Paul Finebaum honors beloved Alabama fan Phyllis from Mulga after longtime caller passes away

The Paul Finebaum Show has a long and storied past since the show’s namesake launched it on Alabama radio stations in the late 1980s, and one of the things that has made it such a cherished institution for so many fans is the show’s callers. Sadly, one of the show’s staples, beloved Alabama fan Phyllis from Mulga, died recently.

Phyllis from Mulga was a long-time caller, as passionate as any on the show.

Finebaum expressed his condolences on Thursday in a tweet sent out that included a picture of Phyllis and her two dogs.

“With a heavy heart, wishing a final farewell to Phyllis Chapple-Perkins,” Finebaum wrote. “Known to so many as The Bama Avenger… The First Lady of the Finebaum Show… or, simply, Phyllis from Mulga.

“An unforgettable force of a woman, she helped define this show as a place where college football fans could profess their passion and defend the honor of their teams- often loudly and always fiercely.”

Finebaum’s show, which has exploded in popularity since a move to the SEC Network when the new channel and platform launched in 2014, has given fans the chance to speak about their teams for decades now.

The conversations sometimes devolve into arguments, but Finebaum manages the personalities, weaving them into a coherent flow.

And few could roll with the punches like Phyllis from Mulga.

She called into the show seemingly every day, always offering some bit of insight or perspective, often on the Crimson Tide. But she also provided some critiques or quips about some of the show’s other callers, helping spur on the sometimes odd pageantry of the show.

She won’t go down as one of the most infamous characters on the show, like fellow Alabama fan Harvey Updyke.

Updyke helped launch the show more fully into the national spotlight in 2011 when he went on the air and claimed that he had poisoned the trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn. After the trees began failing, Updyke fell under scrutiny for the poisoning.

He would later plead guilty to a felony charge of criminal damage of an agricultural facility. Updyke died in 2020.

So Phyllis from Mulga’s death isn’t the first of a well-known Finebaum caller, though hers will likely tug on the heart strings of many callers and listeners. To that end, Finebaum urged his callers to share more on today’s show.

“She will never be duplicated, and today we hope you’ll call the show and share your favorite memories of Phyllis,” Finebaum wrote.

The Paul Finebaum Show begins at 3 p.m. ET on the SEC Network and runs until 7.