Capt_Redneck

Saw this from my homepage......Pretty good article on Jonny Knoxville. A bit strange but interesting...... http://www.optonline.net/Entertainment/Article/Feeds?CID=type%3Dxml%26channel%3D31%26article%3D15390616 Knoxville a Southern Mix of Contradictions During a recent interview with Johnny Knoxville, the "Dukes of Hazzard" star suggests drinking a round of tequila shots "stuntman"-style, which entails snorting the salt and squirting the lime juice in your eye. That's what you'd expect from the guy who created "Jackass," the MTV reality series that made self-induced pain fashionable and made the charismatic Phillip John Clapp from Knoxville, Tenn., an instant star. Only he's not that guy _ not all the time. He looks like that guy, with the trademark smoked aviator sunglasses, faux-hawk hairstyle and facial scruff. But sitting in a hotel bar, the 34-year-old Knoxville is unerringly polite, addressing a waiter as "sir" and his interviewer as "ma'am" in a low, slow voice with a slight twang that emerges now and again. He speaks earnestly about the forces that shaped him growing up (the music of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, the writing of Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson) and those that influence him now (his wife, Melanie, and their 9-year-old daughter, Madison, whose name is tattooed over his heart). His iPod also contains entire sections of Broadway show tunes and Barbra Streisand songs. Not that there's anything wrong with that. This combination of contradictions _ rowdy party boy coupled with sensitive romantic _ has prompted comparisons to a number of Hollywood icons. "Dukes" director Jay Chandrasekhar likens Knoxville to Burt Reynolds, or a "funny Steve McQueen." John Waters, who directed Knoxville last year in the sex comedy "A Dirty Shame," says he's both "a movie star and a great actor," and expects him to carve out an eclectic career similar to Johnny Depp's. Knoxville's acting coach in Los Angeles is reminded of Jack Nicholson. "They're both inappropriate men who are honest about themselves, and that's extraordinarily appealing," said Cameron Thor, whose clients include Sharon Stone, Drew Carey and Cameron Diaz. Knoxville's reaction to such comparisons? "Wow," he says, taken aback. "That's a really cool thing to say." After graduating from high school, the son of a tire company owner and a homemaker was inspired to move to Hollywood _ he named himself after his home town while writing freelance magazine articles _ by a copy of Kerouac's "On the Road." It was given to him by his cousin, country singer-songwriter Roger Alan Wade, at age 14. The location for this momentous event: a bar, which Knoxville had entered with a fake ID. "Jackass" came about by accident. He'd planned to try out self-defense equipment on himself _ pepper spray, Taser, etc. _ then write about the experience. His editor, Jeff Tremaine, suggested videotaping the stunt. A phenomenon was born. Skateboarding mishaps, intentional paper cuts, nipple-biting baby alligators _ Knoxville and his buddies did it all, both on the TV series, which ran from 2000-2002, and the movie, which Tremaine directed. He chose "Jackass" over the offer of a cast spot on "Saturday Night Live" because "I either say yes to my friends, where we had all the control, or yes to `Saturday Night Live' where none of my friends were really going to be there and I had no control." A series of supporting movie roles followed, including "Big Trouble," "Men in Black II," in which he played Lara Flynn Boyle's two-headed alien sidekick, and "Walking Tall" with The Rock. Earlier this year, he played pimped-out skateboarding promoter Topper Burks in "Lords of Dogtown." Whatever Knoxville does, though, some people still assume he's that "Jackass" dude, 24/7. Guys at bars have come out of nowhere and bashed him in the head (which has led to a few fights). Girls have burned him with cigarettes and lighters. "I kind of brought it on myself, so ..." he trails off. "Worse things could happen." When asked how he plans to show he's capable of more than "Jackass," he grows slightly defensive _ but remains polite. "I don't want to distance myself from `Jackass' at all. I'm proud of 'Jackass,'" he says. "It got me here and opened up all kinds of doors. It's something me and my friends did. I'm very, very proud of it." But his previous attempt at a meatier role was the little-seen and critically trashed dark comedy "Grand Theft Parsons" from 2003. Knoxville stars as Gram Parsons' road manager, Phil Kaufman, who steals the singer-songwriter's body to set it ablaze in Joshua Tree National Park. "After that movie _ I wasn't very proud of my performance _ I got an acting coach," Knoxville said. "He's just helped me a lot, so much, and the past five or six films I feel like I'm getting better with every film." Thor calls Knoxville "a natural actor _ he just didn't know it." But Katrina Holden Bronson, the writer-director of "Daltry Calhoun," believes she's already seen what he can do. In the movie, scheduled for fall release, Knoxville stars as the estranged father of a 14-year-old music prodigy. "I saw a depth and sensitivity to him that runs so deep," Bronson says. "... I just saw this reservoir of talent that I think is really going to blow people away." A big reason Bronson wanted Knoxville for the film was because he's a father in real life. And talking to Knoxville about his wife and daughter, he's clearly and understandably protective of them, especially when it comes to the rampant tabloid rumors about an affair with "Dukes" co-star Jessica Simpson. "I love the tabloids except for when I'm in 'em. Especially with the stuff they wrote about Jessica and I _ it's obviously not true," he volunteers without being asked about specific allegations. "They write these things and, you know, I've got a daughter and a wife and she's got a husband and it affects the families involved." Thor says, "For all the stuff he likes to get printed about himself _ he very carefully nurtures the image of the hard-drinking, (expletive)-all, who-gives-a-(expletive) ... he's extraordinarily considerate." In December, Knoxville will also star in "The Ringer," a comedy in which he poses as a contestant in the Special Olympics. The Farrelly brothers are the executive producers. Knoxville says it's not what you'd expect. © Copyright 2005 CSC Holdings, Inc.

