Speaker A
I'm Bear Grylls, and you see me take some of the biggest celebrities and athletes in the world out into the wild. But tonight, on this historic special edition of Running Wild, you won't believe who's joining me for an adventure.
Bear Grylls takes President Obama on a Running Wild adventure to Alaska's Exit Glacier, highlighting climate change, bear dangers, and survival cooking.
Key Takeaways
- Climate change is causing visible, rapid retreat of Alaskan glaciers like Exit Glacier.
- Wilderness survival requires preparation, awareness of wildlife, and respect for nature.
- Leadership and everyday humility can be showcased through outdoor challenges.
- Adventure formats can effectively raise awareness about environmental issues.
What the video covers
- Bear Grylls hosts a special Running Wild episode featuring U.S. President Barack Obama in the Alaskan wilderness.
- The pair visit Alaska's Exit Glacier, which has been receding rapidly due to climate change.
- Bear warns about bear territory, tracks, and safety precautions such as bear spray and tranquilizer backup.
- Obama discusses the constraints of the Secret Service 'bubble' and how it limits his freedom.
- The episode shows survival tasks including river crossing decisions, shelter building, and fire making.
- Obama and Bear cook and eat a meal together, including salmon and catkin tea, with light-hearted banter about Obama's cooking.
- Obama reflects on his first visits to Alaska and on the importance of resilience and kindness.
- Conversation touches on Obama's family values, teaching his daughters to be useful and kind.
- The episode includes humorous moments, such as Obama being unable to find a passcode and joking about a smartphone shortage.
- Overall the video blends celebrity adventure entertainment with an environmental message about glacier loss.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to the Special Episode
- 01:08Glacier and Climate Change Context
- 03:52Preparations and Secret Service Constraints
- 05:14Meeting Obama and Trek Begins
- 08:00River Crossing and Bear Safety
- 15:00Survival Cooking and Shelter
- 26:00Reflections on Family, Resilience, and Kindness
- 41:40Closing Thoughts on Environment and Leadership
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
adventure. I don't claim remarkable survival skills. I'm sure that Bear is going to give me some tips.
Speaker A
I don't claim remarkable survival skills. I'm sure that Bear is going to give me some tips.
Speaker A
You want to make lots of noise, show you're not worth the fight. Yo, babe.
Speaker A
Oh, look. Here we go. That is bear paw print. So, what do you do if you confront a bear?
Speaker A
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up. Wow. Check that out. Unbelievable. Where we'll see the effects of climate change firsthand.
Speaker A
You want to make lots of noise and show you're not worth the fight. Yo, babe.
Speaker A
I found this on the riverbank. This was half eaten by a bear. The fact that he told me that this was a leftover fish from a bear. He could have just left that out.
Speaker A
The president and I will be journeying through the Alaskan wilderness. I think it's fair to say that I'm not in as good shape as you.
Speaker A
I made you a s'more. Great president, but a lousy cook. I promise you, it's better than anything that you've ever had on this show.
Speaker A
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up. Wow. Check that out. Unbelievable. Where we'll see the effects of climate change firsthand.
Speaker A
For security reasons, I can't have a smartphone. I had to borrow one from my staff.
Speaker A
When you took over as president, that glacier was here. The wild doesn't care who you are.
Speaker A
I'm on my way to do something that I never in a million years would have thought I'd ever be doing. But the command and chief got to obey. This is going to be an adventure like never before.
Speaker A
I found this on the riverbank. This was half eaten by a bear. The fact that he told me that this was a leftover fish from a bear. He could have just left that out.
Speaker A
Come here, Ollie. We're on foot. As president, I am in what's called the bubble. and Secret Service makes sure that I'm always out of danger, which I very much appreciate, but can be a little confining. In fact, every once in
Speaker A
Even if you're the commander-in-chief. Put me to work, man. You're about to see a side of President Obama.
Speaker A
So, to be with bear in the woods, it doesn't get any better than that.
Speaker A
I made you a s'more. Great president, but a lousy cook. I promise you, it's better than anything that you've ever had on this show.
