I dunno about the thing you saw on tv but being that you can order videos of pretty much anything on PBS you might be able to find out what episode it was and write in to walter reeves himself.
Anyway what I'm replying about is that I suspect the evergreen crepe myrtle is more than likely not a crepe myrtle but instead something called wax privet or japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum) which can look like a multii-stemed crepe myrtle however it doesn't have showy flowers and I don't know how reliably cold hardy it would be in atlanta-north. My second guess would be that it it is some type of holly such as burford holly which may also have those multiple chicken leg trunks

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.floridata.com/ref/L/ligu_jap.cfm

All of those shows are archived and you can view them at gardeningingeorgia.com (just click on the Archives link on the left side of the page). The July 19 show is the one you are looking for. A little after 9 minutes in, they say those are Natchez.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening In Georgia

Thanks for the info