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>> female announcer: This is a
production of WKNO, Memphis.
Production funding for this
program is made possible in part
by..
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Hi, I'm Mamie.
Thanks for joining us this week
on "Local Color."
I'm glad you're here, Ashley.
It's been a long time since
we've talked books.
And we've got some treaties at
the end of the show I can't wait
to get to.
I'm kind of nervous but excited.
I get to talk to Greg Gaston
about the upcoming Superbowl.
>> Dacus: You're going to talk
sports?
>> Shannon: I am.
Well hopefully I can hold my
own.
I know a couple of things about
football that I've got under my
sleeve.
I mean, I love football and
college sports-not necessarily
NBA.
Didn't say that.
And Pat is going to be here with
Julie Pierotti from the Dixon
talking about Present Tense.
Hey, do you know about Playback
Matter or Playback Memphis?
>> Dacus: Yes, I've heard a
little bit about this.
>> Shannon: Okay, it's coming up
February 1st and 2nd at First
Congo at 8:00.
And that is at the Theatre South
over on Cooper.
And their theme is Memphis
Matters.
>> Dacus: So you told me this is
like a troop of singers,
dancers, actors-right?
>> Shannon: Right, and improve.
And they come up with a topic
kind of like to get the audience
loosened up.
And they do little skits related
to that topic.
And then they ask audience
participation, as in give them a
topic.
>> Dacus: That's nice.
>> Shannon: I know!
>> Dacus: Well I understand that
WKNO-FM has a performance club.
And it's led by Christopher
Blank who is a theatre critic.
And they're going to be going to
Playback Memphis for this event.
So this is a good way to get
involved with this.
If this is kind of intro to
theatre for you, this is the way
to step in.
>> Shannon: And that's a great
idea.
That's a great idea.
Okay, this says that they do
stories about life and work in
Memphis in a unique way and that
the audience members are asked
to participate.
Now I don't know what level of
participation it is and I should
be so ashamed.
I have meant to go.
They have it sparatically.
But go to our website, WKNO-dot-
org-slash-localcolor and we will
have a link to Playback Memphis
website.
And you can go in and find out
the information.
But I'm excited about this
week's show.
I hope you'll check our Playback
Memphis or any of the other
great shows and exhibits going
on right now.
And Pat will be right back with
Julie Pierotti from the Dixon.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Worley: Well we're here to
talk about art.
And you're going to tell us
about a new exhibit that's at
the Dixon called Present Tense
which I'm very excited about.
It's contemporary Memphis art
which is, you know, the idea.
You go to a museum and you think
that you're going to just see
things from the past.
And this idea of contemporary
artists in Memphis-tell us a
little bit about the exhibit.
>> Pierotti: Yeah, it's called
Present Tense: The art of
Memphis from 2001 to now.
It's something really different
for us at the Dixon.
You know you kind of think of
the Dixon and think
impressionism.
But actually, we've been kind of
quietly, not so quietly showing
contemporary, local contemporary
art in some of our side
galleries for about four and a
half years now.
So we wanted to do a really big
exhibition to kind of honor that
and to really show our visitors
and the whole city of Memphis
that Memphis is an arts town,
not just music but visual arts
as well.
So this is a huge, huge show.
It's over 100 works of art.
>> Worley: So there are like 60
artists from-and I mean it's,
you know, Twin and Nancy Cheers.
You know the pieces on the
website, you can look at the
pieces and get a little preview
of what you have coming up.
But it's not just one medium,
either.
It's a little bit of everything.
>> Pierotti: Yeah, definitely.
There's actually 83 artists
represented in the show.
And it's painting.
It's photography, sculpture,
installation video art.
We have some outdoor sculpture
out in the gardens and an
environmental installation in
the gardens as well.
>> Worley: So how did you choose
what artists?
There's so many artists in
Memphis.
How did you pick what was a part
of the exhibit?
>> Pierotti: Well we have a
timeline that runs throughout
the show that kind of pin points
the specific events in Memphis
art history, Memphis
contemporary art history from
2001 to now.
