Heard on the Radio: The Redneck Summer Games

What started off in 1996 as a goofy radio station promotion has evolved into a nationwide phenomenon.

Back in 1996, Atlanta was going to host the Olympics and a lot of jokes were being made about a bunch of rednecks hosting the Olympics. So founder Mac Davis figured, if that's what people expect, he would give it to them.

As legend tells it, Mac Davis and a host of volunteers put together a ridiculous schedule of "Redneck Games" for locals to compete in. They expected a small turnout, some decent weather, and a few laughs.

What they got was a little slice of what event organizers describe as Dixie magic. "The first year," Davis reminisces, "we expected 500 people to show up. We got 5,000 instead."

Since then, the Redneck Games have expanded into an annual major event. Davis expects that 15,000 people will show up this year and estimates that over the last decade, roughly 95,000 individuals have attended the one-day extravaganza.

Melvin Davis (relation?), curator of the Redneck Museum, talks to Mark, David and myself about the Redneck Summer Games in East Dublin, Georgia - an event highlighted by a Hubcap Hurl, a Bobbin' for Pig's Feet Fest, and Redneck Horseshoes — in which toilet seats are the objects thrown.

You can hear the interview as part of Left Jab broadcast on XM Radio Channel 167, Saturday at 11 a.m., with a repeat broadcast Sunday at 1 p.m. If you miss either of those broadcasts, you can catch it later as a podcast at hhtp://www.leftjabradio.com.