Yes folks, it's true. Jerry Reed has passed away at the age of 71. When I heard this two days ago, the song "When You're Hot You're Hot" started playing in my brain, and has not yet stopped. Mr. Reed was truly an endearing character, a fine actor, a great musician, and a brilliant songwriter. I would like to think that Jerry would be pleased if everyone just took a break from their hectic day, asked Ma for a cool glass of lemonade, and sat out on the front porch looking all pensive for a few minutes.
Not surprisingly, I have gotten several thousand emails from Jerry Reed fans, asking me why I had not posted a tribute to Jerry Reed the second that I heard of his passing. Well folks, I am just as sorry to hear of Jerry's passing on as the next guy. And Jerry will live on in our hearts and brains in the form of an incessant loop of the chorus to the song "When Your'e Hot You're Hot". However, although Jerry Reed did appear in several movies with Burt Reynolds, he DID NOT play in The Greatest Movie of All Time (also known as "White Lightning").
"Just hold on there, DR, I distinctly remember Jerry Reed playing the part of "Rebel Roy" in White Lightning!" you are probably thinking. Well, contrary to public belief, rumors on the street, and what the government wants you to believe, Jerry Reed did not appear in White Lightning. The part of Roy Boone was played by a guy named Bo Hopkins. Roy went on to appear in a plethora of films and television shows, including an episode of "Hawaii Five-0", and "Wyatt Earp: A Return to Tombstone" where he appeared as a character named "Rattlesnake Reynolds" ironically.
Jerry Reed and Burt Reynolds began acting together in the sequel to White Lightning, a movie called "Gator". "Gator" was, in the vast majority of film historian's opinions, was a "jump the shark" point in Burt Reynolds career. It's where Burt Reynolds went from playing in relevant, really good movies to playing in cheesy movies that capitalized on the "good old boy" character.
Now once again I want to emphasize that this is in no way is intended to trivialize Jerry Reed's passing on to The Great Front Porch on a Dog Day Afternoon in the Sky. Rather, I see it as an opportunity to increase public awareness of the Greatest Movie of all Time, otherwise known as White Lightning.
So once again, I encourage all humans of the earth to purchase a White Lightning DVD, and watch it as soon as possible. And like I've said before, if you don't have the time just take a day off of work.
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