ALEXIS WILKINS PLAYS HUCKABEE

Friday August 11, 2023 (Taping Date)

@ Huckabee Theater in Hendersonville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis/Photos c/o TBN)

The Nashville area is filled with several different venues that carry unique vibes, but there’s an unexplainable feeling that overwhelms you as you travel Johnny Cash Parkway in Hendersonville, TN and make that turn onto Music Village Blvd, crossing the realities of here and now into an aura that whispers of country legend’s past.

The centerpiece of the property today, and the reason the parking lot is full again on this night, is the Huckabee Theater; the space where the uber popular, TBN talk show HUCKBEE is filmed in front of an enthusiastic studio audience.

But as I sit in my car during the moments before making my way to the reception area ahead of tonight’s taping, I could feel Conway Twitty’s presence surrounding me on the grounds that he called home for so many years! I could hear the music of legends past radiating throughout the complex! I could hear the childlike laughter experienced from a romp through the famed attraction, Twitty City!

As the excitement begins to bubble amongst the gathered crowd in the holding area ahead of the taping, first time guests strike a pose with the cardboard cutout of Governor Huckabee for their scrapbook at home while those repeat visitors get caught up with one another like they’re at a family reunion.

And family really is the best word to describe the entire atmosphere of a HUCKABEE taping.

You’re christened into the family when you step through the doors and into the studio, feeling like you’re so much more than just another audience member and that you’re a part of something so special.

The welcoming staff converse with guests before the show, sharing smiles, laughs, and the excitement of what still lies ahead.

Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame announcer, the legendary Keith Bilbrey, glows excitedly as he welcomes those who are celebrating birthdays and milestone anniversaries, while also announcing on this night that a whopping 19 states are represented in the crowd with some coming from as far away as North Dakota and Washington state.

Governor Huckabee is showered with a tremendous ovation when he appears onstage prior to the taping, wrapping his down-home personality around the crowd as he welcomes everyone with a heartfelt thank you while going over the house rules, which included cheering loudly and laughing at the jokes even if they aren’t funny; both which received the appropriate response from the lively crowd.

And warm-up comedian Lee Hardin got things started with a quick 7-minute blitz chalked full of relatable, knee-slapping stories lifted straight from his life that spoke to getting through the COVID situation of 2020 and the craziness of navigating his parents through their ineptness of how to properly use social media.

And then it’s showtime!

While Governor Huckabee’s opening monologue has had a lot to focus on politically this year, he swerved that normal commentary to intriguingly speak about his recent trip to Israel and the amazing impact that it made on him when he carried the ashes of the old city on his hand, bringing him straight into the realization that God always makes good on His promises to restore, revitalize, and return His people to their rightful place of belonging.

With the introspective tone of the night now already in place, a two-segment piece with former Kansas Governor/Senator Sam Brownback delighted the crowd as the two longtime friends caught up with one another and exchanged “no-hard feelings” stories of their past political runs. However, the second segment brought a quieted hush over the crowd as Brownback, who is also a chairman for The National Committee for Religious Freedom, spoke of how important the United States is to religious freedom and how much impact we have on the entire world in this regard, while speaking shockingly of the Christian persecution that’s being experienced in several other countries.

“Recently he raised money for cancer and set a world record by driving in a roundabout a thousand and one times,” Governor Huckabee said with a smile as he introduced comedian Dave Dugan to the crowd, who smirked his way through laugh inducing stories that told of how to get out of a conversation you don’t want to be in, his homemade bathing suit out of CVS receipts, and his pure disappointment in that Arby’s stopped serving their potato cakes.

Conservative Daily Wire commentator Michael Knowles joined the guest list in conversation with Governor Huckabee about his recent visit to the non-liberal country of Hungary and his meeting with their Prime Minister Viktor Orban, while hilariously talking about the Hungarian translation that his best-selling book Reasons To Vote For Democrats: A Comprehensive Guide recently received; a book that is mostly just empty pages!

Ali Landry, a former Miss USA who many recognize from her very popular Doritos commercial, was met with a very strong ovation as she transparently shared pieces of her story from new book Reshape Your Life, while also speaking proudly, and full of emotion, on the incredibly powerful film Sound of Freedom, which her husband is the writer and director of.

A very important aspect that you’ll only get to experience in person occurs when the taping takes a pause to honor any serving military members, veterans, and first responders. As each of these most important guests humbly rises to their feet, they’re met with the loudest ovation of the night in a showing of support and thankfulness to them for their incredible, selfless service.

It makes perfect sense that this honor occurred just before the night’s musical guest, Patriotic country singer Alexis Wilkins took the couch for her interview segment before engaging the crowd with a stellar performance.

During her interview segment, Wilkins who has written pieces for Town Hall, The Daily Caller, and is soon going to have her own show on Prager U, spoke endearingly of her love for our country and military, how patriotic music resonates so much with most of the listening audience, her love of John Wayne, westerns, and history, and her incredible work with Warrior Rounds.

When she then hit the stage, she immediately drew the crowd into her electrifying performance as she nostalgically painted pictures of the way things used to be on “Country Back,” driving through reminiscing lyrics on how she wants us as a country to get back to the American dream when we were all proud of the USA, we all worked hard for what we had, we didn’t think twice about not locking our doors, and when we could find common ground with one another.

An additional bonus that arrives when you’re in the studio audience is a second song from the musical guest that gets taped for a digital exclusive, which Alexis performed her song “Half As Cowboy.” You can view that exclusive performance, check out past segments, see who guests on upcoming shows will be, and secure your tickets to be part of the live studio audience at Huckabee.TV.

The guests, the host, the staff, the lights, camera, and action! These are all integral parts of what makes a TV show pop across television screens nationwide. But at the core of a HUCKAEBEE show experience when you see it in person…is you! You become the key ingredient to igniting the show with your enthusiasm, your applause, your laughter, and your smiles.

What Governor Huckabee and the entire team at every taping do better than anyone else, is make a conscious effort to always make sure you know how thankful they are for you, how appreciative they are of your support, and how much you matter to them! This feeling of importance that gets instilled within you through that outpouring of genuine support is exactly what makes you want to come back again and again to be the centerpiece for Governor Huckabee and his incredible show.

CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS: Tune-In to HUCKABEE on TBN every Saturday night at 8PM/7PM CST, and every Sunday night at 9PM/8PM CST.

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