Thanks to those of you who sent suggestions for comedy shows to watch yesterday since I didn’t have the Tennessee Vols on TV to laugh at yesterday. I did get on YouTube, but I ended up finding not a comedy act, but a TV show I have not watched in many, many years.
Petticoat Junction is the story of Kate Bradley, who along with her uncle Joe runs the Shady Rest Hotel, located on a railroad line halfway between the towns of Hooterville (also the setting for the TV show Green Acres) and Pixley. Kate is assisted running the hotel by her three adult daughters: boy-crazy blonde Billie Jo; bookworm brunette Bobbie Jo; and tomboy redhead Betty Jo. The Clampetts (Beverly Hillbillies) are distant cousins of folks in Hooterville and paid them several visits over the course of the series.
All men should watch the episode above and pay close attention to the things Billie Jo does, and which Kate teaches Bobbie Jo to do. It may be 46 years later, but not much has changed. Within minutes of pressing play I decided Betty Jo was the character I identified with the most. She’s a keen observer of people, as am I.
My only complaint with the episode embedded here is that grocer Sam Drucker does not appear. Sam Drucker is awesome.
So anyway, 11:00 came around and I went to Bardog to watch the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas game. It was a good thing I got there right at 11, because by 11:02 the bar had filled up with people celebrating Pride Day. Now, when the bar fills up with one group of people, like frat boys (or worse) Tennessee fans (or worse) pedal party bike riders, I often get annoyed. Not so with the Pride people. They were so cool! One of them reads my blog and included me in their round of breakfast shots. It was a pleasure to share a bar with them, and I hated it that other plans prevented me from coming down to Beale to see their parade.
Early on in the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, the handlers of Tusk IV, the Arkansas mascot, gave a gift bag to the handlers of Reveille, the collie that is the Aggies’ mascot. It contained dog toys, grooming products, and treats. Now that’s my Hogs! They may not win a lot of football games, but they are a total class act.
The Hogs did lose… but just barely. They were a threat right up until the final minute, when they turned the ball over on downs, giving the Aggies a 31-27 win. Arkansas proved it could hold its own with a Top 25 team in the SEC West. There was a guy at Bardog wearing a Tennessee Vols shirt, and as he watched the game he had this look on his face like, “Now there’s absolutely no doubt we’re the worst team in the SEC, and it isn’t even close.”
Let’s take a look at what’s coming up next week for the three teams I root for:
- Memphis: Plays at Louisiana-Monroe at 2:45 Saturday on ESPNU. Go ahead and enjoy, Memphis, it doesn’t hurt for Tigers to be fed a cupcake now and then.
- Arkansas: Bye week
- Whoever plays Tennessee: #3 Georgia plays Tennessee at Neyland Stadum at 6 PM on ESPN. ESPN gives Tennessee an 8.7% chance of winning. Maybe if Georgia’s bus breaks down and they miss the game. Otherwise it’s going to be a bloodbath.
I hung out at Bardog until my friends Randy and Theresa arrived at 3. They did Bloom’s latest creation, the Elvis shot, and I did one too.
The Elvis consists of Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, banana liqueur, and half & half. Very good!
As I posted that photo to Facebook, I realized something. You know how the first Saturday of December is always really busy? There’s the St. Jude marathon in the morning, conference championship football games on TV all day, Stumbling Santa at 7, the Ariana Grande concert at FedExForum at 7:30, Drew & Elie Holcomb’s Neighborly Christmas at the Orpheum at 8, and both the Tigers and Grizzlies play away games that will be televised that evening. However, this year something else falls on the first Saturday of December: THE TROLL’S BIRTHDAY. Oh my God. The first couple of birthdays, you can get by without doing much, but by the time they turn 3 they understand the concept of having a birthday and expect a party and presents and a cake. I know where she’s going to want to have the party too: Max’s Sports Bar, which will be jam-packed due to all the important games on TV that day.
I guess I need to look at the bright side: At least Max’s won’t be full of Vols fans that day. They ain’t going nowhere near the SEC championship game.
The Daily Memphian has a photo gallery of the Memphis Pride parade and celebration yesterday.
This morning, once again I found myself up early with lots of time to kill. I pulled up the WWE Network and found the latest NXT UK Takeover event, where WALTER defended the WWE United Kingdom championship against Tyler Bate, the first man to ever hold that title. If you’re on the network, this match is a must-watch. Absolutely superb. I may have to start watching NXT UK on a weekly basis. Sometime in the next two years, WALTER is going to get called up to the main roster and Brock Lesnar will pass the torch to him as the dominant, nearly unstoppable monster heel.
Let’s see what’s going on around town today… Memphis Japan Festival is out at the Botanic Garden today. Hahahahaha… one of my South Main readers is going to have to choose between that and going to someone’s 42nd birthday party. If he’s smart he’ll pick the Japan festival. Think of all the opportunities to post pics of sushi and Japanese beer in a green koozie to Instagram!
As I previously blogged, Memphis 901 FC Family Day on Beale Street happens from noon to 2. Bring your kids out for activities with the players.
G and the Crew will celebrate one year of playing at Tin Roof with a free show today at 2.
Otherwise it’s the same stuff that goes on every Sunday. The Rusty Pieces at Belle Tavern… Hangover Hangout at Atomic Rose… Sunset Yoga at Memphis Park… good choices, all of them.
My tentative plan for the day is a couple of hours at Bardog, a couple of hours at Silly Goose, and I’m contemplating heading down to Loflin Yard for Cerrito Bingo. That Loflin stop I am not sure is going to happen because it’s so damn hot outside. MemphisWeather.net is predicting 95 for this afternoon. Normal high for today is 80. Geez. Anyway, I’m outta here, back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.