The Kibbe and Friends Show

This week on the Kibbe and Friends Show, I have a new mission: save The Dukes of Hazzard! With Coyote vs. Acme finding new life after sitting on a shelf, could somebody do the same thing with the Dukes while John Schneider and Tom Wopat can still climb through the windows of a Charger? Bernie and Corndog naturally help turn my perfectly reasonable idea into something completely ridiculous.

We also talk racing after Dallas returned to Jefferson Speedway, the reborn IROC series, and a fascinating—and somewhat sad—story from Jay Chandrasekhar about working with Burt Reynolds on the 2005 Dukes of Hazzard movie. Plus, our mysterious voicemail caller asks a surprisingly good question: with new 1969 Charger bodies coming to market, could the Charger eventually become the 427 Cobra of the muscle-car kit world?

Then it's time for The Dukes of Hazzard, Season 2, Episode 4: “The Meeting.” The Chicago mob comes to Hazzard, Boss Hogg rents them the jail for $10,000, and what follows is basically Good Ol' Boys versus Goodfellas. It's pinstripe suits, limousines, cement galoshes, ridiculous disguises, Daisy distractions, mobsters under nets, and enough Looney Tunes logic to fill an entire episode.

Most importantly, this episode features the final jump of Lee 3—one of the original three General Lees. Corndog gives us the history of this very early Charger and explains exactly what happens during the jump that finally kills it. I gave “The Meeting” 9 cement galoshes, Corndog gives it an 8, and Bernie lands at 8.5. It's a wonderfully ridiculous episode of the Dukes and a packed K&F Show to go with it!

The post K&F Show #375: The Dukes Meet the Mob! “The Meeting” Dukes of Hazzard Review first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

This week we lost a true member of the Dukes of Hazzard family. Ben Jones, forever known to millions of fans as Cooter Davenport, has passed away. In his memory, we're stepping away from our regular format to revisit something we're incredibly grateful to have in the Kibbe & Friends archives: our full 2019 conversation with Ben himself.

We originally spoke with Ben ahead of the 40th anniversary of The Dukes of Hazzard, and he was everything you'd hope he would be. Funny, candid, thoughtful, opinionated, and incredibly generous with his time. He told us how he landed the role of Cooter, how the character evolved, what those early Georgia episodes were really like, his memories of John Schneider, Tom Wopat, Denver Pyle, Sorrell Booke and the rest of the cast, and even his tiny role in Smokey and the Bandit. We also talked cars, Cooter's tow trucks, the incredible stunt work, the departure and return of Bo and Luke, and the lasting phenomenon of the General Lee.

More than anything, Ben understood what The Dukes of Hazzard meant to its fans. He and his wife Alma spent decades keeping that community together through Cooter's Place, DukesFest and the enormous fan gatherings that brought generations of Dukes fans together.

Ben once told us that no matter what else he accomplished in life, he'd still be Cooter — and that was a very good thing.

We couldn't agree more.

Rest in peace, Ben Jones. Thanks for the memories, the stories, and for always keeping Hazzard County alive.

The post K&F Show #374 – BONUS: Remembering Ben Jones – The Man Behind Cooter Davenport first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

This week’s Kibbe & Friends Show is dedicated to the memory of Ben Jones, the man who brought Cooter Davenport to life on The Dukes of Hazzard and spent decades helping keep the show and its fan community alive. Rob, Corndog, and Bernie look back at Ben’s life, his career before and after the Dukes, his time in Congress, the creation of Cooter’s Place, and the lasting impact he had on generations of Dukes fans.

For this week’s review, the guys selected an episode that puts Cooter front and center: Season 6, Episode 12, “Cooter’s Girl.” Cooter discovers he has an estranged daughter named Nancy Lou, forcing everyone to confront the difference between the wild “Crazy Cooter” of his younger days and the dependable friend and mechanic he eventually became. Meanwhile, Boss Hogg is chasing another land deal, bad guys are dumping toxic waste, Bo has somehow become a glider pilot, and the General Lee gets involved in one of the episode’s best stunts.

The guys also look back at some of Cooter Davenport’s greatest moments throughout the series—from the wild character we met in Season 1 to becoming the General Lee’s trusted caretaker and one of the Duke family’s closest friends. It all leads to an ending that feels especially meaningful following Ben’s passing, when Waylon reminds us, “Of course, we loved him all along.”

Thank you for the laughs, the memories, and all those years of keeping Hazzard County alive, Ben. Cooter, all the grateful people of Hazzard… thank you.

The post K&F Show #374: Remembering Ben Jones – “Cooter’s Girl” Dukes of Hazzard Review first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Every once in a while we take a break from Hazzard County and revisit another piece of automotive pop culture, and this week we're looking back at one of the most quotable comedy films ever made—Wayne's World. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey turned a popular Saturday Night Live sketch into a movie that defined the early '90s while giving us unforgettable characters, classic rock, and one of the most recognizable movie cars of the decade.

We discuss why the flame-painted AMC Pacer became an icon, how Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" found a whole new generation of fans because of the film, and why Wayne's World still works more than thirty years later. Along the way, we revisit memorable scenes, behind-the-scenes trivia, the 1966 Pontiac GTO driven by Benjamin Kane, and the pop culture moments that made this comedy a lasting classic.

Party on! 🤘

The post K&F Show #373: Wayne’s World Movie Review // Party On! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Season 2 continues with "The Rustlers," as the Duke Boys team up with country music legend Mel Tillis to protect his prized racehorse from Boss Hogg, horse rustlers, and one crooked horse dealer. While the General Lee doesn't get as much screen time as usual, this episode delivers plenty of memorable moments—including a race between the General Lee and a thoroughbred, Uncle Jesse's now-famous climb out of the General, and Boss Hogg's hilarious attempts to impress Lulu.

In this review, Rob, Corndog, and Bernie discuss Mel Tillis' unforgettable guest appearance, the real-life story behind his famous stutter, and the surprising appearance of Dorothy Collier, who would later marry James Best and become Dorothy Best. Corndog also breaks down several production details, including one of the rare General Lees without a roll bar, continuity clues, classic vehicle sightings, and hidden details that longtime Dukes fans will appreciate.

The crew also plays another round of the Automotive Celebrity Birthday Game, Bernie brings the latest automotive news, and everyone debates one important question: Could the General Lee really outrun a racehorse? Whether you're a longtime Dukes fan or simply love classic TV and vintage muscle cars, there's plenty to enjoy in this week's review.

The post K&F Show #372: Dukes Review S2E3 “The Rustlers” – Mel Tillis & Rosco’s Future Wife first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.