[tomtom]

Yes folks - its happening - I know the interweb is going to buckle under the demand now I've posted this - but

Yes...

Can you wait....

ITS THE BEAR GRYLLS FESTIVAL!!

http://www.beargryllssurvivalrace.com/bear-grylls-festival/

(I nearly posted this to room 101, but figured it looked so bad it deserved its own 'appreciation' thread...)

[petejh]

CUNT. 

[andyd]

He's just exploiting a market. No different to Apple for making people use electronics or Bernard Matthews getting more turkey drummers inside the wee nippers. From what I've heard from the youths he's been a breath of fresh air for the scouting association. I'd hate it if people judged me on my professional persona, but I think I'd care less if it made me a shed full of cash.
Whilst I'm guilty of many similar escapades TT, I wonder how the people who get excited by this event would feel about a afternoon thrutching about on a tiny boulder in a Bacup quarry as we might...

[petejh]

I'm sure he's a perfectly lovely bloke - most people are.

He's still a cunt.

[tomtom]

He's just exploiting a market. No different to Apple for making people use electronics or Bernard Matthews getting more turkey drummers inside the wee nippers. From what I've heard from the youths he's been a breath of fresh air for the scouting association. I'd hate it if people judged me on my professional persona, but I think I'd care less if it made me a shed full of cash.
Whilst I'm guilty of many similar escapades TT, I wonder how the people who get excited by this event would feel about a afternoon thrutching about on a tiny boulder in a Bacup quarry as we might...

I haven't really thought about it that much - I just think he's a bellend

For a more qualified answer, I don't mind the whole media/TV series shabadizzle so much as thats par for the media world - but the clothing range and associated KERCHING add ons that have followed (including BearFest) irritate me...

[Oldmanmatt]

I found his original tv series painful (the entering/following a cave system as a survival technique etc).
But in balance he's been good for "youth engagement" and outdoor sport promotion.
I get that there is a conflict between the desire to change peoples attitude to the "outdoors" and the overcrowding that that engenders.



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[dave]

He's just exploiting a market. No different to Apple for making people use electronics or Bernard Matthews getting more turkey drummers inside the wee nippers. From what I've heard from the youths he's been a breath of fresh air for the scouting association. I'd hate it if people judged me on my professional persona, but I think I'd care less if it made me a shed full of cash.
Whilst I'm guilty of many similar escapades TT, I wonder how the people who get excited by this event would feel about a afternoon thrutching about on a tiny boulder in a Bacup quarry as we might...

I don't get your points:
- "He's just exploiting a market" - same could be said for pimps and drug dealers. But if its making money its OK right?
- Scouting: I very much doubt he makes on iota of difference to 99.999% of the people involved in the scouting movement.
- Professional persona - if we don't judge him on this what do we judge him on? A toss of the coin?

[andy_e]

Good idea, one side of the coin could say "cunt" and the other could say "cunt". With "cunt" written down the edge just in case it lands on the edge.

[andyd]

I'm sure he's a perfectly lovely bloke - most people are.

He's still a cunt.

I guess people who use the media to profit from people who want to get out more could be construed as terrible people. TV personalities, park rangers,guide book writers......

[andyd]

He's just exploiting a market. No different to Apple for making people use electronics or Bernard Matthews getting more turkey drummers inside the wee nippers. From what I've heard from the youths he's been a breath of fresh air for the scouting association. I'd hate it if people judged me on my professional persona, but I think I'd care less if it made me a shed full of cash.
Whilst I'm guilty of many similar escapades TT, I wonder how the people who get excited by this event would feel about a afternoon thrutching about on a tiny boulder in a Bacup quarry as we might...

I don't get your points:
- "He's just exploiting a market" - same could be said for pimps and drug dealers. But if its making money its OK right?
- Scouting: I very much doubt he makes on iota of difference to 99.999% of the people involved in the scouting movement.
- Professional persona - if we don't judge him on this what do we judge him on? A toss of the coin?

Except that drugs and prostitution aren't as wholesome as outdoor family fun.
As for your doubt, presumably based on limited research, I'll give more weighting to people within the movement who have things to say.

I'm not a big fan of the practice of things being posted up for the sake of knocking it down.