Saw this from my homepage......Pretty good article on Jonny Knoxville. A bit strange but interesting...... http://www.optonline.net/Entertainment/Article/Feeds?CID=type%3Dxml%26channel%3D31%26article%3D15390616 Knoxville a Southern Mix of Contradictions During a recent interview with Johnny Knoxville, the "Dukes of Hazzard" star suggests drinking a round of tequila shots "stuntman"-style, which entails snorting the salt and squirting the lime juice in your eye. That's what you'd expect from the guy who created "Jackass," the MTV reality series that made self-induced pain fashionable and made the charismatic Phillip John Clapp from Knoxville, Tenn., an instant star. Only he's not that guy _ not all the time. He looks like that guy, with the trademark smoked aviator sunglasses, faux-hawk hairstyle and facial scruff. But sitting in a hotel bar, the 34-year-old Knoxville is unerringly polite, addressing a waiter as "sir" and his interviewer as "ma'am" in a low, slow voice with a slight twang that emerges now and again. He speaks earnestly about the forces that shaped him growing up (the music of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, the writing of Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson) and those that influence him now (his wife, Melanie, and their 9-year-old daughter, Madison, whose name is tattooed over his heart). His iPod also contains entire sections of Broadway show tunes and Barbra Streisand songs. Not that there's anything wrong with that. This combination of contradictions _ rowdy party boy coupled with sensitive romantic _ has prompted comparisons to a number of Hollywood icons. "Dukes" director Jay Chandrasekhar likens Knoxville to Burt Reynolds, or a "funny Steve McQueen." John Waters, who directed Knoxville last year in the sex comedy "A Dirty Shame," says he's both "a movie star and a great actor," and expects him to carve out an eclectic career similar to Johnny Depp's. Knoxville's acting coach in Los Angeles is reminded of Jack Nicholson. "They're both inappropriate men who are honest about themselves, and that's extraordinarily appealing," said Cameron Thor, whose clients include Sharon Stone, Drew Carey and Cameron Diaz. Knoxville's reaction to such comparisons? "Wow," he says, taken aback. "That's a really cool thing to say." After graduating from high school, the son of a tire company owner and a homemaker was inspired to move to Hollywood _ he named himself after his home town while writing freelance magazine articles _ by a copy of Kerouac's "On the Road." It was given to him by his cousin, country singer-songwriter Roger Alan Wade, at age 14. The location for this momentous event: a bar, which Knoxville had entered with a fake ID. "Jackass" came about by accident. He'd planned to try out self-defense equipment on himself _ pepper spray, Taser, etc. _ then write about the experience. His editor, Jeff Tremaine, suggested videotaping the stunt. A phenomenon was born. Skateboarding mishaps, intentional paper cuts, nipple-biting baby alligators _ Knoxville and his buddies did it all, both on the TV series, which ran from 2000-2002, and the movie, which Tremaine directed. He chose "Jackass" over the offer of a cast spot on "Saturday Night Live" because "I either say yes to my friends, where we had all the control, or yes to `Saturday Night Live' where none of my friends were really going to be there and I had no control." A series of supporting movie roles followed, including "Big Trouble," "Men in Black II," in which he played Lara Flynn Boyle's two-headed alien sidekick, and "Walking Tall" with The Rock. Earlier this year, he played pimped-out skateboarding promoter Topper Burks in "Lords of Dogtown." Whatever Knoxville does, though, some people still assume he's that "Jackass" dude, 24/7. Guys at bars have come out of nowhere and bashed him in the head (which has led to a few fights). Girls have burned him with cigarettes and lighters. "I kind of brought it on myself, so ..." he trails off. "Worse things could happen." When asked how he plans to show he's capable of more than "Jackass," he grows slightly defensive _ but remains polite. "I don't want to distance myself from `Jackass' at all. I'm proud of 'Jackass,'" he says. "It got me here and opened up all kinds of doors. It's something me and my friends did. I'm very, very proud of it." But his previous attempt at a meatier role was the little-seen and critically trashed dark comedy "Grand Theft Parsons" from 2003. Knoxville stars as Gram Parsons' road manager, Phil Kaufman, who steals the singer-songwriter's body to set it ablaze in Joshua Tree National Park. "After that movie _ I wasn't very proud of my performance _ I got an acting coach," Knoxville said. "He's just helped me a lot, so much, and the past five or six films I feel like I'm getting better with every film." Thor calls Knoxville "a natural actor _ he just didn't know it." But Katrina Holden Bronson, the writer-director of "Daltry Calhoun," believes she's already seen what he can do. In the movie, scheduled for fall release, Knoxville stars as the estranged father of a 14-year-old music prodigy. "I saw a depth and sensitivity to him that runs so deep," Bronson says. "... I just saw this reservoir of talent that I think is really going to blow people away." A big reason Bronson wanted Knoxville for the film was because he's a father in real life. And talking to Knoxville about his wife and daughter, he's clearly and understandably protective of them, especially when it comes to the rampant tabloid rumors about an affair with "Dukes" co-star Jessica Simpson. "I love the tabloids except for when I'm in 'em. Especially with the stuff they wrote about Jessica and I _ it's obviously not true," he volunteers without being asked about specific allegations. "They write these things and, you know, I've got a daughter and a wife and she's got a husband and it affects the families involved." Thor says, "For all the stuff he likes to get printed about himself _ he very carefully nurtures the image of the hard-drinking, (expletive)-all, who-gives-a-(expletive) ... he's extraordinarily considerate." In December, Knoxville will also star in "The Ringer," a comedy in which he poses as a contestant in the Special Olympics. The Farrelly brothers are the executive producers. Knoxville says it's not what you'd expect. © Copyright 2005 CSC Holdings, Inc.

