I turned on HBO on Sunday night to catch the new episode of Entourage. The channel’s new vampire series, True Blood was wrapping up and the final credits rolled. And I was shocked — and thrilled — to see Chris Offutt’s name listed as executive story editor.
I’m not positive, but I think it is indeed that Chris Offutt, the writer from Kentucky who authored No Heroes, The Good Brother, The Same River Twice, and others. According to the Internet Movie Database, the Offutt associated the television show was born in Lexington, Kentucky and is listed as a novelist and short story writer. So it’s gotta be him.
Offutt lived in Rowan County Kentucky, just a few counties over from where I grew up. He signed my copy of Kentucky Straight with a note that “here’s what we Kentuckians do when we leave the hills.”
The opening pages of Offutt’s 2002 memoir, No Heroes, are about returning to those hills in Kentucky after a lengthy absence.
You can go ahead and forget all your preplanned responses to comments about wearing shoes, the movie Deliverance, indoor plumbing, and incest. You don’t have to work four times as hard because the boss expects so little. You don’t have to worry about waiting for the chance to intellectually ambush some nitwit who thinks you’re stupid because of where you’re from.
You won’t hear these words spoken anymore: redneck, hillbilly, cracker, stump-jumper, weed-sucker, ridge-runner. Never again will you have to fight people’s attempts to make you feel ashamed of where you grew up. You are no longer from somewhere. Here is where you are. This is home. This dirt is yours.
I didn’t get a chance to watch that new vampire show. But I have it set to DVR. If True Blood comes anywhere near the quality of Chris Offutt’s books, then it’ll be worth watching.
Hey Chris,
Congratulations on the shows. I wish you much success. I fleeing the entertainment business as fast as I can. If I never see another Prema Dona Director and tight fisted producer as long as I live , that would be SWEET! Congrats you’re the best you deserve it. I lost a phone with your number in it. Well I didn’t loose it . It was a casualty of road rage., but that is another story. Call me I’m lost without you
I was watching the movie Slaughter Rule and there you were as Charlie the bus driver. I said I know that guy, I’ve read all your books, my favorite is Kentucky Straight, and remember you from your time in Salem MA good to see you’re doing well.
Ah have enjoyed your books as an insight into morehead and eastern ky, as i have been on the other hand come from farming country in Europe and now teach at morehead. I did wonder if yyou knew dale greer was quite ill, and if you knew a morehead theatre graduate from around your time here as a student called bob willenebrink? or if you ever call kozy?
Hi Chris–
Congrats on the Ferrell Sams’ chair at Mercer University and (hopefully) we will be hearing more about the new book soon? Next time you are in Lexington holler and I’ll meet you back at Jonathon’s for a bourbon as that was the last place I ran into.
Best of luck-
Congratulations on your work on with “Noir” at Dark Horse. Looking forward to reading it when it comes out this fall.
Chris, I found this website while searching for info on our next book. Any word on when it will be out?
Thanks
Noir in the fall. exact pub date not sure. mid fall?
maybe there’s info at Dark Horse website…
c
Hey Arf, Call me… Do you have Tim Connelys #?
Chris is back in Hollywood writing for Weeds.
chris offut IS the writer for true blood and author of No Heroes-you can tell when you look at pictures of him for the two things. hes also my aunts ex, hes a cool guy, havent seen him in a couple of years tho
Absolutely love…….Chris Offutt’s , “Second Hand” read by Marybeth Hurt on NPR/Selected Shorts.
What a gem!!
Kim
Hi Chris,
Congratulations on “Tough Trade”. I’ve read a little about it and it sounds wild.
Hi Chris,
I was wondering why your name was no longer on the credits for Series 2 of True Blood, so I Googled you and found this site. I knew you in your Arf days, circa 1973, when you were spending a lot of time with the MSU theater department, about the time of the production of “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit.” I’ve been following your career with great interest, I’ve read three of your books, and I’ve been proudly telling my fellow True Blood fans here in Melbourne, Australia, that I knew you when. Last time I saw you was the summer of 1981, walking up the Morehead campus. Reading your comments here about Morehead (Layne’s Department Store, Burger Queen, etc.) has brought back a lot of great memories of the early Seventies. It was a great place to be.
Hope your mom’s doing well. I knew her during 1972-73 when she was one of the judges for the acting awards for the MSU theater productions. Anyhow, Arf, congratulations on all your successes and I’ll be interested to see where your name pops up next!
PS. Just noticed the above comment about you writing for Weeds. True Blood and Weeds are two of the very best series on TV. We’re three series behind with Weeds on Australian TV so I look forward to seeing your contribution to it!
Chris, I am doing a biography on you in a Literature and Place class that Im taking at a college in Southeast Kentucky. Do you have any personal quotes that can I can use in my paper? Thanks
I’m working on a documentary about Eastern Ky;the current working title is “I Know Where Heaven Is” after a song by the KY group Halfway to Hazard.I’d love to interview fellow Kentuckians like yourself who are in possession of all their teeth (& most of their faculties) and are PROUD of who we are & where we come from & are sick & tired of the negative stereotypes perpetuated,ad- frickin’ -nauseum by the media about hill people…we’re mad as hell & we’re not gonna take it anymore!
The hills of Eastern Kentucky are breathtakingly beautiful & populated by warm,creative ,talented souls that due to the constraints of poverty & geography don’t always get exposed to the “culture” that big city people take for granted.
I can use all the help I can get with this;feel free to jump on board!
I am joining this discussion very late but …
Just today I was writing about the old downtown NYC performing days at Gusto House home of the talented Bill Callihan. I have wondered where he’s been and when I searched him out I found his obituary and am so sad to hear of how early he passed. He truly was one of the finest writers and sensitive performers I have ever known or seen. He was an ernest performer and despite an ever present sadness was a skilled comedic performer.
Bill and I performed on many of the same rosters at many venues (including his famed Gusto House) which also included Steve Buscemi and John Leguizamo.
I also performed his works at PS122 for an extended run.
His work was published in Harpers Magazine and was reprinted in the anthology Harpers the Best of the 80s.
He was truly a rare and gifted artist.
blessings to all who knew him
Kimberly
Chris Offutt is a fantastic writer. For myself, “Out of the Woods” stands among the finest American Short Stories since Raymond Carver. Chris, if you’re out there, I hope you’re thriving. You have brilliant talent. And: Don’t think about all the talentless shitheads who’re making more lucre than God. That’s America, now. But you have a sacred talent, brother, and it always comes at a high price. Salut’
Bill Stieger
River Falls
offutt–this is really nice, this long trail of friendliness from your past to your present. Makes me want to read another of your books.
–A Kentucky Straight fan. Sag Harbor/State St.