Speaker A
I don't claim remarkable survival skills. I can probably put up a pretty wobbly tent. I might be able to make a fire. I know the bear generally eats just about anything. I'm going to probably stick to some stuff that isn't
Speaker A
You've never seen before. We've got to get a selfie up here. This will be the best view of the lot.
Speaker A
I'm at the RV point waiting for the president nervous. This for me is definitely the biggest thing I've ever done in my life.
Speaker A
For security reasons, I can't have a smartphone. I had to borrow one from my staff.
Speaker A
when I get really nervous, I find it pretty hard to speak. Bear. Hey, Mr. President.
Speaker A
Hey Joe, what's the code? I need a passcode. It's possible you guys could edit that out. Maybe not.
Speaker A
How are you? Yeah. It's wonderful to meet you. What a great place to meet.
Speaker A
I'm on my way to do something that I never in a million years would have thought I'd ever be doing. But the commander-in-chief has got to obey. This is going to be an adventure like never before.
Speaker A
This is the first time that I've been able to actually travel uh other than just the uh Air Force base to refuel.
Speaker A
The Secret Service shut down the airspace. This helicopter can only get me so far.
Speaker A
Thank you. This has got to be one of the best days of my presidency. First of all, I'm not in the office. Uh second of all, I'm not wearing a suit. Well, we've got a we've got a bit of a journey ahead of us.
Speaker A
Come here, Ollie. We're on foot. As president, I am in what's called the bubble. And Secret Service makes sure that I'm always out of danger, which I very much appreciate, but it can be a little confining. In fact, every once in
Speaker A
We're going to journey across a glacial outwash and through a dense forest to reach the glacia. We're going to try and get to the right the snout of the glacia.
Speaker A
a while when I go off track, if I do something unexpected, the phrase we use is that the bear is loose, and somebody tries to grab a tranquilizer gun. Make sure that they get me back in the cage.
Speaker A
I don't know. You're looking look incredible. As as presidents go, I'm in decent shape.
Speaker A
So, to be with Bear in the woods, it doesn't get any better than that.
Speaker A
some bear spray after you. That's the last line of defense. There you go. Let's do it.
Speaker A
That's why I'm heading down to the wash, and that's where I should be meeting him. There's one meeting I don't want to be late for.
Speaker A
No, no, no. That's That's how you're supposed to look. If you were looking too clean, I'd be suspicious.
Speaker A
I don't claim remarkable survival skills. I can probably put up a pretty wobbly tent. I might be able to make a fire. I know the bear generally eats just about anything. I'm going to probably stick to some stuff that isn't
Speaker A
Well, you know, I don't think there are rules for the president. I I do think that, you know, there are rules for the queen.
Speaker A
going to cause me significant uh stomach problems because I've got a lot of work to do after I finish this show.
Speaker A
She doesn't. And I think she thinks I'm one because I met her and she said, "This was years ago, and that's just when we got back from Everest." And she goes, "And your name is?" [laughter] And I went, I can't even remember my name. I
Speaker A
I'm at the RV point waiting for the president, nervous. This for me is definitely the biggest thing I've ever done in my life.
Speaker A
My one chance. I've blown it. Well, listen, I I've really enjoyed watching your shows and uh and your work. And you know, one of the main purposes of our trip here is to highlight the effects of climate change,
Speaker A
We've taken some amazing people on adventures, but to take the leader of the free world, they say it's um I just never really imagined it would happen, to be honest. I just really hope I don't get too tongue-tied because
Speaker A
Well, you're so right. I think speeches are one thing, but I mean we live and breathe this stuff every day because we're out in it and we see the harsh kind of reality of it and a lot of it
Speaker A
when I get really nervous, I find it pretty hard to speak. Bear. Hey, Mr. President.
Speaker A
for us for sure. Thing is, [music] if we don't, it will go and you can't get it back.
Speaker A
How you doing? How do you do, sir? Good to see you, sir. I'm Bear.
Speaker A
better off tucking up this little re-entrant through the forest and do it that way.
Speaker A
How are you? Yeah. It's wonderful to meet you. What a great place to meet.
Speaker A
But also, I'm super aware it's classic bear territory. And you know, you got the president of the United States with me. So, we just got to take our time and get it right in here.