It also had this as a little side article within the main article.... http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ffmov4360661jul31,0,3433260.story?coll=ny-television-headlines 1982 was a bad year KEVIN McDONOUGH July 31, 2005 If there is one thing that unites "Dukes" fans of every stripe, it is their outrage at the producers' decision to recast the show in the fall of 1982, replacing Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) with their cousins Coy (Byron Cherry) and Vance (Christopher Mayer). The change, which resulted from a salary dispute with Wopat and Schneider, was reversed the very next season, and the cousins were sent packing. Chris Nelson doesn't even want to talk about the faux "Dukes" season, but as vice president of CMT's promotional Dukes Foundation, he has his professional obligations. Nelson thinks Cherry and Mayer were chosen for their stylish ability to slide off the hood of the General Lee. "It's by far the best thing they did that season. Their acting was not so great. But a sweet hood slide...they nailed it every time." And the cousins controversy continues to make waves. Obliged to air every "Dukes" episode in sequential order, CMT recently re-entered the fateful 1982-83 season. "The first time we saw our ratings decline was when the cousins came on," says CMT executive James Hitchcock. "Our message board lit up: 'Who are these guys?'" But Hitchcock saw a silver lining even in this passing crisis. "It showed us we were attracting viewers who hadn't watched the show the first time. And once people were informed that Bo and Luke were returning, our ratings bounced back." "It just proves," says Hitchcock, "just how passionate people are about 'The Dukes.'" Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

It also had this as a little side article within the main article.... http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ffmov4360661jul31,0,3433260.story?coll=ny-television-headlines 1982 was a bad year KEVIN McDONOUGH July 31, 2005 If there is one thing that unites "Dukes" fans of every stripe, it is their outrage at the producers' decision to recast the show in the fall of 1982, replacing Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) with their cousins Coy (Byron Cherry) and Vance (Christopher Mayer). The change, which resulted from a salary dispute with Wopat and Schneider, was reversed the very next season, and the cousins were sent packing. Chris Nelson doesn't even want to talk about the faux "Dukes" season, but as vice president of CMT's promotional Dukes Foundation, he has his professional obligations. Nelson thinks Cherry and Mayer were chosen for their stylish ability to slide off the hood of the General Lee. "It's by far the best thing they did that season. Their acting was not so great. But a sweet hood slide...they nailed it every time." And the cousins controversy continues to make waves. Obliged to air every "Dukes" episode in sequential order, CMT recently re-entered the fateful 1982-83 season. "The first time we saw our ratings decline was when the cousins came on," says CMT executive James Hitchcock. "Our message board lit up: 'Who are these guys?'" But Hitchcock saw a silver lining even in this passing crisis. "It showed us we were attracting viewers who hadn't watched the show the first time. And once people were informed that Bo and Luke were returning, our ratings bounced back." "It just proves," says Hitchcock, "just how passionate people are about 'The Dukes.'" Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

