HazzardNet Newsletter Hits the Press!

Yes, it's another edition of our monthly newsletter! (After a few months of delay.) Which is why getting the newsletter done is news in itself! There's been so much Dukes of Hazzard stuff going on, it's been hard to keep up with, even for us! Here we go:

2 Major Dukes Shindigs in 2012!

You may have heard of DukesFest, and know about Hazzard Homecoming. But there's a new party in town, called "Hazzard Comes to Galax" and it happens in Galax, VA on June 2nd, 2012! So far, they've got an impressive lineup: John Schneider, James Best, Sonny Shroyer, and Rick Hurst. They are also advertising a General Lee stunt jump, performed by those crazy Ohio confederates, Northeast Ohio Dukes!

Not to be outdone, Hazzard Homecoming has confirmed a cast lineup of Catherine Bach, James Best, Sonny Shroyer, Rick Hurst, and of course Ben Jones. Per the official website, Tom Wopat and John Schneider have been invited, but have not yet confirmed their participation.

Now, it may not seem fair that Virginia gets both "Hazzard Homecoming" and now "Hazzard Comes to Galax."  In fact, Sperryville VA, and Galax, VA, are about 240 miles apart. But the Galax shindig is put on by some local business folks and Dukes fans, whereas Homecoming is put on by cast member Ben Jones. As HazzardNet.com promotes all things Dukes of Hazzard, we'll give ya news about both!

In fact, here's the links to the websites, so you can check out the details and plan your trips!

June 2nd - Hazzard Comes to Galax - Galax, VA
http://www.hazzardcomestogalax.com/

August 11 & 12 - Hazzard Homecoming - Sperryville, VA
http://www.cootersplace.com/hazzard-homecoming/

See what we meant, when we said there's a lot of news? And we're just getting started!

We're not just whistlin' Dixie. If you missed Tom Wopat at the Canton, OH car show, or missed John Schneider at the car show in Monticello, IA, or missed James Best and Sonny Shroyer at the car show in Gray, GA....and, if you can't make it to "Hazzard Comes to Galax" or "Hazzard Homecoming", don't despair! There are more appearances coming up! This is what we know of, as of press time:

Ben Jones, "Crazy Cooter" Calendar:
March 23 - 25 22nd Annual International Auto Showcase Syracuse, NY
June 9 - Hagerstown Speedway
July 6-8 - Carlisle Chrysler Nationals with Catherine Bach 
August 2 - Garrett County Fair with "Cooter's Garage Band"
August 11&12 - "Hazzard Homecoming 2012" Sperryville, VA

James Best, "Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane" Calendar:
June 2, 2012 - "Hazzard Comes to Galax" at Felts Park in Galax, Virginia
August 11 & 12  - "Hazzard Homecoming 2012" Sperryville, VA
Sept 28, 2012, 4pm - One man show at Mayberry Days
Sept 29, 2012 - Henderson Auctions, at HWY 190 West of Livingston 9am - 6pm
October 1, 2012 - All Star Concert, Marriott Baton Rouge Hotel. Appearing with Clay Walker, Tracy Lawrence, and Sonny Shroyer

Tom Wopat, "Luke Duke" Calendar:
April 12 & April 13 - Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagra Falls, ON, in concert with John Schneider
Tom has many concerts and stage performances that don't involve the Dukes of Hazzard, and there's too many to list here! He's a great singer and we suggest you take in one of his shows when you get the chance. Visit Tom's website for more information: http://www.tomwopat.com/Content/events.html

John Schneider, "Bo Duke" Calendar:
Same as Tom at the casino gig, plus the Galax, VA shindig we already mentioned.

Catherine Bach, "Daisy Duke" Calendar:
July 6-8 - Carlisle Chrysler Nationals with Ben Jones
August 11 & 12 - Hazzard Homecoming

Sonny Shroyer, "Deputy Enos Strate" and Rick Hurst, "Deputy Cletus Hogg" Calendars:
Both of our favorite deputies will be at "Hazzard Comes to Galax" and "Hazzard Homecoming"
Sept 16, Sonny is at the Orchard Beach Car Show in Bronx, NY, along with Don Pedro Coley (Sheriff Little) and Byron Cherry (Coy Duke)
Sonny joins Jimmie at the Oct 1st gig at the Marriott Baton Rouge Hotel. 
Rick Hurst usually puts in a couple of appearances at Cooter's Place during the year, we'll announce the dates as they come up.

