Bill was the first person I interviewed on my travels through the U.S. South in the summer of 2016. And unlike many of the other interviews on that trip--yet like so many things in life--this one was totally random.
I simply was driving along northwestern Arkansas when I spied my first Confederate flag flying in this part of the country. And while the flag is controversial, he was as laid back as could be, walking out of his trailer to greet me as I took a photo of his place--complete with yard full of tools, furniture, art, and animal skulls.
With his authentic "redneck" style and hospitality, and his openness about living in poverty in the South, this encounter would also become the first popular video on my YouTube channel--so popular, I've since gone back for four more videos. Each one has revealed a new area or saga in Bill's life, and several other updates have given viewers a chance to say hi and even donate to the guy. The photo here, in fact, is taken from him this past summer receiving an A/C window unit courtesy of viewer donations.
Happy Birthday, Arkansas Bill!
For those unfamiliar, Bill was the first person I interviewed on my travels through the U.S. South in the summer of 2016. And unlike many of the other interviews on that trip--yet like so many things in life--this one was totally random.
I simply was driving along northwestern Arkansas when I spied my first Confederate flag flying in this part of the country. And while the flag is controversial, he was as laid back as could be, walking out of his trailer to greet me as I took a photo of his place--complete with yard full of tools, furniture, art, and animal skulls.
With his authentic "redneck" style and hospitality, and his openness about living in poverty in the South, this encounter would also become the first popular video on my channel--so popular, I've since gone back for four more videos. Each one has revealed a new area or saga in Bill's life, and several other updates have given viewers a chance to say hi and even donate to the guy. The photo here, in fact, is taken from him this past summer receiving an A/C window unit courtesy of viewer donations.
He's become an unlikely story reaching all corners of the world, revealing the power (and randomness) of the internet. If you're new to this series, see how it all started right here:
And the video is out: