A Real Hot ItemWe knew it was just a matter of time before tall radio humorist Garrison Keillor discovered the rich, sometimes gamey cultural heritage of Knoxville, the Gateway to East Tennessee. His musical variety show, Prairie Home Companion, broadcast on WUOT every Saturday at 6 p.m, has featured live some former Knoxvillians, including the Everly Brothers and semi-regular Chet Atkins.

Well, make an extra batch of those tasty biscuits: WUOT has announced it's hosting PHC's first live show here in Knoxville, next June 26 at the Civic Auditorium. PHC shows always have a strong local flavor, and shows elsewhere have tended to favor historic halls—including a recent show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, where, Keillor confessed, he conceived Prairie Home Companion in the '70s. Knoxville has two historic theaters, of course, but for size and logistics, neither could compete with the 2,500-seat Civic Auditorium for this big-production show.

It's all part of WUOT's 50th-anniversary series, which may include local shows from other public-radio celebrities next year; Baptist Health Systems has signed on as a sponsor. Some details about PHC's Knoxville sojourn are still being worked out—like what's on special at the Cafe Boeuf de Knox. Special guests may not be identified until the spring, and tickets should go on sale in April.

No Joy in Mudville

Last week's City Council move to postpone a vote on the $5 million public/private deal to woo the Smokies back seemed to hit Superchamberman Don Parnell like a lugwrench between the eyes. Gary Underwood slipped the two-week postponement motion in right after a long list of Ft. Sanders postponements, and Mayor Victor Ashe immediately called for a vote, which was proceeding at a fast clip until Carlene Malone dared to ask why. Underwood said something about not wanting to mess up negotiations between the Smokies and Sevier County, which appears to be destined to be the ball team's new home. Parnell (who appeared to come into the meeting thinking he had the votes for the deal) begged them not to postpone voting (County Commission had already unanimously approved it), explaining that it would be important to have the agreements in place if the Smokies' Sevier County deal falters. Ashe, whose treatment of Parnell was dismissive at best, pushed on with the vote. Malone, Nick Pavlis, and Danny Mayfield voted against the postponement. Larry Cox, who first voted to postpone, changed his vote, making the final tally 5-4 in favor of postponement.

Look Out Chip

They had a big time beating up on the country club set at the Tennessee Conservative Union's post-election meeting, with a panel composed of former GOP national committee woman Alice Allgood, News Sentinel managing editor Frank Cagle, and TCU stalwart Lowell Lynch. "Mostly, we trashed Lamar Alexander and Howard Baker," says TCU chairman Lloyd Daugherty.

He says they didn't slight Don Sundquist, either. "We talked about his 'Flower Fund.'" (That would be the surplus from his assiduously-collected $6 million campaign fund, which he last week said he'd use to buy flowers for people who die within the next four years.) "We figure his second term is gonna kill a lot of Republicans," Daugherty said.

The TCU is also gearing up to oppose former Sundquist aide Chip Saltsman's bid to be state party chairman. Saltsman, now a lobbyist for the check advance industry, was instrumental in ousting Allgood from her national committee position.