My local paper had this piece mainly about the original show . I thought it was a pretty good article. It was from the entertainment section as the front cover of section was the pic ofrom the first season DVD... http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ffmov4360660jul31,0,3040043.story?coll=ny-television-headlines Southern Comfort The movie comes out this week, but on TV, reruns of the original 'The Dukes of Hazzard' have already found new fans attracted to the simple, down-home pleasures of the show BY KEVIN McDONOUGH Kevin McDonough is a freelance writer. July 31, 2005 Friday's release of the "Dukes of Hazzard" movie will certainly remind America of the good old boys from Hazzard, the gravity-defying General Lee and the censor-skirting outfits of the curvaceous Daisy Duke. But what about the original CBS show (1979-85), a goofy hour-long showcase for slapstick comedy, fast cars and easy-to-follow stories and lessons? Critics never shined to it, but "The Dukes" attracted a passionate fan base that still frequents annual reunions. The most recent DukesFest, held in June in Nashville, attracted a reported 30,000 fans, and "Dukes" reruns are popular on cable. CMT (Country Music Television) airs "The Dukes" twice nightly, at 7 p.m. and midnight, and has attracted a surprisingly strong audience. Back in February, when CMT introduced the "Dukes" to its lineup, the channel spent an unprecedented hour on top of the basic cable ratings heap, tops among adults 18-to-49 and males 18-to-49. James Hitchcock, CMT's vice president of marketing, doesn't mind admitting that he has been completely amazed by the audience for the show. "The Dukes" reaches a far younger audience than CMT anticipated, and to the delight of advertisers, many of them are male. A really dedicated fan Among those male viewers is Chris Nelson, the official vice president of the Dukes of Hazzard Institute, a promotional vehicle created by CMT. The network hired Nelson in June after an extensive "talent search" attracted more than 1,900 applicants. According to Hitchcock, Nelson stood out from the pack with his blog interview of the show's star car, the General Lee, in the style of James Lipton's "Inside the Actor's Studio" on Bravo. Nelson also began a petition to place a pair of Daisy Duke's original short-shorts in the Smithsonian Institution. For his "work" of watching every "Dukes" episode and maintaining a colorful blog, Nelson will be paid $100,000 for a year. Not bad for an unemployed writer who had just come to Manhattan from his native Texas. Born in 1976, Nelson says he was virtually raised by television and calls "The Dukes" a formative experience. "'The Dukes' had something for everybody," Nelson says, pining for the days when networks created shows for the whole family. "For kids like me, there were fabulous cars that crashed all the time, there were lessons for Mom, and Dad could watch Daisy and the other foxy ladies. You also had these wacky scene transitions and freeze frames and a bit of wisdom from Waylon." (Outlaw country music star Waylon Jennings provided the show's cracked narration and sang the theme song.) Nelson adds, "There's nothing like it on TV today." Perhaps that's because "The Dukes" is such a product of a particular time. When the show premiered Jan. 26, 1979, the passions of the civil rights, antiwar and women's movements were cooling. Still, in its own corny way, "The Dukes" reflected the era's antiauthoritarianism, pitting Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat), a couple of good old boys and amateur moonshiners, against three main antagonists: Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane (James Best); his deputy, Enos (Sonny Shroyer), and the town's extraordinarily powerful and corrupt politician, Jefferson Davis "Boss" Hogg (Sorell Booke). Clearly inspired by the popular 1977 car-chase moonshine comedy "Smokey and the Bandit," "Dukes" - which ran for seven seasons - is a far cry from today's television landscape. Just where would two goofy outlaws without legitimate sources of income fit in a prime-time environment dotted with product placements, money-grubbing reality stars, yuppie comedies and police dramas in which forensics technology can capture crooks decades after the fact? If somebody tried to act like "modern-day Robin Hoods" (as the theme song described Bo and Luke) in today's landscape, they might end up on a slab on "CSI." The show's popularity (it was often in Nielsen's top 10 and finished No. 2 in 1980-81) also reflected the ascendancy of the South in American politics and pop culture. When "Dukes" debuted, Jimmy Carter was president, Dixie rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers were still popular nationwide, and a Georgian named Ted Turner was revolutionizing cable television. Speaks to the American spirit Ironically, the show celebrated the joys of stock-car racing and muscle-car culture at a time of gasoline rationing and when Detroit's position as the world's motor city was under siege. The General Lee (a 1969 Dodge Charger) may have been flying high in 1979, but that very year Chrysler Corp. was facing bankruptcy and asking for a federal bailout. To some, the appeal of "The Dukes" transcends any one period and speaks to something vital in the American spirit. "From 'L'il Abner' to 'The Beverly Hillbillies' and 'The Andy Griffith Show,' America has long had a love affair with the country bumpkin," says Paul Levinson, chairman of the department of communications and media studies at Fordham University. "It's part of our heritage, part of our culture. The more we move into cities, the more cool we try to be, the more we miss the part of ourselves that's simple and country." Bill Engvall, one of the stars of the "Blue Collar Comedy" shows on both the WB network and Comedy Central, finds "The Dukes" both confounding and irresistible. "What you have is basically a dysfunctional family," Engvall says. "No parents. You have Uncle Jesse, forever in overalls. Then there's Bo and Duke. What do they do? I never saw them working for food or gas money. You can only kill so many possum." And while Engvall admits to spending hours in front of the cornball comedy, "I don't remember laughing out loud." Nor does he recall any memorable stories or plot. "Unlike 'Andy Griffith,' where you can argue about your favorite episode, I couldn't tell you what any single 'Dukes of Hazzard' episode was about. But I watched it." Perhaps the very appeal of "The Dukes" is a surreal nature that transcends linear narrative. "Apparently, there was just one road around Hazzard County," Engvall observes. "Because if they were chasing Boss Hogg, or whoever, they had to spin out around that one oak tree." CMT's Hitchcock revels in the show's absurdity. "You had 48,000 car crashes, and nobody got hurt. You know the cousins are going to come out OK and never get caught." But some things confuse even a happy TV executive. "Why do they have all these chase scenes? They know where Bo and Duke live. Just go to their house!" "Dukes" maven Nelson considers Bo and Luke "basic cartoon heroes" with strong appeal to young men. But not everybody thinks it's quite so simple. Mike Lazzo, a senior vice president of programming for the Atlanta-based Cartoon Network and architect of the hip and wildly successful "Adult Swim" animation block, admits that "The Dukes" has some cartoon elements. He cites the "Flintstones"- like way Bo and Luke climb in and out of the window of the General Lee without ever opening the doors. But as a native of South Carolina, Lazzo sees something more. "I went to school with guys like Bo and Luke," he says. I think it was a very real portrayal of the South at that time." A hint of the wild West Like Lazzo, Perry Turner, vice president of original programming for Turner South, a regional cable network, sees the enduring resonance of "The Dukes" as part of an ongoing myth about the South as a place apart, a bit beyond the law, "a kind of newer wild West." While Lazzo admits to not liking the show when he was growing up in the South, he has grown fond of it, particularly its celebration of high-octane high jinks. "The whole car culture was very important down here," he recalls. "I watched my cousin spend a whole summer rebuilding a 1971 Barracuda. It was one of the greatest summers of my life." Expectations for the "Dukes" movie range from wait-and-see to ambivalent. "It's 'Dukes of Hazzard' movie. How can you mess it up?" Engvall quips. And the recent efforts by Ben Jones (who played Cooter the mechanic) to protest the film's supposed profanity and immorality received tepid, diplomatic responses. "As an original cast member, that's his right," Hitchcock says. But Engvall smells sour grapes. "Give it up man. They didn't cast you. It's time to let it go." Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

