This Christmas, Hallmark gives a nod to our favorite classic tv show, The Dukes of Hazzard, with a keepsake ornament of the General Lee. The size of the ornament is about 1:64 scale and features the General Lee jumping through a barrier resembling a barn door with “The Dukes of Hazzard” emblazoned across it. As you can see, the wood covers the flag, but the flag is there, we checked. We already have ours and will be putting it on the tree this weekend. You can get yours at Amazon.com.
HazzardNet
Tom and John Are Making A Christmas Album…
…and they need your help! Instead of going the traditional route in making an album, they’ve decided to include the fans by financing the project via Kickstarter. They’re offering some really great thank you gifts for your pledges, including digital downloads, autographed cds, personalized greetings from them, private concerts, one-on-one time with one of them, and much more! To see what it’s all about and how to contribute, visit their Kickstarter page or their official sites.
Some Thoughts on Dukes of Hazzard’s 35th Anniversary
It was 35 years ago today that The Dukes of Hazzard first aired. I was just a youngun and I fell completely in love with the show, the car chases, the adventures, the close-knit family, the values, EVERYTHING. For seven years, I followed the adventures of the Dukes, Boss, Rosco, and the other citizens of Hazzard religiously. Then one day, the show was gone. I didn’t understand why and was frankly very upset. It was like I’d lost some good friends.
Then in the mid-90’s, TNN started airing the show again and my interest in the show was re-kindled. The World Wide Web was in its infancy and I started a website that eventually became HazzardNet.com. It was one of the first Dukes of Hazzard websites online and it’s the only one still around from those days.
The show is still popular today and I give credit to the close-knit family and their values (not to mention the car chases and stunts) that made it popular back then. Hazzard County is a place where all of us wanted to live. We wanted a wise Uncle Jesse to raise us right, with love and a strong sense of right and wrong. We wanted cousins like Daisy, Bo, and Luke to confide in and share good times and bad. We wanted good friends like Cooter who would help us out of a jam and who we could count on when times got rough. We may have even wanted some good times messin’ with fairly harmless adversaries like Boss and Rosco, who would even occasionally come to our aid when things were dire. Hazzard wasn’t perfect, but despite all its problems, it was full of happy endings, a simpler life, and most of all family. For many, Hazzard was better than real life, and that’s why it was so appealing.
To some, Dukes of Hazzard was “just a tv show”. For some of us, it has had an impact on our lives that we could never have imagined. My spouse and I met because of our mutual love of Dukes of Hazzard and Rosco P. Coltrane. That led to us finding out how much more we had in common and eventually marriage. I’ve met plenty of friends because of the show and grew closer to friends that I found out loved the show too. I’ve had the chance to meet all the surviving cast and watch filming on the two reunions. (My only regret is that I never got to meet Sorrell, Denver, or Waylon.) I’ve learned a lot from the show, the cast, and fellow Dukes fans… life lessons (good and bad) that will stick with me.
Dukes of Hazzard is more than just a tv show. It’s a way of life. It’s a global phenomenon. It’s family. Happy Birthday to the cast, the crew, the stuntmen, and everyone who had a hand in making this show and bringing it to us every week for years. The impact you’ve had can be measured in more than ad dollars and Nielsen ratings. But I think you all know that. 🙂
Dukes of Hazzard Fans Unhappy About “Party Down South” Promos
Dukes of Hazzard fans have made their frustrations and anger known to the powers that be at CMT that they don’t want Party Down South promoted during airing of the Dukes. It’s very clear why. The Dukes of Hazzard is a family show. Party Down South clearly ISN’T. Parents (and grandparents) have said they will not let their children watch the Dukes on CMT because the PDS promos are inappropriate for children to view. Party Down South is the anti-thesis of everything the Dukes stood for: family, personal responsibility, and strong moral values. You would never see any of the Dukes engaging in the kind of behavior depicted on PDS.
The sad thing is, CMT appears to be deaf to their viewers. Even with cast members like Ben Jones speaking out about it, no changes have yet been made. If they continue to ignore their audience, viewers will just start watching the show on dvd again, where they can watch all the scenes CMT has cut to add in more Party Down South commercials.
Lego Dukes of Hazzard
Here’s our latest discovery on the Dukes of Hazzard front. Some Lego lovin’ Dukes fans have recreated the General Lee and the Duke cousins with Legos. But wait, there’s more! Not only have they recreated the General Lee, but Rosco’s Patrol Car, Daisy’s Roadrunner, and even other beloved tv and movie cars like the Bandit Trans Am, the A-Team van, ECTO-1, and even KITT.
Since we’ve been asked many times since posting about this on the HazzardNet Facebook page, these are custom built and not available for sale as a kit.
Click here to check out the Dukes of Hazzard vehicles in Lego form and click here to see the tv and movie cars.
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