Lake Lanier, Grey Gardens, and Gringo
Kathleen opens with an introduction to her BFF Lewis Black’s bobblehead, showcasing the rant-like statements that it makes and musing that the haircut that she gave Lewis while in quarantine rivals the perfection of his bobblehead. She then toasts listeners with a can of Luke Bryan’s Two Lane Lager poured into her souvenir Dolly Dixie Stampede boot mugs.
HOUSEKEEPING: Kathleen updates us on the fallout at Liberty University after Jerry Falwell Jr.’s scandalous yacht photo was published, reviewing the latest details that have been released involving the Falwell family pool boy to the turmoil at Liberty U. after Falwell was released
Kathleen also provides an update to comments that listeners have provided regarding the Busch Light limited release of “Busch Latte,” detailing the Midwest states that the beer can be found in and recommending that listeners who enjoy a breakfast beer head over to watch the latest of Anheuser Busch’s Busch Latte commercial, which is a parody of a vintage Folger’s Coffee ad.
In Episode 3, Kathleen discussed Dolly Parton’s uncharacteristic move of speaking out in support of Black Lives Matter in a recent Billboard Magazine article. In response, Adult Swim’s “Squidbillies” voice actor Stuart Baker posted derogatory remarks on Facebook against Dolly. Within days, it was widely reported that Baker had been fired from the show, and Baker again went to Facebook to posthis anger regarding the response from the network. Kathleen singles out her favorite response to his post, reading a tweet from @kittynoveau proclaiming Dolly’s victory.
UPDATE ON USPS: Kathleen continues to promote her love for the Post Office, and to her delight, another of her favorite celebrity icons is also a massive fan of USPS and sees the need to show support. Kathleen discusses Cher’s recent tweets asking all Americans to support the Post Office, and went as far as to call two of her local branches to ask if she can volunteer.
WORST ATTRACTION IN EVERY STATE: Kathleen shares her thoughts on a fun chart posted on Instagram by one of her favorite nerds, @mattsurlee. The map showcases the most popular answers to the “Worst Attraction In Every State,” which includes the Gum Wall in Washington, Noah’s Ark Encounter in Kentucky, and the Rocky Statue in Pennsylvania. Kathleen provides additional commentary and her opinions on the attractions noted from her experience on the road.
BRANSON: Kathleen discusses Trip Advisor’s “2019 Top Destination in the US,” as Branson is located in her home state of Missouri. She discusses a Twitter post showing Branson resident Yakov Smirnoff protesting the wearing of masks at a City Council meeting, and reviews the top (and sometimes out-of-the-ordinary) entertainment in Branson such as the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai, the Oak Ridge Boys, Neil McCoy (one of her faves), and Japanese fiddle player Shoji Tabuchii.
Kathleen gives a big shoutout to nearby Big Cedar Lodge and the Bass Pro Megastore, as well as Table Rock Lake.
LAKE LANIER: Kathleen has a true love for lake life, and loves to spend time at this lake about an hour north of Atlanta. This lake is renowned for being haunted, and Kathleen reviews the history of the lake from construction to its naming after Sidney Lanier. She’s fascinated by tales of what is rumored to be situated on the bottom of the lake (including a town, a speedway, and multiple graveyards) and the ghost stories that involve the deaths of the 675 people that have died over the past seventy years. Kathleen introduces us to the most famous victim of Lake Lanier, Susie Roberts, more widely known as “The Lady of the Lake.” Miss Roberts died in when her car carrying her and a friend went off the road in 1958, and her body and the vehicle were only discovered in 1990 when construction crews were dredging the lake for bridge expansion.
GALVESTON HURRICANE: Kathleen is obsessed with weather, and with hurricane season starting, she dives into the history of the Galveston Hurricane, otherwise known as “The Greatest Storm of 1900.” The storm was the 4th largest hurricane in modern history, resulting in 8,000 fatalities and 10,000 homeless. When the storm was approaching, Cuba warned the US that the hurricane would hit Texas, but the US gov’t sent the warning to Charleston and Florida instead not trusting the Cuban intentions. Kathleen recommends reading “Isaac’s Storm,” by Erik Larson, which details the events of this disaster.
GREY GARDENS: Kathleen reviews the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens,” as well as the 2009 HBO movie with the same name starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore. Both films provide an overview of the unbelievable but true story of Mrs. Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie who live in a world of their own in a decaying mansion, an estate called “Grey Gardens.” Kathleen compares the life of the Beales to the modern day Hoarders tv show, and provides commentary on the history of the Bouvier-Beale family leading up to the inevitable sale of the estate after decades of disrepair.
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK: “Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee”: Kathleen provides her review of the Amazon documentary about John McAfee, the multi-millionaire who was a strong advocate for cryptocurrency and created the first anti-virus computer software. She details his relocation to Belize to start an organic pharmaceutical company, and the incidental drama that ensues involving politics and murder. Having an interest in politics, Kathleen gives her insight on his failed 2016 US Presidential campaign and is shocked to find out that McAfee followers her on Twitter.
MYSTERY OF THE WEEK: Kathleen discusses the history of The Mothman of West Virginia.