McGowin Attends Willie Nelson Concert, Burns Giant Hogleg

March 16, 2000
Gainesville (AP)

Dr. M. Kevin McGowin, 33, attended a Willie Nelson concert at Brick City Music Hall Thursday night, while in town to deliver a major presentation on some work by William Blake. According to sources nearby McGowin's position at the front of the large SRO crowd, when Willie broke into "You Were Always on My Mind," McGowin produced a major hogleg from an inside pocket of his jacket and burned it, sharing only with a companion one observer described as "an elderly individual."

Beth Fooks, who took McGowin's 1997 "Writing Across the Disciplines" course at the University of Florida, said "It was a regular HOGLEG, all right--Dr. McGowin's herb was rolled up the size of, say, a Macanudo cigar!"

The News caught up with McGowin and his companion at a nearby restaurant after the concert, where McGowin was on his second Mega-Burger.

"You're goddamn right I fired up a hogleg at Willie," said McGowin. "I've devoted over eleven years to my work on Blake, and if I feel the need to burn one the size of, say, a Macanudo cigar at his show, well, I think I'm fucking entitled to that, hey?"

McGowin holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Florida. While wiping mayonnaise from his mouth, he added, "I feel that Willie's best work is that from the recent Teatro album, actually."

Trevor McFee, chief of security for Brick City Music Hall, was incredulous when asked how someone could be allowed to break the law in as brazen a fashion as did McGowin, 41, Thursday night. "Who gives a fuck if Dr. McGowin wants to fire up a real hogleg at a Willie Nelson show?" asked McFee. "Goddamn, he's earned it, what with all the shit he's written on William Blake and all. Plus, you think Willie cared?

"The only thing I have against Dr. McGowin," added McFee, "is that he didn't share. I mean, that fucking hogleg was the size of, like, a goddamn Macanudo cigar!"