I think we here know that a good deal of these latest survivor/wildman shows are mostly for entertainment, but this cracked me up. You learn that death-defying lava field bridge crossing trick in your SAS training, Bear?

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2007/bear-grylls-phony-p1.php

Yep, it's all over the internet about how he stayed in motels in his High Sierra show, how his crew built the raft on his float down the river and the pictures of the inflatable life vest under his clothes, etc.

Here's a link to the BC story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6911748.stm

One evening with nothing better to do my brother and myself ended watching several of his shows.

My wife got mad at us for allways making comments about how the shows were faked.

We have a total of about a 100 years of hunting trapping and traveling in wild areas between us.

But I can see city people going nuts over this. People who when they don't see a street light think they are in the woods.

Man vs. Wild is a total and absolute farce, piss poor entertainment if I ever saw it. I have a hard time watching it without getting furious about how he may mislead someone with no outdoor experience with his bullshit stunts.
Survivorman on the other hand is far more realistic and actually full of decent and helpful information, good entertainment.

I unfortunately happened to catch Man vs Wild when he was trying to get out of the Sierras.

Anyone who jumps into a mountain stream to "float" off the mountain is a F#####G retard in my opinion. I think this guy is a future Darwin Award winner.

MG

Wait, you mean to say that the 'wild stallions' he snuck up on with a bridle made of bark, and was able to get one leg on wasn't really wild? Well I'll be darned...

KG

i like the sonora desert show on the other guys show. the pig was milling around his camp site and he was hiding on the rock ledge above it, and hadnt eaten in 4 days.
HAHAHA!
big rock + ledge + piggie skull= BBQ

I agree that much of Man vs. Wild is far fetched. However, the video seems to me to show two different lava crossings. The first is larger, and various other details do not seem to match. It could be camera tricks, but that's what I see.

David

quote:

Originally posted by KSTEPHENS:
i like the sonora desert show on the other guys show. the pig was milling around his camp site and he was hiding on the rock ledge above it, and hadnt eaten in 4 days.
HAHAHA!
big rock + ledge + piggie skull= BBQ

***Surviorman***

I watched that episode myself. I remember sitting there quietly wondering who in their right mind heads off into the wilderness without a big knife? I carry one with me everytime I head into the woods. I would be willing to bet you that I would have also used my big Ontario to make supper out of that javelina he was watching - especially if I hadn't eaten in four days. Hunger is a powerful motivation and I can get real creative finding something to eat when I get hungry enough. If I didn't have my knife, I'd of used a snare, big rock, something to bag that pig. I cannot envision myself letting him walk away.

I also noticed the life vest on the episode where he floated down a river with his back pack and a plastic bag. He has a life vest on under his sweat shirt. You can see it all bunched up around his neck. Too dangerous for him with out a life vest yet he leads the common observer to believe it is practical. More moronic reality TV for the masses.

quote:

Originally posted by KSTEPHENS:
i like the sonora desert show on the other guys show. the pig was milling around his camp site and he was hiding on the rock ledge above it, and hadnt eaten in 4 days.
HAHAHA!
big rock + ledge + piggie skull= BBQ

That one cracked me up too, even lacking a big rock, simply jumping on the javelina and putting a foot onto it's spine could break it's back.

and his scenarios of how he simulates getting stuck in the wilderness? I take more actual "survival equipment" with me making a 5mile trip to a convienence store to buy a lottery ticket.

I don't have a problem with his type5 hybred PFD, I'll bet the shows lawyers insisted on his having it....

And yes, the shows are about entertainment more than actual survival, but both those shows are FAR better than the completely artificial "Survivor" shows on mainstream media that have NOTHING to do with actual survival.

I'm 6'4 and just shy of 300# and if I've gone four days without food nothing on earth wants to cross my path... because aside from basic hunger I'll be in a really unpleasant mood...
and not only because I'm out of caffein and aspirin...

Hell, 36hours without caffein I'm ready to kill something just to vent frustration

AD

How about the man vs wild where I think Bear was in Australia and was following a stream that went into a deep ravine. Bear decided to get right down into the ravine and walk the stream downriver even though there was no way out. After a ways, he got to a blockage on the surface as the ravine narrowed and he swam under it and continued on. Eventually I think he hit a blockage that he could not go under and was forced to turn back.

Who in their right mind would go down in that ravine knowing it will be hard as hell to get back out? Then to start swimming under the upstructions... It seemed more like an episode of how to get yourself killed as fast as possible.

KG, thanks for posting this.

I have seen this guy's show and to say I have doubted the veracity of his supposed exploits would be understatement.

The lava bridge clip was flat out hilarious!

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
KG, thanks for posting this.

The lava bridge clip was flat out hilarious!

You bet. Exposing phonies can be good fun. I too belly laughed at the little clip. And having looked at it closely, I'd bet a week's pay that it IS the same lava bridge*.

KG

*Considering I work as an administrative monkey in academia at Suffolk Law, that's not much of a bet, but I'd toss it on the table at any takers just the same.

KG

This clown has been thoroughly debunked, numerous times.
Oddly enough, even 'normal' people recognize him for the asshat that he is.
My wife, sister-in-law and two of the nieces were watching it one evening. None of them except my wife has had anything to do with the outdoors. Well, possibly as something in between shopping malls...
Even they commented what an idiot Bernard Grylls is.
The obvious question was "well why watch it then?"
I should have know better.

Apparently, the star is 'cute'...

Sigh. When will I learn...

I'm waiting for Survivor..."Baghdad", now theres a show.

Perry

quote:

Apparently, the star is 'cute'...

Well, none of us watched 'Baywatch' for the complex plots or fine acting.