LARRY THE CABLE GUY | WHAT CELEBRITIES COLLECT | YELLOWCARD | SWEET TEA | EDDY ARNOLD
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YOU ARE SO SOUTHERN SOUTHER NPAGEIF… 14
THE M AGA ZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
BIG ISSUE THE BIG STORY’S JOHN GIBSON
BIG& RICH
THE HEART OF DIXIE
COURTENEY COX EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
SOUTHERN AND PROUD OF IT
Cheese grits, turnip greens and fried chicken are the absolute favorites for this Alabama Friend.
KINKY FRIEDMAN FRIEDMAN
www.yall.com
JULY/AUGUST 2006
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6/29/06 12:21:21 AM
A nap. A good book. A nice conversation. And over
500 GREAT DESTINATIONS. Getting there is half the fun. On Amtrak , you’ll find your time is yours again, to spend Ž
however you please. Enjoy the scenery, have a leisurely meal in the Dining Car or lean back in your seat with a good book. Sleeping Car accommodations may be available for an even more comfortable trip.
Call
1-800-USA-RAIL,
your travel agent or visit Amtrak.com.
Amtrak is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. ym2-3.indd 3
6/29/06 12:21:44 AM
y
ʼall
THE M AGA ZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE Volume 4 | Number 4
this-n-that 9
Where Y’all? Capturing hot Southern stars, from Dollywood to Hollywood.
43 On the Money
27 4
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The Heart of Dixie From Mountain Brook, Ala., to the Hollywood hills, Courteney Cox has remained a Southern Belle.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
AT LEFT: MARK MAINZ/GETTY, COVER, COURTENEY:STEPHEN SHUGERMAN /GETTY, BIG & RICH: WARNER BROS. RECORDS, FRIEDMAN:COURTESY OF RANDAL FORD, GIBSON: COURTESY OF FOX NEWS, ILLUSTRATION BY TIM WILLIAMS
Money man Dave Ramsey gets you prepared for a Total Money Makeover.
44 Cranky Yankee
This ain’t New York City! Laurie Stieber shares her new life Down South.
46 Max’d Out
Kickoff for college football’s only a few weeks away...no kidding!
66 Cajun Humor De Baptism 67 Lewis Grizzard
Legendary Southern columnist Lewis Grizzard may be gone, but his words will live forever in his column for Y’all Magazine.
68 Wine Down South
Doc Lawrence breaks out the good wines for Y’all.
69 Blue Collar
Larry the Cable Guy grew up in Nebraska, but now calls Florida home. Larry’s got funny stuff for y’all in his column.
70 What Southern Women Know Ronda Rich’s dose of Dixie wisdom.
71 Star Gazing
Southern boy Joe LoCicero reports from Hollywood.
72 GRITS
“Ms. Grits” Deborah Ford salutes Southern men, and their automobiles, in her own unique way.
74 Book Review Recipes from Mulate’s 77 In Memoriam
Remembering Southerners who have passed to the Great Beyond.
78 Festive South
The warm months give Southerners the chance to go throughout the region and enjoy great festivals. We’ve got the lineup of cool events to check out.
6/29/06 12:24:44 AM
y r o m e m n w o d Take a ride k c o l b t s e g r a l lane to the rs! a e y 0 1 r o f y t par All Your Cruisin’ Favorites are back… You’ll be cruisin’ with all your favorite activities like drag races, headline oldies entertainment, cruise-ins, a Swap Meet, the CTC/Vicari Auto Auction and much, much more! Don’t forget enjoying the classics & street rods cruisin’ up & down the beach.
Pre-register today… we’ll be waiting with a warm welcome! Go online at www.cruisinthecoast.com for registration forms, swap meet vendor forms, hotel information & event updates or call 1-888-808-1188.
This project partially funded by MS Development Authority/Tourism. Tourism information, call 1-800-466-9048.
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6/29/06 12:25:12 AM
inside
18
BIG & RICH
21 YELLOWCARD
24
SWEET TEA
40
SOUTHERN PROPER
42
NFL/USO
45
DIXIE TRIP
KATHERINE LaNASA
49
51
New Orleans actress is a Hollywood hit.
EDDY ARNOLD
At 88, the singing legend is stil active.
CELEBS COLLECT
Find out what your favorite star enjoys.
55
FOX NEWS’ JOHN GIBSON
58
KINKY FRIEDMAN
64
Southern businesswomen tie one on.
47
Happiness is where the horses roam. 6
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Florida rock band has garnered international praise for its cool sound.
Three NFL stars take time off from the gridiron to visit with deployed troops.
Texas governor’s candidate is a lone star.
Y’all Magazine teamed up with Luzianne for the Sweet Tea Challenge.
Medieval Times’ Georgia Castle is about to open in Lawrenceville.
HELMETS TO IRAQ
How a Southerner is helping the troops.
LEFT TO RIGHT: WARNER BROS. RECORDS, EMI GROUP/CAPITOL RECORDS, CHAD MILLS, ,AARNOLD: COURTESY OF RCA, SOUTHERN PROPER, HEATHER FAULKNER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES, SENOR MCQUIRE, HELMETS: CHIP SOMODEVILLA-GETTY IMAGES
Country music’s hottest duo are an interesting blend of Southern talent.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
6/29/06 12:41:51 AM
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yʼall
Are you Southern?
®™
THE M AGA ZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE ™
President & Publisher Jon Rawl jon@yall.com Managing Editor Tabatha Hunter tabatha@yall.com
VP & Associate Publisher Keith Sisson keith@yall.com
Art Director Carroll Moore carroll@yall.com
Sr. Account Executive Meredith Dabbs
meredith@yall.com
(662)236-1928
Photographer Chad Mills
Kentucky Bureau Colleen Cassity kentucky@yall.com
New Media Andy Young andy@yall.com
Louisiana Bureau Clay Reynolds louisiana@yall.com
Copy Editor Lauren Young
Maryland Bureau Renee Wells maryland@yall.com
Art Assistant Caleb Moore
Mississippi Bureau Ruffin Smith mississippi@yall.com
Illustrators Don Maters Tim Williams Contributing Writers Lewis Grizzard Deborah Ford Ronda Rich Meredith Dabbs Keith Sisson Tommy Joe Breaux Larry the Cable Guy Doc Lawrence Hadley Hickman Laurie Stieber Dave Ramsey Renee Wells Joe LoCicero Lauren Smith Ford Max Howell Alabama Bureau Paula Sullivan Dabbs alabama@yall.com Arkansas Bureau Jason Nall arkansas@yall.com Florida Bureau Mark Cook florida@yall.com
Missouri Bureau Matthew Bandermann missouri@yall.com North Carolina Bureau Jason “Pig” Thompson northcarolina@yall.com Oklahoma Bureau Lee Cartwright oklahoma@yall.com South Carolina Bureau C.T. “Redd” Reynolds southcarolina@yall.com Tennessee Bureau Joshua Wilkins tennessee@yall.com Texas Bureau Matthew Heermans texas@yall.com Virginia Bureau Sally Summerson virginia@yall.com Publishing Consultant Samir Husni Circulation Curtis Circulation Company Phone (201) 634-7416
Georgia Bureau Laurie Stieber georgia@yall.com
Y’ALL (ISSN 1557-2331), July/August 2006, Volume 4, Number 4. Published bimonthly by General Rawl Media, LLC. Editorial and advertising offices at 7 County Road 305, Oxford, MS 38655-9302. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1217, Oxford, MS 38655. Telephone: 662-236-1928. Basic subscription rate: 6 issues, U.S. $19.95; Canada $32.69. 12 issues, U.S. $34.95; Canada $45.80. Entire contents copyright 2006, General Rawl Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Products named in these pages are tradenames or trademarks of their respective companies. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect that of the publisher. For subscriptions, queries, and customer service, please visit www. yall.com Y’all Magazine Business phone: 662-236-1928. E-mail us at: mail@yall.com Subscriptions: Toll-Free 1-800-935-5185 Application to mail at Periodical Postage Rates is Pending at Oxford, Mississippi and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Y’all, c/o Magazine Processing Center, P.O. Box 0567, Selmer, TN 38375-9908. Printed in the USA.
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The world is divided into two parts: the South, and everywhere else. In this issue of Yʼall we take an insightful and occasionally humorous look at Southerners in the feature, “You Are So Southern If…” (Page 33). Youʼll be able to compare notes and see if you have what it takes to be All-South. Southern author and chef (a great combination) Robert St. John perhaps sums up this neck of the woods best in his new book, My South: “In my South, the tea is iced, and almost as sweet as the women. My South has air-conditioning. My South is camellias, azaleas, wisteria, A photo with Dale Jr. ... now thatʼs and hydrangeas. My South is Southern. Even if it is cardboard. humid. In my South, the only person who has to sit in the back of the bus is the last person who got on the bus. In my South, people still say “yes maʼam,” “no, maʼam,” “please,” and “thank you.” In my South, we all wear shoes…most of the time. My South is the best-kept secret in the country. Please continue to keep the secret.” Amen, Robert. At the Magazine of Southern People®, we are fortunate to be able to bring a dose of Dixie to the readers below the MasonDixon Line, and also to the many that have crossed over it or who long to be below it. Occasionally, work has forced the Yʼall Team to stamp our passport as we crossed at Checkpoint Bubba. Thanks to everyone in Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daleyʼs office for their Southern hospitality (at least the cityʼs south of Wisconsin) when Yʼall set up shop at the Chicago Blues Festival in June. Thousands stopped by the magazineʼs booth, and we were able to bring a dose of the Southland to our new friends. As you may know, the Windy City is full of Southerners living in “exile,” having moved north for better jobs, conditions, etc. Thanks yʼall, and save a pizza pie for us. Thank you for reading Yʼall. Southernly yours,
Jon Rawl
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
6/29/06 12:45:32 AM
where y’all?
IN CONCERT FAR LEFT: Kenny Chesney, of Luttrell, Tenn., making an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America summer concert series. (Photo by Peter Kramer/ Getty Images)
LEFT: Jay-Z and Texas girl Beyonce Knowles perform at a concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his first album, Reasonable Doubt, at Radio City Music Hall. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images For Universal Music)
summer concerts Faith Hill/Tim McGraw July 21, 2006 Dallas,Texas
ATLANTA, Ga. Blind Boys Of Alabama August 9, 2006
Widespread Panic July 26, 2006 Grand Prairie,Texas
Bruce Hornsby August 9, 2006 Hootie & The Blowfish August 12, 2006 Dave Matthews Band August 15, 2006 The Allman Brothers August 20, 2006
2006 Austin City Limits Music Festival September 15-17, 2006 Zilker Park, Austin, Texas www.aclfestival.com/lineup.aspx
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Dierks Bentley August 20-21, 2006
Kenny Chesney July 20, 2006 Memphis, Tenn. The North Mississippi Allstars August 12, 2006 Clarksdale, Miss.
Lyle Lovett August 25, 2006 Toby Keith September 2, 2006 Tampa, Fla.
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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where y’all?
sports & entertainment The Carolina Hurricanes celebrate the team’s game seven Stanley Cup finals victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Raleigh, N.C. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Meridian/Lauderdale County (Miss.) Miss Hospitality winners love Y’all! (L-R) 2006 Miss Hospitality Rachel Rutledge, ‘05 winner Christen Reeves, and ‘06 runner-up Heather Lewis.
Miami’s Superman Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami Heat shows off the No. 1 finger, during the NBA Finals victory parade and celebration in Miami, Fla. (Photo by Doug Benc/ Getty Images)
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O’Neal and wife Shaunie Nelson arrive at the Warner Bros. premiere of Superman Returns, held at the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, Calif. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
6/29/06 12:45:14 AM
Chattanooga, Tennessee’s Samuel L. Jackson and Nancy O’Dell, a Myrtle Beach, S.C., native, were just a few of the celebrities that attended the 8th annual Michael Douglas & Friends Golf Tournament at the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., held May 7. JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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where y’all?
music legend in d.c.
Bluesman B.B. King presents President George W. Bush with an electric guitar (“Lucille”) during an evening of blues music honoring Black Music Month, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., held on June 26. ABOVE & BOTTOM RIGHT: AFP PHOTO / TIM SLOAN/GETTYIMAGES , PHOTO AT BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF CHIP PICKERING
B.B. King and Congressman Chip Pickering (R-MS) 12
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
6/29/06 12:48:51 AM
fan fair 2006 in nashville
Blake Shelton strikes a pose for the Y’all cameras at the celebrity archery event.
Tracy Byrd is sure he’s a better shot than Blake, Kix Brooks, Aaron Tippin, and others that participated in the annual event.
Chely Wright and Vince Gill at the celebrity softball game.
Above: New country artist Megan Mullins signs autographs at the Y’all Magazine booth at Fan Fair 2006. Over 20 artists signed at the Y’all booth, including Ty Herndon, Blackhawk, Emerson Drive and David Frizzell. Photos by Chad Mills
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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Y’ALL MAGAZINE PRESENTS
YOU ARE SO SOUTHERN IF…
Illustrations by Tim Williams
(Vol. 1)
You think Piggly Wiggly is a place to socialize. L.G. Tiffin, Lynchburg, Va.
You know that the South has had three Kings: Elvis, B.B. and Martin Luther. John Marshall, Brunswick, Ga.
If you have ever worried about spilling sweet tea on your hoop skirt. Tammie Perkinson, West Helena, Ark.
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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6/29/06 12:53:12 AM
YOU ARE SO SOUTHERN IF…
Your grandmother sounds just like Paula Deen on the phone. Meredith Sullivan, Trussville, Ala.
You drive all day long with your left blinker light flashing. Jeff Holmes, Northport, Ala. You pass a friend on the highway, hit the brakes and throw it in reverse to chat. Stephanie Strong, Springfield, Mo. You make your own ‘”tag applied for” sign. Sonny Helmhout, Brentwood, Tenn. You have a brother named Bubba. Lisa Archer, Rome, Ga . You think Thanksgiving is about eating, and not about Pilgrims and Indians. Hubert Lovelace, Rocky Mount, N.C. You love a glass of sweet sun tea. Paula Roberts, Gattman, Miss.
If you schedule your wedding around the college football schedule.
You know what a grit is made from. Brian James, Tulsa, Okla. You have ever had red-eye gravy. Rene Taylor, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Darlene Dixon, Valdosta, Ga.
You know where the farmer’s market is. V. Ussery, Rock Hill, S.C.
If seersucker is more than a fabric, it is a way of life. Paschall Thomas, New Orleans, La.
You’ve ever sang the song “Give Me That Old Time Religion.” Sonja Schiller, Alma, Ga. You love where you live and are proud to raise your kids there. Vance Upshaw, Wichita Falls, Texas You choose to drive around with your windows down. Lea Whitlock, Gastonia, N.C. You’ve ever had a mint julep. Jen Pressley, Shreveport, La.