And we chose artists that really
related to these certain events
and that had, you know, a really
major part in the Memphis art
scene over the past 12 years.
>> Worley: Well I noticed that
John Weeden is the guest
curator.
And he's got this great little
essay if you go to the Dixon
website that talks about those
events and sort of gives you a
sense of place.
You know how they mentioned it
and I was so impressed that it
wasn't just the more formal
galleries.
There are places like, you know,
the Rozelle Artists Guild which
is a perfect example of, "Hey,
were going to make art."
>> Pierotti: Yeah, it's great
that Memphis has so many kind of
underground art movements.
And that's what makes Memphis'
the Memphis art scene the
Memphis art scene.
It's just these kind of groups
of sometimes renegade artists
banding together and really
making a statement.
And when they do come together,
they create wonderful things and
come up with these really
creative projects that kind of
do end up bringing that whole
city together in a weird way.
>> Worley: So for The Dixon,
this is definitely.
You know I remember last year
you had an exhibit that was
around the Hispanic community in
Memphis.
And it really seems as though
the Dixon experience is yes, you
can get the traditional
experience of going in and
looking at art but we're really
a part of the community where,
you know, we're getting involved
with the community and
everything.
And I know one piece of this
whole exhibit that I think is so
cool is you've got a student art
piece.
And so where did you?
How are the students selected?
>> Pierotti: John Weeden who's
the guest curator was in touch
with a lot of high school art
teachers throughout the city.
And the teachers would submit
the student work.
And it was just kind of like a
juried exhibition like the
students will face when they
become older and submit their
work for juried exhibitions.
So I think it's a great practice
for students and it is a win-win
situation for us because we're
able to show such wonderful
work.
You will not believe that this
work in the student part of the
show was done by students.
I mean it's very mature.
The art teachers in this city
are great and they're training
this next generation of artists
to make just as big of a
statement as the artists that
are in kind of the main part of
the show.
It's really something that all
Memphians can be proud of.
>> Worley: Well for the
students, will you guys have
like an opening party for the
students so they can get all of
their friends to come?
Can you imagine if you are in
tenth grade and you're like,
"You know I'm being shown at The
Dixon."
>> Pierotti: Yeah, well we
encourage all of the artists,
both in the students show and in
the main show, to come as often
as they can, tell their whole
family, tell everybody about it.
Brag as much as you want because
we really want everybody in the
city and then everybody in the
state, everybody in the region
to come see this and see what
Memphis is doing right now and
how alive the Memphis art scene
is.
I mean I know y'all see this all
the time.
But it's great for the larger
public to be aware of it.
>> Worley: So how long does the
exhibit run?
>> Pierotti: It opens February
3rd, Superbowl Sunday, and runs
through April 14th.
And we'll have lots of
programming throughout the whole
run of the show, plenty of
opportunities for everyone to
come check it out.
>> Worley: Well thank you so
much, Julie, for coming and
telling us about this.
Mamie's up next with her friend,
Ashley Dacus, and they're
talking about one of their
favorite subjects, books.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Hey, I'm glad you're
here today with some books
because we haven't talked about
them in a long time.
>> Dacus: I know, I know.
>> Shannon: And I love the fact
that Booksellers at Laurelwood
does free signings, lectures,
discussions.
>> Dacus: Yeah, they're all the
time trying to bring some
culture to our area.
I've got a big ole stack of
books here.
Actually, we're going to start
with Pamela Denny.
She's the foot editor at Memphis
Magazine and she's written what
I think is a handy guide.
This is the Food Lover's Guide
to Memphis.
So this is for locals and
tourists alike.
>> Shannon: So now is this about
restaurants or recipes?
>> Dacus: Well some recipes but
mostly restaurants.
And it's kind of organized in
ways.
Let's see how she got this set
up.
Like Downtown Memphis, East
Memphis, Mid-town Memphis-just
the way that we understand it in
the suburbs.
Of course, where you can go to
get beer, cocktails.
What's worth the drive, you
know, from the Memphis area.
And then she's got a few recipes
here.
And you know she's a food
authority.
