Too Much Tv Will Kill Ya!

[jdmidwest]

Man Dies Trying to be a Survivorman.

This happened back in May, but Field and Stream just had a big article on it. Seems like this guy took off into the woods with an ax and light clothing after getting pumped up by an episode of Survivorman. Now I find a little entertainment value in shows like that, I always wait for them to really screw up and bleed on TV for the most part to show what they are doing is real and not staged. But, it is what it is, a TV show, not reality. They have a support staff with a hot meal and a shower close by.

Seems like this kid, Richard Code, forgot his film crew. Poor guy. He should have watched "Jackass" and had someone light bottle rockets out of his butt instead or put a fart mask on him.

I have always been amazed at the followings of the "Reality" shows, I have considered them a waste of time for the most part. The WWW has tons more useful info on it.

[Zack Hoyt]

I tend to agree about people taking "reality" shows seriously. Very sad circumstance......but common sense goes a long way in these situations.

[FishinCricket]

I enjoy the reality shows, I consider them separate from mainstream "reality" tv.. For instance, "Survivorman" (Les Stroud) truly is completely on his own.. He's got a Spot communicator, but that's it. He even runs his own camera..

As an "avid outdoorsman", surely you can appreciate that particular show for what it is?

Seems like this kid, Richard Code, forgot his film crew. Poor guy. He should have watched "Jackass" and had someone light bottle rockets out of his butt instead or put a fart mask on him.

Yeesh, over the top much? The mans dead, for crying out loud.. Where's your sense of decency, JD?

[eric1978]

I enjoy the reality shows, I consider them separate from mainstream "reality" tv.. For instance, "Survivorman" (Les Stroud) truly is completely on his own.. He's got a Spot communicator, but that's it. He even runs his own camera..

As an "avid outdoorsman", surely you can appreciate that particular show for what it is?

Les Stroud is a joke. He'd be dead in a matter of days if he was in a real survival situation. Ever notice he never finds anything but bugs and bark to eat? The guys on the new show Dual Survival know what they're doing...if I was stranded somewhere, I'd want to be with them. I used to like Bear Grylls, but his show has gone from "how to survive" to "let's see how much crazy crap I can do without dying."

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't see where Stroud is a joke compared to the others. I'll admit I find some of the shows interesting, but when push comes to shove his is the only one where the "survivor" is alone.

If you read the fine print most have some disclaimer saying they are presented with situations. I have no doubt that he's, Stroud, careful in deciding where he's survive, but any miscalculation will be more serious to him than it would be to the others.

The bottom line is that having to survive is not a place anyone should want to be. There's simply to much luck involved.

[FishinCricket]

Les Stroud is a joke. He'd be dead in a matter of days if he was in a real survival situation. Ever notice he never finds anything but bugs and bark to eat? The guys on the new show Dual Survival know what they're doing...if I was stranded somewhere, I'd want to be with them. I used to like Bear Grylls, but his show has gone from "how to survive" to "let's see how much crazy crap I can do without dying."

You put more stock in that minimalist Idiot Cody? The man doesn't wear shoes for Christ-sakes! You'd get stuck in a survival situation with those two and they'd eat your chunky butt...

I don't think you're qualified to administer that opinion.

(knucklehead)

[eric1978]

I don't see where Stroud is a joke compared to the others. I'll admit I find some of the shows interesting, but when push comes to shove his is the only one where the "survivor" is alone.

I could do what he does...go into the woods with a camera for 3 days and eat a few grubs and some cattails, make fire with a magnesium flint stick, and build a shelter out of twigs and moss. The question is can he survive long-term, and from what I've seen out of him, the answer is no. He simply doesn't find enough food, and I saw an episode where he couldn't get a fire started, so he had to drink tainted water and he got sick...which means he probably would have eventually died in that scenario. There was also another episode, I believe the desert island one, where he had to be rescued by his producers because he set his dumbass afloat on the ocean with a rudderless raft and a couple coconuts full of water. Yeah, quite a survivalist.

You put more stock in that minimalist Idiot Cody? The man doesn't wear shoes for Christ-sakes! You'd get stuck in a survival situation with those two and they'd eat your chunky butt...

Nah, that military guy would wrestle a moose or something and we'd be good.

You're right though, the shoeless hippie is a little odd, but I personally dig his philosophy, even if it's a little extreme, and I'd rather be stranded with him than Les Stroud, who would try to eat my chunky butt...if I didn't kill him first because he drove me nuts with that stupid harmonica.

[jdmidwest]

As an "avid outdoorsman", surely you can appreciate that particular show for what it is?

It is "junk TV". And look what it caused. I was not being harsh, I merely pointed out that if he had chosen to imitate a different show character, he would probably be alive today with only a sore butt. But Darwin ruled on this one and another is out of the gene pool.

[eric1978]

It is "junk TV". And look what it caused.

So is Henry David Thoreau responsible for Chris McCandless' death?

[Outside Bend]

It is "junk TV". And look what it caused. I was not being harsh, I merely pointed out that if he had chosen to imitate a different show character, he would probably be alive today with only a sore butt. But Darwin ruled on this one and another is out of the gene pool.

Darwin would never rule on this; evolution has no direction

IMO, the best reality show was "Surviving Ted Nugent," particularly when he very nearly chainsawed his leg off. The buxom Jersey Girl gutting chickens and waxing whitetails didn't hurt, either.