Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

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Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby MISA » Tue Mar 11, 2014 9:20 am

From the start let me state this is my opinion,

I had the unfortunate displeasure of watching an episode of this piss poor attempt at reality/scare/nail biting/ WTF come HUH programing on Nat Geo recently. I am all for educating the ignorant and the general public at large, but when our "finest" selection of reptile ambassadors have about as much class and tact as a red neck strip joint on pay day, I have to voice my concern at the quality of the "education" we supposedly putting forward to the general public? Seriously! Is that the type of "professional" image we want people to see us herpetologists as? I counted the word "sh!t" being uttered by both show hosts used no less than 6 times during the program, at one stage the female host referred to a Brown house they were attempting to capture as a "bloody stupid snake" I mean really? This "documentary" goes out to the world and we have our host's swearing and carrying on like bergies fighting over the last pap sak on a Sunday morning?

Another brilliant piece of intelligence was during the program said female host and "friend" from the uk (who by the way was "in training") were "called" out to capture a brown snake in a house.... said female host called one male one legged friend (who is also apparently an "experienced" herper) to assist her and the in training pom with the call out as said male host had flown to Gauteng to learn how to "milk" a black mamba with Mike Perry.

This is where Mr one leg (long story short.. he was knocked down by a vehicle whilst trying to rescue a snake on a road somewhere) comes into his own, whilst in the house where the snake was spotted, Miss Host and trainee Pom were both wearing protective eye wear as it was suspected the brown snake was a Moz spitter, good for them, sadly Mr One leg was also wearing protective eye wear but it was perched on his head, as he got into the thick of things, it took about 3minutes before the moz spitter made his presence known by managing a brilliant pre-emptive strike to both of Mr one leg's eyes one time! A mad dash for water was made whilst Mr one legged stayed seating on the ground about 1meter from said by now very angry spitter... :smt011

At this stage I had wee'd a little and was coughing furiously from laughter! Even my missuses asked why this program wasn't on Comedy Central instead as it was more a circus act than an education show?

Seriously.... Come on! We have such a huge range of experienced and well known herpetologists here in SA and this is what we show to the world? WTF?

Ps: I mustn't forget to mention said male host also appeared sans T shirt showing off his seriously tattooed body to the world during one interview :smt009 , nice image mate! I also won't mention the Black label quart bottles that made cameo appearances once or twice through the show ....
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby Nick Evans » Tue Mar 11, 2014 9:31 am

Spot on MISA! I couldn't believe Nat Geo were airing that! Shocking
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby Bushviper » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:02 am

Misa dont hold back ... tell us how you really feel.

I watched a full 5 minutes of their first programme and after the woman explained how a puff adder rubs its scales together to hiss I felt I should rather not bother watching further.

Yes it is embarrassing and the best is this is only the first of an entire series!!! I have been told they have have subsequently emigrated which I guess is a relief for all true herpers as well as the snakes involved.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby michael » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:24 am

I have also had the unfortunate experience of watching some of this series. I honestly can’t believe that this would ever be aired. Perhaps we will all be lucky and the series will be cut short. :D
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby Blake » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:52 am

I agree with all the above statements. One of my favourites was grabbing the puff adder with a grab stick and then necking it. Really? To top it off was the dark tunnel with face goggles on top of his head. I also thought it should have been aired on comedy central instead.
The put on accent really did it for me. Slipping between british, south african. Seriously a joke in my opinion.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby MISA » Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:02 am

Am so glad to see it wasn't just myself being otherwise and critical, but, I guess Nat Geo just isn't the trustworthy platform it used be when Livingston was still pushing a Rolux magnum around the plains of deepest darkest Africa...
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby froot » Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:40 am

Hey, every country needs a resident tv show host 'herpetologist' paf. I've closed my dstv account ages ago because of the redundant broadcasting I had to tolerate but you've spurred me to go download an episode or 2 and get the popcorn ready, who are these people anyway?
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby rolandslf » Tue Mar 11, 2014 12:33 pm

I agree that the program is distasteful in its presentation and false information. In fact I have commented before that I cannot believe that NatGeo actually plays such rubbish. I for one never knew that one bite from a Black Mamba is sufficient to kill 50 grown men.

