The Sling Shot Man and Other Non-famous Carolinians

January 15, 2009 8:57 PM

The Sling Shot Man is Rufus Hussey, a man who's awesome with a beanshooter. This is a segment from 1985 of Down Home with the Carolina Camera which is a long-running part of Charlotte's WBTV's Top o' the Day variety show. There are a total of 22 videos on the YouTube channel which all feature interesting but non-famous Carolinians. Here are some other stories I liked: The Dulcimer School, Alligator Catchers, The Checker Players, The Gourdman of Angier and Backwards Man.
posted by Kattullus (18 comments total)

Oh! Plum forgot! The first link via William Gibson's blog.
posted by Kattullus at 9:09 PM on January 15, 2009

An excellent post...I also enjoyed The Tree Climbing Dog & The Jail Cook. . .
posted by dawson at 9:24 PM on January 15, 2009

I enjoy pretty much all of them.

Also, something about the reporter has me in hysterics sometimes. I can't quite articulate why but I find him hilarious.
posted by Kattullus at 9:30 PM on January 15, 2009

Yeah, he's (reporter) perfect for this. I like Marshall Tucker here too. Heard about him pretty much my whole life but never saw him like this til now... good people.
posted by dawson at 9:37 PM on January 15, 2009

These are great. These are the type of Americans we just don't see enough of in the rest of the world -- kind, humble people with slightly peculiar obsessions and the can-do spirit.

Nice post
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:13 PM on January 15, 2009

kind, humble people with slightly peculiar obsessions and the can-do spirit.

To be fair, this is also a different type of reportage than "Are you afraid of a black man in the white house?"

We all have good and bad sides.
posted by rokusan at 10:37 PM on January 15, 2009

We all have good and bad sides.

Whew, that was a close call. Also, don't forget we had a civil war over slavery. And the Vietnam war.
posted by mecran01 at 4:56 AM on January 16, 2009

The Texas Country Reporter is a very similar show. Witness Chicken Fried Bacon as an example.
posted by jim in austin at 5:33 AM on January 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Watch The Dulcimer School. Listen to how the reporter pronounces Appalachian. Never say it any other way.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:25 AM on January 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Awesome post. I want a slingshot!
posted by leotrotsky at 8:36 AM on January 16, 2009

I may have to begin talking backwards myself, now. And jim_in_austin? I believe my cholesterol went up just watching that video... There are times I miss Texas, if only for the audacity of the food.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:56 AM on January 16, 2009

Nice. Thanks.
posted by OmieWise at 9:28 AM on January 16, 2009

Listen to how the reporter pronounces Appalachian. Never say it any other way.
That's cool I guess, because that's the way I always said it.... Erm, how how else is it pronounced? That Texas link is awesome too, but I'm partial to the Carolina folk.
posted by dawson at 12:56 PM on January 16, 2009

I read Roger Welsch's tractor books to put me in a friendly state of mind towards Americans. A history professor turned part-time farmer and tractor restorer, he's one American I wouldn't mind having as a neighbour.

Busted Tractors and Rusty Knuckles is on Google books if anyone wants a preview.
posted by Harald74 at 1:46 PM on January 16, 2009

Please don't take my last post to imply I wouldn't want most Americans as neighbours, as I'm sure Americans are better neighbours than most of my fellow Norwegians....
posted by Harald74 at 1:47 PM on January 16, 2009

dawson, some people pronounce it as if they were speaking of a wine-growing region.

These people annoy me, and I yell at them.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:00 PM on January 16, 2009

AhHa, MrMoonPie...I hear what you mean, and come to think of it I've encountered that.
posted by dawson at 8:41 AM on January 17, 2009

Phenomenal post. Reminded me just why I love my home state so much. Thank you.
posted by willie11 at 11:50 AM on January 25, 2009