.> BUT JOY HADN'T STEPPED HOOF INSIDE- <THIS IS YOUR NEW PLACE.> SINCE RENOVATIONS STARTED. HER NEW OFFICE OVERLOOKING THE SQUARE? <SNIFF> PASSED THE SMELL TEST. AND WITHIN MINUTES-- <PLAY YOUR HORN. HONK. AGAIN. HONK. GOOD GIRL.> JOY WAS POSING FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS-- <HOW ABOUT MORE OF THE PIANO? CHINK.> PERFORMING THE ACT NEWTON MOVIEGOERS DROOL OVER - <GET THE GREEN ONE. THERE YOU GO.> AND SPRAWLING OUT ON HER NEW, PURPLE DAYBED-- <SHE'S VERY MUCH A DIVA. VERY MUCH. YES YOU ARE, AREN'T YOU?> SATISFIED THE NEW STUFFED ANIMALS FOR SALE NEXT TO THE TWIZZLERS LOOKED ENOUGH LIKE HER. BECAUSE THIS PIG- - <SHE HAS BECOME A LOCAL CELEBRITY.> PUT THIS THEATER ON THE MAP. <THEY WERE COMING FROM CHICAGO, NORTH CAROLINA. MINNESOTA.> EVEN BACK WHEN THE THEATER WAS ROUGH. <I SAID WE HAD 4D BECAUSE WE HAD WATER COMING FROM - IT WAS RIDICULOUS.>> ================= ========= BUT THAT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO. <SHE'S 11 YEARS OLD NOW.> JOY'S CAPITOL 2 THEATER JUST GOT ITS SECOND UPGRADE. AND THE STAR? <LOUD CHEWING IN CAM.> <WELL, SHE'S STILL A DIVA. SHE WILL STILL GIVE ME ATTITUDE.> AND NOW IT'S EARNED. BECAUSE LIKE HER WINDOW TO THE SQUARE NOW READS, SHE'S A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD TITLE OWNER. <SHE HAS THE MOST TRICKS IN A MINUTE BY A PIG.> <CAN YOU TAKE IT OFF?> A FEW YEARS AGO SHE SHOWED OFF HER GROWING LIST OF TALENTS. <PUT IT BACK ON. THANK YOU. CLICK. THANK YOU.> <TWO MEN FROM LONDON FLEW OVER AND THEY HAD TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM CHICAGO COME OVER AND THEY SPENT 10 HOURS WITH US DOING A PHOTO SHOOT.> CAPTURING NEWTON'S DIVA IN HER ELEMENT AND HER TUTU. WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WORE - A SMILE. <I'LL CATCH MYSELF SMILING BEHIND THE CONCESSION STAND BECAUSE IT DOES WARM MY HEART. SEEING HOW MUCH SHE TOUCHED PEOPLE'S LIVES.
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This Is Iowa: Newton's prize pig Joy is the star of the show
Updated: 7:34 AM CDT Jun 23, 2023
"This Is Iowa" viewers first met Joy the minipig in 2018 when owners and workers renovating Newton's Capitol II Theatre anxiously awaited her approval. After months away from the century-old theater on the town square's east side while renovations were being done, Joy — "very much a diva," owner Dawn Bleeker said — returned to check out her new home away from home. Yes, the new digs, complete with a purple daybed just her size, passed the tutu-wearing pig princess' smell test.Now 11 years old, Joy — "still a diva," Bleeker said — is enjoying a second renovation to the theatre, where some consider her a bigger attraction than whatever movie is on the big screen. "I'll catch myself smiling behind the concession stand because it does warm my heart — seeing how much she touched people's lives," said Bleeker, who owns the theatre. With age has come accomplishment for Joy, who owns the Guinness World Record for most tricks in one minute by a pig. With help from Bleeker, Joy performed 13 tricks in one minute, including honking a horn, toppling a bowling pin and shaking hands. More from the June 2023 Ths Is Iowa episode:This Is Iowa: The Big Game in Newton gives everyone a chance to shineThis Is Iowa: Family's historic trek spurs wagon ride across IowaThis Is Iowa: The Jesse J Sanctuary is a place of peace for those dealing with cancer More Joy ... the pigIowa theater's four-legged resident makes moviegoers smileIowa pig sets Guinness World Record
NEWTON, Iowa —
"This Is Iowa" viewers first met Joy the minipig in 2018 when owners and workers renovating Newton's Capitol II Theatre anxiously awaited her approval.
After months away from the century-old theater on the town square's east side while renovations were being done, Joy — "very much a diva," owner Dawn Bleeker said — returned to check out her new home away from home.
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Yes, the new digs, complete with a purple daybed just her size, passed the tutu-wearing pig princess' smell test.
Now 11 years old, Joy — "still a diva," Bleeker said — is enjoying a second renovation to the theatre, where some consider her a bigger attraction than whatever movie is on the big screen.
"I'll catch myself smiling behind the concession stand because it does warm my heart — seeing how much she touched people's lives," said Bleeker, who owns the theatre.
With age has come accomplishment for Joy, who owns the Guinness World Record for most tricks in one minute by a pig. With help from Bleeker, Joy performed 13 tricks in one minute, including honking a horn, toppling a bowling pin and shaking hands.
