The chops are not real, I've seen him live. He may come off as a bit of a novelty act, but he plays a mean guitar. His cover of 'Manic Depression' stands out as one of the best I've ever heard.
I have two vague memories about The Wild, Wild South. One is a skit that included accusations of necrophilia and Unknown Hinson defending himself saying what happens in the privacy of a funeral home was his business (I think). The other is when a local news program tried to manufacture controversy about the show saying that it gave the South a bad image.