She's been writing for Memphis
Magazine for a long time doing
this kind of stuff.
I think this is going to be one
of those things kind of like
the-what's the one?
Never mind, I can't think of the
name of it.
Anyway, it's going to be one of
those things that every Memphian
should have.
>> Shannon: But you know what I
like about it?
I can see giving that for an out
of town guest that comes in in
like a little goodie bag.
>> Dacus: Yes, yeah for like
wedding parties and that kind of
stuff.
>> Shannon: Yes, that's a great
idea.
So tell me about Breathless
Reads Tour.
>> Dacus: Breathless Reads,
there are five young adult
authors.
Signing is going to be Thursday,
February 7th at 6:00 and this is
free.
The Breathless Reads Tour, there
are five young adult authors.
And I don't know all their names
but Morgan Rhodes might be the
most recognizable.
This is all kind of fantasy-
romance stuff.
And these ladies are bringing
candy and trying to make it a
little bit more romantic.
But this is just going to be a
fun way to meet several Penguin
authors who are touring
together.
The young adults section there
at the Booksellers at
Laurelwood, they do a lot of
great signing events for kids
and young readers.
This is just one more great
example.
>> Shannon: Yeah, my daughter
doesn't ever get out of that
section.
What is that about?
>> Dacus: So I'm really excited
about Jenny Milchman.
And if you're familiar with the
Booksellers at Laurelwood,
there's Scott who's our mystery
guy and he's real excited about
this.
So if he gets excited, it's
worth it.
>> Shannon: I've known Scott for
thirty-something years and never
known him to be excited.
If he's excited, this is a big
deal.
>> Dacus: The reason I'm excited
about it and I'm going to add
this to my winter stack is that
she's being compared to Gillian
Flynn which if you remember Gone
Girl was the big hit.
And I read that last summer.
I was completely taken with it.
This is debut novel.
A woman wakes up to find that
her husband has committed
suicide.
Problem is there's never been
any kind of indication that he
was depressed.
And simple, she has to start
investigating this on her own.
And this sounds like a really,
really good read.
So I'm excited.
>> Shannon: Well what else do
you have for me there?
>> Shannon: I'm excited about
this one.
>> Dacus: I am, too.
This is former Vice President Al
Gore-will be visiting us.
And his signing event-I don't
have that right in front of me.
>> Shannon: I've got it,
February 18 at noon.
>> Dacus: That's right.
And that's something I want
people to pay attention to.
This is at noon.
This one does require a line
ticket and the line tickets you
get when you buy the book.
>> Shannon: Oh, so we can buy
the book right now and go ahead
and get.
>> Dacus: Right, actually it
comes out this week.
So you can go buy the book now
and get your line ticket.
And the sooner you get it, the
closer to the front of the line
you'll be.
There are some restrictions.
He's only signing this title.
Any time they have any kind of
celebrities like that, it
tightens up.
>> Shannon: And I'm, sure it's
nothing personal.
Just he signs it and you move
on.
>> Dacus: That's right, that's
right.
But I'm excited about this.
>> Shannon: That is really cool.
>> Dacus: Yeah, so if you're in
to good, new non-fiction, I
think, you know, kind of like An
Inconvenient Truth.
This is just a good tone.
>> Shannon: Hopefully there's
some lock boxes in there.
(laughter)
>> Shannon: I had to, I had to.
>> Dacus: Don't say that when
he's there, would ya?
>> Shannon: I know, I know.
Who is Wiley Cash?
>> Dacus: Vanity Fair calls him
the Justin Timberlake of
American literature.
Yeah, so this is one that I'm
moving to the top of my stack.
I'm going to read this.
And actually, WKNO, the radios
side of WKNO, has a book club
and I think this is their pick.
And they're going to get to meet
and talk with him after his
signing event.
So this is a good chance to join
up with the WKNO book club.
I wrote down a great quote about
him.
Richmond Times Dispatch says,
"His book"-this is his debut
novel.
"A Land More Kind Than Home
reads as if Cormac McCarthy..
>> Shannon: Oh my gosh.
>> Dacus: I know, right?