The smell of cow poop brings back wonderful memories and you feel instantly happier! Andrea Wheeler Lucas, Pelham, Ala.
If you have a subscription to Y’all Magazine. Suzanne Bailey Clarksdale, Miss. Your kids think “Dixie” is the national anthem. Karl Elliott, Goodlettsville, Tenn. If you give a one finger wave on your steering wheel to a passing car. Nita Floyd, Huntsville, Ala.
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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YOU ARE SO SOUTHERN IF… You know what a pack of Nabs are. Nick Varner, Goldsboro, N.C. You drink Iced Tea, no matter how cold it is. Mindy Markus, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. You know the difference between a good ole boy, a redneck and white trash. Bill Lester, Lilburn, Ga. In any conversation you must quote a line from a “Southern” movie. Ellen H. Dennis, Dallas, Ga.
You have a portrait of your dog.
Presley
Catherine Dority, Charleston, S.C.
You can remember that when you were a child, your daddy used to tell you that your belly button was where the Yankees shot you! Butch Yon, Aiken, S.C. When you order milk you ask for “sweet milk” or “buttermilk,” not 1 percent or 2 percent. Ronja Cole, West Dundee, Ill. (formerly of Mississippi)
If you put barbecue sauce on everything – even your breakfast. Up North that’s too much sauce. Wow!
You are proud to fly the Confederate flag. Bryan Leitko, Manvel, Texas Dinner is at noon, and supper’s the meal at sunset. John Clayton, Frogmore, S.C. Breakfast is fried chicken and sweet tea. Mary Uhery, Winnfield, La. If you view cornbread as a versatile food; white beans and cornbread, cornbread dressing, cornbread salad, no biscuits…cornbread and jelly for breakfast. Mindy Markus, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. If your family reunion is a covered dish dinner at the family cemetery. Linda Ballentyne, North Little Rock, Ark. You grow your own tomatoes. Lucy Watkins, Live Oak, Fla.
Dorothy Harding, West Milford, N.J.
If you schedule your dinner around a Braves game. Debroah Gene, Biloxi, Miss.
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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6/29/06 12:53:44 AM
You wore flour and feed sack (homemade) dresses, shirts and underwear during your youth. Bobby Bazor, Cordova, Tenn.
If you were mad when they sold Turner South. Stacey West, Greenwood, S.C.
You cringe when you hear transplanted Northerners saying “you guys,” even though they have been here in the South 20 years. Katheryn Coleman, Cordova, Tenn.
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6/29/06 12:54:14 AM
Big & Rich Lighting up your City by Tabatha Hunter
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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6/29/06 12:59:23 AM
With an edgy, new sound to breathe new life into their music, Big & Rich has quickly become the essential country music act.
W
ith their larger than life stage presence, country music duo Big & Rich has been taking over the airwaves of our nation ever since the explosive release of Horse Of A Different Color in 2004. John Rich and “Big” Kenny Alphin have since conquered the world of country music and turned more than just a few heads with their endless freak parade and MusikMafia. Success did not come overnight for Big & Rich; in fact, Rich, 32, has been in Nashville pounding the pavement since he was 17 years old, and Alphin has been humping it out for the past 13 years. “I would say [the road to success in the music business] has been difficult, probably like it is for anyone,” says Rich. “I was in the band Lonestar for six years when I got fired from that band. I did a solo deal and got dropped from that deal through an e-mail from the head of the company. …Then I met Big Kenny and went four years running with Kenny before we got a deal, so I would say it has been extremely difficult.” With an edgy, new sound breathing new life into their music, Big & Rich has quickly become the essential country music act. Their music is country punk and the exact spicy kick in the rear that the Nashville scene needed to bring it into the new millennium. “We just do it the way we
hear it. Kenny has a lot of influences outside of country music, as do I, but the common denominator between the two of us is that we both love country music. When we write, all the influences that we grew up with and have been around bleed over into it,” says Rich. “We are the first ones to really step out that far and do it that way.” Part of Rich’s musical styling and influences are a result of his growing up in Texas, a music scene that he says spans the globe of all styles of music. And his theory proves to be true, as Texas - where everything’s bigger, I hear – has produced artists from Stevie Ray Vaughn to George Strait and Willie Nelson to Houston rapper Slim Thug. • JULY/AUGUST JULY/AUGUST 2006 2006 • Y’ALL Y’ALL
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“To me, the great thing about the South is the musical boundaries that it crosses over. The further north you go, the less and less country music you hear and they do not understand what real country music is about,” says Rich. Now with their new album and Big Kenny’s new baby (with wife Christiev), Lincoln William Holiday Alphin, America is seeing that even the sky was not the limit for the newest poster boys of country music. Lincoln, at a mere five months old, has already toured with dad and godfather Rich. “He never cries really loud. And if he starts to whimper, I’ll just harmonize with him,” said proud papa Alphin to People. Now known as the “Godfathers of the MusikMafia,” Big Kenny and John Rich led the movement in a pub called the Pub of Love in Music City, Nashville, Tenn. For 72 Tuesday nights in a row, artists from country, pop, rock, and urban gospel genres came together to perform. Out of these 72 jam sessions spawned the music careers of Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and the “hick-hop” artist himself, Cowboy Troy. Be sure and catch this duo when they begin touring again; they’ll be “Comin’ to Your City” or a town near you.
PREVIOUS PAGE: FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY, THIS PAGE (LARGE)RUSTY RUSSELL/GETTY IMAGES (SMALL) WARNER BROS. RECORDS
Now known as the “Godfathers of the Musik Mafia, “Big” Kenny Alphin and John Rich led the movement on in a pub called the Pub of Love in Music City, Nashville, Tenn.
• THE 20 20Y’ALL MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE • THE Y’ALL MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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6/29/06 1:03:27 AM
THE RISE OF YELLOWCARD BY TABATHA HUNTER
When “Ocean Avenue” hit air waves in 2004, little did this Florida band know that the insanely infectious song would dance its way to the top of the charts throughout that year and well into 2005. This was the song that brought something new and refreshing to the music scene as it became a melody that mothers knew as well as (if not better than) their daughters.
• Y’ALL 2121 JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL JULY/AUGUST 2006
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6/29/06 1:03:50 AM
The South’ South’ss Web Address!
“My hometown is all about families.” HANNAH -
Pigeon Forge Resident
www.yall.com
From rides and shows that kids love along our Parkway to Dollywood’s KidsFestSM, there’s fun and entertainment everyone will enjoy. Make this a summer to remember here in my hometown.
Log on today.
1-800-367-3184 w w w. m y p i g e o n f o r g e . c o m
Please don’t take your organs to Heaven. Heaven knows we need them here. Be an organ donor. For further information and links contact LaurieStieberyankee@yall.com
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6/29/06 1:05:13 AM
PREVIOUS PAGE: EMI GROUP/CAPTIOL RECORDS, THIS PAGE: PAUL HAWTHORNE/GETTY IMAGES
The success of “Ocean Avenue” is one that Yellowcard is poised to experience again with their new album, Lights And Sounds. So exactly what is the secret behind the success of Yellowcard? Well, no one is saying, but the answer may lie with the group’s electric violinist, Sean Mackin. First, though, to resolve the mystery of the band’s name. At first glance, it is a soccer caution card used when a player harasses others on the field, fakes an injury or commits any one of a string of other game-time violations. For the band though, a yellow card is something entirely different. “Yellowcard is a term that our group of friends coined when we were growing up and used in the same way that others might use the term ‘party foul.’ So instead of getting a party foul, our group would say you got a yellow card. It was out of this group of friends that we started the band,” says Mackin of the band’s unique moniker. And speaking of unique, Yellowcard’s oneof-a-kind sound is thanks largely in part to their fearless use of new sounds a n d instruments, including the now infamous violin played to perfection by Sean Mackin himself (even if he did only begin playing because his mama made him). Playing violin was something that he did not mind doing as a young child, says Mackin, but as he got older and his classmates got meaner he did not want to do it as much. Ultimately, though, he fell in love with playing all over again. Lucky for us he did. Looking back at the success of “Ocean Avenue,” the Jacksonville native says that Yellowcard is “the Cinderella story so we look back and know that we are very fortunate to be able to play music for a living. It’s very surprising. And I play violin in a rock band. It doesn’t get any better than that.” One of the first big-ticket items that Mackin bought was a new Nissan 350Z, something the rocker needed since he sold his first car to buy a van for the band to travel in during the early days. “It is amazing,” Mackin says. “I love my car.
L.P. [Longineu Parsons III, the band’s drummer] has a Dodge Viper, so I have a lot to build up to. The thing about the Viper is it’s an American super car. It has a V10 and the 500 horsepower, but the Z handles and the balance is amazing so I just have to beef up the V6. I’m going to rebuild the engine one day and twin turbo it and see if L.P. can feel my wrath.” The 27-year-old’s hobbies, other than playing music with his band mates, include racing cars – just not street racing. Mackin prefers more controlled environments like those found in Japanese Grand Touring. The JGTC is his favorite type of racing because for this super-speed adrenaline rush, competitors use normal street cars and turn them into million dollar race cars. “My dad grew up building off-road trucks and dune buggies so I’ve always been a car guy and now I’m really in love with street racing,” says Mackin. As far as relationships go, Mackin says that although he has a girlfriend, the touring and other demands of the music business put a strain on all relationships. “It takes an amazing woman to stand by a person in a band’s side. And it takes an amazing relationship to see all the tests and the trials and tribulations that people see. I don’t want to grow old and be by myself my whole life… I am very lucky.” This Florida boy admits that one of his favorite things about the South is its sweet tea, and that he can be a little “moody” about his food: “I am kind of a moody person; sometimes I will like my mom’s mashed potatoes and a nice steak, and sometimes I will like Italian food. Sometimes I like sushi. I’m half Japanese, so I get different moods.” As for the rest of the band, Ryan Key, vocalist and guitar, loves his grandma’s red beans and rice and corn bread; Pete Mosely, bass and vocals, loves Chick-filA; and Dodge Viper-driving L.P. races to Popeyes.
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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A GE E BEST SWEET TEA COMMERICAL CATEGORY Abner’s Famous Chicken Tenders (Above left to right) Y’all Publisher Jon Rawl; Starkville Tourism Director Arma Salazar; Abner’s-Starkville Manager Ben Street and Y’all Associate Publisher Keith Sisson BEST SWEET TEA INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY Lucy Kennedy (At left) MSUʼs Kappa Delta housemother
WINNER OF THE 10 MINUTE SWEET TEA DRINKING COMPETITION Eddie Myles (At right)
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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Courteney Cox | cool | calm | and
COMPLETELY SOUTHERN This Alabama beauty confesses her love of fried chicken, her pride of growing up in the South, and how Southern by Hadley Hickman people are just, well, plain different. • JULY/AUGUST • Y’ALL 27 JULY/AUGUST2006 2006 Y’ALL 27
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The cast of Friends,1999
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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o most people, Courteney Cox represents the quintessential Hollywood leading lady—the beautiful, admirable, we-wish-we-could-be-her type of woman who is anything but normal. But the real Courteney, apart from her stunning good looks, is far from that Hollywood stereotype. So what is it about this former Ford model and Friends star that makes her so uniquely approachable and welcoming? Well, for starters, she’s from a Southern town and admits to a love of fried chicken and cheese grits.
LEFT: BY GETTY IMAGES, RIGHT PHOTO: MARK MAINZ/GETTY, PHOTO ON PAGE 27: MARK MAINZ/GETTY
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Cox and husband David Arquette
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Long before she was cast in Bruce Springsteenʼs “Dancing in the Dark” video, or before she played the feisty “Monica Geller” on Friends, Cox, 42, was busy learning table manners, when to say “yes maʼam” and “no sir,” how to be a proper lady, and all those Southern mores that still separate the South 140 years after the Civil War. Born and raised to a close-knit family in the Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook, Ala., Cox, unlike many A-list celebrities who were primed for the red carpet before they knew their ABCʼs, led a normal childhood-- playing sports, graduating from high school, and going off to college like your parents say you should. Today, this working mother and wife lives hundreds of miles away from her Southern town with actor husband David Arquette (the Arquettes have one child, Coco, and another due in October). But the distance, we gather, hasnʼt remodeled her Southern character nor stopped her from indulging in her favorite Southern cuisine or saying the word “yʼall” about 7,000 times a day.
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Civil War. Civil Rights. Two of the most significant eras in American history have their roots in Selma, Alabama. Relics, museums, memorials, antiques and southern hospitality are just a few reasons to visit us.
M A R T I N
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Where History Meets Hospitality 1 800 45 SELMA
www.SelmaAlabama.com V O T I N G
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The fact that she grew up the baby girl in a Southern family and prides her Southern roots spawns a vision of her as “Southern Belle” turned Hollywood movie star. But when asked about that, she takes a different stance. “To me,” Cox explains, “the idea of a ʻSouthern Belleʼ is probably pretty different than for most people. Movies and books have created a stereotypical ʻBelleʼ who is this hoop-skirt wearing, swooning, breathyvoiced debutante. I beg to differ. I
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“Growing up in the South has had a profound influence on my work as an actress, mainly because it helped shape who I am as a person and how I see the world,” Cox says. “Also, no matter where I’ve lived as an adult, I have always had that great Southern foundation to take with me.”
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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1998
was raised by a true Southern Belle-- a woman full of grace, strength, charm, and intelligence. My mom, and so many wonderful women like her, really set the bar for me.” So maybe sheʼs no self-proclaimed Southern Belle. We get it. But what about GRITS (acronym for Girls Raised in the South), we ask? “Regarding grits, the food,” Cox sincerely replies, “I love ʻem! I like mine with cheese. As far as Girls Raised in the South, I do think they have certain qualities that set them apart. Obviously, this is a generalization, but itʼs been my experience that Southerners come at you with an inherent politeness. Thereʼs a warmth and a welcoming nature that always pops out with Southerners. I also find that there is a very defined value system with Southern people. Thereʼs a pride and a moral code that they donʼt leave behind, even when they move away.”
Apparently, she didn’t leave behind her love for certain “Southern” foods when she moved away, either. As is customary in the South, food brings people together; and that hasnʼt changed for Cox. “David and I always have Sunday dinner with our family and friends in Los Angeles and that is such a Southern thing to do. We love it!” she declares. And when cooking up Southern cuisine, she says that “mashed potatoes, turnip greens, homemade biscuits, gravy and fried chicken are [her] absolute favorites.” “The world would be a happier place if everyone was eating Southern comfort food,” she says. Based on her successes thus far, we will see and hear more of Cox on the big screen (sheʼs the voice of “Daisy” in the new Barnyard animation). But whatʼs reassuring about this brown-haired, blue-
eyed star is that she knows who she is and her Southern roots will always be with her.
When asked if she still considers herself a Southern woman, she answers enthusiastically,“ Absolutely! I am a Southern woman through and though.”
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JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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of fame
Dolley Madison (1769-1849)
For half a century she was the most important woman in the social circles of America. To this day she remains one of the bestknown and best-loved ladies of the White House--though often referred to, mistakenly, as Dorothy or Dorothea.
She always called herself Dolley, and it was by that name that the New Garden Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends in Piedmont, North Carolina recorded her birth to John and Mary Coles Payne, settlers from Virginia. In 1769, John Payne took his family back to his home colony, and in 1783, he moved them to Philadelphia, city of the Quakers. Dolley grew up in the strict discipline of the Society, but nothing muted her happy personality and her warm heart. John Todd Jr., a lawyer, exchanged marriage vows with Dolley in 1790. Just three years later he died in a yellow-fever epidemic, leaving his wife with a small son. By this time Philadelphia had become the capital city. With her charm and her laughing blue eyes, fair skin, and black curls, the young widow attracted distinguished attention. Before long Dolley was reporting to her best friend that “the great little Madison has asked...to see me this evening.” Although Representative James Madison of Virginia was 17 years her senior, and Episcopalian in background, they were married in September 1794. The marriage, though childless, was notably happy; “our hearts understand each other,” she assured him. He could even be patient with Dolley’s son, Payne, who mishandled his own affairs--and, eventually, mismanaged Madison’s estate. Discarding the somber Quaker dress after her second marriage, Dolley chose the finest of fashions. Margaret Bayard Smith, chronicler of early Washington social life, wrote: “She looked a Queen...It would be absolutely impossible for any one to behave with more perfect propriety than she did.” Blessed with a desire to please and a willingness to be pleased,
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Dolley made her home the center of society when Madison began, in 1801, his eight years as Jefferson’s Secretary of State. She assisted at the White House when the President asked her help in receiving ladies, and presided at the first inaugural ball in Washington when her husband became Chief Executive in 1809. Dolley’s social graces made her famous. Her political acumen, prized by her husband, is less renowned, though her gracious tact smoothed many a quarrel. Hostile statesmen, difficult envoys from Spain or Tunisia, warrior chiefs from the west, flustered youngsters--she always welcomed everyone. Forced to flee the White House by the British army during the War of 1812, she returned to find the mansion in ruins. Undaunted by temporary quarters, she entertained as skillfully as ever. At their plantation Montpelier in Virginia, the Madisons lived in pleasant retirement until he died in 1836. She returned to the capital in the autumn of 1837, and friends found tactful ways to supplement her diminished income. She remained in Washington until her death in 1849, honored and loved by all. The delightful personality of this unusual woman is a cherished part of her country’s history.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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There are places where the conversation always comes easy.
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Our one-on-one approach to banking hasn’t changed much since we star ted back in 1872. Perhaps that’s because we’ve maintained the belief that you are an individual, not an account number. And that when it comes to your banking, you should be able to feel as comfor table talking to us as you would any of your other neighbors.
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on the money A Lot or a Little – Money Makes You More of Who You Already Are
There are those who believe that finance is merely an exact mathematical science. That is, after all, the way it is taught in the universities. In fact, finance is an exact mathematical science – until a human touches it. Personal finance is who you are. The personal, philosophical and emotional problems and strengths that you have will be reflected in your use of money. If you are very disciplined, you can be a good saver of money. If you are very selfish or self-centered, you will surround yourself with expensive toys that you cannot afford. The Character of Money Larry Burkett, a noted author on this subject, says money problems are normally not the real problem but instead are only the symptom of a personal shortfall. My counseling experience confirms Burkett’s statement. Extreme amounts of money or extreme lack of it magnifies character. A person not totally committed to honesty will tell white lies and sometimes even commit fraud by lying on a loan application when money is tight.
by Dave Ramsey Dave Ramsey is a financial counselor, host of the popular syndicated radio show “The Dave Ramsey Show,” and author of the New York Times bestseller The Total Money Makeover. His columns appear regularly in Y’all.
What We Do Shows Who We Are We all have seen people get rich overnight through a lottery or inheritance and, because of their immaturity, blow the entire fortune in the twinkle of an eye. On the other hand, I have seen people who grew more as individuals during financial crises than at any other time in their lives. Martin Luther King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Sometimes we see people get wealthy and it magnifies the good character they had within. Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, a very well-known philanthropist and humanitarian, spent the first half of his life attaining wealth and the last half of his life giving it away. Many of the libraries across our nation were established by his donated funds. Many other famous philanthropists have shown us that their good character was merely magnified by their attainment of wealth. St. Ambrose said, “Just as riches are an impediment to virtue in the
wicked, so in the good they are an aid in virtue.” Stuffitis – a Deadly Disease We Americans like “stuff.” We have been called materialistic, self-centered, the “me” generation. I have never liked being accused of being materialistic, but admittedly I do like good “stuff.” I like good cars, expensive food, nice clothes, and very large houses; but I am not materialistic. I am guilty of having contracted a disease known as “stuffitis,” where the bearer has an insatiable desire for only “good stuff.” If you have “stuffitis,” you might seem materialistic, but the difference is that you will not collect just anything; only the good “stuff.” I am not the only one that has “stuffitis”; in fact, I see people all the time who have it. There is no cure for this disease, but there are ways to control it. One of the ways you can spot “stuffitis” in its later stages is when people have gotten confused and have not put money in its proper priority. When we forget that our money is not our Creator – that instead we are supposed to create with it – we wreak havoc in our lives. Our forefathers may not have intended this, but they put a reminder on our currency to avoid “stuffitis” – “In God We Trust.” Please notice it did not say “In Stuff We Trust.” We must keep money and our handling of it in the proper perspective. We must not treat it carelessly, for this collecting of “stuff ” is only a game of Monopoly. The Dirty Word We have discussed how the strengths and weaknesses in your life will affect your personal finances, but we cannot leave that subject without dealing with one of life’s dirtiest words – discipline. You will have conflict, worry, shortages, and general lack of fun until you achieve some discipline in the handling of your funds. I am not saying you have to run or live in a financial boot camp, but you must start to think before you sign that check. You must begin today to look at your finances differently. You must recognize that you must bring your finances totally under your control.
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cranky yankee Zell Yeah
by Laurie Stieber
Laurie Stieber is an Atlanta-based entertainment attorney and freelance columnist. The New York City native can be reached at yankee@yall.com 36
Even though I am an Israeli American from Manhattan, I have a deep spiritual connection with former Georgia Gov. Zell Miller, a beloved Southern son. While sightseeing and house hunting in anticipation of our move to Atlanta, I found a charming colonial and told my realtor to put a bona fide bid on it. The house was located on a street named West Paces Ferry. “Cool address,” I thought, “and a lawn as vivid as the green stripe on a candy cane.” And such a lovely, little, wrought iron, security gate – New Orleans style – at the entrance of the driveway. Yes, I could definitely see raising our two children, and possibly a future puppy named “Spotty,” in that charming colonial. The realtor thought I was joking. The realtor had inside information about my new house that I was not privy to. It was the Governor’s mansion I was trying to buy, and it still had Zell Miller living inside of it. The news put me into a very foul mood. Foul moods have no patience for political correctness such as “Israeli American.” What I am is a JAP – a Jewish American Princess – and good ole Zell is a SAP – a Southern American Prince. Let me warn y’all about something: God punishes small offenses on the spot. Because I was coveting my neighbor’s mansion, it would become an everlasting thorn in my side. Like the time I took my mother on a visitor’s tour of Zell’s gubernatorial digs. “What kind of a meshuge (meh-shoo-geh Yiddish word for crazy) name is Zell?” mom asked. She went on to point out that when you clump the Zell and the Miller together, there are far too many L’s in his name. “It’s a bit annoying,” she said. “Mom, remember Johnny Cash’s song ‘Boy Named Sue’? Well, Governor Miller is a boy named Zelda. That’s where the nickname Zell comes from.” She believed me. “Oh, the poor child,” she exclaimed, “what on earth were his folks thinking? That sweet, little boy, Zelda, must have been bullied to kingdom come in the playground.” Have any of you suddenly regretted a choice you made, as you were smack in the middle of executing that choice, but it was too late to turn back? The moment I saw the sign upon entering the Governor’s Mansion, which read something to the effect of “Kindly Stay With Your Group,” I knew that I had made a mistake in taking my mother on the tour. She is a mischief magnet who could stray from a prison chain-gang if she put her mind to it. Mother was on her best behavior. Therefore, it took ten whole minutes, as opposed to five, before I heard a guard’s voice saying, “Ma’am, you are not allowed to go into that area.” Please, dear Lord, do not let that “Ma’am” be the woman who was once at the other end of the umbilical cord attached to me. Oh no. The DNA was a match. It was my mother who had
gone beneath the rope – rope, as in roped off to prevent visitors from entering – into one of the main rooms. Of course she had a perfectly good reason for doing it. Someone had to lift up the corner of the area rug to count the knots per square inch. “Pretty good quality,” she said to me, “I wouldn’t exactly call it Aladdin material, but it’s Persian.” As she dropped the corner of the rug belonging to Governor Miller, she warned me to quit straying from our group. The guard very graciously let her go. This time. We almost made it out of the mansion without further incident. As we were leaving, she spotted a magnificent Steuben Glass commemorative bowl on the mantel place, that, if I recall correctly, that had been given to Miller, honoring his unwavering commitment to public service. “Touch the bowl, mother, and I swear I am going to beg the guard to shoot you as a felon.” Acting as unconvincingly innocent as Pollyanna with a six pack of Budweiser in her knapsack, mom responded with her typical, evasive question: “Who raised you, young lady? You are not too old to get a good potch n’tuchis (Yiddish for smack on the butt).” “Guard, shoot her!” I pleaded. Uh oh. Here comes the guard and he’s … smiling. My luck, the man has a soft spot for the rug vandal, who also happens to be statuesque and very pretty. He was clearly smitten as she
“
“Who raised you, young lady? You are not too old to get a good potch n’tuchis (Yiddish for smack on the butt).”
”
told him that she had a bowl “quite like this one.” It was nearly off the mantel and into her hands. I could hear the key locking us into our jail cell. Put the bowl back, put it back. Come on, you can do it. She went on to tell the now swooning guard that sometimes she would fill her bowl with chocolate rugallah, for company. A Steuben Glass original given to Governor Miller by ten thousand world dignitaries, but of course, my mother has one “quite like it.” Filled with chocolate rugallah, no less. I had been barking commandments up the wrong tree. “Guard, be merciful and shoot me!” “She’s funny,” he said to my mom, as he personally escorted her to the front door. She patted me on the head. Funny daughter. Good dog. Back in the car and heading home, I told my mother how much I once wanted to buy that charming colonial. She said, “A boy named Zelda deserves to live in peace in any house his little heart desires, including that one.” Shalom, y’all!
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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max’d out
Time is Near! by Max Howell
Well, when we last visited, spring had “sprung” and we were all waiting on summer. Wouldn’t you know, we have since seen the completion of spring training in football, and all of the spring sports and summer conditioning. Fall is coming, and, with it, the best of all seasons....college football. Here is the way I see the 2006 season shaping up:
In the SEC East:
MAX’d OUT can be heard on many radio stations across the South and on www.maxhowell.com, HookedonDestin. com, and Kickoffzone.com, the show is streamed live daily M-F, 9-12 Noon CT
In the SEC West: 1. Auburn: Loaded again with experience at QB in Brandon Cox. Loaded at running back with Keith Irons. New
My prediction of the Top 10 Teams: (not ranked in any order):
Ohio State Auburn California Oklahoma FSU
Florida LSU Notre Dame Texas West Virginia
This is the way we see things shaping up. One good thing: everyone is still undefeated and the excitement and anticipation is what makes this time of the year so special.
Doug Benc/Getty Images)
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1. Florida: An experienced quarterback in Chris Leak, a very strong defense and a more seasoned coach in Urban Meyer. The only down side is a very tough schedule with the likes of Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, LSU and FSU, just to name a few. 2. Tennessee: Should do much better than last year‘s 5-6 record; Erick Ainge returns at QB, David Cutcliffe returns as offensive co-coordinator and John Chavis should have the Vol defense ready. 3. Georgia: Great coaching, great young talent, but no experience at QB. Look for freshman Matt Stafford to lead the Dawgs by the third game. 4. South Carolina: Steve Spurrier will have a say-so in the East, but not enough material for the Gamecocks to contend. 5. Kentucky: A team that should be somewhat better than ’05. Not saying anything but improvement is expected. 6. Vanderbilt: Without Jay Cutler, the Dores will remain at the bottom of the SEC East.
defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will have the Tigers flying to the ball. 2. LSU: With Jamarcus Russell’s experience at quarterback, a big win over Miami in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and a more experienced coach in Les Miles, this team will contend. 3. Arkansas: With 20 of the top 22 players coming back, depth at QB, RB and OL, the Hogs can score, and the defense got better each week last year. Houston Nutt’s Razorbacks have a real chance. 4. Alabama: Defense will be good again, and the running backs are solid. Plus the OL is more experienced. WRs DJ Hall and Keith Brown will have a good year if QB John Parker Wilson can get the ball. 5. Ole Miss: Should win more than three games. With a QB like Brent Schaffer (allowing his academics are okay from junior college) on the offensive side and best LB in the South in Patrick Willis, improvement is expected for the Rebs. 6. Mississippi State: Not enough depth, not enough good athletes and not enough confidence coming out of spring training in Starkville.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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Tied to Southern Tradition
Southern Proper: Many things come to mind when this term is used in conversation. For two enterprising Southern women, it has become a way of life. Emmie Henderson, a farmgirl from Ripley, Tenn., and Reagan Hardy, a Kinston, N.C., native met in college at Brenau Women’s College in Gainesville, Emmie and Reagan Ga. A few years later, these friends decided to carve their own little place in the fashion world. Less than a year ago, these Southern Belles began their Atlanta-based necktie company—Southern Proper. by Bethany Daws
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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hen Henderson and Hardy met in college they shared an instant bond. Little did they know that in time their love for fashion and Southern men would one day lead them to become business partners. The two entrepreneurs came together after graduation and brainstormed on what business avenue to take. After much thought and consideration it was clear: men’s fashion. When deciding what part of men’s fashion they wanted to design, the ladies thought ties would be the perfect way to get their collective foot in the door of the fashion industry. While some may think it would be a challenge for women to work in men’s fashion, it actually works to their advantage. “Most of the people we sell to have been very warm and welcoming. They are glad to see fresh, new young faces trying to get into the industry,” explains Henderson. Southern Proper has two available product lines, The Beaus Collection (bowties) and the Gents Collection (neckties). Both collections feature fashionable pastel and vibrant colors on high quality silk. Each design is hand-drawn with popular
symbols of the American South. The most popular designs are the Dogwood, Cotton, Black Lab and Peach. The latest designs feature Peanuts, Mallards, Golf and Catfish, just to name a few. Like most small businesses, Southern Proper has tried to grow slowly, but after 20,000 visitors on their Web site, Southernproper.com, the business was forced to keep up with demand and grow rather quickly. The ties are now retailing in 32 men’s clothing stores across eight Southern states. Don’t look for these girls to be content just designing neckwear though; the two Atlanta residents have plans to create a full line of Southern Proper merchandise. To view the neckties or to find a retail location near you, visit www. SouthernProper.com.