My local paper had this piece mainly about the original show . I thought it was a pretty good article. It was from the entertainment section as the front cover of section was the pic ofrom the first season DVD... http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ffmov4360660jul31,0,3040043.story?coll=ny-television-headlines Southern Comfort The movie comes out this week, but on TV, reruns of the original 'The Dukes of Hazzard' have already found new fans attracted to the simple, down-home pleasures of the show BY KEVIN McDONOUGH Kevin McDonough is a freelance writer. July 31, 2005 Friday's release of the "Dukes of Hazzard" movie will certainly remind America of the good old boys from Hazzard, the gravity-defying General Lee and the censor-skirting outfits of the curvaceous Daisy Duke. But what about the original CBS show (1979-85), a goofy hour-long showcase for slapstick comedy, fast cars and easy-to-follow stories and lessons? Critics never shined to it, but "The Dukes" attracted a passionate fan base that still frequents annual reunions. The most recent DukesFest, held in June in Nashville, attracted a reported 30,000 fans, and "Dukes" reruns are popular on cable. CMT (Country Music Television) airs "The Dukes" twice nightly, at 7 p.m. and midnight, and has attracted a surprisingly strong audience. Back in February, when CMT introduced the "Dukes" to its lineup, the channel spent an unprecedented hour on top of the basic cable ratings heap, tops among adults 18-to-49 and males 18-to-49. James Hitchcock, CMT's vice president of marketing, doesn't mind admitting that he has been completely amazed by the audience for the show. "The Dukes" reaches a far younger audience than CMT anticipated, and to the delight of advertisers, many of them are male. A really dedicated fan Among those male viewers is Chris Nelson, the official vice president of the Dukes of Hazzard Institute, a promotional vehicle created by CMT. The network hired Nelson in June after an extensive "talent search" attracted more than 1,900 applicants. According to Hitchcock, Nelson stood out from the pack with his blog interview of the show's star car, the General Lee, in the style of James Lipton's "Inside the Actor's Studio" on Bravo. Nelson also began a petition to place a pair of Daisy Duke's original short-shorts in the Smithsonian Institution. For his "work" of watching every "Dukes" episode and maintaining a colorful blog, Nelson will be paid $100,000 for a year. Not bad for an unemployed writer who had just come to Manhattan from his native Texas. Born in 1976, Nelson says he was virtually raised by television and calls "The Dukes" a formative experience. "'The Dukes' had something for everybody," Nelson says, pining for the days when networks created shows for the whole family. "For kids like me, there were fabulous cars that crashed all the time, there were lessons for Mom, and Dad could watch Daisy and the other foxy ladies. You also had these wacky scene transitions and freeze frames and a bit of wisdom from Waylon." (Outlaw country music star Waylon Jennings provided the show's cracked narration and sang the theme song.) Nelson adds, "There's nothing like it on TV today." Perhaps that's because "The Dukes" is such a product of a particular time. When the show premiered Jan. 26, 1979, the passions of the civil rights, antiwar and women's movements were cooling. Still, in its own corny way, "The Dukes" reflected the era's antiauthoritarianism, pitting Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat), a couple of good old boys and amateur moonshiners, against three main antagonists: Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane (James Best); his deputy, Enos (Sonny Shroyer), and the town's extraordinarily powerful and corrupt politician, Jefferson Davis "Boss" Hogg (Sorell Booke). Clearly inspired by the popular 1977 car-chase moonshine comedy "Smokey and the Bandit," "Dukes" - which ran for seven seasons - is a far cry from today's television landscape. Just where would two goofy outlaws without legitimate sources of income fit in a prime-time environment dotted with product placements, money-grubbing reality stars, yuppie comedies and police dramas in which forensics technology can capture crooks decades after the fact? If somebody tried to act like "modern-day Robin Hoods" (as the theme song described Bo and Luke) in today's landscape, they might end up on a slab on "CSI." The show's popularity (it was often in Nielsen's top 10 and finished No. 2 in 1980-81) also reflected the ascendancy of the South in American politics and pop culture. When "Dukes" debuted, Jimmy Carter was president, Dixie rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers were still popular nationwide, and a Georgian named Ted Turner was revolutionizing cable television. Speaks to the American spirit Ironically, the show celebrated the joys of stock-car racing and muscle-car culture at a time of gasoline rationing and when Detroit's position as the world's motor city was under siege. The General Lee (a 1969 Dodge Charger) may have been flying high in 1979, but that very year Chrysler Corp. was facing bankruptcy and asking for a federal bailout. To some, the appeal of "The Dukes" transcends any one period and speaks to something vital in the American spirit. "From 'L'il Abner' to 'The Beverly Hillbillies' and 'The Andy Griffith Show,' America has long had a love affair with the country bumpkin," says Paul Levinson, chairman of the department of communications and media studies at Fordham University. "It's part of our heritage, part of our culture. The more we move into cities, the more cool we try to be, the more we miss the part of ourselves that's simple and country." Bill Engvall, one of the stars of the "Blue Collar Comedy" shows on both the WB network and Comedy Central, finds "The Dukes" both confounding and irresistible. "What you have is basically a dysfunctional family," Engvall says. "No parents. You have Uncle Jesse, forever in overalls. Then there's Bo and Duke. What do they do? I never saw them working for food or gas money. You can only kill so many possum." And while Engvall admits to spending hours in front of the cornball comedy, "I don't remember laughing out loud." Nor does he recall any memorable stories or plot. "Unlike 'Andy Griffith,' where you can argue about your favorite episode, I couldn't tell you what any single 'Dukes of Hazzard' episode was about. But I watched it." Perhaps the very appeal of "The Dukes" is a surreal nature that transcends linear narrative. "Apparently, there was just one road around Hazzard County," Engvall observes. "Because if they were chasing Boss Hogg, or whoever, they had to spin out around that one oak tree." CMT's Hitchcock revels in the show's absurdity. "You had 48,000 car crashes, and nobody got hurt. You know the cousins are going to come out OK and never get caught." But some things confuse even a happy TV executive. "Why do they have all these chase scenes? They know where Bo and Duke live. Just go to their house!" "Dukes" maven Nelson considers Bo and Luke "basic cartoon heroes" with strong appeal to young men. But not everybody thinks it's quite so simple. Mike Lazzo, a senior vice president of programming for the Atlanta-based Cartoon Network and architect of the hip and wildly successful "Adult Swim" animation block, admits that "The Dukes" has some cartoon elements. He cites the "Flintstones"- like way Bo and Luke climb in and out of the window of the General Lee without ever opening the doors. But as a native of South Carolina, Lazzo sees something more. "I went to school with guys like Bo and Luke," he says. I think it was a very real portrayal of the South at that time." A hint of the wild West Like Lazzo, Perry Turner, vice president of original programming for Turner South, a regional cable network, sees the enduring resonance of "The Dukes" as part of an ongoing myth about the South as a place apart, a bit beyond the law, "a kind of newer wild West." While Lazzo admits to not liking the show when he was growing up in the South, he has grown fond of it, particularly its celebration of high-octane high jinks. "The whole car culture was very important down here," he recalls. "I watched my cousin spend a whole summer rebuilding a 1971 Barracuda. It was one of the greatest summers of my life." Expectations for the "Dukes" movie range from wait-and-see to ambivalent. "It's 'Dukes of Hazzard' movie. How can you mess it up?" Engvall quips. And the recent efforts by Ben Jones (who played Cooter the mechanic) to protest the film's supposed profanity and immorality received tepid, diplomatic responses. "As an original cast member, that's his right," Hitchcock says. But Engvall smells sour grapes. "Give it up man. They didn't cast you. It's time to let it go." Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

