Ok fair points guys but your all basing your opinions on his present show. I doubt many of you even knew who he was before this. All of you would do what he does for the money he is on. Simple as.
Bear Grylls injured
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Oh I don't know, I've always valued integrity more than money.
I guess that's why I'm so poor....
Totally agree with that.
Im sure Lord Mears gets complete control over the content and the direction of his shows, but when he started out, im sure he was told what o say and how to say it
Im pretty sure bear was picked to front a show, that had he turned down, would have been fronted by someone else. Why was he picked? ex SAS, youngest (or 2nd youngest) brit to summit everest, nice guy.
Im sure all of us here can think of nothing better than watching RM sit down for 20 minutes and carve a wooden spoon, but popular tv aint about pleasing us, but about the majority, and im sure that millions yawn and change channels as Ray harps on about the correct grip of the knife (a knife that the kids watching are being told that they face prison if theyre caught carrying!) and think why go to so much trouble to make something that costs 50p in the market!
I have to admit I've never understood the spoon carving fetish either.
Having said that I do have some hand made spoons that I use for my living history work so go figure.
We all know Ray has set a few things up for the show, it's only natural, but it does seem that "Bear" learned about integrity from his dad.
Having said that I do have some hand made spoons that I use for my living history work so go figure.
We all know Ray has set a few things up for the show, it's only natural, but it does seem that "Bear" learned about integrity from his dad.
Politicians, go figure.
I don't think it'd harm your integrity too much. Nobody slated Jim Carrey for playing Ace Ventura did they? Its a show, how many people watching will actually be in that situation? How many people here accept money to do a job they might not want to do or like?
I don't think it'd harm your integrity too much. Nobody slated Jim Carrey for playing Ace Ventura did they? Its a show, how many people watching will actually be in that situation? How many people here accept money to do a job they might not want to do or like?
You're comparing a comedy actor appearing in a comedy film to an alleged survival expert (and therefore, he is trusted to give sound advice) giving downright bad and dangerous advice because it adds another zero to his paycheck? Not the same ballpark - not even the same game.
I work in a convenience store, and I hate every minute of it, but I don't once recall suggesting to a customer that they carry their urine in a snakeskin so they can drink it at a later date. Again, not the same. Getting paid to do a job you don't like is unpleasant, getting paid to give dangerous advice to people who trust you is pretty despicable.
Why dont you write to the BBC, explaining that you know far more about survival than bear, and then perhaps you can front the next series?
You don't have to know very much about survival to know that when a guy explains exactly why something he's about to do is stupid and dangerous, and then does it, he's more interested in being a showman than actually showing what people should do in a survival situation. I don't doubt that he has a good knowledge of survival skills, I don't even doubt he'd be a decent guy to sit with around the campfire - but it doesn't come across in his shows. He does stupid stunts in staged shows and not only claims that it's genuine, but advises you to do it. It's entertaining to watch, as I'm perfectly willing to admit, but bad advice.
Because that is what he is being paid to do. Your employer will expect a certain amount of courtesy to be displayed to customers, will he not? Bear's employer expects a certain amount of crazy attention grabbiness.
but entertainment is what its about . . . squeezing the juice out of elephant dung and swallowing live frogs aint a practical guide to survival in the wilderness, its all about shock value, to make people cringe, the guy jumps out of helicopters, skydives into wherever, hes just some larger than life, action hero guy, picked for the job because hes everything Ray Mears isnt. If you dont like his show, blame the producers. But i think hes decent guy
I'm not denying that it's entertaining, or that its purpose is to be entertaining rather than a practical guide to survival - my issue isn't that he does stupid things, that's between him and his dignity, and if he's ok with it, then it's certainly no skin off my nose - but he promotes it as survival advice. He actually says at the beginning of each episode of Man vs Wild (I think it's that one) something to the effect of "I'm going to show you how to survive". If he DIDN'T promote it this way, I'd think he were a bit of a weirdo but it wouldn't really matter. But he claims it is practical and genuine survival advice. Not purely entertainment.
I do have an issue with the producers, but Bear Grylls, as a survival instructor (or ex survival instructor, I'm not sure) should know exactly what can happen when things go bad in a life or death situation, and he should certainly know that things can get much worse much faster when people take stupid and unnecessary risks after hearing bad advice - so he should know better than to give bad advice, IMO.
Pete
PS: I kinda feel like this debate is being a bit disruptive, I do apologise for that It's easy to get carried away with this sort of thing. To Hillbill and Saddletramp, I hope you know that I just hold a different opinion, and I'm not trying to be a jerk.
I do have an issue with the producers, but Bear Grylls, as a survival instructor (or ex survival instructor, I'm not sure) should know exactly what can happen when things go bad in a life or death situation, and he should certainly know that things can get much worse much faster when people take stupid and unnecessary risks after hearing bad advice - so he should know better than to give bad advice, IMO.
Pete
PS: I kinda feel like this debate is being a bit disruptive, I do apologise for that
It's easy to get carried away with this sort of thing. To Hillbill and Saddletramp, I hope you know that I just hold a different opinion, and I'm not trying to be a jerk.
You said you work in a shop, suppose your boss decides to sell some second rate product? Do you inform every customer that what theyre buying is crap? Do you make some moral protest and quit your job? Or do you do what your told, and say nothing . . .
Your comparison is completely off. I for one know I'd rather buy a candy bar I thought was rubbish, than die because of poor advice. And as it happens, I don't lie to promote anything in my shop. If a customer asks what something is, I'll tell them the truth. I've pointed out to numerous customers that certain products are exactly the same as certain other products, but in a different package. I'd rather be a bad employee and keep my conscience clear - and, as I said, I deal with trivia, he gives people bad advice about life or death situations. It's not the same.
H
He' s left the building
Guest
He was ordered formally by someone very high up in the MoD to stop referring to his 'Special-Forces background' for that very reason, it was seen to be disrespectful of him to gain from their reputation when he hadn't got very far down that career path. This decision now seems to have been vindicated by current operations where all regular mainstream Battalions currently rely on their twinned TA platoons to back-fill vacancies, he'd probably get away with it now if he was still serving(?) Note that the Grilled Bear now only refers to his time with the TA's 21st SAS-Regiment.
Servicemen and women these days hate people bigging themselves up, it seems like the more they've done the less they shout about it. Look at the current achievements of 2nd Battalion Para Regiment and 45 Royal Marine Commando, I'd like to see some of those lads in a survival show, a real life 'Jungle Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' I bet?!!
PS: I kinda feel like this debate is being a bit disruptive, I do apologise for that
totally mate, is just forum banter innit
I suppose you could compare the sensible advice to travellers in bears show. . to the sensible advice to motorists in top-gear. But i still maintain its just entertainment.
Its like that Aussie snake guy who died, i cant remember his name, but he used to wrestle crocodles and pick up snakes, and take crazy risks but I would much rather watch him, than watch David Attenbourough, even if David knows far more on the subject. If i want to learn how to survive in some distant land, im gonna take it a little more seriously than what i can pick up off bear inbetween his stunts . . But im not going to slate him for that reason, anymore than im gonna slate clarkson for being more concerned with how fast a ferrari goes round the track, than he is concerned about whats the best value car in the uk
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