The Fan

Blaming Alcohol for Suicide on Bering Sea Gold

The last season of Bering Sea Gold spent parts of several episodes covering the suicide of one of the workers on one of the featured gold dregs.  Emily Reidel and Zeke Tenhoff are a featured team running two barges, and one of their workers was Zeke's "brother from a different mother" John Bunce.  During the last season, John Bunce committed suicide by spinning a revolver's cylinder, then pulling the trigger, which shot himself in the head.

In an interview with a blogger online radio show, Zeke revealed that he blamed the alcohol situation in Nome, Alaska, for the suicide.  He especially railed against the

New Gold Show in Greenland "Ice Cold Gold"

Yet another copy-cat show of the Alaska gold shows has shown up on Animal Planet Network, this time they cover a group of Americans looking for gold in Greenland.

This show is different from the other "American gold miners go abroad" shows because they don't go to a jungle, but rather go to an uninhabited area with cold and bad weather.  Oh, they also only have a two month mining season, which gives them a better excuse than the Amazon and Africa shows for why  they won't make any profit.

I like the show because it is spending a lot of time showing the logistic difficulty in trying to do field work in an environment like that.  But that probably also shows that they have nothing more interesting to show either.  But hey, let's see what they can do with the show.

Here are the main characters.  Two of the them are miners from Arizona's Superstition Mountains.

· Eric Drummond -Geologist: With his extensive knowledge of gem and rock formation, Eric is expected to lead the way in this new frontier. For more than three decades, he's made millions mining for other companies; now, ICE COLD GOLD is his chance to strike it rich on his own terms.

· Chad Watkins: Dredger/Prospector: Striving to keep his family afloat, expert prospector Chad needs to conquer Greenland, no matter the cost. He's proving to his wife and son that he can make something of himself doing what he loves for once; for him, it's about personal pride.

· John Self: Placer Miner/Prospector: John's desire to strike gold in Greenland is fueled by his deep-seated mining addiction and his goal of sending his daughter to college. Times have been tough for him back in his home state of Colorado. Who knows - with one shake of the pan in Greenland, maybe he can turn his fortune.

· Jesse Feldman: Hard Rock Miner: Hunting for treasure may have started as a hobby for this self-proclaimed renaissance man, but along with brother Josh, Jesse has become a seasoned veteran whose skills are put to the test now more than ever. Jesse comes from a family who's been mining for generations, and he wants to get out of his father's shadow and make a name for himself.

· Josh Feldman: Hard Rock Miner: Brother of Jesse, Josh is hell bent on getting the gold despite the odds. The Feldmans were born with opportunities - but can they find their very own success?

· Zach 'Gator' Schoose: Excavation Expert: Close friend of the Feldmans, Zach knows he's got the chops to take on the Greenland beast. But unlike his maverick best friends, Zach has a young family to support. Is he willing to take such big risks? He stands to lose so much more if the team fails.

· Jack Duggins: Wilderness Guide: His fellow teammates may know all about drilling, but it's Jack who's going to keep everyone alive - no matter what Mother Nature throws his way. Problem is - he's a bit of a loner, having lived off the grid for a while, so being a part of a team throws a huge challenge his way.

· Americo DiSantis: Driller: Having never even camped before, Americo's a newbie to all this But, he's determined to prove to himself and his daughters back home that he can succeed and hang with the rest of them in Greenland.

ICE COLD GOLD was shot last summer in Greenland in its capital city, Nuuk, and the remote area known as Stor, within the largest fjord system in the world. It's the largest television production ever filmed in Greenland.

Drunk, Violent, Worthless Captain

Scott Meisterheim is the worst captain on "Bering Sea Gold."  Not only does he not find enough gold to pay for his bar tab, he is constantly drunk, beligerant, violent and stupid, not only to his own crew but also to other crews and to the Discovery camera crew.

So of couse that all makes great TV, so the Discovery Channel has signed him up for an undisclosed amount of money for him to be on Season Two of "Bering Sea Gold: Under the Ice".

See article here.

All Star Celebrity Apprentice

April 14th 2013

All-Star Celebrity Apprentice


Team Power was able to turn things around on "Celebrity Apprentice" Sunday night.  Busey was a normal nut-job but was givien the role of project manager vrs. Trace Adkins.  After one hour and fifteen minutes of somewhat entertaining show Trump brought them to the BORED Room.  Forty five minutes later Busey's Power Team brought back two people and....

Deadliest Catch

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/the-most-seaworthy-superstitions--rituals-on--deadliest-catch--000611785.html

The Most Seaworthy Superstitions, Rituals on 'Deadliest Catch'Stay Stressed

Fishermen are a notoriously superstitious band of brothers, and why wouldn't they be? Not only do they have centuries of customs passed down from previous generations of anglers, but they also toil in the world's most dangerous profession up to 10 months a year. So why not a little (or a lot of) juju to help keep their time at sea on an even keel? Open water is an unpredictable and mystical place, after all.

The tenacious captains of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" know these traditions inside and out (and make up their own as time goes on), and you better believe that they believe; it's part of their history and their reality.

Preparing a vessel for the fishing season is a stressful but there are some superstition-based precautions that the "Deadliest Catch" crews take to help ensure their safety … they hope.

