Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dixie Ozark Surfaces Again

Well, I'll admit it.  I'm beginning to enjoy my gig as Dixie Ozark on Blogtalk Radio's "I'm With Stupid."  
I have been playing the part every now and then, when asked, but I've noticed that lately I've started coming up with ideas of my own for Dixie's appearances.  When Jay first suggested it, he didn't know he was creating a monster.  lol

So, some time Sunday morning, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Dixie will make yet another appearance as an "I'm With Stupid" correspondent, reporting on the biggest news to hit Harrison in several years. She'll be interviewing  Bobby Kraft , a local man who hopes to become an extra in the Bear Creek Production Company movie called  "Bald Knobber."

Now, I'm not talking about the people who started a Branson Show called "The Bald Knobbers" (see the picture, top left,)although it would probably be an interesting story to tell, since it was, I think, the first show in Branson, and is still going strong.  I attribute its popularity to a couple of wiry old guys who thinks it's funny to take their false teeth out and get on the stage and grin at the audience, as well as some other goofy-looking characters.  It's a show stopper, I'm told, although I haven't actually seen it, and don't plan to.

But, I digress.  I'm talking about the vigilante group shown here, that operated in Taney County, Missouri, and surrounding counties during the late 1880s.

The production company is going to need about 300 extras from the Harrison area, because the scenes to be shot are of a triple hanging, and they'll need a big slavering crowd, and work is already being started to build  the gallows, and they have already made plans to cover the grass with dirt, for the sake of authenticity. They have promised to put everything back the way it was with when they get through.

Councilman Mark Fowler commented that he was glad the film was going to be made here, because he hopes it will help dispel the insistent rumors that Harrison is a racist community.  I guess he'd rather be known for hangings on the courthouse lawn.  Various history books claim that the Bald Knobbers were taken into the KKK. and their horned ski masks were replaced by sheets.  I just hope to heaven the men they're going to hang in the movie aren't black. 

What could possibly go wrong?

Stay tuned.

3 comments:

Olga said...

I am confused. Why does your councilman think that will convince us that racism is not a part of the area? I am clearly missing something.

chlost said...

Well, this should be interesting. What exactly makes a crowd "slavering"?

Betty said...

Olga: I'm as confused as you are. But I'm always confused at the way our city fathers think. They are really hung up (pardon the hanging reference) on the fact that we do, indeed, have a reputation for being a racist community. Having the headquarters of the KKK here doesn't help.

Chlost: Slavering? Drooling in anticipation. I looked it up. lol Back in the day, hangings drew big crowds of people wanting to see folks hanged. In fact, even today, I suspect there are a lot of blood-thirsty people who would love to watch executions.