| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzBNV6r31bc
Tonight at 10p, Bear Grylls has the biggest person he has ever taken with him on Running Wild, and he has taken some really big names with him. That man is President Barack Obama and I was on a conference call with him last week and he talked about his wild adventure in Alaska with the President of the Unites States.
How it came about?
BG – Well, they reached out to us, you know? We’ve gotten approached by the White House to – saying would we, you know, consider taking the president on an adventure to Alaska. I almost didn’t really believe it. When we started, it was like I thought this was spoof. But, you know, we got into it and, you know, we all came together. There are obviously quite a few, you know, hurdles along the way of trying to, you know, keep everyone happy including, you know, the whole Secret Service, presidential team and all of that. We did it and it’s an episode I’m, you know, hugely proud of and definitely this is, you know, the high point of our “Running Wild” journeys.
What was like taking the President into the wild?
BG – Well, he was the president or whatever, you know, all of our titles and our belongings and everything. And as I said, it’s what I love about the wild, you know? It doesn’t care who, you know, when you’re in bear country, you know, a lot of grizzly and brown bears and black bears around, you know, they don’t care that you’re the commander in chief and – or whatever.
What was his impression of President Obama?
BG – Well, my overriding impression was just he’s really humble, family-centered, lovely guy, you know? I mean, of course, the times along the route I have to kind of pinch myself and think actually, you know, this is the president of America, you know? And I think there’s a connection when you’re out in the wild with someone. I always say it’s the ultimate learning, you know, and he’s a dad and I’m a dad and, you know, he cares about preserving.
Did the President have an ego?
BG – You got to be respectful and you got to make the decisions. You got to leave your ego behind. And he totally embraced that, you know, as a man who really, you know, he does a pretty selfless job and I just came in waiting. He’s an incredible man and one incredible human being. And just, you know, there’s a connection there as a father and as somebody really cares about the planet and I thought, you know what, I love it. I love him and love the mission.
They talked about what?
BG – You’re out there and, you know, you kind of light fire together and climb up trees and, you know, half eaten salmons and, you know, talking about flatulence and the berries and all of that gets out, you know? That is as you come at the great moments with, you know, the connections always come. So huge privilege but definitely a fair side of the president you never see before.
What did the people at the White House want their Commander-In-Chief to do out in the wild?
BG – It’s a big petition on the White House saying “You got to get the president to drink his own pee.” And I can say (unintelligible) I’m not going to ask you to do that. And it was fun because we had a good conversation about “You tell me what is it with you and pee,” you know, “Why you’re known for this?” And he wanted to understand the science again behind it. So its funny sort of our conversation about when pee is good and when pee is bad and how these berries can help people’s flatulence and all this. I would think toilet/lavatory humor is always a great leveler.
How many people came along with the President and him to Alaska from the White House?
BG – I thought initially they would have five or six Secret Service guys with us that, you know, end up like 50. You know, it’s a whole team with the press corps and, you know, even got a guy who’s there to make sure if there’s any food or drink he’s drinking is approved, you know? So it’s, you know, it’s a big, old group to move around where they got helicopter stuff in the air.
What moment stood out for Bear Grylls from their time together?
BG – But I think at the end of it that really stood out for me was the little thing we did right at the end where we prayed together and it’s funny because it’s like sort of such an intimate thing to do but we talked about faith on the journey and how he’d said that one of his heroes is President Lincoln have said this quote that if you’re not a religious man when you take off, you know, you will be by the end. It brings you into your knees.
And I think one of the reasons he said to me this seems to be one of the best days of his presidency all of eight years and he said “You didn’t want anything from me. We’re just, you know, sharing a little bit of our world.” And, you know, so nice to be able to lay hands on him and just say a little prayer to, you know, pray for protection of all the work he’s doing and it was just for ten seconds, you know, and he gave me a big hug at the end of it and I thought (you know, this is a real) special moment actually and a moment I’ll never forget.
What does he think of tonight’s episode?
BG – We’ve delivered the program that I feel is the ultimate “Running Wild” I’ll ever do. I watched it, as I said, the other night and it’s just, you know, I’m so proud of it, you know, the complete show and it’s got heart and fun and, you know, all of that – and adventure and all of that good stuff. And I won’t beat that.
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