Off the Couch: The holidays are here; pass the cranberry sauce

Wayne White, an artist who grew up in Chattanooga before moving West to work on "Pee-wee's Playhouse," is the subject of "Beauty Is Embarrassing," a documentary that will be shown Friday at the Hunter Museum of American Art.
Wayne White, an artist who grew up in Chattanooga before moving West to work on "Pee-wee's Playhouse," is the subject of "Beauty Is Embarrassing," a documentary that will be shown Friday at the Hunter Museum of American Art.
photo Lisa Denton and Barry Courter

BARRY COURTER: Lisa, are you a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full kind of person?

LISA DENTON: I tend toward glass-half-full, but I'd also argue that the glass is just too large. Why do you ask?

BARRY: I realized the other day that I'm a there's-beer-in-the-fridge person. It's all about perspective, I believe. Which is why I'm taking this week to take stock of the things I'm thankful for. Part of that good vibe comes from all the events on the calendar. Of course, it could also because Thursday is National Glutton Day. I plan to embarrass myself once again, but it's all for the good of the country, right?

LISA: It's practically your patriotic duty.

Just like I'm obligated, as an American consumer, to shop till I drop on Black Friday. Plus, it helps to walk off the gluttony from the day before. Although there are plenty of events to fill our time too.

BARRY: One of the fun things on the calendar for next Monday is Robert Earl Keen at the Tivoli. He's bringing his whole Back to the Country Jamboree show to town. He wrote "Merry Christmas From the Family." It's a different take on the holiday. One of my favorite lines is:

Carve the turkey

Turn the ball game on

Mix margaritas when the eggnog's gone

Send somebody to the Quickpak Store

We need some ice and an extension cord

LISA: That does sound like a party. And the rest of the song adds to the shopping list: bean dip, Diet Rite, Pampers, fake snow. An odd assortment of groceries to go along with the odd assortment of relatives.

You know, Keen has called it "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" of Christmas songs because the audience always sings along, especially the line "Mix Bloody Marys 'cause we all want one."

There's even a sequel, "Happy Holidays Y'all," that picks up with the family leaving after Christmas. Which could also be cause for celebration.

BARRY: I got to ask him about it during an interview, and he said while he loves holiday music, his Christmases growing up in Houston were nothing like the movie and TV show depictions, so he wrote about his memories of the big day. Funny 'cause it's true stuff.

Peewee Moore returns to town on Saturday for a show at Revelry Room. If you like your country with some teeth to it, he can bring it.

LISA: He was raised in Fort Oglethorpe, so we get to claim him as a hometown success.

BARRY: And the year of Wayne White is working toward a close. The exhibit of his works remains at the Hunter Museum of American Art through the end of December, and they will be showing the documentary about his work called "Beauty Is Embarrassing" on Friday. It's very good, and seeing it before seeing the exhibit would be really enlightening I would think.

LISA: That's a good plug: "Beauty Is Embarrassing" is enlightening.

Get event details every Thursday in Chattanooga Now 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.

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