Lights, camera, smoke!

A Netflix series based on a barbecue competition is debuting this week, and if you can believe it, they hired me as “culinary historian” to advise them on authentic pit traditions.

The American Barbecue Showdown, an eight-part reality TV series, begins streaming on Netflix on Friday, Sept. 18., exactly a year to the day after I visited the set outside Covington, Ga. The producers contacted me after I was the subject of a cover story in Georgia State University Magazine, my alumni mag, prompted by publication of my book Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America. James Brooke, who teaches TV production at GSU and also works as a production liaison for All3Media America (which creates shows for Netflix), saw the piece and recommended me.

As a consultant, I spent hours on the phone with the producers talking about barbecue history — the strange critters we used to cook, the evolution of smokers, why a Boston butt comes from the pig’s shoulder and not the rear end, etc. 

I was surprised when they asked me to come to the set to tape an interview last September. I was shocked when I got there and they had a dressing room in a trailer with my name on the outside, like I was “talent” or something.

This was not a small production, as I describe in my story about it in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The show, originally called Smoked, was shot on a cattle ranch south of Covington, where the owners have built a huge special event barn that served as the main backdrop for the competition. The property was buzzing with crew and thick with production trailers, film equipment, and scores of cars parked on a pasture. You can get an idea of what it looked like if you zero in on this Google Satellite view.

They asked me to bring several changes of clothes so they could figure out what would look best on camera. Naturally, they chose the schlumpiest thing I brought. I guess they wanted me to look like a historian.

They filmed me talking about barbecue for maybe two hours, looking at the camera solo and then in conversation with Kevin Bludso, a Los Angeles barbecue restaurateur who was serving as one of the principal judges along with Melissa Cookston, one of the stars of the barbecue contest circuit. I really enjoyed talking with Kevin, whose family is rooted in Texas barbecue.

I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when I screened the series recently and saw that none of our footage made the final cut. The show rightfully spotlights the judges and the eight contestants who actually did the sweaty work of cooking a wide variety of barbecue and side dishes on tight deadlines.

Three of the contestants are from Georgia: James Grubbs of Blairsville, Tina Cannon of Newnan (shown in photo), and Rasheed Philips of Winder. They’re the stars: Grubbs with his “grillbilly” barbecue, Tina with her culinary training and bright personality, Rasheed with his gentlemanly manner and analytical approach to cooking challenges. When they aren’t on TV, Grubbs cooks for community events in the mountains, Tina creates dishes for Meals on Wheels of Coweta, and Rasheed is starting a career as a barbecue caterer, relying heavily on the flavorings of his childhood in Jamaica. 

The American Barbecue Showdown is a lot of fun. I think you’ll enjoy it, especially in this year when the pandemic has forced most in-person barbecue contests to cancel or postpone. As you watch, notice the bits of barbecue history that pop up in the show like cracklin’ in cornbread. Your obedient consultant might have had something to do with that.

From Russia With Sauce

I experienced political whiplash on the barbecue trail today. It involved two very different red states. I’ll explain.

This morning I did a 20-minute interview about "Smokelore" and the history of barbecue with Radio Sputnik, a controversial Russian government-funded broadcast operation out of Washington aimed at Americans. When Radio Sputnik first contacted me, I didn’t know what to make of it. Turns out that one of the hosts of their morning drive-time show, "Fault Lines," is a big barbecue fan and saw "Smokelore" touted by one of the authors of a popular economics blog called Marginal Revolution.

So I talked barbecue with the cohosts: Lee Stranahan (the barbecue lover) and Garland Nixon (a vegetarian). It wasn’t much different from other interviews I’ve done. Well, they were pretty interested in Bobby Seale and the way the Black Panthers used to hold barbecue fund-raisers. I pointed out that the Ku Klux Klan held them, too. It’s America, people. Anyway, thanks to the "Fault Lines" crew for a good interview.

Three hours later, I was addressing a group of Congressional staffers over lunch at Georgia State Universit (right), part of an annual tour my alma mater puts together for the state’s delegation in Washington. Georgia, of course, is the other red state I referenced at the top because of its decidedly Republican lean in recent years. 

My lunch audience was amused to hear about Radio Sputnik. I’m amused as well. I never dreamed that in one day I’d be doing barbecue talks funded by the governments of Russia and Georgia.

Yakety-yak

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See that man with his mouth ajar? He sure has been talking a lot lately. In the past two weeks, Jim Auchmutey (otherwise known as "Authorus Blabberus") has given five talks about his new book, "The Class of '65," with many more to come. Switching to first person now: I'd like to thank the Atlanta Prime Timers (especially Richard Rhodes), the West End Rotary Club (special thanks to John Ingersoll), and the Georgia State University history department (ditto to Clifford Kuhn) for inviting me to speak, listening with genuine interest -- and for buying some books. I've added a Power Point slide show and am getting to where I hardly have to consult notes anymore. My wife and siblings have always known I like to talk, but this is getting downright Toastmasterish.