So his rankings were 1) Memphis 2) ATL 3) NO 4) Houston 5) DC?
Sounds about right, but I'm surprised he didn't include Detroit on there, given his Michigan connections.
I have to say that Memphis is pretty much a shithole. At least, that's how it came across the few times I visited. And the BBQ is. okay, but nothing exciting. I lived in Arkansas for three years and pretty much concluded that everything I heard about "soul food" and "southern cookin'" was just BS propaganda. It's not only that it's unhealthy, it's not even that tasty. Any culture that praises grits is in trouble.
I've gotta agree with you on the BBQ. I think you can really get good BBQ anywhere. I've got my favorite places down here, but I never really understood how people think our BBQ is better than any other city's. Our chicken wings though... I'll take any city on... even you, Buffalo.
Also, fried chicken is friend chicken, kinda hard to screw it up, but it you'd split hairs on the best fried chicken, Gus's has got to be some of the best in the country.
But yeah, we're kinda a shithole of a city, but we definitely satisfy his criteria, for whatever that's worth. NOLA, on the other, pretty much defines his criteria, so they should have probably been #1.