Haberdashery for the Southern Gentleman JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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NFL STARS Visit the Troops by Renee Wells
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Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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o one ever thought Steelers fans would be present in Kosovo. Everywhere they went, Max Starks, Bryce Fisher and Patrick Kerney could see the sea of black and gold. It was great for Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Starks. Not so good for Seattle Seahawks defensive end Fisher and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kerney.
NFL Stars (left to right) Starks, Fisher and Kerney. A group of about 15 pilots gathered around Starks, chanting, “Here we go, Steelers, here we go.” “That’s for Super Bowl XL,” one pilot said. “And XLI,” another said, trying to predict next year’s outcome. Fisher traveled over 7,200 miles from Seattle to Kosovo, only to see the unwavering Steelers fans appear everywhere, and remind him of the Seahawks collapse in the title game in Detroit. “This trip has put the worst taste in my mouth about the game,” Fisher said of the Super Bowl defeat. “Every one of them had the same bad jokes, trying to rile me up.” Of course, Sparks experienced a reaction that was the total opposite of Fisher’s. “It was awesome because I made Bryce feel very uncomfortable. Every base we went to was full of rabid Steelers fans. There were Terrible Towels, there were flags, there were banners, T-shirts, hats, everything Steelers,” 24year-old Starks said. “They (Kerney and Fisher) started to understand what it is to be a Steelers fan and I think they
got a pretty good conception of the fact that the Steelers are truly a world-renowned team. It was really my honor to be a part of that and to be part of the team and to see all the fans that were there supporting us in all parts of the world.” Starks, Fisher and Kerney (a former Virginia Cavaliers star) participated in a 12-day tour to U.S. military bases in the Balkans and Persian Gulf in late March. The trip marked the 40th anniversary of the NFL-USO tour which began in 1966 when players like Frank Gifford and Johnny Unitas visited bases in Vietnam as the NFL became the first to send players overseas to visit troops. “We’re excited and honored to take part in this year’s tour,” said Fisher, a graduate of the US Air Force Academy and captain in the Washington Air National Guard. “It’s a chance for us to say ‘thanks’ to all the men and women serving in our armed forces, many of whom are NFL fans.” The athletes, who all have ties to the South one way
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or another, got to visit places like Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, the Begram Air Base in Afghanistan, the Kurdistan Air Force Base and Kabul, Afghanistan. While the majority of the time was spent on military bases and with the troops, the trip continued with stops in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and aboard the carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Persian Gulf. “In Kosovo, on one of the Apache helicopters, there is a Steelers logo painted on the belly that I got to autograph. It was pretty profound. It was very memorable for me,” Starks said. Starks, an Orlando, Fla., native and former Florida Gators star is very involved in his hometown, serving as a tutor and working with Kids Against Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco. With a father, Ross Browner, who was a two-time All-American defensive lineman at Notre Dame and a Lombardi Trophy recipient, Starks was in awe that the troops still enjoy football. “It [the tour] was personal for me. It was something that I felt I needed to do. I have a lot of family that has served and is serving in the armed forces,” Starks said. “They’re putting their lives on the line every single day, and they still have time to cheer football. They still can smile at the end of the day. That truly was the most rewarding part.” Starks, Kerney and Fisher all spoke of the wonderful experiences they had on the tour. “We would tell stories and answer questions,” said Starks. “The biggest thing, I think was letting them tell their stories and to listen to them. That was probably the most important thing, to hear what they had to say and answer their questions. The biggest kick was listening to them talk. That was pretty cool.”
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DIXIE DESTINATION
MEDIEVAL TIMES: Dinner & Tournament by Laurie Stieber
O
ne of the greatest dreams of my life has come true: I am a contestant on the game show Jeopardy! The clock is running out, but I have hit the buzzer and chosen the category “Eleventh Century Spain” for $500. Bells ring, signifying the “Daily Double.” The audience goes wild! Alex Trebek, in his erudite, sexy tenor, reads the statement: “This Medieval Times Castle will be an authentic Dinner & Tournament replica of 11th century Spain, and it opens in this American 21st century city in August 2006.” I squeeze all of the electricity out of my hand-held buzzer… “What is Lawrenceville, Ga.?”
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The magnificent Andalusia stallions, the and perfectionism and the total acceptance stalwart knights matching wits and lances as that anything, at anytime can, and may, go they vie for tournament trophies, the gallant horrifically wrong. age of chivalry, pageantry, jousting and The Georgia Castle, staffed by 200 romance. The sumptuous dinner feast, the employees, is the ninth Medieval Times venue danger of “non-Hollywood” to open in North America, stunts. Real knights on real following its Southern This is not David horses with real prayers counterparts in Myrtle in their minds to make it Copperfield Beach, Dallas, Kissimmee, through the tournament Fla., and Hanover, Md. In on stage in unhurt and yes, even alive. 23 years, the company has That’s the excitement that is entertained over 35 million performance! Medieval Times. guests. Director of Stunts and This is days… “We are so rehearsed Choreography Tim Baker and the techniques are understands that he is in weeks… months of so extensive,” Baker says. charge of, and responsible “It’s the horsemanship that grueling training, for, the life-threatening comprises most of the time. spectacle when it debuts to a one hour and 50 minute showmanship and For the Atlanta suburbs. show, every second, step, “We do not use any fake perfectionism… strike, block … the horse’s weapons. They are all real,” path is all predetermined, Baker says. “I give a lot choreographed, put on the of credit to our audiences. They know the grid and set to music. So, everyone knows weapons are dangerous.” exactly what everyone else is going to do The 1,000 nightly dinner guests will journey pretty much every second of the show.” back to a daring, remarkable century that When the 87,000 square foot castle opens they could not possibly have imagined would at Lawrenceville’s Discover Mills this August, visit the South with such thrilling magic, it will mark the first time in generations that courage and the total lack of smoke and children will not dread the end of summer mirrors. This is not David Copperfield on and its inevitable return to school. Medieval stage in performance! This is days… weeks… Times Dinner & Tournament will see to that. months of grueling training, showmanship Can I now have my $500, Alex?
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yy’all one-on-one with
Katherine LaNasa LaNasa, 39, now lives in California with husband French Stewart and son Henry, with her ex-husband Dennis Hopper. She can be found scouting flea markets, restoring old houses, making jewelry, and acting a little, too Recently LaNasa spoke with Y’all about everything from growing up Southern to ballet and movie stars to hobbies. Here is what she had to say: What is your favorite thing about being from the South and New Orleans? I feel like the South is the best place to be from, especially being a woman in the South. I think you learn a lot. I think Southern women are the toughest women ever, yet I think they are the most feminine, domestic and fun. I love Southern women. What is your favorite memory of New Orleans? I remember the taffy man. In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s there was this guy who had a horse and they would pull up this cart and they made taffy and
by Tabatha Hunter
sold it on the street. I went to quite a number of Mardi Gras and Jazz Fests. I spent a number of summers on the Gulf Coast in Waveland, Miss., and I had a great time doing that. That home was destroyed and my father’s childhood summer home in Pass Christian was destroyed [in Hurricane Katrina] also. I had a great time crabbing, hanging out and dodging jelly fish. Tell us about your career as a ballet dancer? I was a professional ballet dancer. I went away to the North Carolina School of the Arts when I was 14. I went there for the rest of high school and then I started dancing professionally when I was about 17. I lived in New York and ended up coming out to L.A. from New York. I got into acting because there was not really much to do out here in terms of professional ballet. I should also say I spent my summers in the beautiful hills of North Carolina in a little town called Tuxedo. Once I
Husband French Stewart and LaNasa JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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Hers is a face you may recognize from the many appearances she’s had on hit T.V. shows like Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue, Seinfeld and ER, or the more recent Love Monkey; yet somehow it is her name that may escape us. Katherine LaNasa is the name behind the face, and this is one talented Louisianan who has been lighting up the silver screen and the small screen alike for over 15 years.
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got a little older I spent my summers up there in a place called Camp Greystone. I think I may actually go back there and be a counselor as soon as I can. It is amazing. Do you still dance? No. I take some exercise classes that have dance in them sometimes, which is great because then I am the best dancer in exercise class. I do not dare go to a dance class anymore. Hobbies? I am really domestic. My house was in Traditional Home last year in May and I did it myself. It is funny how I have picked up so many things about the South subconsciously. My house is a New Orleans house. There is just something about the vibe of it. It feels like it could be a house in the South. And I love to cook. My mother was a great cook and my grandmother is a really terrific cook, so I think it is the love of the domestic. It is a sort of joy I get out of that aspect of my life. I really enjoy cooking and I really enjoy keeping my house together. It is sort of a personal pride and I like that it is sort of a feminine and
an intrinsic part of who I am as being a Southerner.
that are empowered in their sexuality.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
I am not much for advice but the best advice that I ever got was from one of my ballet teachers that told me that this business is so competitive. He said you have to do everything that you can do that is in your power for you to be successful, and I think that is my work ethic. I do not think that is any great genius advice. I think it is hard work and preparation and tenacity.
Well a popular meal that I like to do is garlic cheese grits, and I love blackened salmon on top of that and have a romaine salad with garlic dressing and roasted tomatoes. That is a crowd pleaser. What is your favorite food, then? Tabasco. I am from Louisiana so it is kind of fun. I eat Tabasco on everything. Sometimes my friends forget and they ask for a bite of my food and they fall back in their chair. But my husband [actor French Stewart from Third Rock from the Sun] is from New Mexico so he can eat spicy food.
Good Advice for y’all?
Do you have any acting heroes? Well, in terms of guys, my man is Gene Hackman. Gosh, I just love Gene Hackman. He is just so great—I always love watching him. In terms of ladies, Meryl Streep is just in her own strata. She is the Bob Dylan of acting in my opinion. I like Jessica Lange. I like women
Any plans this weekend? Or the next? Or the next?
Wilderness Mississippi Exhibit Jackson Zoo
Eudora Welty House
The World of Giant Insects June 17– Sept. 10 Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
Maybe you’re looking for a Saturday of sensational shopping all to yourself. Or, a weekend for two at a cozy B&B. Could be you need a fun trip for the whole family. Then come to Jackson, where you’ll find all that and more on any given weekend. Shop and eat in the eclectic Fondren district. Stay at the historic Fairview Inn, voted “Most Outstanding Inn, North America” by Conde Nast Johansens. Visit the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, or stop by the new Eudora Welty House Museum or the Jackson Zoo. But first, call for a full calendar of events.
800-354-7695 This project partially funded by the MS Development Authority/Tourism
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visitjackson.com/yall
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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yʼall
of fame
The Tennessee Plowboy
EDDY ARNOLD (1918 - )
Billboard magazine’s statistics rank Eddy Arnold as the No. 1 country artist of all time. His lifetime sales have been estimated at more than 85 million. In 2000, the White House presented him with the National Medal of Arts. In 2005, he was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. And now we marvel that this 88-year-old is making new music.
CREDIT TO J NILES CLEMENT
“I don’t sing as well as I did, and I don’t pretend to. But I enjoy it,” Arnold says. “And I think the record turned out really well. I’m very happy with it.” Arnold is celebrating his 60th year of hit records with the release of his 100th career album, After All These Years, produced by the legendary “Cowboy” Jack Clement. Itʼs not likely that one of these tracks will become the living legendʼs 29th No. 1 single, or rival the success of his monster “Make The World Go Away,” but thatʼs not stopping him. “I was there when he [Arnold] got inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Clement says. “He bawled like a baby. I remember standing outside the Andrew Jackson Hotel with him after that. And he was talking about how if the people of Nashville were ever going to get anywhere, they had to go to New York. He did it. He showed them how to do it. He was really the first one who created that link between a country singer and being on the Bob Hope show.” In 1952, Eddy Arnold became the first country star to host his own prime-time network TV show. Eddy Arnold Time was unique in that it aired in syndication as well as over all three networks. “Yes, I do have a wider audience than just the country audience,” Arnold explains. “One of the reasons for that is that I went to Carnegie Hall. I did bookings in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, over and over. I appeared with I don’t know how many symphony orchestras. I went to New York and courted those people. JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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“Well, I retired six years ago. Heck, I don’t even know if I can still sing or not.”
PHOTO CREDIT TO SENIOR MCGUIRE
I did national television. And I make no excuses.” Born and raised in the West Tennessee farm community of Henderson, Arnoldʼs early life was wrapped in the Great Depression. On his eleventh birthday, Arnoldʼs father, Will, died unexpectedly. Soon after, the family farm was lost and Eddy and his mother became sharecroppers. Luckily, music found a way to the young Arnold, and he got a chance to hone his skills at KWK in St. Louis. In 1939 Grand Ole Opry star Pee Wee King gave Arnold a spot in his Golden West Cowboys band, and he journeyed back to his home state. A Woolworth lunch-counter worker in Louisville, Ky., recognized the rising star and asked for an autograph. Sparks flew, and Sally Gayhart and Arnold would begin dating and were married on November 28, 1941. The Arnolds have been married for 64 years. As World War II wound down, Arnold
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was warming up for his solo debut. His first single, “Each Minute Seems A Million Years,” brought him out in the spotlight. His first No. 1, “What Is Life Without Love,” came in 1947. Later that year, “Iʼll Hold You In My Heart,” remained at No. 1 for an amazing 21 weeks. Ten years into his career, Arnold was a national icon. “He was everywhere,” says Clement. “He was on TV. He was on the radio. I’d listen to his records and try to play the steel guitar along with them. When I was in the ninth grade, I got up and sang one of his songs, ‘Chained to a Memory.’ Got a big hand, too. He was kind of my role model for singing. And I’ve found out that there are a lot of people who feel the same way.” But Arnold’s biggest song was still to come. 1965’s “Make The World Go Away” became a worldwide smash, selling millions, and he captured the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1967. Throughout the ‘70s, the singer slowed
down to spend more time with Sally and their two children, Dick and Jo Ann. Over the past 30 years, Arnold has sporadically played concerts and has ventured into the studio even less. “The reason this [After All These Years] album came about is that so many people punched me in the side and said, ‘Why don’t you do another album?’” Arnold explains. “I’d say, ‘Well, I retired six years ago. Heck, I don’t even know if I can still sing or not.’ Then I started exercising, vocalizing, and that’s how it happened. I found out that I could still sing a little.” Despite the millions of albums sold throughout seven decades, hit songs and countless awards, Arnold has remained a class act. A true Southern gentleman. He’s invested his money wisely, and remains an influential figure in the Nashville community. And when he and Mrs. Sally have the chance, they climb aboard their boat, the Sally K., and cruise the lakes of Middle Tennessee. by Jonathan Craig
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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MY OH MY:
The Things We Collect by Tabatha Hunter
Dolly Parton Johnny Depp
Sterling Marlin Naomi Judd
Harry Connick, Jr.