NPR says this is great gothic
southern fiction.
He's a rock star young guy and
this is kind of a Appalachian
Foothill drama.
So I think this is going to be
exciting.
>> Shannon: We've only got a few
seconds left.
What else do we have coming up?
>> Dacus: The Bistro throughout
the month of February will have
singer-songwriters on Saturday
evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Yeah, so go get some good free
live music, some half priced
wine, cruise for a book.
Broaden your horizons.
>> Shannon: Absolutely.
Thank you so much, Ashley.
Those are really some great
books to check out.
The Superbowl is coming up this
weekend.
Greg Gaston is going to join me
to talk about the game a little
bit.
Let's see if I can hold my own
with him.
>> Dacus: Good luck!
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Greg, I'm glad
you're here with me today.
You know we got a big thing
coming up Sunday.
Harbaugh, Harbaugh ball, brother
bowl-I mean, this is the first
time in 47 years of the
Superbowl that we've got brother
versus brother coaches.
>> Gaston: Yeah and I think
we're going to hear that story
until we're sick of it, until
we're absolutely sick of it.
It is quite an accomplishment.
>> Shannon: It is and I wish
them both well.
But last time they go together
was what-six years ago?
And the Ravens won.
>> Gaston: Well obviously when
they get in to a game situation,
forget about that brotherly love
deal.
It's out the window.
Both these guys want to win.
Both have proven how good a
coach they are.
Harbaugh since coming over from
Stanford has done an amazing job
with San Francisco, Jim
Harbaugh.
John Harbaugh's been with the
Ravens now for a while and he's
proven himself very worthy.
So these are good adversaries.
I think it's going to be one
heck of a game with two teams
that play old style football,
really defensive oriented
football.
Although San Francisco, a little
bit different on offense,
they're more modern with Colin
Kaepernick.
>> Shannon: So Flacco has five
years experience.
Flacco's quarterback rating is
like an 89.7.
Kaepernick has only been playing
for two years but really a
starting quarterback for half a
season.
And his rating is like 93-
something.
What does that mean?
>> Gaston: Well rating, it
depends on yardage.
It depends on touchdowns,
interceptions.
I think sometimes that can be
misleading.
But in this case, what it's
saying is Kaepernick has taken
the ball and he's run with it.
He became the starter as you
mentioned midway through the
season.
Jim Harbaugh decides to take out
Alex Smith who was playing very
well and he does something that
was controversial.
Here's a first place team
changing quarterbacks mid
string.
But Kaepernick brings a whole
different dimension.
He can run with the football.
They run what they call a read-
option.
He looks at what the defense is
doing.
He can tuck and keep and run.
He can throw.
Or he can hand it off.
>> Shannon: It's more exciting.
>> Gaston: Well it is.
From an offensive standpoint,
absolutely.
>> Shannon: It's more exciting
as a viewer but it's also
obviously more exciting because
the scores tell the story.
>> Gaston: Well and it's also
more of what we see in college
is what Kaepernick's doing in
San Francisco.
Flacco is more the tranditional,
drop back, pocket passer for the
Ravens.
And what he has done in the post
season in his career is pretty
amazing.
It gets, I think, brushed aside
because we see Tom Brady and
Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers
and quarterbacks before them
like Troy Aikman and Brett Favre
who have won Superbowls.
Flacco hasn't won a Superbowl
but he continues to win road
playoff games.
And to win on the roads pretty
impressive.
Now obviously it's a neutral
side in New Orleans.
>> Shannon: So now this would be
the second time that the Ravens
have been to the Superbowl.
Is that correct?
>> Gaston: Correct, they won the
first time.
>> Shannon: And then this would
be the sixth win for the 49ers
that would tie my Steelers which
I'm not really happy with.
So that's why I'm going for the
Ravens.
>> Gaston: But it's been a long
time for the 49ers.
They were dominate during the
years of Bill Walsh as a head
coach, followed George Seaford
with Joe Montana as quarterback
and then Steve Young.
But it has been quite a while
since they returned.
So they're happy to be back.
