The Long Riders In The Rearview

 August 10, 2026

   Drove down into the Beast yesterday to introduce a classic Western at the Scottsdale Museum of the West.

Real Brothers Riding As Historic Brothers

All The Way to Northfield, Minnesota

   Back in 1971, James Keach wrote a play for he and his brother Stacey to star in, called "Brothers." This led to a Country Musical, "The Bandit Kings" which appeared off Broadway, then that led to a screenplay, "Outlaws" which morphed into "The Bad Guys," and finally as "The Long Riders," which was made into a film directed by Walter Hill and released in 1980.

   Of course, we now know, the title is a misnomer, because the real James-Younger gang actually rode trains from Missouri to Minnesota and bought horses when they got there (although for at least Frank and Jesse, they did, in fact, have a long ride home). The hook to the movie is that real brothers are portraying real brothers and they are:

• James & Stacy Keach, as Jesse and Frank James

• David, Keith and Robert Carradine as the Youngers.

• Dennis and Randy Quaid as the Millers

• Christopher and Nicholas Guest as the Ford Brothers.

   At one point Jeff and Beau Bridges were slated to appear as the Ford brothers but Jeff's filming commitments got in the way.

   They filmed the Northfield scenes in Parrott and Leary, Georgia and the train sequences were done in Sonora, California and the Texas State Railroad.

   The film cost $7.5 million and it only made back $5,891,149 so it was considered a failure, but it has since found an audience and is considered by many a classic. It doesn't hurt that Ry Cooder did the authentic music.

"I hates the Yankee nation

And everything they do

I hates the Declaration of Independence, too:

I hates the glorious Union

 'Tis dripping with our blood

And I hates their stupid banner

I fought it all I could."

—Ry Cooder, "I'm A Good Ol' Rebel" (traditional)

Somewhere Beyond Recognition Lies Hope

 August 8, 2026

   It was my honor to receive a big, fat belt buckle from The Western Heritage Foundation in Prescott recently.

   Here is a first take I am creating for use in a BBB movie trailer.

"Beyond Hope #1"

(lies insight)

   It's a little crude but I like the concept and I'll tweak it tomorrow.

Last Liar Wins

   Now that everyone else has weighed in on their little theories about the Don Bolles killing, it's time for mine. Will it be the final word on this sordid affair? Hardly. Will it be closer to the actual truth? Well, it's closer to my truth, from the perspective of the life I knew at that time (one of my on-air radio friends actually dated Ned Warren's son!). So, my version will be closer to the ground, as it were.

"Less than you'd like to believe, more than I'd like to admit."

—A local politico I know who was right in the middle of the mess when I asked him how involved he was?

In Praise of Old Yeller (Although Uno Was Rather Unimpressed)

 August 7, 2026

   My old friend Allen Barra asked me if we wanted his favorite Westerns off the beaten path? And, as we put in the subhead in the next issue, Barra's list of 20 is for those of us "numbed by the classics."     

   Just to give you a small taste, here is how he critiqued "Old Yeller":

   That's it. No set up, no background on the production, just a quote from the movie Stripes and one line of agreement.

   So, I was so inspired by this, we watched the old tear jerker from 1957 the other night and I am happy to report it actually holds up.

Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran

(1949-2007) 

   The "mongrel dog" Old Yeller from the book and the script was actually portrayed by a 170 pound Labrador Retriever. A couple times, Uno looked up at the TV, but I could tell he wasn't all that impressed.

"If you ask me, he's a bit overweight for playing a scrawny mutt."

—Uno

Wyatt Earp: Brave, Courageous & Broke?

 August 6, 2026

   Three outlaws get off a train. Looking around they are not amused by what they see.

  "What the hell?!"

   They get back on the train and take it to the end of the line.

   Thus begins the untold, true story of Wyatt Earp In The Last Outlaw Town.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Wyatt Earp, Brave, Courageous & Broke!"

   It's more than a little bizarre that the man who lived such an incredible life on the frontier—one that we celebrate to this day—could not sell his own story. In the one town that was crazy for good stories! That is one mighty fine ironic life lesson, right there.

"Wyatt & Josie In The Last Outlaw Town"

   True, I have visited this premise once before. In fact, it was a cover story in True West more than a decade ago. Here is the incredible, true story I told then, and every plot point of the forthcoming movie is here, ripe for the harvesting.

Wyatt Earp In Hollywood: The Untold Story

   Somewhere between Tombstone and Blazing Saddles and Rustler's Rhapsody lies the story I want to tell.

Wyatt Earp And The Vendetta Riders

"We don't celebrate Wyatt Earp for who he was, but rather for what he means."

