Tag: stand up

Don’t ‘worry,’ Brian Bates’ new comedy special delivers

A man with a microphone in front of a blue curtrain

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 →

What’s up with SUP?

For the last several years during my beach vacation I’ve been seeing people standing on surf boards with big paddles. Curious but too timid to tackle this sport on my own, I finally got a taste of stand-up paddle boarding (or SUP as it’s commonly known) this week during a work retreat at Chickamauga Lake in … Continue reading What’s up with SUP? →