By Craig P. Dixon, southcoast247.com correspondent Social Commentary 116
June 21st, 2007
Have you checked out Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel? If you
haven't... you should. Immediately. The contents therein may save your
life.
Man vs. Wild pits Bear Grylls (yes, that's his real name) against The
Everglades, The Sierra Nevada's, The Moab Desert, Costa Rican Rainforest,
etc. He's dropped into the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on his
back, a water bottle, flint, and knife, to demonstrate survival techniques
as he makes his way back to civilization. And, to show how you too can make
it through similar situations.
This guy Bear has got the perfect name. He's
fucking tough as nails. A former member of the British Special Forces. At
23, the youngest British climber to summit and descend Mount Everest. This,
after breaking his back in three places during a Special Forces parachuting
accident over Africa. He's circumnavigated the United Kingdom on a jetski,
crossed the Northern Atlantic, alone, in an open, rigid inflatable boat, and
has broken two world records. One for eating a three-course meal suspended
at 24,500 feet from a hot air balloon, and the other when, on May 15, 2007,
he flew over Mount Everest in a powered paraglider.
You may say all these
reckless acts are just shameless self-exposition, but I disagree. The
paragliding effort raised a million dollars for an African charity, and the
high altitude dining session was meant to draw attention to two charities:
The Prince's Trust and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. As you may have
guessed, Bear's huge in the UK.
With Man vs. Wild, Bear's just starting to
make in impact in America. And for what? Not his wild stunts or charity
work, but because he'll eat raw zebra, live snakes, frogs, or salmon to
survive. He gets himself into some rather hairy situations (leaping into
quicksand, breaking through ice into a freezing lake, etc.), risking his
life just to show the viewer how to get out.
Personally, I think the
majority of Bear's audience will never spend more than a few minutes in the
wilderness. But the show's damned entertaining nonetheless, and has quickly
become part of my must-see lineup. Throughout it all, you realize this guy
is on a mission. Be it finding his way out of The Everglades for the
viewer's edification, or flying over Mt. Everest in a paraglider for
charity, Bear's larger-than-life.
So, before heading out to brave the wild
bars this Friday night, check out Man vs. Wild at 9 pm on the Discovery
Channel. Watch Bear survive in Iceland. And learn techniques on how to do
the same when you get dumped drunk and naked in Freetown State Forest.
Have you checked out Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel? If you
haven't... you should. Immediately. The contents therein may save your
life.
