Lisa Denton and Barry CourterBARRY COURTER: Lisa, we've had some busy weeks around here in the past, but Yowsa! this week is loaded. If people thought things might slow down after Riverbend, they were mistaken. Let's see, Jerry Seinfeld is at the Tivoli on Thursday, Seth Walker headlines Nightfall on Friday, science-fiction convention LibertyCon 27 is this weekend at the Choo Choo, and Liberty Fest, a music festival, is at Camp Jordan on Saturday.
LISA DENTON: And don't forget, the Times Free Press debuts its Man Xpo on Saturday at First Tennessee Pavilion and Finley Stadium. We have a lot of these expos now, but this is the first manly men's event. How manly is it? I'm glad you asked.
It's so manly, one venue won't hold it all. It's so manly, it's inviting wives and girlfriends AND Titans cheerleaders. It's so manly, it ripped the "e" off expo.
BARRY: I'm just glad you didn't think it had an "sed" on the end of expo. There will be music, food, cars, trucks, boats, a video game truck, chainsaw woodcarving, archery, a NASCAR simulator and lots of other manly things. And ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit who, for those who don't know, is the College GameDay football analyst. Oh, and there will be beer. I keep hearing Tim Allen doing his manly grunt in my head.
LISA: I'm imagining Tarzan thumping his chest.
BARRY: I wonder if there will be big oversized recliners for taking a nap.
LISA: If not, I'd call that a missed opportunity. A vendor who brings in the camouflage versions could make a killing, I bet.
I'm excited about Jerry Seinfeld, too. I've seen him in concert twice, and I loved his TV series. It was so odd that he, a professional comedian, played the straight man on the show.
I was thinking the other day about how he added so many catchphrases to popular culture: Soup Nazi, close talker, sponge-worthy, festivus, double-dipper, master of my domain. Granted, he didn't necessarily make them up, but he knew how to use them to his advantage -- not that there's anything wrong with that.
And I had a Seinfeld moment recently. One Friday night, I saw "Smoke on the Mountain" at Cumberland County Playhouse and afterward stayed behind to talk to one of its stars, former Chattanoogan Jason Ross. Yada yada yada. The next morning, we had breakfast together at Cracker Barrel.
BARRY: Did y'all exchange makeup tips? I once saw a picture of him dressed up as Maleficent.
LISA: We did discuss Angelina Jolie's movie makeup. I enjoyed getting to talk to him. He's an amazing talent, very funny and a nice guy. I hope he doesn't mind that I yada-yada'd him.
BARRY: Oh, he's good people, and dining together at the Barrel makes you almost kin.
LISA: Saturday is also the day Warehouse Row revives its Crafted by Southern Hands series. For the first event this summer, The Peach Truck and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams will be on hand from 3 to 6 p.m. They'll have fresh, handpicked Georgia peaches and all kinds of ice cream. Plus, there'll be pony rides. If I can find a pony tall enough that my feet don't drag the ground, I might have to do that.
BARRY: Nothing says summer like ice cream, peaches and ponies. Throw in drop-tops and girls in cutoff denim shorts and we'd have a bro-country hit.
Also, both the Chattanooga Roller Girls and the Football Club have matches on Saturday, though not against each other. Hmm, someone should look into that. And it's Blueberry Festival time at the Chattanooga Market.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.