Also look at the all the promotion this movie has gotten . 1. Specials on CMT & MTV. 2. Numerous articles in papers and magazines. 3. CMT showcasing the original DOH on it's schedule in primo time slot 4. The release of seaons on DVD quickly For a relatively small budget movie($50 mil as it has been stated) the marketing has been in full force for it. I'm gone Darrell

Also look at the all the promotion this movie has gotten . 1. Specials on CMT & MTV. 2. Numerous articles in papers and magazines. 3. CMT showcasing the original DOH on it's schedule in primo time slot 4. The release of seaons on DVD quickly For a relatively small budget movie($50 mil as it has been stated) the marketing has been in full force for it. I'm gone Darrell

I posted this in the movie section also under our Smokey & The Bandit thread. I justed wanted everyone to know about it. It seemed very fitting that CMT showed Smokey & The Bandit last night considering the news. God works in such ways..... Pat McCormick who played "Big" Enos Burdette has passed away....Sad news ya'll.... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050731/ap_en_tv/obit_mccormick_2 'Tonight Show' Comic Pat McCormick Dies Sat Jul 30,10:57 PM ET Pat McCormick, a walrus-mustachioed comedy writer for Phyllis Diller, Red Skelton and others who also appeared on "The Tonight Show" and had a role in three "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, has died. He was 78. McCormick died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's hospital in Woodland Hills, spokeswoman Jennifer Fagen said Saturday. He was admitted to the facility in 1998 after a stroke left him partially paralyzed. McCormick dropped out of Harvard Law School to pursue advertising work in New York but abandoned that career when he began earning money writing jokes for television and nightclub performers. McCormick eventually became a writer for "The Jack Paar Show." Over a five-decade career, he wrote for the 1960s comedy series "Get Smart" and "The Danny Kaye Show." He also wrote and appeared on "Candid Camera" and was an announcer and straight man on Don Rickles' short-lived TV variety show in 1968. He was a regular on "The New Bill Cosby Show" in 1972. McCormick wrote for and made scores of appearances on "The Tonight Show." He played characters in sketches, dressing up as turkeys, squirrels and the shark from "Jaws." In one 1974 show, he streaked naked across the stage behind Carson during the opening monologue. McCormick, who was more than 6 1/2 feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds, also appeared in small roles in movies. He played Big Enos in the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" and two sequels.

