Just ran in here to tell you all that Bear's jumping out of a helo in the Pacific! Gotta go!

I wonder if he's going to be battling sharks or grabbing jellyfish... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've watched him a few times now and he makes me cringe. He constantly does ridiculous things that some people might try in a real survival situation because they saw this expert do it. I'm specifically refering to running full out through the woods at night; jumping off a cliff into a snow melt river so he can save time by floating the river rather than walking; climbing down a 40' vertical waterfall in the water on mossy rocks, again to basically save time, and on and on.

Most people trying to do these particular things would end up dying a lonely, broken, painful death.

Don't get me wrong, he can be entertaining to watch. Kind of like watching someone stick their hands in an alligators mouth and wondering when it's going to bite. Just don't want people to think that's how you handle a survival situation. I'd rather watch Les Stroud or MUCH rather watch Ray Mears to learn something.

He made it to live another week. I think he has a death wish.

On what? Definately on something.

Yeah, he was on last night all right. Gee, just why did I find myself switching channels to watch Rambo II instead? Guess I don't find too much difference between the two of them.

Yeah, the stuff he does indicate he's on something allright!

I ridiculed him before, but after joining this forum and reading the posts, now I think Bear's hilarious! Everything he does is staged completely for the camera... even the boot burning on the hot lava stuff... or the "imaginary" rock falling from the roof of the lava tunnel.

I take him with a grain of salt and don;t worry the least bit about someone watching his show and trying to "run down a canyon". The self-preservation inside of all of us coupled with a little common sense dictates very few are going to try imitating his dumb stuff. And... those few will just have to meet the fate that awaits them I suppose. Imagine the things we worry about in today's society: "WARNING: gasoline is flammable! Keep away from flame and sparks!" Or take a look at your vehicle's manual and all the warnings on EVERY page. It's so comical where "we" progressed to by worrying about every little thing and how it will affect some idiot somewhere (old lady with hot coffee driving away from McDonald's....ring a bell?)

I like Bear's show. It's humorous! I like Stroud's show. It's great!

I'm glad that I don't work on that show. I would be sooooo tempted to "accidently" tread on the alligators tail. Just to see what happens next.............. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Even my girlfriend, who's idea of a survival situation is digging out her car in a snowstorm, could see that most of his stunts are dangerous.
Possible attack by African bees? Ah, I'd pass on the honey. Climb down an old lava chute for water? I think I'd take my chances searching elsewhere, as there is no guarantee I could climb back up. OR, even survive climbing down.
I do watch it for the entertainment value though.

Proof of Concept

Dramatic Moment of Last Night's "Man vs. Wild": Bear Grylls climbing the avocado tree to get the fruit.

Dramatic Moment of Last Night's "I Shouldn't Be Alive": The guy climbing the tree in the Amazon rain forest to look at the terrain, only to fall flat on his back after only going halfway up.

Get the hint?

The basic line is this: "Man vs. Wild" does contain some useful survival information and ideas, but unfortunately that useful information is buried in with so much entertainment gibberish that it's difficult for the uneducated viewer to filter out. To make matters worse, the uneducated viewer is the show's main demographic target.

Ya know, parachute cord tied to the water bottle can be used to lower it to water and pull it back full, much easier than downclimbing a cliff. Paracord can also be used to pull off dead limbs for a fire when the wood on the ground is covered with snow. The Bear has a lot to learn, hope he survives to become a real expert.

Please don't tell me again, unless the jump is at least 500 feet(without a chute).

"There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action."

And the producer thinks I care, Ha-Ha !
I don't give an R.A. !