—Thom "Kid" Ross

Let The Record Show I Claim No Relation to The Stud Hoss Historian

 August 5, 2026

   As some of you know, I have a bastard second cousin who I rarely talk about. Basically, he is everything I am not and we do not get along. At all. Recently I saw one of his postings (literally a xeroxed flyer—glued to cardboard—and held in place with nails) on the community bulletin board at the Hackberry post office and this is what it said:

The Stud Hoss Historian

Will now take your questions:

Bob Booze Bell

"What can you tell me about your family connections to The Wild Bunch?"

—K. Johnson, Butlerville

BBB: "Oh, please. Like you really care. If I need any crap from you, I'll squeeze your head."

"I notice you use 'El Chivato' in your articles on Billy the Kid, but some now challenge that and insist it's actually 'El Chavito.' What do you have to say to those people?"

—Boxlip Darrell, Logasville

BBB: "If I see you on the street, I will kill you."

"Any truth to the rumor that Glenn Boyer once caught you in a goat pasture?"

BBB: "That is a groundless lie, but let the record show I am still quite fond of that goat."

"Some people over here claim you were criticizing Janelle Moloney about calling herself the 'Hottie Historian' and you tried to lamely compare it to calling yourself 'The Stud Hoss Historian.' Admit it, isn't that where this all came from?"

—James B. Mills, Australia

BBB: "You sure know a lot for being so damn dumb!"

"Okay, some of this I made up."

—BBB

It's The Contradictions Stupid!

 August 4, 2026

   I've been going back to revisit and re-tweak some of my old whip outs, like this one.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Deceitful Mamacita"

   Actually kind of joyful to add a wash, or two, to these. Speaking of joyful, here's some old photos that make me smile.

East Coast Bitties

   As opposed to my kind of women:

Real Wild Women of The Real Wild West 

     When we went on the Copper Canyon Railway in Mexico a couple decades ago, we encountered these giant cacti on the ridges near Topolobampo Beach west of Los Moches. Can't remember their name. Do you?

Daily Whip Out: "Giant Mexican Cacti"

Contradictions Anyone?

• Pretty ugly

• Seriously funny

• Fully empty

• Clearly misunderstood

• Small crowd

• Liquid gas

• Open secret

• Found missing

   Which underlines Marcel Duchamp's point:

"Contradiction is the whole point."

   Okay, one more for the road:

"If the news is fake, imagine how bad history is."

—Old Newsman Saying

Six Whip Outs On The Verge of Inspiration

 August 3, 2026

   Took the day off yesterday to read and rest. Back at it this morning.

Daily Whip Out: "Faded Frederic"

Daily Whip Out: "New Kid In Town"

Daily Whip Out: "Cast Iron Teddy"

   I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like to visit art museums where I can be exposed to art that matches my sweatshirt with the palette.

Rothko & BBB Sweatshirt

Daily Whip Out: "Dog Day Afternoon"

Daily Whip Out: "Baby Face Nelson"

(inspired from a screen grab off of

"Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou")

Daily Whip Out: "Under The Navajo Brim"

"Bad decisions lead to good stories."

—Old Vaquero Saying

Gila Monsters And Pendejos Rising And AI Sinking

 August 1, 2026

   My neighbors to the north recently captured this hefty little "monster" in their chicken house eating all the chicken eggs.

A Gila Monster Caught Red Handed

   I intend to do a much deeper dive on this weird little lizard. Stay tuned.

Daily Reworked Whip Out:

"Border Crossers"

Pendejo Rising to The Top

"Fun factoid: pendejo comes from Latin pubic hair, and supposedly—meaning who knows?—was first used in 16th century Spain to describe adolescents (just beginning to grow pubic hair) acting foolishly. Pendejo now has such an elastic meaning —A-hole, fool, twit, jerk, idiot, prat—it can be applied to anyone. Meaning it belongs at the top of your vocabulary."

—Daniel Buck

   Here is an AI ad that Rooster Rob created for me:

This Just In
"Never expected my favorite living artist to be using AI."
—Lane Creek

   Okay, is this where we are in the culture conversation? Did I miss a meeting?

Helpful Tips From The Hassayampa Grandpa

• Exercise in the early morning before your brain figures out what you are doing.

• If you want new ideas read an old book.

• Whatever it is you are seeking it won't come in the form you are expecting.

• I hate when I gain ten pounds for a role and then realize I'm not an actor.

• If you walk around your yard with a fake ankle monitor, your neighbors will not ask you to watch their kids.

"I am out with lanterns, looking for myself."

—Emily Dickinson