"Yeah, I know, I can’t get too jazzed up about it either..."
By Jack Pribek
August 14, 2008
This is kind of funny. Last weekend, as I was driving back from the gig in Springfield with Allen (bass player TNH). Allen, who happens to be a huge Beatles fan, was telling me he heard a rumor that Paul McCartney (shown below on the left) had been 
hanging around in Branson.
At Left: "OKay, now we would like to play ghost Riders fer yoo..."
Now, you hear all kinds of goofy rumors around here but, I figured that this one might have some legs because, I’d read somewhere that McCartney was doing the Route 66 trip. Route 66 runs through Springfield which is 45 minutes from Branson. And, Louise Harrison, George’s sister, lives in town so, why not?
Saw this from Shirley Halperin of the Hollywood Insider this morning.
Though he’s been spotted this month getting his kicks on a road trip along the original Route 66, fans may be most intrigued by a detour Paul McCartney took to Branson, MO — home to the Yakov Smirnoff comedy show, the Oak Ridge Boys Theater, and possibly, a Beatles museum.
O.K., you got know something. Any time you see anybody, from LA/New York writing anything about Branson, they are going to take a little condescending tone. And, it usually starts by pointing out that folks like Yakov or the Oaks perform here.
And it is what it is. Those guys do play Branson and there are a ton of people that come to town every year to see them. For the record, I’ve never run in to any Oak Ridge Boys but, I’ve met Yakov a couple of times and seems to be a swell guy. 
Years ago, my wife had a cell phone and the number was something like 334-1234. One day, I was working out in the yard and the phone rings and it was Yakov. He was saying that he was just sitting around and dialed the number because he thought it was cool. He said, “What would it take for you to let me have this number?” Too funny, because he wanted the number and he was hitting me with all of this polyester suit, car salesman, closing question dialog and in that Russian accent.
It was pretty surreal. I didn’t know what to tell him because it was the wife’s phone and, what do you charge somebody for a cell phone number? So, I told him to call back and he never did. But later, I saw an ad for the show or, something Yakov related, and the phone number was something like 335-1234.
I don’t know if I have the numbers right but, the 1234 part was the deal. I just always wondered if he hung up the phone with me and just started calling more 1234 numbers until he got someone that would go for it.
Anyway back to Paul McCartney. So, the Hollywood Insider says that a Beatles Museum might be coming to the Ozarks. Go figure.
A local source says Macca visited Louise Harrison, the sister of George Harrison and the owner of Branson’s Starlite Theater, where Beatles tribute band Liverpool Legends appear regularly. No word on what the two discussed, but an obvious topic would be the Beatles museum Harrison has long planned to open in the tourist town using her own memorabilia collection.
The “obvious topic”, yeah could be anything. They may have been just saying hi, having some crumpets, who knows? But, just think; a Beatles Museum! filled with memorabilia!
Yeah, I know, I can’t get too jazzed up about it either. “These are the cuff links that John Lennon wore on Shindig”. That sort of thing. But, people around here get all giddy about this kind of stuff because every dollar in this economy is tied to tourism and the logic is always, “Hey, they drive from Chicago to see the Oak Ridge Boys. Surely, more will come to see Ringo Starr’s toothbrush”.
Harrison’s partners say the museum might open this fall. Branson has been trying to upgrade its kitschy image — could a blessing from an actual Beatle be the city’s ticket to ride?
And there you have it. The old Hollywood Insider, Shirley Halperin, hits Branson with the smarmy little, botox infused, dig. Like I say, it’s nothing new.
But, I got to say, I haven’t heard one person saying anything about upgrading the kitschy image. I’ve never heard the word “kitschy” uttered by anybody in these parts. And, a “blessing from an actual Beatle”? Well, nobody would turn that down would they? I guarantee that none of these local cats, that have been picking the pockets of patronizing carpetbaggers since before old H. Bell wrote the book, are going to turn down a blessing from a Beatle.
And you know, we might just pack a lunch and head over to town to take a look at Paul McCartney’s toenail clippers our own selves.
-
Phull Phathom Phive wrote,
“They paved a pair a’ dikes,
and put Beatles in a museum…
charged a buck and a half
just to see ‘em…”“And I will follow you all the way home!” Oh yeah.. but I was only in Branson for about thirty minutes when I dropped you off there in the middle of the night… [I forgot your best buddy's and his wife's names?] was with us, and drove back to Washington with me.
on the radio…. Wilbur and the Web Spinners says, “Wow it’s almost Friday again here at the XXL Beef and Bean Burrito Boutique.” Imagine that! and a Beatles Museum, Abbey Road and all.
-
Phelps Phan and Phriends wrote,
Can I eat it?
( "Paul McCartney Visits The Ozarks" by Pribek was published on August 14th, 2008 and is listed in Celebrity, Hunh?, Local Jive, News. ) ...somehow edited by Pat Darnell 08.15.2008
Kenski wrote,
Over Christmas my mother-in-law got all hot under the collar to show me the incredible, huuuuuge new Titanic experience thingy in Branson. I was keen to get some cheap t-shirts from the Target up there (hey, it’s Target, ok?) so I agreed. We drove all the way out there from Nixa… to see the outside of a big grey box…
I’m sure it was something, just not to me. And the coffee from the coffee-shop up there… not good. Really, not good.
AND Target didn’t have the t’s I wanted in my size.
I’m not dissing Branson, just calling it the way I see it.
Link | August 14th, 2008 at 10:27 am