CMT Takes Dukes Break; Dukes Return March 13th

There are no Dukes of Hazzard episodes scheduled on CMT until March 13th. Since the CMT website and national TV listings both confirm the airing on March 13th, we're taking it to mean that the Dukes will resume the usual schedule on CMT after a short break. So far there is no change to the timeslot, which is still showing as 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. Check your local listings for the most current information, and if we hear anything else, we'll let ya know!

New Dukes of Hazzard Merchandise!

Freshen up your Dukes of Hazzard wardrobe with these General Lee t-shirts from Kohl's and Target! We're not sure how much longer these will be available online; most of the brick-and-mortar stores seem to be sold out. Get 'em while ya can!
Kohl's Dukes of Hazzard General Lee Tee
Target Dukes of Hazzard Tee

Editorial: NASCAR Shuns General Lee; Sign of Dukes Doom?

There was a time when The Dukes of Hazzard and NASCAR knew each other well. Champion driver Cale Yarborough guest starred in two Dukes of Hazzard episodes, and there were multiple NASCAR references made during the run of the program. Given this history, NASCAR's recent decision to ban the General Lee from the track came as a disturbing surprise.

NASCAR told pro golfer Bubba Watson that he could not drive his General Lee on the track in Phoenix, even though they made him an honorary race official and were initially OK with the idea.  The issue was the Confederate flag on the General's roof. NASCAR feared that any implied endorsement of the rebel flag would have a negative impact. Namely, they feared that corporate sponsors would withdraw support and that their potential reach to a more diverse fan base would be compromised.

The whole stink was over one parade lap with the General Lee. It's not like they were showing the flag in the announcer booth or using it to start the race. For cryin' out loud, it's just painted on the roof of the car. It's not even fluttering in the breeze. But the fear of being politically incorrect outweighed all else. As far as we know, nobody complained about the idea of the parade lap when it was announced, yet NASCAR back-pedaled hard.

With the rebel flag coming under fire from all quarters, it's not hard to imagine that the Dukes of Hazzard may eventually vanish from public airwaves - because somebody, somewhere, is going to freak out over the rebel flag being on TV. Worse, it could happen because of the fear that there might be an objection.
 
We understand that some hate groups have abused the flag, but banning the flag itself does not rid anyone of the hate groups. Ironically, the hate groups are allowed to have public demonstrations under the 1st Amendment. They could be flying boxer shorts from a fishing pole, and you'd still have the same problem; you could outlaw boxer shorts, but the hate group would still exist. And you'd be taking away the right of comfortable underwear from a lot of innocent people.

In a nation founded upon the principals of freedom and democracy, we would hope that the messages of tolerance, diversity and inclusion would also apply to those who view the Confederate flag as a symbol of Southern heritage. And also apply to those who view it as a symbol of "fightin' the system" ala Dukes of Hazzard.  And apply to those who just think it's pretty and have no idea what all the fuss is about.

Brian Coltrane, 2012. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of HazzardNet.com, nor its members or affiliates.

Looking For More Dukes of Hazzard?

If you want to keep up with the latest cast news, happenings, Dukes fan projects and assorted scuttlebutt, you'll want to check out the Forums at HazzardNet.com! From ongoing show trivia to amazing artwork, you'll find a variety of topics to chime in on! We are also continually adding content, so be sure to stop by the homepage and see what's new.

Meanwhile, our Facebook page is fast-paced and informative, and includes special features like "Jump Day" and "Jailbreak Friday."  Be sure to "Like" our Facebook page for episode clips, photos, Dukes humor and whatever else we dig out!

HazzardNet.com is celebrating our 13th consecutive year online, under the same ownership and mismanagement we've always had! We're pleased to say that The Dukes of Hazzard fandom is growing - and so are we. We would like to say THANK YOU, to all of you who visit our sites, and who have contributed so much over the years. HazzardNet.com is still here today, and will remain here tomorrow, because of ya'll.

Until next time,