DISCOVERY CHANNEL DIVES FOR PEARLS IN THE DEEP SOUTH IN ‘DIXIE DIVERS’
One-hour Special Airs Saturday, September 28 at 10pm ET/PT
September 18, 2013
DISCOVERY CHANNEL DIVES FOR PEARLS IN THE DEEP SOUTH IN 'DIXIE DIVERS'
-One-hour Special Airs Saturday, September 28 at 10pm ET/PT-
(LOS ANGELES, CA) Benton County is one of the most remote areas in Tennessee, but it is home to the country's richest supply of coveted mother of pearl. Natural pearls are highly sought after rare gems, and they can reel in big money. Divers used to make thousands of dollars from these waters, but many of them moved on to other careers when the economy fell on hard times. Today, only 36 dedicated divers are left. This comical group remains fiercely competitive; their livelihood depends on how many pounds of shells they can extract from the water and sell to the shell shack. But they dream of striking it rich by finding a rare pearl inside one of the shells - a 'Big Bertha' - the jackpot of all pearls that could be worth more than $2000. The special, airing on Discovery Channel on Saturday, September 28 at 10pm ET/PT, will put viewers right in the middle of Benton County's modern pearl divers and their daily shenanigans.
The pearl divers work long days that require them to lug huge bags of mussels out of the water. Each diver has a boat tender who watches over the boat and sorts mussels while the diver searches for shells. Chuck, Jeremy and Bart all use their family or close friends to help them. Chuck and his son Colton constantly bicker as they work. Tempers flare as Colton runs late for work every day and takes advantage of his father's empty threats. Jeremy accepts his wife's advice and hires a friend's daughter as his boat tender, but this young fashion merchandising student has never been on a boat before. Bart decides to work with close friend Mike, affectionately nicknamed "Skull." Skull is Bart's best friend who insists on ordering him around and playing practical jokes. JD rounds out the group by working alone and refusing to sell mussel shells to the camps for such low prices. Instead, JD lets his mussels decay throughout the year, ensuring that he will find every possible pearl.
Working from Benton County, these divers risk their lives each and every day. It's a competitive, high-risk, high-reward business and these guys wouldn't dream of doing anything else. They work to ensure enough money to get them through the week and they dive with the hope that they will finally find the one large pearl that could change everything. On Saturday, September 28 at 10pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel invites viewers to step into the world of the divers who compete against the elements and each other in order to pry mussels from the bottom of Kentucky Lake.
DIXIE DIVERS is produced for Discovery Channel by Atlas Media Corporation. Executive Producer for Atlas Media Corporation is Bruce David Klein with David Bresenham and Lorri Leighton as co-Executive Producers. For Discovery Channel, Executive Producer is French Horwitz with Meghan Keener as Coordinating Producer.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than two billion cumulative subscribers in 223 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 162 worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Across the Nordic region, Discovery owns and operates SBS Discovery Media, a top-three portfolio of 20 television brands that feature leading nonfiction content, as well as locally produced entertainment programs, sports and the best scripted series and movies from major studios. Discovery also is the leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of digital textbooks, and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including Revision3. For more information, please visit
www.discoverycommunications.com.
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