Bright Leaf Hot Dogs Featured In New North Carolina-Produced TV Series

CLINTON — A new television series featuring world-renowned billiards champions and Southern comfort food is set to begin filming in Sampson County, highlighting both local industry and a longtime North Carolina brand celebrating a major milestone.

Dirty Laundry Picture Company (DLPC), an independent film and television studio based in Clinton, NC has announced a partnership with Bright Leaf Hot Dogs, produced by Carolina Packers in Smithfield, as the popular Red Hots brand marks its 85th anniversary.

The collaboration will be featured in the upcoming series Grace the Table, created and executive produced by Monty Hobbs. Filming is scheduled to begin Feb. 17 in Clinton, with Bright Leaf products appearing on set during a Feb. 19 filming date.

The series will be hosted by Allison Fisher, widely regarded as one of the greatest female billiards players in the world, and will feature several legendary figures from the sport. Guests include Jeanette Lee, known as “The Black Widow,” Hall of Famer Ewa Mataya Laurance, nicknamed “The Striking Viking,” and Hall of Fame player Mike Sigel, who served as technical advisor on the film The Color of Money.

Three-time world champion Earl Strickland, winner of more than 100 titles, is also among the featured guests. Bright Leaf Red Hots, described as one of Strickland’s favorite comfort foods, will be served during filming, with company representatives expected to appear in the series.

According to producers, Grace the Table will combine personal storytelling with culinary themes, as each guest shares memories and experiences connected to foods that shaped their lives and careers.

“Producing a show with legends in the sport — talking about their lives while indulging in the foods from their childhood that provide comfort — is everything I could ask for,” Hobbs said in a statement.

Dirty Laundry Picture Company, founded in 2025, describes itself as a creator-led studio focused on “truth-driven storytelling.” The company says it is Sampson County’s first professional film studio and aims to bring high-end production opportunities to the region.

Release of the series is planned for late summer to early fall 2026.