And Baltimore, as you said, the
one appearance.
And it was a victory for them
with a quarterback, Trent
Dilfer, not known for the big
numbers, not known for all these
great victories.
AS we talk about quarterbacks in
the Superbowl, normally they're
Hall of Fame quarterbacks.
He wasn't.
He was just a blue collar
quarterback and they had the
great defense with Ray Lewis on
that time.
Baltimore still has the great
defense.
But I think they've worn over
the years.
Ray Lewis is still the emotional
leaders but he's not the Ray
Lewis he was.
Still a very good defense
though.
>> Shannon: And he's retiring
this year.
I mean, he's 38 years old.
That's a lot of its, you know?
>> Gaston: But he's still
playing at a high level, just
not as high as he normally is.
Five, six, seven years ago, this
guy was a perennial all-pro.
Still can do the job but I think
Baltimore-
We know Baltimore for defense
but San Francisco has a heck of
a defense.
And they are led by their line
backing core and that's Patrick
Willis who's from Ole Miss, he's
from Northwestern Tennessee.
So he's somewhat of a local
product.
And he is absolutely tremendous.
He is worth the money.
He's worth the admission price
to watch him play football.
>> Shannon: And then we've got
Michael Oher who is from Memphis
on the Ravens.
I mean, my goodness!
I think everybody's cheering for
him.
And what's the guy's name from
Collierville?
>> Gaston: Morgan ***.
>> Shannon: Morgan ***.
>> Gaston: Morgan *** is the
longsnapper for Baltimore out of
ECS.
And as you mentioned, Michael
Oher is from Briarcrest.
So you've got rivals, prep
football in this area playing on
the same team in the Superbowl.
And of course, everybody knows
Michael Oher's story.
>> Shannon: Okay, the point
spread is four points for the
49ers.
What do you say?
>> Gaston: Well it started at
five.
The early line was San Francisco
by five.
It quickly dropped to three and
a half.
So that means money was going on
Baltimore.
And now it's right around four,
as you said.
Look, I pick San Francisco to
reach the Superbowl.
But I also picked New England
and I thought New England was
going to beat San Francisco.
With that said though, I like
Baltimore.
>> Shannon: Me, too!
Thank you so much for coming!
Are you going to come back?
>> Gaston: Absolutely, any time!
I really appreciate it.
It was fun.
And you really did your homework
and knew your stuff, Mamie.
>> Shannon: Thank you.
Thanks, Greg.
I'm ready for the game now.
Thanks.
Now we need to plan for the menu
for the party.
Coming up next, Ashley and I are
going to show you some great
recipes to wow your guests.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: I am absolutely high
off of my interview with Greg
Gaston.
You know I love Superbowl
Sunday.
But this is as much fun as the
game.
>> Dacus: Yeah, I don't know who
I'm rooting for but I look
forward to the food.
>> Shannon: That's me, too.
And you know we either have a
party or go to a party.
If we have a party, I will do
the beer and the ice and the
plates and the forks and all
that kind of stuff.
But to me, the simpler, the
better.
It's just like this dip here.
It is sour cream.
You can use either taco
seasoning or some of your salsa.
And you throw in black olives
and it's amazing.
Pancho's hot dip-sorry, made in
West Memphis, Arkansas.
Support your local color!
You can not go wrong with
Pancho's hot dip, regular
tortilla chips.
I'm not really a chooser on
tortilla chips.
>> Dacus: Unless you go with the
Las Delicias.
Get those and go big with your
local color.
>> Shannon: Those are wrong.
But now what's your favorite?
>> Dacus: Actually, we have some
friends who always host our
neighborhood Superbowl party,
Michael and Christina.
And they delegate out so we know
that we got the standards we go
to.
One of the things that she fixes
that I love is she gets the
refrigerated cheese tortellini,
boils em up, puts them back on
the fridge.
And then she takes a little
container of pesto with a block
of cream cheese, mix that
together for a little dip.
And then dip these cheese
tortellinis in that.
You know you could even sub in
some of the low fat or fat free
cream cheese or maybe even go
crazy and get the greek yogurt
and that becomes slightly
healthy.