Speaker A
It is spectacular. When I first saw him, we were standing next to each other. I can tell it's going to mean a lot to him, this journey. And for me, it's such a privilege to be taking him.
Speaker A
If you surprise them fornicating. Well, you know, I think that's probably true for humans as well. [laughter] That's true.
Speaker A
This is the first time that I've been able to actually travel uh other than just the uh Air Force base to refuel.
Speaker A
I've seen some of the things Bear eats. Hopefully, he's got something that uh you might see on a plate.
Speaker A
So, okay. So, first time, first time uh, you know, setting foot in Alaskan wilderness. Amazing. It's good company to keep.
Speaker A
press corps. You know, it's a lot of people to manage. So, there's even a guy out here who checks everything that the president eats is safe. I just hope he's okay with my plans for the president's lunch. [music]
Speaker A
Thank you. This has got to be one of the best days of my presidency. First of all, I'm not in the office. Uh, second of all, I'm not wearing a suit. Well, we've got a bit of a journey ahead of us.
Speaker A
beat up old tent, and Would you really? Yeah. So, when you were that age, did you ever think, [music] I might be president one day?
Speaker A
Let's do it. The president and I are here to see Alaska's Exit Glacier. In recent years, this massive glacier has been receding at an alarming rate due to climate change.
Speaker A
Genius. Genius. Yeah. Oh, look. Here we go. What do we got here? That is bare fur.
Speaker A
We're going to journey across a glacial outwash and through a dense forest to reach the glacier. We're going to try and get to the right, the snout of the glacier.
Speaker A
Bear showed me some bare fur, which is [music] the first time I'd seen that stuff uh up close. It's more delicate than I would expect.
Speaker A
I think it's fair to say that I'm not in as good shape as you.
Speaker A
You know when bears are most dangerous? When's that? Feeding. Yeah. Protecting their young, right?
Speaker A
I don't know. You're looking, look incredible. As presidents go, I'm in decent shape.
Speaker A
So, what uh what do you do if you confront a bear? I mean, I've heard stories that rather than run because they're going to be faster than you by by a mile.
Speaker A
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up. Where have we got? Well, we're in bear country for real. So, we're going to be smart. They're notoriously lacking in respect for rank or anything. So, we're going to look after each other. I've got
Speaker A
Well, you you are right. They're they're faster than you and [music] you know, they can climb trees, so up a tree is no good. Right.
Speaker A
some bear spray. After you. That's the last line of defense. There you go. Let's do it.
Speaker A
Back away out of it. Don't turn, don't run. If they intrude on your camp, you want to make big, you want to be like super bare, you know, want to make lots of noise. Show you're not worth the
Speaker A
I feel bad that I'm looking. So, I look. You look good. I look like the cat or something.
Speaker A
there's nothing wrong with uh making a little bit of noise, just letting them know we're coming.
Speaker A
No, no, no. That's how you're supposed to look. If you were looking too clean, I'd be suspicious.
Speaker A
Yeah, that's true. You know, because uh if she's got some cubs, that's when you really got to worry.
Speaker A
I caught a glimpse of myself in the camera lens earlier, and my first thought was, my mom is going to kill me for looking like this with the president.
Speaker A
You know, uh well, when my m when Michelle's mad, uh I get worried. There's a certain look that she can give me that uh tells me that's your survival instinct.
Speaker A
Well, you know, I don't think there are rules for the president. I do think that, you know, there are rules for the queen.
Speaker A
Mo most of the time I'm game. What What uh what are you scared of?
Speaker A
So, you've met the queen? I have. She's one of my favorite people. She has a great sense of humor, but she doesn't suffer fools very well.
Speaker A
You know what the uh we we'll try to keep you out of Washington. Thank you very much.
Speaker A
She doesn't. And I think she thinks I'm one, because I met her and she said, "This was years ago, and that's just when we got back from Everest." And she goes, "And your name is?" [laughter] And I went, I can't even remember my name. I
Speaker A
Yeah. Down this. Yeah. But a lot of this would be caused by what they call exfoliation. So, rain will freeze. It expands, cracks it, and then it all kind of tumbles down. But the good thing about all of this stuff
Speaker A
I couldn't talk. [laughter] She moved on. I thought, I've blown it.
