We at New South Essays have made it our mission to keep you informed of events that both reflect and impact contemporary Southern culture. Such a moment occurred last night (July 24, 2026) when Nashville stand-up comedian Brian Bates dropped his long-awaited, highly-anticipated 30-minute special “Worried” on the Nateland YouTube channel. (Oh, and did I … Continue reading Don’t ‘worry,’ Brian Bates’ new comedy special delivers
I love when a conversation turns Southern. My day job recently had me in our nation’s capitol for a conference. These events are catnip to me. My extroversion explodes. Meeting new people, making connections, networking and engaging in conversations energizes me. About 700-800 people, give or take, attended this conference, and I knew only a … Continue reading When a conversation turns Southern
When a species has a specific geographical location in its name, it’s just common sense that the species would call that place home. I’m not clear if “Tasmanian Devil” is a whole species or just the one on the Bugs Bunny cartoons, but I am clear that I have never seen one outside of Tasmania. … Continue reading Atlanta Geese
There aren't enough hours in the day to consume all of the world's content, and it's a problem. It's especially acute if you are like me and believe that entertainment is not meant to be enjoyed but completed. "Honey, if we work hard, we can finish the latest season of 'Virgin River' by knocking out … Continue reading My podcast cup runneth over
If you have been anywhere near regular old television any time since February 6, you may be aware that people are doing death defying stuff on ice and snow. These feats will cease to earn medals tomorrow when the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games end, but some unfortunate souls (Yankees, mostly) will have to contend with … Continue reading Southern Winter Olympics
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the Year of Our Lord 2025 is waning. With five days to go, we’ve reached that magical time of year between Christmas and New Year’s when the writers at all the media companies want to take some time off. So instead of covering actual news (they leave that … Continue reading The State of New South Essays 2025
In our modern age we rely on precision in our measurements. Even when we don’t need it, our devices give it to us. Google maps tell us how far away Grandma’s house is, down to the tenth of a mile. Our scale gives us our weight to the hundredth of a pound. Our workout app … Continue reading A heap of Thanksgiving measurement
Life presents us a dizzying array of choices on a daily basis. Invigorating to some and debilitating to others, probing our innermost desires to come up with a decision can be stressful. Or, it can be great fun. In recent weeks two forms of the same parlor game have been circling in the orbit of … Continue reading Games of choice
Sports happen all year round in different seasons, much like nature itself. When I was coming of age there were three distinct seasons that overlapped the traditional four equinox-related time periods. (I went into great detail to explain all the equinoxes in a previous post.) Those three seasons were Football, Basketball and Baseball. Barron's pure … Continue reading Who is your team?
If laughter is the best medicine, I may have a drug problem. In fact, it’s the only medicine I’ll take on the regular. As I age, I find humor to be the most reliable way to lift my mood and generally feel better. At least 226 of you who posted on my Facebook timeline already … Continue reading A Dusty Slay birthday
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