Bear Grylls Live on Stage

You may have guessed that Bear Grylls tops my list of guys-who-could-be-a-hero-in-one-of-my-books. And if you don’t know who Bear Grylls is, where have you been hiding? Quick catchup for you then: Bear Grylls is a 38 year old ex member of the S.A.S British special forces, and he was once the youngest bloke to climb Mt Everest (after having broken his back in a sky-diving accident). He's an adventurer, survivalist and star of the hit TV series ‘Man vs Wild’. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, the guy is not bad on the eye either (and he’s not shy about getting his kit off when there are cameras around).

Last week I went to his live show, “A Wild Night with Bear Grylls Live on Stage.” The Stories, The Danger…The Man – so boasted the advertising for this two hour-ish show. The TSB arena in Wellington where the show was held was packed. Clearly Bear Grylls is a popular man—and yes, he has charisma in spades. He made a grand entrance by abseiling down from the internal scaffolding to the stage where he proceeded to give us a glimpse of what his life was like in the S.A.S, climbing Mt Everest, and with his crew filming ‘Man vs Wild’.

Due to having terrible eyesight and a not-so-great seat, I spent most of the two hours watching the stage with my binoculars glued to my face—probably making me look like the world’s biggest perv! And I have to admit I had a brilliant view of a certain flexing part of his anatomy under his tight grey jeans as he left the stage. Don’t look at me like that—my friend sitting next to me vocalized what we were both thinking! Those grey jeans bring out his blue eyes… :)

Part of the show involved the eating of some dubious delicacies—namely maggots, crickets, worms and New Zealand’s own Huhu grubs (which are basically GIANT maggots). Some initially enthusiastic volunteers were called up on stage to partake in a small handful of worms. Call me disappointed that Bear didn’t eat a Huhu grub, but instead snacked on a few worms and a cricket. He even managed to get Rhys Darby (a local comedian/actor hosting the show) to eat a cricket.

Another fun part of the show was Bear selecting a young volunteer on stage to teach him how to light a fire with a knife and flint. Bear demonstrated the technique and then handed the knife over to the boy (who looked like he’d been given the holy grail). He patiently helped the boy create enough sparks to set the little stack of cotton wool alight and you could just tell that this kid would never forget the experience.

Bear Grylls is an amazing role-model for kids, and in the last section of the show he invited a group of Scouts (of which he is the Chief Scout worldwide) on stage. Bear’s words of wisdom? First piece of advice—Don’t grab a snake by its anus. Evidently they don’t like it much, according to Bear, and he can attest to this from personal experience. Second piece of advice—remember the five ‘F’s: Family, Faith, Friendship, Fun and Follow your Dreams.

Highlight of the show? For me it was catching a glimpse of the man behind the hype. We watched a brief video clip of his wife describing Bear at home (he’s not so good at housework—really? Ha ha) and his love for his three sons is obvious. He has many attributes that I hope my fictional characters have—he's charming, amicable, confident and with a soft heart beneath a tough exterior. But don’t mistake him for a Beta, or a S.N.A.G. No, this guy is Alpha all the way, but perhaps not in the brooding, dark light that Alpha heroes are often portrayed. He’s a leader with quiet strength, one who’ll get the job done and probably save your life doing it—and he’ll kick your butt just as thoroughly as the surliest bad-ass hero featured between the pages of a romance novel. But he’ll do it with a thoroughly charming smile and a smooth English accent.

Tracey.

What I’m reading this week: Mud, Sweat and Tears – Bear Grylls. And on top of everything else, Bear Grylls tells some great stories!

What I’m watching this week: Alcatraz – well, it starts tonight in New Zealand, and after watching the pilot in the U.S last January, I’m so excited it’s finally come to our screens!

This week’s favorite quote: “If you risk nothing you gain nothing” ~Bear Grylls

Hot guy of the week: Bear Grylls. Of course.