KFC launches Nashville hot chicken in Pittsburgh

It's either a sign of the apocalypse or the sincerest form of flattery.

KFC now has Nashville hot chicken.

Before you rush out to give it a try, it's only available in Pittsburgh because, you know, that makes perfect sense in a world where pierogies and yinz outnumber the pies and y'alls.

"I'm not surprised with today's announcement that KFC is testing hot chicken in one of their markets," says Nick Bishop Sr. of Hattie B's. "In the last year or so, restaurants in New York City have opened hot chicken establishments and folks in other markets are doing the same. It's a Nashville original, and we're excited it is being so well received across the country."

The KFC website describes it thus: "A spicy bird with a savory burn. The Colonel's latest creation was inspired by one of Nashville's most famous dishes. Featuring a perfect blend of spicy cayenne and smoke paprika, it's available in both tenders and chicken on the bone."

The website goes on to say that while it's exclusively available in Pittsburgh, it's "coming soon to KFCs everywhere."

Everywhere. As if it weren't already.

The YouTube commercial, narrated in that mealy Kentucky-by-way-of-Quebec accent "Colonel" Norm MacDonald uses, shows a drizzling of oily spices and says it's hot but not-actual flaming hot. Apparently they haven't tried Prince's "hot."

So I called Andre Prince Jeffries, queen mother and owner of Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, the undisputed epicenter of hot bird, to see what she thought.

"Have mercy!" she exclaimed. "Well, it's up for grabs. It's amazing how it's all really out there."

Jeffries said it had come full circle since her great-uncle, James Thornton Prince, was approached decades ago by Kentucky Fried Chicken looking to buy the recipe.

Now they call from as far away as Dubai, but Jeffries, recovering from knee surgery, assures me she won't get her "old bones across the ocean" any time soon.

"I'm flattered. We've been a secret for a long time, about 78 years now, and then we hit the boom town."

Boom. Indeed.

They never paid Bo Diddley. I wonder if KFC has any plans to pay the princess.

Reach Jim Myers at 615-259-8367 and on Twitter @ReadJimMyers.