Speaker A
So, my goal is to cook you the presidential lunch of your life. I've seen some of the things Bear eats.
Speaker A
My one chance. I've blown it. Well, listen, I've really enjoyed watching your shows and your work. And you know, one of the main purposes of our trip here is to highlight the effects of climate change,
Speaker A
And then all of this is older, all these trees. Have you heard of catkins?
Speaker A
what's happening to the planet, and people need to see it and feel it, as opposed to just reading a bunch of numbers on a page.
Speaker A
Uh-huh. Here we go. Here's some. I'll tell you what. Give me a just spot the Yeah.
Speaker A
Well, you're so right. I think speeches are one thing, but I mean, we live and breathe this stuff every day because we're out in it and we see the harsh kind of reality of it, and a lot of it
Speaker A
Pick a couple of these ones off the uh now some of these look kind of the little green. That's a good one right there.
Speaker A
actually is quite shocking. That's exactly right. And you know, I've got two daughters, and uh, I don't want grandkids too soon, but eventually I hope they have some. I want to make sure that this is there for them, not just
Speaker A
I think that's something that everybody thinks is pretty cool. So this got lots of vitamin C, anti-inflammatory, and makes good tea.
Speaker A
for us for sure. Thing is, [music] if we don't, it will go, and you can't get it back.
Speaker A
Let's do it. Okay, let's keep moving. I'm hoping we're going to get a view up here.
Speaker A
It doesn't come back. Yeah. Okay, we're going to come and show you this. Let's do it. Okay, so here, our choice is we're either going to hit the river. It's going to be cold, fast, blowing, but dangerous. We're probably
Speaker A
This tongue of it. Yeah. The Harding Ice Field. This is the largest ice field in the United States, covering 300 square miles. But it has shrunk an alarming 812 ft since 2008.
Speaker A
better off tucking up this little re-entrant through the forest and doing it that way.
Speaker A
Yeah. That's how much we lost. That's how exactly. Yeah. Just in that short period of time.
Speaker A
Come on. All of this older forest is pretty dense. It's hard work to get through.
Speaker A
important for us to pay attention to climate change and understand that there's something that we can actually do about it.
Speaker A
But also, I'm super aware it's classic bear territory. And you know, you've got the president of the United States with me. So, we just got to take our time and get it right in here.
Speaker A
For security reasons, I can't have a smartphone. I had to borrow one from my staff.
Speaker A
Coming up. Oh, look. Here we go. That is bear paw print. You know when bears are most dangerous? When's that?
Speaker A
I've had a swim in this a lot. That's the worst. Yeah. Naked. Yeah. That's not something we're going to do either.
Speaker A
If you surprise them, fornicating. Well, you know, I think that's probably true for humans as well. [laughter] That's true.
Speaker A
And just before we started filming, a military helicopter started circling the area above us. And to be honest, I have no idea, you know, what they're up there looking for. Actually, I'm not even sure I want to know.
Speaker A
We can cook on that. So, my goal is to cook you the presidential lunch of your life.
Speaker A
the end of the glacia. and we just kind of had a moment of taking it in and him realizing this is why he's fought so hard for all he's doing to try [music] and protect our planet.
Speaker A
I've seen some of the things Bear eats. Hopefully, he's got something that you might see on a plate.
Speaker A
Um, you know, you can reverse trends. This is one of those trends where if it starts accelerating too fast, then uh we we can be too late. But the key is over this next decade for all the countries, all the big emitters, the
Speaker A
So, normally when we do these journeys, it's a pretty small team that makes it happen. But when you're dealing with the president, obviously it's a little bit more involved. You've got the Secret Service, the White House staff, the
Speaker A
Uh and the good news is is that technology is advancing much more rapidly than I think even uh I anticipated. When I came into office, uh, solar power was still significantly more expensive than power generated from fossil fuels.
Speaker A
press corps. You know, it's a lot of people to manage. So, there's even a guy out here who checks everything that the president eats is safe. I just hope he's okay with my plans for the president's lunch. [music]
Speaker A
those things make a difference. They add up. I think kids want to be part of that.
Speaker A
So, where did your love of the outdoors come from? Well,
Speaker A
someone of that age that will really take what you're putting in place and really then change the world.