George Clooney
Quentin Tarantino
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rom Gail Pittman pottery to The Wizard of Oz memorabilia to Matchbox cars to postcards, we all have something we collect. It’s that little piece of pricelessness that we find at Wal-Mart or at a local garage sale that we simply cannot pass up, and, with the invention of eBay, even celebrities are getting into the game.
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In Michele Karlʼs new book What Celebrities Collect (Pelican), the Seymour, Tenn., author delves into the passions of celebrities to share with her readers the must-haves of some very famous faces. Knoxville, Tenn., native and Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino has a love of board games. For all you NASCAR lovers, another Tennessee boy, Sterling Marlin, has a massive collection of Civil War memorabilia. Sterling tells Karl that he was fortunate to grow up in Tennessee, a state rich in Civil War history and artifacts. “Weʼll go hunting down by the old tracks. Iʼve found all kinds of things there, pieces of belts, even my favorite item, the flag that went into battle,” explains Marlin. Hollywood heartthrob and Owensboro, Ky., native Johnny Depp loves to find rare books and insects to enhance his collections. His favorite novels are those by Jack Kerouac. Depp can also be found saving memorabilia from his movies. Meanwhile, another Kentuckian and one of Peopleʼs Sexiest Men Alive, George Clooney, gets his heart rate up with motorcycles. Looking for the perfect present for Naomi Judd? Daughters Wynonna and Ashley might suggest a tiara, and the bigger, the better. Judd explains: “It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life that down through the last twenty years of entertaining, the public has come to view me as a bit of a fairy godmother because I try to instill hope and sell people on themselves.” If you are ever in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., then be sure and stop by Dollywood bearing gifts with butterflies for Dolly Parton. Parton, who is best known for her amazing vocal cords
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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Win a $1,000 Shopping Spree! (which landed her an Oscar nomination earlier this year), loves anything and everything with a butterfly on it. She even wrote a hit song entitled, “Love Is Like A Butterfly.” The man making New Orleans, La., a little hotter and a lot cooler, Harry Connick Jr., also makes the cut with his collection of cuff links. In an interview with InStyle, Connick confessed, “I never, never wear them. I donʼt know why I collect them…I have a case that my wife gave me that sits on my dresser, itʼs full of unused cuff links.” Want to know which celeb has a hankering for beanie babies and which A-lister has one of the greatest comic book collections ever? Then you need to “collect” a copy of Michele Karlʼs book, What Celebrities Collect, for yourself.
Register by August 15, 2006 at
www.visitridgeland.org for your chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree to Northpark Mall just in time for back-to-school! Plan your weekend getaway in Ridgeland, and enjoy one of our fantastic hotels, eat at our award-winning restaurants and shop till you drop at one of the state’s largest malls. Register now at
www.visitridgeland.org for a chance to win: • A $1,000 shopping spree to Northpark Mall • Two nights accommodations in Ridgeland • Dinner for two in Ridgeland
ALL CELEBRITIES: GETTY IMAGES
For Complete Visitor Information:
800-468-6078 www.visitridgeland.org JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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6/29/06 1:30:09 AM
JOHN GIBSON From the situation with the Mexican border to the war in Iraq and from Britney Spears to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, the news surrounds everyone. And it seems that in today’s 24/7 news source world, the American public cannot get enough of the world’s current events.
by Tabatha Hunter
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With the need for new, on the spot, wherever and whenever information has come the rise of a new school of news anchor. No longer is this the world of Edward R. Murrow and his boys; today’s world belongs to power anchors like John Gibson. Gibson, a Texan at heart, has risen to become a major force in the business of delivering the news in his 30-plus years in T.V. His style of up-front and bold political reporting has more and more viewers tuning into the Fox News Channel each day of the week for The Big Story with John Gibson at 5 p.m. EDT, and dialing in their radios to hear “The John Gibson Show” immediately after. So just how big is John Gibson, you ask? So big that he had his own touch of Ebay fame when a fan baked up a sugar cookie bearing a strong resemblance to the newsman. After receiving 62 bids, the cookie sold for a whopping $320 to one lucky bidder. Now onto how this California native came to call himself a Texan; it’s something that Gibson himself attributes to his wife, Susan. When the couple found themselves in New Jersey, Susan quickly found out that she was unable to pursue her passion for riding cutting horses, which led to the Gibsons traveling back and forth to Texas on a regular basis. From there, Gibson would go on to buy a little ranch near Gainesville, a show horse, a JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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brood mare, 10 cows and three great dogs. “What Texas has allowed me to do is live on a weekend or vacation and fly not too far. It is not like going back to California, so I am able to have a separate life,” says the news anchor of his weekly commute. Gibson, 60, has come to fully embrace the Texas way of life and cites his major hobby as restoring a certain 1936 International Harvester F12 tractor. “I have so far managed to unbolt one part of it, but there it sits, ready for me to restore - the classic F12 tractor that replaced the mule on the American farm,” says Gibson. The story of Gibson’s coming to own this F12 is one that he tells with vigor and excitement. After going to a tractor show in Texas and looking at the
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machines that had been restored to their original beauty by the farmers who loved them, Gibson says, “I got really stoked about it and I spotted this F12 on the side of the road and I bought it. When I get a little time, I am ready to rebuild the tractor.” For now though, Gibson is not skipping a beat. He already has published two books, Hating America: The New World Sport and The War On Christmas, and plans to write a third while anchoring one of the most popular news shows on Fox, hosting a radio show and working with his horses. Gibson’s job has taken him all over the world – from the small television station in California where his father, a television camera man, worked – to Somolia with NBC in 1992. He has had the pleasure of conducting thousands of interviews, but it seems that two in particular have left lasting impressions on him. Gibson’s favorite interviews have been with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and Paul Brimmer, the man who now runs Iraq, “because they are not only old enough to have this big long view back at history but they have done things that are in that history. They are just interesting guys to sit there and talk to,” says Gibson. One thing that he’s refreshingly upfront about is his love for reporting. “Reporters go out and knock on doors,” he says. “They find things out. They rush towards the flames instead of away from them. They rush towards the sound of gunfire rather than away. They do all the dumb things in life because the job requires it and they would probably have done it anyway because they are just those kinds of people.” Gibson also adds, “Do not discount that adrenaline. It is fun to go in there and get that story that no one else has.”
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TALKING SHOP with John Gibson > John Gibson ON IRAQ: Not the best of situations at the moment. I am still convinced it was the right thing to do for a huge number of reasons. I always wish things would go better but I remain completely convinced it was the right thing to do. > John Gibson ON HURRICANE SEASON: Big trouble. The hurricane trackers are saying the hot spots for this year’s hurricanes probably are not the Gulf Coast, but the east. If it is a mess up here, it is a real mess. The whole idea that those hurricanes could strike up here – that could be a real mess. > John Gibson ON PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I have never met him and I have never talked to him. I know nothing about him besides what is in the papers. I do not have a special relationship with him, but I have always liked him for a variety of reasons. I recognize him as a kind of typical guy. I like him and I think he made a decision on Iraq that other presidents have avoided – including his father. > John Gibson ON NATALEE HOLLOWAY: You know, American girls are supposed to come back alive. That is why that is a story. Aruba was treating the mother like she lost her camera, not her daughter. Of course it is an interesting story. > John Gibson ON BORDER PATROL: Quarter of the size needed. Bush says he is going to get the size up to 18,000. My guess is to effectively stop illegal immigration on the border it needs to be up to about 50,000. There should be way more wall or fence than there is now. None of these programs work unless you actually stop people at the border.
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KINKY 2006 ‘He adamantly insists that he isn’t a politician (just “a compassionate redneck”)’ by Lauren Smith Ford
T
the ballot, and in Texas, they have been successful for 147 years. We will be on the ballot, and every 150 years or so, there is a revolution in Texas, and I think this one is it. This one is coming.” Some may know Kinky Friedman from his country and western band, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, most popular in the 1970s with offbeat songs like “Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In The Bed” and “A$#shole From El Paso.” After the band broke up, he transformed into a mystery novelist and has written 24 books of varying genres. He adamantly insists that he isn’t a politician (just “a compassionate redneck”), and he doesn’t sing too often anymore (although he says there is a “little bit of Judy Garland” left in him), so it’s difficult to decide exactly what Friedman is. “It’s all just an extension of truth telling, starting with the music to novels, to running for governor. It’s all about telling the truth. It’s what Will Rogers did, what Mark Twain did, and what Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff did not do,” says Kinky over his Huevos Rancheros. “Jewish cowboys speak the truth.” The Friedmans moved to the Echo Hill Ranch, a
FAR LEFT/PHOTO: COURTESEY OF RANDAL FORD, LEFT: VAN AGOSTINI/GETTY IMAGES
he first time you see Kinky Friedman, it is a little bit like witnessing a tornado from the window of your home--you may have had some previous sense that he exists from looking at photographs, but when he is standing right there, it is surreal. As for me, my heart started pounding and I could not stop staring. When Kinky’s unmistakable silhouette emerged from around the corner of a building, pacing and crushing out a cigar before disappearing again, my husband uttered, “Holy moly, I feel like I just saw Jesus.” As Kinky and I weaved through a crowded Mexican food restaurant in Austin, Texas, diners put down their forks to shake his hand. Kinky seems to have infinite patience for hand-shaking and joke-telling despite his larger-than-life appearance. “Politics have become like the Crypts and the Bloods. If the Republicans and Democrats were big businesses, they would be in the Federal pen playing golf together right now,” says Kinky in his elevated, preacher-like voice as we sit down to eat. “They are doing anything to keep an independent voice off
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400-acre property in the Texas Hill Country, from Chicago in 1945, a year after Kinky was born. Kinky has lived in Texas most of life, with a few stints in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Chicago (of which he has written, “I lived there one year, couldn’t find work, and moved to Texas, where I haven’t worked since.”). Kinky has always felt most at home in the South. He still lives at Echo Hill, where he helps with the nearby Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch. “JFK’s complaint about D.C. was that the North had no charm. The South has it all--- history, tradition, and soul. That is why Texas is important – the children of the world look up to it because it’s the home of the cowboy,” explains Friedman. “The word cowboy should never be used to mean a bully. The cowboy is a knight, always looking out for the little guy. The children of the world know that--- it’s just the politicians who don’t.” He says that real cowboys are a dying breed, and that he typically dresses in cowboy
drag, adding that “It’s okay to think you are a cowboy as long as you don’t run into someone who thinks he is an Indian. A cowboy is someone who wants elbow room, and anybody who must have spiritual elbow room is probably a cowboy at heart.” Friedman’s plan for his governorship if - excuse me - when elected, calls for a thorough “dewussification of Texas.” He wants Texas to be the first in anything besides executions, toll roads and property taxes. He calls teaching the noblest profession and wants to give them raises. He wants someone like Lance Armstrong or Kris Kristofferson to take over educating Texas’ youth. Then, he has his close friend Willie Nelson on board as the energy adviser to handle bio-diesel and renewable fuels. He can’t believe that Texas invented Texas Hold ‘Em, yet you can’t even play it in Texas, so why not legalize casino gambling to pay for education? As his campaign slogan goes, “Why the hell not?” He’s for prayer in schools (“what’s
DAVE EINSEL/GETTY IMAGES
‘Kinky also says that he needs to win this race because he doesn’t have a job.’
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NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD The Confederacy’s Military Genius A documentary of General Nathan Bedford Forrest featuring commentary by Civil War author Shelby Foote. Presenting Rebel Forrest, the first documentary to look exclusively at the life of the Confederacyʼs “Wizard of the Saddle.” This film on Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest features expert analysis from Civil War writer Shelby Foote, Gen. Parker Hills, Nelson Winbush and others. Portrayed by Stan Dalton, Gen. Forrest comes to life in this objective work by director Jon Rawl. Ride with Forrest and discover for yourself the extraordinary life, controversy and myth that surrounds this Southern legend. Also available is the full 49 min. Shelby Foote Commentary on Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest audio interview CD, featuring commentary not heard in the documentary DVD/VHS.
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49 min. Audio CD
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6/29/06 2:43:07 AM
‘I am more in touch with real Texans than any politician ever born. born.’
bumper stickers + posters
& action figures at
www.kinkyfriedman.com 62
wrong with a kid believing in something?”) and gay marriage (“the gays have every right to be just as miserable as everybody else is”). He wants to name the four major highways in Texas after Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Bob Wills and Buddy Holly. (“The idea that musicians can better run the state than politicians is catching on. We are creative, problem solvers, although won’t get a whole hell of a lot done in the mornings,” he says.) Kinky also says that he needs to win this race because he doesn’t have a job. His latest book, Cowboy Logic, came out in May. So if he doesn’t win, it could be back to writing, or, as he puts it, “competing with dead guys like Robert Lewis Stephenson and Ernest Hemingway.” He says he can write a book in a short time in part because he doesn’t have family around, having never married. “For the first third of my life, I was too young. For the next part, I was too stoned. And now, I am old enough to sleep alone,” he says. “I am too young for Medicare and too old for women to care. I care about Texas.” He had to leave the table at the end of brunch for one of the about eight cigars he smokes daily. Admirers too shy to approach him at the table flooded outside. A young man approached him, interested in volunteering, along with an older Latino gentleman who wanted to tell Kinky, “You have my vote,” and another anxious devotee who brought out his cell phone so his dad, who just signed the petition to get him on the ballot, could say hello. A performer at heart, this is where he came alive, bouncing between people, calling them all by name. “This is how I should start doing my stump speeches,” he says. “Give me three minutes, and people walk away feeling good about me. But, after five minutes, I’ve lost them.” As he paces around, about to end his three-minute call, cell phone in one hand and cigar in the other, he says “I am more in touch with real Texans than any politician ever born, and that’s the key to this, being in touch with the spirit of Texas, which is, by the way, a very independent spirit. I am predicting that by November, the soul of Texas will be riding on this campaign, and the country will be watching a moment in history that we can grab.” Even if it seems that you have heard his one-liners a hundred times, you can’t help but root for him.