I need however to set the record straight on one issue, the one legged guy you refer to is in fact a qualified and expert snake catcher, who has probably caught more snakes than he can remember, he has caught all of the deadliest, owns Ndlondlo Reptile Park, is currently running a Black Mamba Research Project and was in fact run over by a vehicle while doing what he loves best, helping and caring for Reptiles. Yes he is a bit rough around the edges, but who of us on this Forum are actually Movie Actor/Actress quality.

I suggest that before some of us make comments, that we do a bit of research on the subject we wish to comment on.

That's it, finished ranting.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby ghoti » Tue Mar 11, 2014 1:18 pm

I honestly stopped taking NatGeo seriously when I learnt it was owned by Rupert Murdoch and regularly ran Scientology adverts :/ Rupert Murdoch is well known for less than honest news and information reporting.

The best place I can find for quality fun herping material is SnakeBytesTV on Youtube. I dont even watch satellite TV any more. I kinda stopped watching satellite TV when they started doing motorbike shows on Discovery channel and started with Ancient Aliens on History Channel.

These days I stream all my TV through the internet on my XBMC media player :D Way better content. The latest stuff. I get to choose what I want to watch, I dont get told what I want to watch.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby MISA » Tue Mar 11, 2014 1:50 pm

rolandslf wrote:I agree that the program is distasteful in its presentation and false information. In fact I have commented before that I cannot believe that NatGeo actually plays such rubbish. I for one never knew that one bite from a Black Mamba is sufficient to kill 50 grown men.

I need however to set the record straight on one issue, the one legged guy you refer to is in fact a qualified and expert snake catcher, who has probably caught more snakes than he can remember, he has caught all of the deadliest, owns Ndlondlo Reptile Park, is currently running a Black Mamba Research Project and was in fact run over by a vehicle while doing what he loves best, helping and caring for Reptiles. Yes he is a bit rough around the edges, but who of us on this Forum are actually Movie Actor/Actress quality.

I suggest that before some of us make comments, that we do a bit of research on the subject we wish to comment on.

That's it, finished ranting.


:smt006 Hey Roland,

Like I said up front, it is MY opinion, besides how many members of the public will go check the validity of what is being shown on NAT GEO, a supposedly top class production company? Documentary's are supposed to factual and informative are they not? I commented on what was broadcast to the world ... If you air dodgy info/facts and hire dodgy hosts then expect criticism as Its fair game if you ask me.

I can't dispute the Mr one leg's background, as I do not know of him and I sure as hell aren't going to go Google him to check if he is an expert, He was put forward by the program as an expert thus I and 20million other people will "assume" that he is (even if some of us thought differently) what I had issue with, was the fact that he was a so called "expert" but didn't bother to follow the most basic safety issue of wearing his eye protection correctly when he knows or suspects the snake he is about to capture is a spitter?

Experience teaches us these things, we have all learnt through our own or the mistakes of others and hopefully we get better at what we do as we gather more experience yes? So the fact that he is highly experienced and expert as you say seems to be a moot point after his eye protection gaff...

This wasn't a movie, it was a documentary supposedly to teach and inform the public in general about the love for and work we all do with snakes. There is a big difference between being a professional, an actor and or being stupid and taking chances in the field with things that are known to want to do you damage for the sake of making good viewing...

As I said, just my opinion... :smt016
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby Ales » Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:15 am

I agree 200%!

That show is an embarrassing as can be.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby Serpent » Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:23 pm

I agree. I had not heard of these two until the show aired. It is rather silly, but is not meant for us learned snake folk... Its designed to be entertaining to the general ignorant public that watch shows like Swamp People and all the other trash aired on Nat Geo.

Throw in some snakes, some tattoos and some swearing and you have a show!

I wish David Attenborough would do a serious completely about snakes, that would be epic.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby rolandslf » Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:59 pm

As I said, I agree with the sentiments shown here. Oh, I know the regular Durban snake people, and have also never heard of these two.
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Re: Nat Geo's Snakes in the city?

Postby MrG » Mon Mar 17, 2014 12:56 pm

:D :D :D they were k&k funny.
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