Bear Grylls is a Fake

2007 July 26
tags: ,
by CajoleJuice

New York Times article

I’m a bit disappointed, but not all that surprised. Although, Justin was probably more cynical than me when we were first exposed to Man vs. Wild via Bachy’s shed. But while watching it more and more, Justin’s admiration of Bear grew to mancrush proportions. Now his faith in everything has been shaken. It’s like when I found out Catherine Bell was a Scientologist.

Bear is still a world-class badass, but it’s just not cool that Man vs. Wild isn’t quite what it has claimed to be. Survivorman is apparently the only real deal out there. I’ve never watched it, but I know it’s some Canadian dude named Les who basically lies around as much as possible for 7 days – but he doesn’t have a camera crew supporting him. In fact, he carries around his own bunch of cameras, making his job of surviving only tougher.

For anyone doubting the claims that have been made about Bear sleeping in cabins, having his raft built for him, or having trained horses brought to a field, the nail in the coffin is that Discovery Channel will be airing the show’s existing episodes with disclaimers, explaining that Bear is full of shit. Now this doesn’t take away the fact that Bear is the youngest Briton to climb Everest and come back alive, or that he crossed the North Atlantic with only four other guys, but his badass factor definitely went down a few points. I hate reality TV, but fake reality TV is even worse – and that’s pretty godawful.

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  • Brooke

    oh my goodness…ok bear grylls has totally earned the respect of all of his viewers. Have you ever watched his show? do you realize that he is actually eating that shit? i mean c’mon just because bear has a crew watchin his back just in case he’s in danger doesn’t mean he’s a fraud, it means he’s smart. Bear Grylls has a family to think of and he cannot simply go out and risk his life everyday for your entertainment. so yeah, i don’t mind that bear has a few friends behind the scenes, but i still love his show and nothing you, or anyone else says will change that.

  • Raziaar

    Okay. I respect your feelings on the matter. At least you made an argument for your cause.

    I too once used to like Bear Grylls and Man VS Wild. I was drawn in by the excitement, the thrill of it all, especially since Bear would always narrate that he was completely isolated and only his camera crew followed him. He explicitly said that he didn’t have help from the crew that followed him at all, and I believed him. I expected, just as it was indicated, that he was out there in these environments roughing it up.

    However, that illusion and those things he claimed all came crashing down when I heard all the stories and then Discovery and Bear himself said that he indeed had help and occasionally spent time out of the environment to lodge in a cushy room and have delicious hot meals for the night. Also that things he said he was doing himself were done by other people, and indicated as such later by discovery and Bear’s voice over narration.

    The thrill and excitement of the show basically collapsed for me in light of these accusations and confirmations. It lost all the thrill and entertainment value for me, since everything was so contrived and fake, like that time I saw him eating meat of an animal, but in fact it turned out to be steak in an animal skin that he was eating.

    I could no longer find any worth in the show for me to watch, as all the reasons I was watching for turned out to be a big lie and it just didn’t become enjoyable anymore. It became a disappointment, and I started to change the channel every time it came on.

  • Jake

    ok, I’m gonna get a name in here other than Brooke and Raziaar…
    well…I do agree with the fact that bear grylls can’t just go out and risk his life for our enjoyment. Because, it seems like the people who are the most upset about this are dwelling on the fact that Bear Grylls is not in as much danger as they had previously thought. It’s like their thinking “DANG! now there’s no chance that he could DIE out there…hmmm…not entertaining enough so he’s definelty a fake.” I don’t understand your line of reasoning at all.

  • Brooke

    well i don’t know how we’re gonna solve this cuz i love bear and you hate him…its really sad that you say that you used to watch his show cuz i guess that you weren’t a devoted fan…but thats ok cuz i’m standin behind bear 100%

  • Raziaar

    Just because I don’t like his show, doesn’t mean I hate him. Sheesh. Not everything is black and white.

  • Brooke

    well your making seem like its all black and white…your good and I’m bad…

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  • fiji

    Bear is great. His message of survival should be the reason why we watch as it is the factor that will help you and I in da future.Lying is part of show business, it does not mean that it is right but it does not make him fake. The value of the show is not entirely entertainment although it is a major factor but the lesson is the cream.
    In that light I will stick with Bear. Gud luck to the rest of you

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  • SkwosH

    Oh come on, Bear Grylls doesn’t make scenes ALL the time. Hell, I think he’s done it like 3 times. In fact, I’ll dismember your arguments one by one.
    The steak – So what? Hasn’t he eaten raw zebra before? Hasn’t he eaten live snakes before (or almost live)? Hasn’t he eaten insects the size of birds before? Owned.
    The hotel – Two occasions he didn’t sleep in a shelter. And the rest? How many times do you think he’s built himself a shelter? (BTW, Les Stroud doesn’t put himself in precarious places like Bear does, e.g. at the bottom of a canyon).
    I doubt Bear has any say as to what is finally edited. He isn’t a major part of the editing team, last I looked.

  • SkwosH

    Also, some of the dangerous things he does are stated by him EXTREMELY clearly, such as when eating the elephant dung. He states that it should be done AS A LAST RESORT. He’s not nuts, he doesn’t want to die.

  • From Italy

    Fake!

  • From Italy

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UpSlpvb1is&feature=player_embedded

    he is a hero, yes, and Sigourney Weaver killed the monster, Robert De Niro is Al Capone and Spiderman flies… ehi, there is a tv troupe with him, with experts! He eats snakes and ants, for the camera, for his stupid audience, but one day…

  • Josh

    I worked as a programme director on the show, and all of his claims are false, including Mt. Everest. I was fired after exposing this. Now, thanks to the internet, the truth can come out.

    Josh.

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