Was the New Mexico town Truth or Consequences named after a television game show?

That's a very common misconception! While the town's name does sound like it could be from a game show, it actually predates the game show by several years.

Here's the real story:

* The town was originally named Hot Springs. This was due to its natural hot springs, a major attraction.

* In 1950, the town held a contest to rename itself. The goal was to attract more tourists.

* The winning entry was "Truth or Consequences," chosen after the popular radio show of the same name hosted by Ralph Edwards.

The game show "Truth or Consequences" didn't debut until 1950, the same year the town changed its name. However, the radio show had been a massive hit for years before that, making its name quite recognizable at the time.