MEMPHIS, Tenn. — When a member of a local variety show hit some tough times, his fellow cast members stepped in to help out.

Who could ever forget ‘Hee Haw?’ The variety show aired on CBS and featured country music, corny skits and a cast of unforgettable characters. Now, ‘Hee Haw’ lives on in Hardeman County, Tennessee.

Locals come together each year and pull of a first-class production. Meet longtime cast member Bertha Vaughn. She’s our play maker. “Well, it as Butch Wilson. He came in with the show. Some of our musicians had to drop out for some reason or another. So he came in with other musicians, and we kept going. He and his wife have had a lot of medical expense lately, and she has passed away, and he’ll have the funeral expenses now. We wanted to do something for him.”

That’s my cue to reach for some cash.

We’re passing on $300 from News Channel 3, and an additional $300 form our anonymous donor

Wilson knew something is up, but his guess was way off the mark. “What I suspect is that y’all give me the first Hardeman County Emmy award. That’s is, isn’t it,” he said.

Actually, no.

“No, Tim has brought you something that I think you’re really going to appreciate. If you’ll hold your hand out,” Vaughn said.

She counted out the “Pass It On” cash.

“Thank you, thank you. This will help a lot,” Wilson said. Times may be tough, but he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. “Now is this in lieu of the award? The Emmy award? Yeah they’ll give the Emmy award later.”

Now Vaughn has a surprise. “Last night we were rehearing for this year’s show, and uh, we took up some money,”she said.

Cast members donated another $600, for a total of $1,200.

“It’s sorta like Tennessee Williams said, sometime you have to depend on the kindness of strangers. But this has been kindness from people here in Hardeman County, which is the greatest place to live in the world,” Wilson said.