[dave]

If only crap faked soloing videos, massive insurance claims costing the rest of us money, and exaggerated/faked military service were as "wholesome" as these family fun days.

As for the scouts thing, I've not so much as heard anyone within the scouting movement who I've had a lot of contact with over the last year or so even mention his name, neither adult leader or youth. Some impact!

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

A day out for the whole family - Bear Grylls and guest celebrity appearances

Featuring people even more full of themselves than Mr Grills.

Accessible North London venue

Real remote wilderness, but safely inside the M25, North of Watford BE DRAGONS!

A celebration of Survival, Fitness & Outdoor Adventure

Oooo, you might DIE! Only kidding, this isn't Alton Towers, there no REAL chance of not-surviving, this is just a pseudo-adventure, you won't actually die, get fit or have an REAL adventure, you can just pretend whilst sitting around getting pissed and stuffing your face on gourmet burgers from the...

Licensed bars gourmet food stands

Including the gourmet catering van Bear takes on all his 'extreme adventures'

Footfall in excess of 20 000 expected over the weekend

Yes because nothing gives you a sense of 'Wilderness' than hanging out with 20000 people in a North London Park.

[petejh]

I'm not a big fan of the practice of things being posted up for the sake of knocking it down.

Bear didn't require knocking down he was already considered a cunt (inevitably nice bloke who comes across as... I'm begining to feel bad about calling him a cunt 3 times)

Look his desert climbing 'Master of Movement' video forever condems him to be labelled a cunt even if he probably really isn't:

[petejh]

Plenty of genuine heroes in the walks of life Bear makes lots of money by bragging about; as is his right to do. If suggesting to kids that getting rich and famous from being a charlatan is wholesome then he's a guiding light.

[tomtom]

I'm not a big fan of the practice of things being posted up for the sake of knocking it down.

Thats fair enough.

But to name a festival after yourself... even Kanye wouldn't do that (would he? shirley not..)

[andyd]

If only crap faked soloing videos, massive insurance claims costing the rest of us money, and exaggerated/faked military service were as "wholesome" as these family fun days.

As for the scouts thing, I've not so much as heard anyone within the scouting movement who I've had a lot of contact with over the last year or so even mention his name, neither adult leader or youth. Some impact!

Absence of evidence isn't evidence of...

Limited internet research suggests a strong rise in membership over the last ten years. BG started in '09.
I'd hate to feed the pig of ignorance further by suggesting a clear correlation there but I'm pleased for the scout association none the less.
I've watched a show. It ain't for me. Just wanted to say, as a member of this community, that I don't like bitching for the sake of it.

[bigtuboflard]

I'm not a big fan of the practice of things being posted up for the sake of knocking it down.

Bear didn't require knocking down he was already considered a cunt (inevitably nice bloke who comes across as... I'm begining to feel bad about calling him a cunt 3 times)

Look his desert climbing 'Master of Movement' video forever condems him to be labelled a cunt even if he probably really isn't:

wow. That really is perhaps the most dreadful piece of film I can recall. Crap in every conceivable aspect, down to the last shot of him running to the top out with about eight foot of rope ragging behind him.


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[andyd]

 
Terrible video, full of cliche. Aimed/produced for a different demographic than that of UKB.

[a dense loner]

I agree with andyd. Same said for Steve Irwin, interesting characters that make joe public a bit more interested in what they do. Of course half of its fake, if anyone thinks it's all true then that says more about them than the celeb

[a dense loner]

I'm sat watching "my kitchen rules: Australia" it appears bear grylls is not a cunt at all

[Johnny Brown]

When I first read this Bear quote, my first thought was 'cunt'.



But the more I read it, the more like it. I suspect, a bit like R S Thomas when he wrote 'The Island' that, he has silently taken a step too far in order to have a good laugh at those who take him too seriously. Either that or he's a cunt.

[andyd]

Worthwhile evidence. I believe you're right up to and including your last remark. The jury is out for me. The masses like him and engage them.
There are many people in life who act in hatred who deserve our scorn. I don't think a aristocratic TV entertainer is worth worrying about.

[SA Chris]

I agree with andyd. Same said for Steve Irwin, interesting characters that make joe public a bit more interested in what they do.

Can't believe you compare him to Steve Irwin!