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i
t is hard to miss the yellow magnetic ribbons on the backs of cars driving down the interstate. There are “We Support Our Troops” messages to be found everywhere, from the pictures of deployed soldiers found on display at Wal-Mart to the signs in neighbors’ front yards; we are a nation that patiently awaits the return of all of our brave soldiers.
The United States is also a nation that looks to help in any way possible. It is because of this that we donate to local family support groups to send care packages overseas in hopes of making a soldier feel a little more at home. Even as we watch and hear the battle stories play and as the death toll in Iraq rises with each passing day, we, as a nation, stand behind our troops, waving our flags in undying devotion as we look for another way to say we care. One such show of patriotism can be found in the work of Dr. Robert Meaders, of Montgomery, Texas, and his endeavor to ensure that the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are a little safer. “Doc Bob” Meaders, 71, began the grassroots Operation Helmet in 2003 when his grandson Justin, a Marine, was told about upgrades for his Kevlar helmet. Meaders did the research on the helmet upgrade kits, sent them to his grandson’s company
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operation Helmet
f o o r P e h T e h t n i is
t e m l e H by Tabatha Hunter
“With Cher joining as our celebrity spokesperson, we should be able to make significant inroads on our waiting list, and maybe even keep current on requests from frontline troops,” Meaders says. Together Cher and Meaders have appeared before the House of Representatives and on C-SPAN to discuss the importance of the helmet kit for troops. To date, Meaders and Operation Helmet have shipped over 6,000 helmet upgrades to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has offered the kits free of charge to any service member currently in Iraq and Afghanistan or who will soon be deployed. With its quick installation, if a kit was ordered today, it would be on a soldier’s head within two weeks. If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation, visit www.operation-helmet.org or send an email to ophelm@operation-helmet.org
Dr. Robert Meaders greets Cher. JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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CHIP SOMODEVILLA-GETTY IMAGES, FAR RIGHT:AFP-GETTY IMAGES
and started a website making contributions towards helmet upgrades possible. The purposes of the upgrades are to make the Kevlar helmets more comfortable for troops wearing them and to increase the wearer’s safety. The padding keeps the helmets from rocking back and forth on a soldier’s head and absorbs shock to keep the helmet from knocking into a soldier’s head when rocked with IED blasts and similar attacks and accidents that could lead to head trauma. The $75-$100 helmet pads help save soldiers’ lives by decreasing the chance of brain injury. Operation Helmet gives 100 percent of its donations to purchase the helmet kits and ship them overseas, citing the group’s mission as a labor of love. A Vietnam veteran, former naval flight surgeon, dive master and ophthalmologist, Meaders says that he and his wife have donated between $500 and $1,000 a month to Operation Helmet. The cause attracted national attention when Oscar winning actress and singer Cher came on board to donate $131,000 to the cause.
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6/29/06 1:29:15 AM
cajun humor De Baptism
by Tommy Joe Breaux
Humorist Tommy Joe Breaux has been delighting the South with his cajun stories for years. Breaux has numerous tapes, videos and books available at www. tommyjoebreaux.com. 66
Hallo Y’all. If y’all are like me, y’all was baptize wan y’all was jus a little baby, an y’all don’t gots no recollection ‘bout dat big day. But people like ole Dizzy Dubuisson remember it as a day of total confusion. It seems like ole Dizzy was walkin’ ‘long de bayou (in Dizzy’s case it was more like staggerin’ ‘long de bayou) wan he run across Brother Begno Beorgeois havin’ one of his baptize services. Dizzy walk down in the bayou an stood next to Brother Begno, who notice him (and smell him) an axed him, “Brother are you ready to fine de LORD?” Dizzy say, “Oh yea, I’m ready.” Brother Begno den grab Dizzy and dunk him under water and pull him right back up and axed,
“Have you foun de LORD?” Dizzy say, “No, not yet.” Brother Begno grab him again an dunk him under de water again, but hole him a little bit longer dan de first time, den pull him up and axed him again, “Brother have you foun de LORD yet?” Dizzy say, “No sir, but I’m looking real hard, I garontee!” Ole Brother Begno grab him real good, dis time by de back of his head, an dunk him unda de water for at lease 30 second. An wan he pull ole Dizzy up he axed him real loud, “Did you fine de LORD dat time?” Dizzy, chokin’ an tryin’ to catch his breath, wipe his eyes an say, “No, but before you dunk me again I need to know, are y’all sure dis is ware he fell in?”
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grizzard Put Some South in Yo’ Mouth
A Barber To The Roots
by Lewis Grizzard
Lewis Grizzard (1946-1994) penned thousands of columns during his journalism career. Y’all Magazine is proud to showcase the late legend’s work in each issue. For more on Grizzard, log on to www.LewisGrizzard.com
A male barber cut my hair the other day. I couldn’t remember the last time such a thing happened. I always got my hair cut by a male barber for the first 20-plus years of my life. Where else would I have gotten my hair cut? The Curl ‘n Chat Beauty Salon? “Hi, Beatrice, see what you can do about these split ends, and did you hear the latest about the Bobbitts? Talk about taking a little off the top.” But at some point during my 20s, somebody - a woman, I’m certain - convinced me I shouldn’t go to a barbershop anymore to get my hair cut; I should go to a stylist instead. So I did. The primary difference between a barber and a stylist, most of whom were women, is that the magazines in the stylists’ shops were mostly for women, too, and the stylist charged about three times what the barber used to. But I kept going to stylists. Somehow, I guess I thought that going back to a barber would be like going back to wearing Old Spice. The stylist would have an assistant shampoo my hair first, and then the stylist would, well, style. Barber-cutting, I noticed, doesn’t take as long as styling. I had a stylist ask me once, “What kind of statement are you trying to make with your hair?” I didn’t know how to answer that. The barber used to forgo the shampoo unless you asked for one, and hair didn’t make statements back then. It just sort of sat there on the top of your head in utter silence, especially after the barber had cut it so short that about all it could have done was recite the military swearing-in oath. There’s sort of a long story about how I got back to a barber for my latest haircut. Let’s just say there was a convenience factor involved. The barber’s name was Jack Smith. He has a shop in Atlanta’s Airport Hilton. Jack Smith did a great job on my hair. He cut it the length I like, just touching the ears. He nailed those sideburns that always creep
down my cheek when I haven’t had a haircut in a while. When he finished, I looked into a mirror and my hair looked just as good or better than it did after all those expensive stylings I’ve had. Vidal Sassoon, his own self, probably couldn’t do a lot with my cowlick mop, but that’s beside the point. The point is, it was a nostalgic comfort being back in the hands of a barber. The things I’ve done in my life to please women, I thought, and I laughed, recalling my old barber at home who used to douse on a little Old Spice after my haircut and say, “Now, you smell like a boy dog.” One more thing about Jack Smith, the barber, and my haircut. Jack Smith didn’t turn out to be just Jack Smith. He was the Jack Smith I used to watch pitch for the baseball team that reared me, the old minor league Atlanta Crackers. THAT Jack Smith. Hard to believe. There I was getting a haircut from a barber who was also a boyhood idol. In the year 1960, when I was 13, Jack was a relief pitcher for Atlanta’s Dodger farm team that won the Southern Association’s pennant. We remembered some of his teammates together. Big Jim Koranda. Jim Williams. Pete Richert. Poochie Hartsfield. Tim Harkness. Jack later made it three seasons in the big leagues. “But that was when it was a sport, not a business,” he laughed, a way of saying he didn’t qualify for a pension. Jack said the fear of flying drove him out of baseball, and he’s been cutting hair ever since. I finally go back to a barber after all these years and he turns out to be THAT Jack Smith. “I like your haircut,” Dedra said to me later. She probably wouldn’t have understood if I had tried to explain it wasn’t just a haircut. It had been, as a matter of fact, at least a temporary settling of my restless soul.
“
I had a stylist ask me once, “What kind of statement are you trying to make with your hair?”
”
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wine
down south BARBECUE MEETS VINO
by Doc Lawrence
“As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.” Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind. Food and drink is something of a personal mantra for Southerners. Summer heat really drives up appetites and thirst, which is satisfied down here in delicious ways. What we do is barbecue, doing it superbly, combining fire, wood, smoke, meat and fowl. And wine, long-suppressed, is emerging as the perfect beverage for this Southern staple. Everything you ever wanted to know about barbecue is in the nooks and crannies of the South. Like the music of country, rock, gospel and jazz in America, good food and drink began somewhere in Dixie. To paraphrase Chick-fil-A founder, Atlanta’s Truett Cathey, we didn’t invent the pig, just the barbecue. We enjoy a good debate about what beverage goes best with food from the grill. I like wine. Mom is a sweet tea gal, and my NASCAR fan pals mostly drink cold ones. We change preferences only when we see the light. One thing we do agree on is taste. If it smells great and looks better than okay, then chances are it’s mighty good in the mouth. It’s well documented that wine is a growing force for enjoying barbecue. Maybe aesthetics are important. Wine is very pretty in a stemmed glass, and some of the bottle labels feature cute little critters like kangaroos and monkeys. And our ladies – the most beautiful on earth – really go for wine, particularly when it bubbles. Cooking Travels with Dave Eckert airs on 150 PBS stations. Eckert, a Kansas Citybased fellow who knows his barbecue, is a solid wine and barbecue advocate. “For me,” he asserts, “nothing is better with barbecue than Carmenere from Chile, Malbec from Argentina or a cru Beaujolais from France. Wine is just a superior beverage for America’s favorite cuisine.” LaGrange, Ga., nestled in West Georgia’s Chattahoochee Valley, is home to big Ben Thompson, a giant of a man who owns Katie’s, an astonishingly popular restaurant named after his daughter. Thompson, a former wine dealer, likes wine with his own style of pork barbecue. He advises that “fruity, lighter red wine, chilled a little, really mellows out the smoke and heat to
enhance the flavor.” Big Ben has never been suspected of giving in to his feminine side. Joseph Truex is Louisiana French, a former executive chef at renowned Chateau Élan near the University of Georgia and owns, with his wife Mihoto Obunai, Atlanta’s hottest new restaurant, Repast. “I make barbecue from pork belly which I serve with a reduction sauce made in a Carolina style,” the young chef told me. The wine he selected? Austrian Gruner Veltliner, white and aromatic, and served cold. I took a bite, washed it down with a glass of the great wine and declared Chef Joseph a genius. I collect cookbooks. The Ryman Remembers, a personal favorite, features recipes as tributes to country music legends. One, “Sunday Down South Barbecued Spareribs,” is a tribute to the great guitarist Chet Atkins, who produced most of the RCA recording sessions for Elvis. During the searing heat of the summer, I prepare this regularly and serve it with choices of chilled Spanish Rioja, Rose and Champagne. The Champagne bottles empty quickly. There is a message. The legendary gourmet cook Edna Lewis departed us this year, leaving behind secrets from her kitchen shared in many books. She, like all great Southern cooks, recognized that wine is not only a fabulous accompaniment to a plate of barbecue, but also a magical preparation ingredient. Miss Edna recommended almost a bottle of expensive Port wine in her recipe for pork loin. A friend made this and before the feast, my toast was a borrowed line from Fannie Flagg’s classic, Fried Green Tomatoes: “The secret’s in the sauce.” Charles Cowart owns Mill Pond Vineyards, a Muscadine grape and wine producer near South Georgia’s Florida border, supplying an impressive number of Southern wineries with his All-American grapes. “Slow fermented Muscadine wine is near perfect with slow cooked, spicy Southern barbecue,” he told me. “And finish the meal off with our Gold Reserve dessert wine and banana pudding.” Recently, I ate and drank just as Mr. Cowart advised. It was my little way of honoring Miss Scarlett’s proclamation.
Doc Lawrence writes about wine and Southern cuisine from his homes in Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale. Doc is 2005 Chairman, Food and Beverage Section, Public Relations Society of America and welcomes comments: doc@yall.com. 68
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blue collar
Git-R-Done in the Sun!
by Larry the Cable Guy
For more on Blue Collar comedian Larry the Cable Guy, log on to www.LarryTheCableGuy.com
I live in Sanford, Fla. I actually went through ninth grade in Nebraska. I was born in a small town of about 1,200 [Pawnee City, Neb.]. The closest fast food restaurant was about 35 miles away. I think they had a McDonald’s come into town. It was a big farming community – a lot of cows and pigs. My dad had pinto horses and he was a dealer for pinto horses as well. In his spare time, we had some cattle and I raised pigs and we grew up next to the sale barn. Every Thursday I’d run home from school and grab my whip and go unload cattle trucks all day. So we moved to West Palm Beach, Fla., and I sure missed Nebraska the first year and a half. And then I started realizing, wow, there’s a store open 24 hours a day and you can go get anything you like. And there are more than eight girls in town! Some people claim that Florida is not really the South. Well, then they ain’t been to Florida. If they’ve only been to Miami Dade and Palm Beach County, that’s understandable. Because when you get out of Palm Beach, you’re in South Georgia.
“
We moved to Florida because my daddy got a job as a principal of a school down there. Oddly enough, I was actually the son of a preacher. My daddy was a preacher, but then he got a job as a teacher. My dad was the only guy who could make the Jehovah’s witnesses go, “Look, we really gotta be getting the hell out of here. He can talk.” My dad, who recently passed away, wasn’t one to get out and mix it up with anybody. He stayed at the house. He never saw any of my shows. My mom would come. She thought they were funny. He liked some of it. When I first started he kind of thought it was a fad and I would get over it, and then he realized it was something I wanted to do. I don’t think he was too into it. Then I started touring with Jeff Foxworthy and he liked that a lot better when I got on the Blue Collar tour. He watched Blue Collar tapes and he liked all that. Then I started getting into the Disney Pixar cartoons and doing voiceovers for the cartoons and he liked that. Dad realized I started in comedy because I couldn’t do nothing else.
Some people claim that Florida is not really the South. Well, then they ain’t been to Florida.
”
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what southern women
know
Away Down South In Dixie
by Ronda Rich
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should) and The Town That Came A-Courtin’.
