Bear Grylls thinks only men can survive the wilderness. That or he only cares about men surviving the wilderness. Either way his new show The Island of Lost Blokes is seriously sexist. The point of the show is to throw a bunch of modern men onto a desert island and see if they can survive without the 21st comforts they're so used to.
But why does the show have to be only about men? Is Grylls insinuating that surviving in tough circumstances like these is best suited for men? Does he just not care if women can survive? Does he think women make for boring TV? I have so many questions. At the heart of the matter it just seems like Grylls doesn't care about anything beyond the male perspective. "‘Could I survive on a desert island' is a question many modern men ask themselves," he says in the show's press release. I bet many women have also wondered this, but unfortunately Grylls isn't down to let them try it out. Or perhaps he just didn't know who to cast. That's where I come in with this handy list of powerful women who would make for great TV and have a real shot at wilderness survival. Take note for your next show, Grylls.
1. SENATOR WENDY DAVIS
Davis probably has more fight in her than half the guys Grylls will cast for the show. Plus she has actual experience in tough situations. Remember when she had to talk for 11 straight hours while standing and was unable to eat, drink, or use the bathroom? Anyone who can make it through that while keeping their wits about them has a real chance of genuine survival on a desert island.
2. SARAH PALIN
Sure, we don't all agree with her politics, but it's hard to deny that she knows how to survive. She's from Alaska where she's used to living off the land, hunting, and fishing. She's been camping her whole life; she knows how to survive. Plus, as far as viewership goes, pitting her and Davis together with their opposing political views and strong competitive nature would make for great TV. You wouldn't even have to script it.
3. ANGELINA JOLIE
Wrangling that many children keeps you physically strong, and her ability to make tough decisions (like getting a preventative double mastectomy) show she won't cave easily when the going gets tough.
4. LADY GAGA
After months of seeing photos of Gaga in towering, dangerous looking shoes I spent an afternoon Googling videos of her walking in said shoes because I was convinced it would be impossible. It wasn't and she handled it like she was just walking normally. A person with that kind of strength can definitely make it on the island. Plus she'd make for good entertainment value because she'd make awesome dresses out of things she found lying around. It would be like having Project Runway and Survivor all wrapped up in one super reality show.
5. SERENA AND VENUS WILLIAMS
These tennis sisters have proven themselves to be strong competitors both physically and mentally. When it comes to survival, there's no counting them out, and you know they'd team up and be twice the force to contend with.
6. BETHANY HAMILTON
AKA the girl who had her arm ripped off by a shark and lived to not only tell the tale, but to continue to surf. If you survive a shark attack without a paralyzing fear of ever going in the ocean again you deserve about 600 awards, and you're definitely a contender something as basic as a little island stay.
7. JULIA ROBERTS
In August Osage County she took Meryl Streep down. Physical power isn't something that you'd think of when you first see Roberts, but it's clearly there. So who knows what other kind of survival secrets she's harboring? She could be the dark horse who wins the whole show.
8. TONYA HARDING
When Harding was a figure skater she was known for her power and later in life she became a boxer. Strength? Check. Surviving day to day life even when the odds aren't in her favor? Um, try the whole country being against her, and she still made it through. Does she make for good TV? Yep. Every few years her story gets trotted out and everyone always tunes in, so I'd say she'd be a viewer draw for sure.
Was that so hard Grylls? No, it wasn't. So next time you want to see how 21st century people react to the wilderness try remembering that the word "people" goes beyond just "men" okay?
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