by Rich Smith
(L-R) Drew Morgan, Trae Crowder, Corey Ryan Forrester: Puttin' the “rural" back in “liberal.” NICOL BISEK
Trae Crowder came to the fore of the internet's comedic consciousness when a series of "porch rants" starring his Liberal Redneck character went viral. In his most popular bit, Crowder stands shirtless in a sun-beaten ball cap and slams conservative arguments in support of North Carolina's transgender bathroom bill, all while using a language and cadence familiar to Southerners.
He'd been doing stand-up for a while before the videos got popular, but the uptick in attention has led to cross-country tours and the publication of a new book called The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin' Dixie Outta the Dark. I caught up with Crowder and his liberal redneck coauthors—Corey Ryan Forrester of Chickamauga, Georgia, and Drew Morgan of Sunbright, Tennessee—who are performing at Parlor Live as part of their wellRED comedy tour.
They were knocking back beers at a bar and fielding a bunch of calls.