>> Shannon: Oh, that's good.
This right here-are you familiar
with Tiny Tim's kitchen?
Okay, Tiny Tim's kitchen is-you
can get it at Whole Foods.
You can get it at Fresh Market.
You can get it at Miss
Cordelia's.
I think it's Safe Way or
something like that.
But it's a father, Tom, and his
son, Ross, in their tiny
kitchen.
And it is amazing.
It's regular pimento cheese or
the chipotle.
>> Dacus: Right, you mentioned
that and I didn't even know that
was available.
I'm going to go check for that.
>> Shannon: And I always like to
have some healthy options, as
well.
So I've got some sugar snap peas
and these are zucchini.
And, of course, your favorite
wings.
What was the number?-110 million
pounds of wingless chicken
walking around because that's
how many wings we eat and
avocados for guacamole.
>> Dacus: Cinco de Mayo and the
Superbowl are the big avocado
days, right?
>> Shannon: It was some
ridiculous number, like 140
million tons of chips are
consumed.
Now there's one thing that I do
not scrimp on and that's Scoops.
I get the name brand Scoops.
And this is the buffalo wing
dip.
>> Dacus: It's my favorite.
>> Shannon: Mine, too!
And it's so simple!
A can of chicken, one block of
cream cheese, and again, low-
fat, no fat, and then hot sauce.
I like to use either Texas Pete
or Louisiana Hot Sauce.
>> Dacus: Or you could go and do
the Franks Red Hot and use the
real buffalo sauce to go with
it, too.
>> Shannon: Yep because Franks
is the one that did the buffalo
sauce.
And then I throw some sharp
cheddar in there, plop it in the
oven and get it nice and bubbly.
But there's one thing that I
don't have here.
But it's not my forte.
Did you see me gleek?
It is the sausage dip.
>> Dacus: It's Rotel with
breakfast sausage.
>> Shannon; Okay, it's Rotel
with-isn't it cream cheese?
>> Dacus: Yeah, I've seen it
done either way.
Either do a block of cream
cheese or do a block of
Velveeta.
And then brown your Tennessee
Pride or Jimmy Dean of whatever
and then throw that in.
And it's fabulous with the
grease from that.
Oh, it's so good.
>> Shannon: But now we like to
bring them out in shifts.
And it's strategic.
So what we do is we save the
heavier stuff for the end.
So like the last quarter of the
game, when everybody's had their
beers throughout the game,
either to drown their sorrows
because they're losing or to
celebrate because they're
wining, bring out the heavy
stuff for last quarter and kind
of put the beer in the back.
You know, bring out some punch,
some lemonade.
Yeah, thank you.
I was just going to say, bring
out some heavy stuff.
You know, bready things, pork
tenderloin on the little yeast.
>> Dacus: Sister Schubert's?
>> Shannon: Oh, yes, yes.
With some honey mustard or some
horseradish.
>> Dacus: Just as long as it's
not fussy.
It needs to be easy like this
kind of platy easy because these
are people who are celebrating
and jumping up and down.
They've got beer in one hand and
have to be able to snack.
>> Shannon: And my favorite, my
daughter used to call it Jimmy
Buffett's style where you just
walk down the line, you know.
And it's just you're little
buffet.
And we just leave it out.
And I love those great big
containers that's got like three
crock pots together.
So you can just line those
things up and have your chips
out and replenish them as
needed.
Okay, so what are you going to
try?
You going to try my Texas dip?
>> Dacus: I'm going to go
straight for buffalo.
(laughter)
>> Dacus: That's my favorite.
I am going to try this.
Well I'm going to sample it all.
>> Shannon: Hey, you know what?
Look behind.
Hey, can some of you guys come
up here?
I know.
I see you behind that camera,
Clifford.
Come on up here!
Thank you guys so much for
joining us.
Come back and see us next week.
And go out and enjoy your local
color.
Okay I'm going to go with the
buffalo dip.
>> Dacus: I'm going to try a
healthy dipping option.
>> Shannon: Oh, forget that.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