Mike McCarthy on being the ‘prime minister of pop culture’

The Memphis filmmaker and artist on his work and the city

By , Daily Memphian Updated: November 02, 2023 6:54 PM CT | Published: November 02, 2023 3:24 PM CT

Mike McCarthy has a lot on his plate and is looking to add more.

The comic-book creator turned filmmaker turned musician turned sculptor turned preservation activist is constantly evolving. But one consistent theme is his love for Memphis.

“I’m a fan of Memphis,” McCarthy told me on this week’s episode of The Sidebar. “I believe that if we save Memphis then we save the world.”


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We talked about his new book about his film “Teenage Tupelo,” the Johnny Cash statue in Cooper Young that he created, his efforts to honor even more cultural figures through sculptures in Memphis, and more.

Take a listen.

The Sidebar, which airs every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. on WYXR 91.7 FM, is also available as a podcast here on the site or wherever you get your podcasts.

Note: WYXR is a partnership between Crosstown Concourse, the University of Memphis and The Daily Memphian. As part of that partnership, I serve on the board of Crosstown Radio Partnership, which owns and oversees WYXR.

Topics

Podcasts The Sidebar Mike McCarthy Sculpt Memphis
Eric Barnes

Eric Barnes

Eric Barnes is CEO of The Daily Memphian, host of Behind the Headlines on WKNO-TV, host of The Sidebar on WYXR 91.7, and the author of four novels.


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