Miniature Exhibit Pulled From Kentucky State Fair After They Realized It Was A Replica Of 'The Casting Couch'

The Kentucky State Fair is doing an about-face on a miniature exhibit that won a third place ribbon. The exhibit was titled The Casting Couch and featured a couch, a desk, a computer, a chair and a camera.

It strongly resembled a set that most people won't want to admit that they are familiar with.

After the powers that be at the state fair were made aware of what inspired the replica or realized where they recognized that set from, they stripped the exhibit of its third place ribbon.

The set has been deemed by the Kentucky State Fair as "inappropriate." Again, it's a replica of the set itself, not any of the events that have taken place on the set.

The creator of the exhibit, Preston Poling, known on social media as The Bearded Miniaturist, talked with WDRB about how he came to learn that his third place ribbon had been stripped from his exhibit.

Poling said, "I created it piece-by-piece to be an identical replica of the one that we're all familiar with, or we don't want to admit that we're familiar with."

Naturally, the exhibit gained some attention on social media. Then Tuesday night rolled around and Poling started receiving reports from fans that the display had gone missing. So he went down to the fair the next morning to investigate.

"I got the state troopers at the fair involved Wednesday morning," Poling said. "That's when I found out apparently the fair board was considering stripping all of my awards for this year and disqualifying them completely as an artist."

The Kentucky State Fair needs to take a close look at those in charge after this scandal

That can't be. There has to be some sort of mistake. All we're talking about is a couch, a desk, a computer, a chair and a camera. How is stripping all of this hero artist's awards on the table?

That's insanity. And it's also a fact. According to Lexie Ratterman, the senior communications manager for Kentucky Venues. She confirmed in a written statement that the piece of art was removed by buzzkill officials at the state fair.

Ratterman said, "Entries submitted to the fair are routinely reviewed throughout the event and the entry in question has been removed from display at this time."

Poling's response to the news was to explain the obvious. His exhibit was pure genius that wasn't meant to offend anyone. It's a "tongue-in-cheek joke."

Officials at the Kentucky State Fair strip a ribbon from a "The Casting Couch" exhibit. (Image Credit: Getty)

A joke that I can't believe he has to explain. But, alas, here we are. He explained, "The joke's not on the judges. The joke isn't on people who are offended by this. The joke is to submit something that you either get or you don't get."

Poling, who won two other ribbons for pieces that weren't as awesome, was allowed to keep those ribbons after consideration of the wet blankets.

"The superintendent of the fair board asked me to use a little sensitivity in the future because some things might be controversial," Poling said.

Where does this end? First, they strip ribbons off replicas of The Casting Couch. What's next?

Are artists not allowed to submit replicas of the Oval Office and its surroundings? You know, wherever Bill Clinton was holding his own casting couch of sorts.

This is an outrage. Bring back the sanctity of the state fair before it's too late.