I posted this in the movie section also under our Smokey & The Bandit thread. I justed wanted everyone to know about it. It seemed very fitting that CMT showed Smokey & The Bandit last night considering the news. God works in such ways..... Pat McCormick who played "Big" Enos Burdette has passed away....Sad news ya'll.... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050731/ap_en_tv/obit_mccormick_2 'Tonight Show' Comic Pat McCormick Dies Sat Jul 30,10:57 PM ET Pat McCormick, a walrus-mustachioed comedy writer for Phyllis Diller, Red Skelton and others who also appeared on "The Tonight Show" and had a role in three "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, has died. He was 78. McCormick died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's hospital in Woodland Hills, spokeswoman Jennifer Fagen said Saturday. He was admitted to the facility in 1998 after a stroke left him partially paralyzed. McCormick dropped out of Harvard Law School to pursue advertising work in New York but abandoned that career when he began earning money writing jokes for television and nightclub performers. McCormick eventually became a writer for "The Jack Paar Show." Over a five-decade career, he wrote for the 1960s comedy series "Get Smart" and "The Danny Kaye Show." He also wrote and appeared on "Candid Camera" and was an announcer and straight man on Don Rickles' short-lived TV variety show in 1968. He was a regular on "The New Bill Cosby Show" in 1972. McCormick wrote for and made scores of appearances on "The Tonight Show." He played characters in sketches, dressing up as turkeys, squirrels and the shark from "Jaws." In one 1974 show, he streaked naked across the stage behind Carson during the opening monologue. McCormick, who was more than 6 1/2 feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds, also appeared in small roles in movies. He played Big Enos in the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" and two sequels.

Pat McCormick who played "Big" Enos Burdette has passed away....Sad news ya'll.... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050731/ap_en_tv/obit_mccormick_2 'Tonight Show' Comic Pat McCormick Dies Sat Jul 30,10:57 PM ET Pat McCormick, a walrus-mustachioed comedy writer for Phyllis Diller, Red Skelton and others who also appeared on "The Tonight Show" and had a role in three "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, has died. He was 78. McCormick died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's hospital in Woodland Hills, spokeswoman Jennifer Fagen said Saturday. He was admitted to the facility in 1998 after a stroke left him partially paralyzed. McCormick dropped out of Harvard Law School to pursue advertising work in New York but abandoned that career when he began earning money writing jokes for television and nightclub performers. McCormick eventually became a writer for "The Jack Paar Show." Over a five-decade career, he wrote for the 1960s comedy series "Get Smart" and "The Danny Kaye Show." He also wrote and appeared on "Candid Camera" and was an announcer and straight man on Don Rickles' short-lived TV variety show in 1968. He was a regular on "The New Bill Cosby Show" in 1972. McCormick wrote for and made scores of appearances on "The Tonight Show." He played characters in sketches, dressing up as turkeys, squirrels and the shark from "Jaws." In one 1974 show, he streaked naked across the stage behind Carson during the opening monologue. McCormick, who was more than 6 1/2 feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds, also appeared in small roles in movies. He played Big Enos in the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" and two sequels.

Pat McCormick who played "Big" Enos Burdette has passed away....Sad news ya'll.... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050731/ap_en_tv/obit_mccormick_2 'Tonight Show' Comic Pat McCormick Dies Sat Jul 30,10:57 PM ET Pat McCormick, a walrus-mustachioed comedy writer for Phyllis Diller, Red Skelton and others who also appeared on "The Tonight Show" and had a role in three "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, has died. He was 78. McCormick died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's hospital in Woodland Hills, spokeswoman Jennifer Fagen said Saturday. He was admitted to the facility in 1998 after a stroke left him partially paralyzed. McCormick dropped out of Harvard Law School to pursue advertising work in New York but abandoned that career when he began earning money writing jokes for television and nightclub performers. McCormick eventually became a writer for "The Jack Paar Show." Over a five-decade career, he wrote for the 1960s comedy series "Get Smart" and "The Danny Kaye Show." He also wrote and appeared on "Candid Camera" and was an announcer and straight man on Don Rickles' short-lived TV variety show in 1968. He was a regular on "The New Bill Cosby Show" in 1972. McCormick wrote for and made scores of appearances on "The Tonight Show." He played characters in sketches, dressing up as turkeys, squirrels and the shark from "Jaws." In one 1974 show, he streaked naked across the stage behind Carson during the opening monologue. McCormick, who was more than 6 1/2 feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds, also appeared in small roles in movies. He played Big Enos in the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" and two sequels.

But is was worth it.....It is a memory of a lifetime....

But is was worth it.....It is a memory of a lifetime....

Great job, as usual...... I'm gone Darrell

Great job, as usual...... I'm gone Darrell

There is another song that is popular... All these songs I heard on the "Big Show" - John Boy & Billy - One of the most popluar morning shows in the South. Big time NASCAR and wrestling fans . Jeff Gordon's Gay - by Tim Wilson ( a comedian who does song parodies ) Jeff Gordon's gay, Jeff Gordon's gay At least thats what them ornery Earnhardt fans always say They swear he's usin vasoline on the 24 chevrolet Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He wears rainbow colors, he's a handsome fella Standin in victory lane, with a gorgeous little wife With a check in her hand sippin that gay champagne Them Earnhardt fans up in the stands, all chokin on bread and spam Say Gordon's gay every time he turns and hugs Ray Effernham Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He's probably whistlin elton john or spammed al vale` He's got them rainbow warriors singin YMCA Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He's got 3 Winston Cup trophies sittin home on his trophy shelf But I betchya he can't pick one up, at least not by himself Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay At least thats what the people who lose on Sunday always say They swear he's usin' vasoline on the 24 chevrolet Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay And next year he'll drive the long pink cadillac for Mary Kay... I figured I had throw this out there to all you Gordon fans.....Lighten up and have some fun, not like the way Gordon has his fun though. ...

