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Resident featured on ‘Man Land’
Episode will air Saturday on HGTV
ManLand 6 es
Jerry Bowman was given this ManLand knocker for his "man room." Like the knocker, Bowman fills the room with many University of Georgia-themed items. - photo by Emily Saunders
If you’re watching

The episode of “Man Land” featuring Jerry Bowman’s “man room” airs at 1 p.m. Saturday on Home & Garden Television.
One Forsyth County resident got the attention of television producers after turning a space above his garage into a “man room.”

Jerry Bowman’s 500-square-foot room has everything men might desire in a recreational space — everything.

Bowman said the television crew spent a whole day filming he and his family at their west Forsyth residence. Their focus was the room, which he and his son, Randall, began building in 2003.

Producers of “Man Land,” a weekly show on Home & Garden Television, became interested after the younger Bowman informed the company about his dad’s special room.

The Bowmans got a phone call from the film crew in early 2007.

While the family’s home was filmed more than two years ago, the episode will air for the first time at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“We’d kind of given up on it,” Jerry Bowman said. “And then about two weeks ago, we got an e-mail [from television staff] saying they were getting ready to start the series.”

He and his family plan to watch the show together Saturday. For the viewing, they’ll gather in the room that garnered all the limelight in the first place.

The room has many interesting features.

A University of Georgia graduate, Jerry Bowman scattered Bulldogs memorabilia around the space. The walls are covered in tongue-and-groove pine. Items include a large flat-screen television, refrigerator, bar and poker table.

Pam Bowman thinks the one feature of her husband’s room that “really sold the television people” was the urinal, located about 10 feet from the sofa.

Enclosed in an old, wooden telephone booth, Jerry Bowman said it’s all about convenience.

“If we’re watching football or something, we don’t even have to leave the room,” he said.

Father and son installed nearly everything in the room except plumbing for the porcelain toilet.

“When the plumber put it in, he said, ‘You know, I’ve installed all sorts of things. I have never put a urinal in a phone booth before,’” Jerry Bowman said.

His wife said it’s a plus for the men.

“We [women], however, have to go back inside the house.”

Overall though, she said she thinks the room has been good for the family.

“It really has made things much nicer,” she said. “It’s detached from the rest of the house, and they can do pretty much whatever they want. I’m fine with it.”

Jerry Bowman agreed.

“It’s isolated. If Pam goes to bed while we watch a late football game, it works out,” he said. “We’re not in the living room yelling and knocking furniture over.”

Many of his friends who come over to watch games are just a little envious.

“Most guys who come in here are like, ‘I got to have one. I need a place like this,’” Jerry Bowman said.

E-mail Frank Reddy at frankreddy@forsythnews.com.