Captain Sig Hansen of the Northwestern told Yahoo! TV about numerous customs that have been around forever (or so it seems), such as biting the head off a herring for good luck and making sure none of the hatches are upside-down -- upside-down hatches represent an upside-down boat. (The rebel Hillstrands of the Time Bandit tend to ignore these common practices, they'd like you to know.)

See the Northwestern crew biting the head off a herring:

It's also customary for the Northwestern crew to have a rough couple of weeks before setting out. This includes not getting enough sleep, worrying, and basically maintaining a level of stress. Not stressing is a bad sign of overconfidence: "On our boat, if you talked about having a good season before I leave, I'm gonna get you. I don't like it. ... And when the guys get cocky and start talking about how much money they're gonna make or that it's so good, to me, that's bad luck to me," Hansen elaborated.

Burn, Baby, Burn

And how do the "Deadliest Catch" crews burn off some of that pressure before leaving port? By gathering around the burn barrel! This precrabbing tradition is a customary (and rowdy) way for the fishermen to wish each other luck before setting off to sea -- plus they get to throw stuff into the fire, including fireworks, which results in an impromptu and way-too-close fireworks display. At least they look like they're having a good time!

No Suitcases Allowed

One long-standing superstition among mariners is that suitcases are bad luck, period. "When the ['Deadliest Catch'] cameramen came on our boat the first time, they brought all these giant suitcases and luggage," Hansen said. "And I said, 'You guys can bring all the cameras you want, but the suitcases stay on the dock.' ... And I meant it. It's one of those things where it's your head. You've been raised that way."

Call Them Rituals, Not Superstitions

Captains Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand of the Time Bandit prefer to call them rituals, as opposed to superstitions: Once Johnathan gave Andy an Arturo Fuente cigar, which preceded a successful trip -- thus making it a new ritual. "Once you do something, you don't wanna change it," Johnathan said. Unless it stops working, of course -- which the cigars did. So they kissed that one goodbye.

Some more common rituals that most fishermen, even the defiant Hillstrands, adhere to: No bananas onboard ever, and never leave on a Friday -- unless you know the Hillstrands' secret: Make a left-handed Swedish maneuver upon departure. They are convinced it takes away the bad luck.

The most reliable tradition for these brothers? "Getting hammered," said Andy.

[Related: Who's Missing From the 'Deadliest Catch' Season 9 Premiere?]

Follow Your Gut

Captain Keith Colburn of the Wizard admits that he's been superstitious since he was 3 years old, saying that despite all the analysis and technology available, fishing has a lot to do with gut instinct: "I tirelessly prepare and examine every possible scenario and past trend. ... At the end of the day, it might come down to a lucky Styrofoam spittoon and a set of dice at the office."

Some of Colburn's tips: Head north until there's no lifts of other boats on the horizon, make sure all the cups face forward, and don't open anything upside down. Also, never, ever whistle in the wheelhouse -- which is a common superstition in the industry.

Just as often as various crews' rituals overlap, though, they vary: "As mariners, what happens is you start to acquire superstitions as you go on," Colburn said. "Don't get on the boat a certain way; don't get off the boat a certain way. ... Change your hat; don't change your hat! ... It doesn't end. It's kinda crazy, but you know what -- you're sitting up there all day by yourself. You need something to keep you company. And if superstitions help you out, well, that's what I use."

"Deadliest Catch" premieres on Tuesday, 4/16 at 9 PM on the Discovery Channel.

Deadliest Catch

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/elliott-neese-is-mia-on--deadliest-catch--season-9-premiere--exclusive-video--215056095.html

Elliott Neese is MIA on 'Deadliest Catch' Season 9 Premiere  - Yahoo! TV

Break out the Dramamine; it's almost time for Season 9 of "Deadliest Catch" to push back from port and set sail on another stressful and hazardous fishing season in the Bering Sea. Discovery's Emmy Award-winning reality series follows fishing vessels and their crews, who toil in the world's most dangerous profession up to 10 months per year.
[Related: 'Deadliest Catch': The Top Five Close Calls]
In this exclusive sneak peek at the season premiere, "Mutiny on the Bering Sea," it's pretty obvious that prepping to set out toward red- and blue-crab grounds borders on pure chaos for the captains, crew, and deckhands all across Dutch Harbor. "Rally time, baby!" says Scott Campbell, aka "Junior," of the Seabrooke.
Still, amid the excitement, they couldn't help but notice someone was missing: Elliott Neese of the Ramblin' Rose, the youngest captain in the fleet who struggled during last season's run. "In all honesty, I'm kinda not surprised Elliott isn't here this year," says Sig Hansen, captain of the Northwestern. But Campbell is less understanding: "He should be up here; he should already be ready to go."
[Related: 'Deadliest Catch': The Ramblin' Rose Rambles Into an Iceberg]
Neese not only struggled with weak numbers at sea last year, but he also faced troubles at home: "You know what, Elliott, I'm just going to ask you to leave," said his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his two kids. Only time will tell if his career as a captain is docked for good. "No owner is gonna let a guy run a boat and not produce. You're gonna lose your job," Hansen says.
As far as the others, they're off and ready to bring home a life-changing (and hopefully not life-threatening) catch!
To find out if Neese makes it out to sea, and who makes a name for themselves in the rough waters, tune in to the season premiere of "Deadliest Catch" on Tuesday, 4/16 at 9 PM.