I was going to write about something else but in my last post before Christmas had to write about Obama and Bear Grylls. It was with some amazement I learned this programme with the two of them was being made, more amazement that Obama had requested it to be made and with even more amazement that I watched it last Sunday. I agree with the Guardian reviewer its one of the strangest pieces of TV I have seen in a long time. One thing you could not say about Obama and Bear Grylls together in Alaska is they were boring. The weirdness came from the concept and its optional extras about bear sex (that’s large brown creatures not Grylls) and drinking your own urine. Apparently but logically from a biological perspective you should only do this if you are not dehydrated, which defeats the purpose.
The bit where Bear pulled a half eaten Salmon out of his bag and suggested they cook it was classic (a bear had taken all the good bits already). The secret service must have been having kittens. But to be fair they let Obama eat it and he’s still alive to the best of my knowledge.
The programme was made to promote action on climate change and this was the overwhelming theme raised throughout the programme. The pair walked to a valley which had been filled with a glacier in 2008 when Obama had been inaugurated. Its retreat since then was huge. It was great to see Bear taking this issue seriously and I think I heard him say his house is powered by wind and solar, but heh it is an island off Wales (I’ve actually sailed around it).
Both pledged action on climate change and Bear asked Obama about his Christian faith. I don’t know whether Bear does it with everyone but he prayed with Obama at the end. Bear is the new face of relaunched Alpha course next year.
No oil rating – 9/10 for weird entertainment value, loses 1/10 for no overnight camping.
Neil