Concluding its fourth season, True South continues its noble mission of providing viewers with an insider’s perspective on the American South. It is meant to surprise and delight, but also to provoke deep thoughts and spark serious conversation.
There are some very special little eye candies that play a small part in Season 4 Episode 5, intriguing artwork that adds to the show’s lasting appeal.
Host John T. Edge and Producer Wright Thompson Take True South Viewers on an Insider Road Trip … [+]
Bluefoot Entertainment
southern party
Hosted by John T. Edge and producer Wright Thompson, this virtual ride introduces audiences to legendary locations – hello, Dookie Chase’s – and a few that are under the radar. Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi has both camps occupied. If you’re a seasoned Southern foodie, you’ve probably made the pilgrimage to this iconic spot on the map. One meal there and you’re hooked for life.
That was how it was for John T., who moved to Mississippi in 1995 and made it a point to dine at Doe’s whenever possible. “Getting to the dining room at Doe’s is the ultimate gauntlet,” he said in a recent phone interview. “You enter through the back door and walk through the kitchen. The first thing you’ll see is grease spitting on those monstrous broilers and sticky notes everywhere to keep track of how those huge steaks were done, all while being greeted with a “Hi, honey, how are you?”
Thompson echoed the sentiment, adding that a big part of the appeal of eating at Doe’s Eat Place is that it feels like home. “It’s like a place where you dine with dead or missing relatives,” he said. Or, in the case of the season finale, your chosen family.
The meat feast at Doe’s – part of a meander along the Mississippi River that begins in New Orleans and ends with cookies at Bryant’s Breakfast in Memphis – was an unofficial thank you to the crew for their tireless efforts to pursue the hosts this season. Well done, all of you.
Oh, but don’t you dare order a well-made porter from Doe. Medium rare is the way to go. Ask for the garlic butter slathered on top and a side au jus to dip the crispy fries. “When the au jus starts to congeal, you know it’s time to go,” said John T.
The bonus episode of True South travels the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Memphis, with a … [+]
Bluefoot Entertainment
A small tribute makes a big impression
Now for the big surprise: Thompson has commissioned Oxford, Mississippi-based artist Lee Harper to create a miniature version of the restaurant that will feature on the episode’s poster. Each show spotlights a different artist from the South, who, along with the ever-entertaining soundtrack that cuts through the visual storytelling, makes True South the ultimate house party in a gallery bar-slash-diner. Cooks, bartenders, artists and musicians celebrated on a show that is sure to make viewers hungry? We are so here for that.
Lee Harper has been creating miniature art with a nostalgic twist for years for her tiny history studios, but it wasn’t until she began showcasing local Oxford landmarks that her work attracted a lot of attention. Warning. “It may sound corny, but I mean it 100%: Oxford is an amazing place full of people doing things, making things happen,” said Harper, whose tribute to the former Hoka, a theater d arthouse directed by the late Ron Shapiro propelled his work into the collective consciousness of the community. “It’s almost like I’m the victim of a prank, bringing attention to what I’ve always done.”
What she does is replicate beloved restaurants, bars, cafes and juke joints with the kind of meticulous attention to detail that has fans screaming: WOW! How does she do that? (Buy a copy of his book Tiny Oxford for the full download.)
Artist Lee Harper created a miniature Doe’s Eat Place for the True South series, detailed work … [+]
Joe York
Amazing details
Harper spent weeks creating the miniature Doe’s, though she never visited the location. “I asked my friend Euphus Ruth, who lives in Greenville and is an amazing photographer, to go and take pictures of the exterior because I couldn’t find any in my research,” she said. Explain. These pictures translated into tiny shingles, funky wires, water stained stuff.
Thompson calls the finished piece the work of a twisted genius. “It’s amazing, every time I watch it I see something new. It really evokes the spirit of this special place.
Artist Lee Harper has created a painstakingly accurate version of the iconic True South restaurant … [+]
Lee Harper
One of the ingredients
Harper’s Piece, which is also featured in a hitchhiking action film for this episode’s preview, is just one piece of this wonderfully complicated True South puzzle that offers insight into a wonderfully complicated.
The growing divide in the United States is not glossed over, but addressed in reasoned conversation and thoughtful voiceovers. During their long road trips making this series, John T. and the team at Bluefoot Entertainment have found that even when there are disagreements over politics, people from all walks of life often find common ground. agree when they sit at the table together.
Thompson said, “No matter where we went, we were greeted in every community with nothing but generosity, hospitality and grace.”
The True South Season 4 finale airs Jan. 16 on the SEC Network, while the entire series is available to stream on ESPN+ and Hulo.