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Any sufficiently self-righteous Southerner is always significantly and appropriately indignant whenever we’re chastised for using the word “Dixie.” And heaven forbid we should ever consider humming the song by the same name. In my last earthly act of rebellion, I am demanding that the song be played at my funeral, just before the church choir sings “I’ll Fly Away.” I am of good faith that I will make it to Heaven for my just rewards, but should I not, I will definitely be wishing that I was home in Dixie. The song “Dixie” was a childhood favorite of mine. I remember clearly that as a young schoolgirl, my class would rise each morning to say the Pledge of Allegiance, the Lord’s Prayer and alternately sing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” or “Dixie.” Now I discover that my childhood was politically incorrect. Civil liberty radicals now say that you shouldn’t be praying in school, pledging allegiance to a country “under God” or singing “Dixie.” Critics say their opposition to both the word “Dixie” and the song is linked to the dark past of the South and the slavery associated with a tiny minority of Southerners. My ScotchIrish ancestors couldn’t afford slaves. Goodness gracious, they could barely afford to eat and, in fact, many times, they didn’t. They were enslaved to the stubborn soil that sometimes refused to yield crops and a poverty that was often relentless. Yet, I feel confident that those same ancestors, who sought comfort from stories and songs, often played “Dixie” on their fiddles and sang the toetapping, joyous song. Here’s a news flash: That song for which Southerners are beat up and ridiculed was, in actuality, written by a Yankee. Yep, that’s right. A Yankee wrote the song that Southerners latched onto and stick to like a bowl of hot, creamy grits stick to an empty stomach. When “Dixie” was written almost 150 years ago in 1857, it was, most likely, part of a well thought-out conspiracy. That Yankee, Ohio native Daniel Emmett, was probably thinking, “There’s going to be a Civil War and this song will become the anthem for
the Confederacy. It’ll even be played at the inauguration of their president, who will probably be Jefferson Davis. We’ll beat ‘em in the war and then we’ll turn around and use this song against them as ammunition for the rest of eternity. We’ll claim that them singing this song proves just how wedded to social injustice they all are.” It was all part of an elaborate conspiracy. Now, here’s the official story (wink) of how “Dixie” came to be written. Daniel Emmett was a wandering minstrel who played in circus bands. As a side note, he also happens to be the composer of “Turkey In The Straw,” a song that turkeys have yet to disavow. Emmett and his band members were in need of a knee-slapping ditty, so he composed the melody then added the lyrics. The first line of the song, “I wish I were in the land of cotton,” was inspired by a colloquial phrase of the circus workers. Each year when autumn arrived and the chilly frost chased them down, the tent men would repeatedly mumble among themselves, “I wish I was down in Dixie,” a bow to the warmer climate. Now, that’s what the legend says, but you and I (wink) know it was all a big conspiracy. We were being set up years before the Civil War broke out. And then we, in all of our Southern naiveté with our sweet-spirited ways, fell for it. Swooshhh. Just like that, we fell prey to the Northern buzzards that now pick the bones of our innocent flesh. And just where did the word “Dixie” originate? Some say it was a slang term for the land below the Mason-Dixon Line, but more evidence points to New Orleans and a French influence. Dix means ten in French so a ten-dollar note became known as a “Dixie” in the early 1800s. Again. A perfectly innocent word twisted into guilt by association. Or was that, too, a conspiracy designed to haunt Southerners into eternity? Here’s what I do know: Even back in the mid-1800s, as evidenced by the circus legend, Yankees were pining away to move South. Now, they don’t just pine for it, they do it. Which proves that it can’t be too bad way down here in Dixie.
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star gazing PRACTICAL WHIMSY southern hospitality hollywood style
by Joe LoCicero
Georgia-bred and L.A.-based lifestyle expert Joe LoCicero has been bringing Southern hospitality to the Hollywood scene for the past dozen years as an author, TV writer, and entertaining guru. His current book is The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Clear Thinking (Penguin 2005), with his next release slated for January. For practical-yet-whimsical gifts and tips, visit PRACTICALWHIMSY.com.
For a Summer Party, Impress for Less An HGTV show called Double Take takes a gazillion dollar designer room and tries to re-create a facsimile of it for a couple of thousand dollars. While some results are more successful than others — let’s face it: it’s a wee bit difficult to find true-looking Ming dynasty pieces at your local Lamps Plus — the show can be very empowering and inspiring. In fact, it fosters a mindset to — room make-overs aside — attempt expensive-looking projects of all manner and scope at a fraction of the cost. For instance, taking that approach into the party-throwing arena, know that you really can impress for less, particularly if you’re giving a party this summer, drawing people outdoors for a balmy evening’s worth of fine food, cocktails, dessert, and conversation. Having been in charge of parties with budgets in the tens (and even, yikes, hundreds) of thousands of dollars, I would take in some of the event’s most memorable or aweinspiring aspects – and then figure out how to incorporate those key ingredients for a speck of that sum on the home front. When setting out to de-mystify and de-construct a glamorous party that you might attend, concentrate on certain aspects that wow you, and try to determine how you might do up a design doppelganger. When you attend a party, what impresses you? What do you wish you could re-create? What’s an element that might not be “you,” but that you could twist to make your own? As you’re gearing up for your next party, try some of these favorite tips to impress for less, culled from Hollywood party attending and throwing:
Flowers rock. If your budget won’t allow having arrangements brought in, go on-line for inspiration and create your own. For instance, L.A.’s Tic-Tock Couture Florals (at tictock.com) present amazing artistry to take in. (Or if your budget is amenable, order up!). For less then $15, you can get two dozen-stem bouquets at Costco, and — with inspiration from your favorite florists — prepare your own arrangements. They can be simple: simply strip the leaves off roses and put them in glass vases throughout your home. Everybody looks better by candlelight. Lighting can be so harsh. Instead of flicking on all the light switches in your house, consider using lots of votives for your party decorations. They cut down on the glare, and add an elegant touch. Plus, they’re cheap: Pier 1, IKEA, and Target all offer up large selections of both holders and candles. Bedeck tables with custom cloths. Don’t opt for vinyl cloths or just use the ones you have when you can make tablecloths very easily. For instance, Joann Fabrics (or a local fabric store) often will put closeout designer fabrics on sale. Find one that fits your color scheme, have it measured, and hem the edges. If you don’t sew, don’t worry: a fabric adhesive named Stitch Witchery (available at craft stores) lets you “hem” the edges with just an iron. Invest in a bartender. Particularly if you’re serving cocktails, having a bartender lends class, ease, and function to an event. A bartender often comes with his or her own “tools,” and provides a high degree of service for a modicum of cash. You can check out Craigslist.com for possibilities.
First off, take a picture of your party space. There’s something about a photo that truly helps you examine party flow, where the bar and food stations can be set up, what furniture placement will work to foster conversation, etc. In using hotel ballrooms or restaurants for parties, we always worked from a map or floor plan. Try the same for your home before diving in to set up.
Don’t rent glasses or use paper products. Go ahead and buy what you need. The convenience of having real plates, wine glasses, and silver on hand for parties is considerable, and — once you make the initial investment — saves money in the long run. Plus, serving on non-disposable ware adds another layer of class to the proceedings. Simple ceramic white plates and stainless steel cutlery aren’t that expensive either. Check out 99¢ Stores, Pick two colors and carry them through. So simple Big Lots, or Tuesday Morning for a host of it sounds silly, bring cohesion to your party options. decorations by choosing one strong and one complementary color. Not only does it Don’t skimp on dessert. Don’t do desserts? You provide unity from invitations to favors, it also must have friends that are baking fiends. cuts down on decisions that need to be made If so, consider a dessert bar for the end of regarding decorations and accoutrements. the evening that friends have contributed (And you can even use the hues as a cue to to. Partygoers want sweets; they’ve allowed design your own tailor-made event-colored a “party” to be the excuse for temporarily cocktail). breaking a diet. Don’t disappoint them!
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ms. ms. grits grits My True Love
by Deborah Ford
Deborah Ford is the founder of Grits® Inc. (Girls Raised in the South), a multi-million dollar merchandising company. Ford is the author of the best-selling GRITS, Guide To Life, and Puttin’ On The GRITS, a Southern Guide to Entertaining. Her newest, Grits Friends Are Forevah is now available. Contact “Ms. Grits” via email at msgrits@yall.com 72
Everybody knows that there is no greater love in the world than the kind that a Southern man feels for his vehicle. A boy from the South can be seduced by and remain forever faithful to just about anything with four wheels. Whether it’s a car, a pickup or even a tractor, a Southern man will always be faithful to his four wheels. Down here below the Mason-Dixon Line, vehicular love starts at an early age. From Tennessee to Texas, every red-blooded American male will cut his teeth on a good Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. While good Southern girls are in the kitchen with their mamas learning how to make pleasant conversation and prepare a proper corn-pudding casserole for their future mates, Southern boys are outside with their daddies. In their front yards and garages, fathers are teaching their sons how to love, honor and respect the chrome of an automobile. Long before they even think about stealing their first kiss, Southern boys are fantasizing about owning their first set of wheels. You can tell a Southern boy by the pride he takes in his car, and by the casual skill (some might say recklessness) with which he drives it. Southern men love their cars. Even if all he can afford is a beat up Gremlin, the piece of rust holds a special place in his heart. In the South, a man and his car are like a cowboy and his horse, and even if it’s a gray old nag, he’s going to treasure it. All over the South, you’ll see the saddest double-wides hanging on to dear life with nothing but a little duck tape and caulking, but out back there’s a polished muscle car, a V-8 under the hood and polished leather on the seats. A car to a Southern man is what a hair dryer is to a Southern woman; sure it’s just a machine, but it’s one he’d nevah, evah do without. We might wish that they’d forget that car long enough to take out the garbage or rake the lawn, but they’re only men, poor things, and they just can’t help themselves around an engine. I’ll admit it took me years to understand what all the fuss was about, but now I know. Over the past year I’ve developed the ardent, abiding kind of affection for my own vehicle: a bright red 1985 BMW 631 coupe. Unlike my previous husbands, Bless His Heart One through Four, this car is my soul mate – my one True Love. From the minute I first laid my eyes on my vehicle-to-be, it was love at first sight. Sleek-bodied, powerful, and
responsive, my True Love has everything necessary to satisfy my innermost needs and my deepest desires. My romance with my True Love had made it abundantly clear to me why my previous relationships with men have failed. It’s no secret that I’ve been unlucky in love a time or two, but at least now I know what my problem is. In the past, I made the grave mistake of directing all of my affection and attention toward unsuitable men. I loved every one of them, bless their hearts, but they were all wrong for me. I can see now that Bless His Heart One, a trusty sedan, was a serious mismatch. It’s true that he was very reliable, but everyone knows that a girl raised in the South needs a little excitement every now and then. Bless His Heart Two was even worse of a mismatch. He was a station wagon, safe, roomy and very practical for families, but he just didn’t have enough
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Whether it’s a car, a pickup or even a tractor, a Southern man will always be faithful to his four wheels.
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get-up-and-go. Bless His Heart Three was a flashy, sexy sports car. He could go from zero to sixty in no time flat, turn on a dime, and make your heart race and your hair fly at a hundred miles per hour. He was extremely eye-catching and very exciting, but he was also entirely too temperamental, and he just wasn’t cut out for bumpy roads or long road trips. By the time Bless His Heart Four came along, I just knew he was the man for me, a classy high performance luxury car. I was wrong. He turned out to very expensive and incredibly high-maintenance. His exterior was attractive, but on the inside he was cold and uncomfortable. Now that I have found my True Love, I’ve got everything I need. My red hunk of steel is both pretty and practical. It’s 20 years old, but it’s aged very well, and at this point all the kinks have been worked out. It’s got a great body, a big powerful engine, and a soft inviting interior. I am not really ready for another man in my life right now, but the next time I go shopping I’ll know exactly what to look for, the flesh and blood equivalent of my one True Love.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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A sister’s promise couldn’t save Suzy Komen from breast cancer. But one day it might save you. In 1982, Nancy Brinker made a promise to her sister, Suzy. She vowed to find a cure for breast cancer, the disease that took Suzy’s life. That promise marked the birth of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Since then, the Foundation has funded ground-breaking research, treatment innovations, education and screening programs. No, Suzy’s life could not be saved, but the crusade she inspired might one day save yours. Learn more at komen.org or call 1.800 I’M AWARE®.
This space provided as a public service. ©2006, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
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book review
Recipes from Mulate’s: The Original Cajun Restaurant In cookbook author and restaurant owner Monique Boutté Christina’s own words, Mulate’s is a “fun, family owned and operated restaurant that serves up authentic Cajun cuisine and features live Cajun music nightly.” Though you might not find some of the ingredients that they cook up at your local grocery store (alligator and brisket come to mind), the recipes, at the very least, sound interesting. Each recipe is packed full of the joie de vivre that Louisiana is famous for. Christina, who grew up in the heart of Cajun Country in Lafayette, La, has been taking things day by day in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now, less than a year later, she and her husband Murphy have re-opened two of her family’s restaurants in Louisiana, added another daughter to their family and authored a cookbook! Mulate’s (located at 201 Julia Street in New Orleans) was down and out for four months following Hurricane Katrina; they had one of the restaurants up and running again in January and the other in April. “The recovery was tough,” Christina says, and although they were badly looted and vandalized, they were lucky that the restaurants were insured. She adds that business is about 30 percent of what it used to be, and many employees have not returned to the city yet. Business costs have gone up, but they are expecting for business to also pick back up by the end of 2006. She quips, “When someone who is staying
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three nights in New Orleans eats at Mulate’s more than one time, I know we’re doing something right!” Christina’s father, Kerry Boutté, opened the first Mulate’s restaurant in 1980 in Beaux Bridge, La. He opened a location in Baton Rouge in 1988 and one in New Orleans in 1990. She began to work in the restaurant part-time in 1992 during college at LSU, and within six years had learned all the ropes and even took over managing the books. Although the location in Baton Rouge has since closed, one can still enjoy their famous Cajun cooking at the other two locations. Christina decided to pen the Recipes From Mulate’s (Pelican) cookbook because she loves to cook and she wanted to share her recipes with her customers, at their request. She had to condense recipes that made 15 gallons to suitable recipes for one gallon. Luckily, she had her mother to help out with making batches, making changes and taste-testing the amended recipes to perfection. With over 15 years in their New Orleans location, Mulate’s promises to continue serving up one-of-a-kind Cajun creations for generations to come. Monique’s favorites are the Zydeco Gumbo, Catfish Mulate and the homemade Bread Pudding. For your own Cajun dining experience, put on a little Zydeco music, sip a Hurricane and get to cooking! Reviewed by Meredith Dabbs
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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ZYDECO GUMBO 2 medium onions, diced 1 medium bell pepper, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 5 cloves garlic, diced 3 pkg. frozen cut okra, 10 oz. each 1 tbsp. oil 1 tbsp. Mulate’s Cajun Seasoning 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. black pepper 4 qt. water 1 cup roux 1 lb. 50/60 count shrimp, peeled 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into smaller pieces 1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick 3 cups cooked white rice In a large soup pot, sauté onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic and okra in oil for about 20-30 minutes. Add seasonings and stir until blended. Add water and bring to a boil. Add roux and stir until dissolved. Add shrimp and chicken pieces; bring back to a boil. Continue to boil for approximately 40 minutes. Add smoked sausage; boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the gumbo rest for 30-45 minutes. Serve over white rice. Serves 6-8. This is a customer favorite!