There is another song that is popular... All these songs I heard on the "Big Show" - John Boy & Billy - One of the most popluar morning shows in the South. Big time NASCAR and wrestling fans . Jeff Gordon's Gay - by Tim Wilson ( a comedian who does song parodies ) Jeff Gordon's gay, Jeff Gordon's gay At least thats what them ornery Earnhardt fans always say They swear he's usin vasoline on the 24 chevrolet Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He wears rainbow colors, he's a handsome fella Standin in victory lane, with a gorgeous little wife With a check in her hand sippin that gay champagne Them Earnhardt fans up in the stands, all chokin on bread and spam Say Gordon's gay every time he turns and hugs Ray Effernham Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He's probably whistlin elton john or spammed al vale` He's got them rainbow warriors singin YMCA Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay He's got 3 Winston Cup trophies sittin home on his trophy shelf But I betchya he can't pick one up, at least not by himself Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay At least thats what the people who lose on Sunday always say They swear he's usin' vasoline on the 24 chevrolet Jeff Gordon's gay, he must be gay And next year he'll drive the long pink cadillac for Mary Kay... I figured I had throw this out there to all you Gordon fans.....Lighten up and have some fun, not like the way Gordon has his fun though. ...

Hey for all ya'll Gordon fans ...I have a couple of songs about Jeff Gordon that would be appropiate.... Jeff Gordon is Gay - (set to the music of Born To Be wild) This is as good as I can get it, hope its funny as hell to you! Now he's a wonder boy toy Had a major win start Likes the Hersery Highway And reading Martha Stewart He's winning lots of races baby In the covetted Winston Cup Rearin Earnhardt was no mistake Just gettin mud for the duck Those boys of the Rainbows Quickest pit in Nascar Wipping ass on Martin He's rentin some cheap gay bars His fans won't be tickled When they find he makes Dicks' Trickle Watch him race away, hot damn the boy is GAY Gordon is gay, Oooooo that hurts, Gordon is gay, Yeah Speedin on the race track Lapsy can manuver Has the biggest fan club And he sucks just like a Hoover (Sucking sound) Now bend over more guys now baby It's men that he likes to hump His racing outfit always matches Hey look at him, he's wearing red pumps His fans won't be tickled When they find he makes Dicks' Trickle Watch him race away, hot damn the boy is GAY Gordon is gay, Whoahoooo Gordon is gay, Don't touch me there Ha ha he whoa Whoahoo That's feeling good now YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAW

Hey for all ya'll Gordon fans ...I have a couple of songs about Jeff Gordon that would be appropiate.... Jeff Gordon is Gay - (set to the music of Born To Be wild) This is as good as I can get it, hope its funny as hell to you! Now he's a wonder boy toy Had a major win start Likes the Hersery Highway And reading Martha Stewart He's winning lots of races baby In the covetted Winston Cup Rearin Earnhardt was no mistake Just gettin mud for the duck Those boys of the Rainbows Quickest pit in Nascar Wipping ass on Martin He's rentin some cheap gay bars His fans won't be tickled When they find he makes Dicks' Trickle Watch him race away, hot damn the boy is GAY Gordon is gay, Oooooo that hurts, Gordon is gay, Yeah Speedin on the race track Lapsy can manuver Has the biggest fan club And he sucks just like a Hoover (Sucking sound) Now bend over more guys now baby It's men that he likes to hump His racing outfit always matches Hey look at him, he's wearing red pumps His fans won't be tickled When they find he makes Dicks' Trickle Watch him race away, hot damn the boy is GAY Gordon is gay, Whoahoooo Gordon is gay, Don't touch me there Ha ha he whoa Whoahoo That's feeling good now YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAW

Coy and Vance were written in the show as replacements to act just like Bo & Luke. I understand back then we were all into the General Lee and Bo & Luke and I think that was what was counted on. I can't fault Coy & Vance at all , they were written in to be that way. Auster metioned ratings dropped. BUT the show carried on for another 2 years after. Coy & Vance held it up for their 1/2 to 3/4 of season. Still was top twenty show and that meant something, especially on a Friday night back then. I actually didn't mind watching the Coy & Vance episodes back then and even today. Sure it was a bit different seeing others act like Bo & Luke, but they were all Dukes. I personally liked Coy a lot in the show. I think he would have made a great addition if they would have kept him around in a recurring role or occaional guest spot. I think he was getting better at fitting in then they were gone. I wished they would have come back for at least a one more episode later on. I think I may be in the minority of thinking that they were pretty good for what they had to do. I'm gone Darrell

Coy and Vance were written in the show as replacements to act just like Bo & Luke. I understand back then we were all into the General Lee and Bo & Luke and I think that was what was counted on. I can't fault Coy & Vance at all , they were written in to be that way. Auster metioned ratings dropped. BUT the show carried on for another 2 years after. Coy & Vance held it up for their 1/2 to 3/4 of season. Still was top twenty show and that meant something, especially on a Friday night back then. I actually didn't mind watching the Coy & Vance episodes back then and even today. Sure it was a bit different seeing others act like Bo & Luke, but they were all Dukes. I personally liked Coy a lot in the show. I think he would have made a great addition if they would have kept him around in a recurring role or occaional guest spot. I think he was getting better at fitting in then they were gone. I wished they would have come back for at least a one more episode later on. I think I may be in the minority of thinking that they were pretty good for what they had to do. I'm gone Darrell

The only one missing in that great cast picture is Cletus....That would have made the most complete cast picture ever..... I'm gone Darrell

The only one missing in that great cast picture is Cletus....That would have made the most complete cast picture ever..... I'm gone Darrell

Great pic........Pretty interesting on what his thoughts on the movie are. I'm gone Darrell