MULATE’S HOMEMADE BREAD PUDDING 6 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups whole milk 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup sugar 6 hamburger buns 1/2 cup raisins Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whip eggs and then add vanilla, milk and half-and-half. Mix well. Add sugar and mix well. Grease a 9x13 pan. Break hamburger buns into pieces and place in greased pan. Sprinkle raisins evenly throughout the bun pieces. Pour egg mixture over buns. Using your fingers, make sure that all bun pieces are soaked with the mixture. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. If you prefer a firmer texture, chill for about 2 hours, then reheat for serving.
BUTTER RUM SAUCE 1/2 stick butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream) 1/2 cup rum Melt butter. Add sugar and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add half-and-half and rum and cook for 5 more minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve warm over bread pudding. Serves 8-10. This dish is also a customer favorite.
JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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in memoriam
AARON SPELLING
PATSY RAMSEY
BILLY WALKER
Aaron Spelling, who created a massive number of hit TV series, including Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty, Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place, died from a stroke on June 23, 2006. He was 83. Spelling’s worth was estimated at $300 million. He was raised by poor immigrant Jew parents in Dallas, Texas, where he also graduated from Southern Methodist University.
The mother of slain child beauty queen Jon Benet Ramsey died in Atlanta on June 24, after a recurrence of ovarian cancer. Patsy Paugh Ramsey was 49. Jon Benet was found beaten and strangled in her parents’ Boulder, Colo., basement in 1996. A grand jury investigation ended with no indictments. The Ramseys left Colorado and had a residence in Atlanta.
Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker, 77, died in a tragic auto accident near Montgomery, Ala., on May 21. The accident also claimed the lives of Walker’s wife, Bettie, and two members of his band. Walker was born in Ralls, Texas, and his hits included “Charlie’s Shoes” and “Cross the Brazos at Waco.” He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1960
LLOYD BENTSEN
JOE BRODSKY
THOMAS COURVOISIE
Former U.S. senator and U. S. treasury secretary Lloyd Bentsen, who represented Texas in Congress for 28 years and was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 1988, died in Houston on May 23. He was 85.
JOHNNY GRANDE
SPELLING: ROBERT MORA/GETTY, RAMSEY: ERIK S. LESSER/NEWSMAKERS, WALKER/ OPRY.COM
Johnny Grande, an original member of Bill Haley & His Comets, who played piano on their hit “Rock Around The Clock,” died in Clarksville, Tenn., on June 3. He was 76.
HILTON RUIZ Jazz pianist and composer Hilton Ruiz died in New Orleans on June 6. Ruiz had gone to New Orleans to work on a Hurricane Katrina benefit project, and had been comatose since he fell in front of a French Quarter bar early on May 19. He was 54.
SONNY MONTGOMERY Former U.S. congressman Gillespie “Sonny” Montgomery, who was known as “Mr. Vet,” died at 85 in his hometown of Meridian, Miss., on May 12. His modernized legislation for veterans became known as the Montgomery GI Bill. He served the Magnolia State in congress for 30 years, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
DUANE ROLAND Southern rock band Molly Hatchet’s original guitarist Duane Roland died June 19 in St. Augustine, Fla. He was 53.
Former Dallas Cowboys running backs coach Joe Brodsky, who coached when the NFL team won three Super Bowls in the 1990s, died in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. after a long battle with prostate cancer, on May 25. He was 71. Brodsky was a fullback for the Florida Gators in the 1950s.
CECIL DOWELL Former Ole Miss basketball star Cecil Dowell was killed in a car crash in Como, Miss., on May 20. He was 45. Dowell, who played for the Rebels from 1980-84, helped lead the school to its only SEC Tournament title in 1981. At the time of his death, he was the assistant men’s basketball coach at Mississippi Valley State.
GEORGE BLACKBURN Former Virginia head football coach George Blackburn died in Dublin, Ohio, on May 15. He was 93. Blackburn coached the Cavaliers for six seasons, 1965-1970, and helped restore order to a team that had lost 28 straight before his arrival in Charlottesville, Va.
PHIL WALDEN Capricorn Records founder Phil Walden, who launched the careers of Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers Band, died in Atlanta, Ga., after a long battle with cancer, on April 23. He was 66. Walden was a pioneer in creating the Southern rock sound of the 1970s from his Macon, Ga.-based label, and remained a close friend of President Jimmy Carter.
Lt. Col. Thomas Courvoisie, the assistant commandant of cadets at The Citadel when future best-selling novelist Pat Conroy attended the historic Charleston, S.C., college in the 1960s, died at 89 on April 30. Also known as “The Boo,” Courvoisie is a central character in two of Conroy’s books, The Boo and The Lords Of Discipline.
JOHN KIMBROUGH Former Texas A&M fullback, movie star, and state legislator John Kimbrough died in Haskell, Texas, on May 8, after a bout with pneumonia. He was 87. Known as “The Haskell Hurricane,” Kimbrough finished second in the 1940 Heisman balloting. He appeared in two Hollywood westerns in 1942, before serving in World War II.
LOUISE SMITH The first woman inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Louise Smith was known as “The First Lady of Racing,” She was on the NASCAR circuit (1945–56), and won 38 modified events. She died of cancer in Greenville, S.C., on April 15. The Barnesville, Ga., native was 89.
BILLY HITCHCOCK 1950s Major league star Billy Hitchcock, who later managed the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles and was the inaugural skipper of the Atlanta Braves in 1966, died in Opelika, Ala., on April 9. He was 89. The Inverness, Ala., native was a star athlete at Auburn University, where the baseball park is named in his honor. JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Y’ALL
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festive south July 1 - 5 Summer Motion 10K Race Live entertainment, car show, games for children, petting zoo, riverfront activities and much more. Ashland, KY 606-929-9700, www.summermotion.com ccharles@townsquarebank.com July 1 - 29 An Appalachian Summer Festival Four-week festival held on the Appalachian State University campus featuring music, dance, theatre and visual arts. Boone, NC 800-841-2787, www.appsummer.org boxoffice@appstate.edu July 1 - 2 Jonesborough Days A living historic town - Jonesborough -Tennessee ‘s oldest town and the storytelling capital of the world, offering family fun and events. Jonesborough, TN 423-753-1010, www.jonesboroughtn.org lisamvc@earthlink.net July 1 Sights and Sounds at Kerr Lake Independence Day Weekend Celebration Family event celebrating our nation’s independence featuring live entertainment, food vendors and fireworks. Henderson, NC 866-438-4565, www.kerrlake-nc.com vctourism@gloryroad.net
July 14 - 15 Blue Angels Air Show The Navy’s world-famous Blue Angels perform supported by civilian and other military performers. Pensacola Beach, FL, 800-635-4803, www.visitpensacolabeach.com blitchfield@visitpensacola.com July 14 - 22 Daviess County Lions Club Fair This annual county fair features carnival rides, animals, beauty pageants, truck & tractor pulls and much more. Owensboro, KY 270-729-4594, www.daviesscountyfair.com info@visitowensboro.com July 14 - 22 Fun Fest Visitors come for the Crazy 8’s 8K run, the Tour de Possum Creek bike rides, the concerts and the hot air balloon launches. Kingsport, TN 423-392-8800, www.funfest.net funfest@funfest.net July 14 Gallery Night: Midsummer Night’s Eve Experience the essence of downtown Pensacola with street performers, beautiful art galleries and more. Trolleys running. Pensacola, FL 850-432-9906, www.artsnwfl.org hholloway@artsnwfl.org
July 3 - 4 Freedom, Fanfare and Fireworks 4th of July Celebration brings national, regional and local performances to the First Coast, features Tall Ship tours, fun children’s activities and more. Jacksonville, FL 904-630-3690, www.coj.net events@coj.net
July 15 - 16 19th Annual Cajun Music and Food Festival A true celebration of the Cajun heritage, highlighting all aspects of Cajun life including food, music and culture. Lake Charles, LA 800-456-7952, www.visitlakecharles.org info@visitlakecharles.org
July 4 16th Annual Patriot Festival Outstanding entertainment, free admission, fun for the entire family. Pigeon Forge, TN 800-251-9100, www.mypigeonforge.com inquire@mypigeonforge.com
July 19 - 30 Georgia Mountain Fair Twelve days of fun-filled activities. “Old Ways” demonstrations, flower show, photo exhibit, music daily. Hiawassee, GA 706-896-4191, gamtfair@alltel.net www.georgia-mountain-fair.com
July 4 Music City Independence Day Concert spectacular and an evening of free entertainment, fun and fireworks. Nashville, TN 800-657-6910, www.visitmusiccity.com nashcvb@musiccityusa.com
July 23 - 29 W.C. Handy Music Festival Festival honoring William Christopher Handy, “Father of the Blues,” celebrates the blues and jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, gospel and contemporary music. Florence, AL 256-766-9719, www.wchandymusicfestival.org ngonce@bellsouth.net
July 10 - 15 70th Annual Lexington Junior League Horse Show The world’s largest outdoor saddlebred horse show providing an opportunity for spectators and exhibitors to relish in the beauty of saddlebred horses. Show is the primary fundraiser for the Junior League of Lexington. Lexington, KY 859-252-1893, www.lexjrleague.com gen@lexjrleague.com July 14 - 23 Beaufort Water Festival Family-oriented fun featuring a variety of free or low-cost nightly events and weekend activities from sporting matches to musical entertainment. Beaufort, SC 843-524-0600, www.bftwaterfestival.com info@btwaterfestival.com
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July 28 - 29 Marshland Festival This festival is hopping with hot Cajun Bands, featuring exhibits, games, arts and crafts booths, food and more. Lake Charles, LA, 800-456-7952, www.visitlakecharles.org info@visitlakecharles.org Aug. 2 - 5 North Carolina Watermelon Festival A wonderful family-oriented heritage tourism event. Enjoy entertainment, amusement rides, fireworks, watermelon contests and North Carolina’s largest agricultural parade. Murfreesboro, NC 252-398-5922, www.murfreesboronc.com ncheritage@earthlink.net
Aug. 3 - 5 51st Annual Robbins Farmers Day Enjoy live entertainment including blue grass bands, street dances, clogging and square dancing, pottery auction, lawn tractor pull, petting zoos, food and more. Robbins, NC 910-464-1290, www.robbinsfarmersday.com contact@robbinsfarmersday.com Aug. 3 - 6 Satchmo Summerfest Celebrate the lasting influence of jazz icon, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong through live music, Louisiana cuisine, jazz, lectures and seminars. New Orleans, LA 800-673-5725, www.satchmosummerfest.com feedback@fqfi.org Aug. 4 - 6 Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza Wildlife enthusiasts can see demonstrations of the bounty and diversity of natural fauna found in Mississippi through fishing, photography, hunting and camping programs Jackson, MS 601-206-5703, www.mswildlife.org mstarnes@mwf.org Aug. 4 - 5 Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair 50th Anniversary Live music, craft and food vendors, helicopter rides, street dances all in the town square. Burnsville, NC 828-682-7413, www.yanceychamber.com info@yanceychamber.com Aug. 4, 5, 11, 12 Summer Evening Concerts at Biltmore Estate The brightest musical stars, the most stunning sunsets and the most breathtaking views are highlighted by sensational performances at the Biltmore House. Ashville, NC 800-543-2961, www.biltmore.com happenings@biltmore.com Aug. 12 - 14 4th Annual Spring Time in the Smokies A gathering of top bluegrass musicians share one stage for two days of concerts, offered free of charge, in Patriot Park. Pigeon Forge, TN 800-251-9100, www.mypigeonforge.com inquire@mypigeonforge.com Aug. 12 - 19 7th Annual Celebrate Freedom An eight-day salute to America’s veterans, patriots and heroes with a musical, theatrical journey through America’s military history. Pigeon Forge, TN, 800-251-9100, www.mypigeonforge.com inquire@mypigeonforge.com Aug. 17 - 20 Two State Rodders VI Anniversary Nationals Largest Street Rod show in Louisiana featuring over 400 pre-1949 custom autos, with food, entertainment and more. Hammond, LA 985-878-9221 Aug. 18 - 26 Wilson County Fair Nine days of fun for the entire family include entertainment, rides, pageants, agricultural exhibits and much more. Lebanon, TN 615-443-2626, www.wilsoncountyfair.net wilsoncountyfair@wilsoncounty.com
Aug. 19 - 20 First Security Bank Woodland Art Fair A juried art fair with 200 artists from across the U.S. One main stage featuring music from some of the region’s best musicians from bluegrass to contemporary. Familyfriendly activities add to the list of fun. Lexington, KY 859-254-7024, www.lexingtonartleague.org info@lexingtonartleague.org Aug. 19 Multi-Cultural Festival A daylong festival highlighting different customs from different countries with music, dance, ethnic costumes and food. Owensboro, KY 270-684-1467, www.visitowensboro.com info@visitowensboro.com Aug. 23 - Sept. 2 68th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration The oldest continually-running event in the state. Champions in 29 different divisions will be crowned. Also featured: a trade fair, stable decorating, barbecue cookout and much more. Shelbyville, TN 931-684-5915, www.twhnc.com twhnc@twhnc. com Aug. 23 - 27 East Coast Surfing Championships North America‘s oldest surfing contest, over 100 professional surfers compete. Also includes a 5K run, beach volleyball competitions, live entertainment and more. Virginia Beach, VA 888-787-3272, www.surfecsc.com publicrelations@surfcsc.com Aug. 26 - 27 The Aiken Soccer Cup One of the Southeast’s largest soccer tournaments for players ages 9-19 held at the Polo Fields and Aiken’s beautiful Citizen’s Park. Aiken, SC 803-643-3481, www.aikensoccerclub.org afsmills@bellsouth.net Aug. 26 - 27 9th Annual San Sebastian Harvest & Grape Stomp Grape stomping competitions run throughout the entire weekend. Visitors can participate in tours of the winery, learn the winemaking process and more. St. Augustine, FL 888-352-9463, www.sansebastianwinery.com Aug. 31 - Sept. 4 Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Event honors two industries that have been the economic lifeblood of the community with music, food, arts and crafts and children’s events. Morgan City, LA 985-385-0703, www.shrimp-petrofest.org info@shrimp-petrofest.org Aug. 31 - Sept. 3 Warrenton Horse Show Horse & Rider combinations in classes for hunters, jumpers, junior jumpers and more, along with the always-popular terrier races. Warrenton, VA 540-347-9442,
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
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