Speaker A
Yeah. That next generation, I think, is ready and willing. We just got to kind of get out of the way.
Speaker A
We tend to hold folks back. It's not too late. If we begin transitioning now, we can slowly [music] taper down the amount of carbon that we're releasing. It's like driving a car towards a cliff. You don't have to
Speaker A
screech to a halt. You have to start tapping on the brakes. We still have enough time that if we tap on those brakes and we slow the car, then we're going to be able to stop it well beyond
Speaker A
uh the point of no return. But we've got to start now. We got to get a selfie up here. This will be the best view of the lot.
Speaker A
That's the shot right there. That's it, isn't it? So many of my friends said, "Listen, if you're doing this, one thing you got to get is a killer selfie with the president." [music] And uh and we came to this amazing big
Speaker A
flat rock and I thought, "That's a place. Come on. We got to get this." Just a quick one.
Speaker A
I got my phone, too. Okay. Here we go. Come on. That one is a keeper. Genius.
Speaker A
Come on. I got my own. Although I never know how to work this. [laughter] I love it.
Speaker A
Oops. I got to reverse this thing. This thing right. There we go. Oh, no.
Speaker A
Hey Joe, what's the code? [clears throat] It it I need passcode. You remember it?
Speaker A
The selfie with Bear in which he was taking the shot was fine. Uh me trying to take a selfie. I don't have a smartphone. I had to borrow one from my staff.
Speaker A
Well, am I going to be able to Instagram that? I kept on turning it off. I didn't know the code.
Speaker A
It's not working. There you go. Just press that one. We got it. I got it. We got it. We got it. We got it.
Speaker A
Business. You impressive that one. All right, let's try this again. That's a shot. All right, I got to take a shot right here.
Speaker A
Oops. I didn't press it. You done it again. This is excruciating. This is a sign that I don't have a smartphone.
Speaker A
If my kids were here, they'd be going, "Oh God." I know. That's what my daughters do all the time. [laughter] Well, for security reasons, I can't have a smartphone.
Speaker A
It's too easy to track. I'm sure my girls are going to be mortified by my lack of technological prowess. It's possible you guys could edit that out. Maybe not.
Speaker A
So, this whole valley would have been filled with a glacia. Yeah. I read somewhere that what you've done with your climate change plan is the most significant thing any single human being has ever done to protect the planet.
Speaker A
Well, you know, and that's amazing because there are so many skeptics out there, you know. But were you were you always a convert or did you take how did you you know I am uh I'm a big believer in
Speaker A
science. Yeah. Uh and you know when I started looking at the science uh it was indisputable.
Speaker A
This must be one of the things that your girls for example are most proud of that you're really making a mark on saving their future planet.
Speaker A
Well they may be proud of me. They don't necessarily admit it right now. [laughter] So are they classic teenagers?
Speaker A
Uh you know they're wonderful girls and and they're very sweet. They still love me. Uh, but I they think I'm a little boring. I just want to see how this water is.
Speaker A
That's some cold water right there. See, it's all gray. All of this glacial silt.
Speaker A
Yeah. Is all the big rocks have been crushed by the weight of this whole mass of ice and powderizes. So, if you drink a lot of this, it will actually What kind of impact would it be?
Speaker A
Well, it gives you if you drink a lot of it, it give you diarrhea.
Speaker A
Is that right? Yeah. You boil it up and it's fine. Yeah. I've had to swim in this a lot. That's the worst. Yeah. Naked.
Speaker A
Yeah. That's not something we're going to do either. No. No. No. Yeah. And the thing is, you're never at your best when you're freezing cold.
Speaker A
I tell you what, one of the things that you should expect, but uh is always a little shocking is how cold the water is. This is a big block of ice and it's part of the overall ecosystem in this
Speaker A
region. If that starts changing, then a lot of things are going to be affected around here.
Speaker A
So, here you go. That really is it. As you say, this huge mass that goes for miles and miles beyond there, but this is right at the snout of at the end.
Speaker A
It is remarkable to think of all this water just coming down. To see it dripping, generating water as fast as it was, was a reminder how rapidly and how accelerating the melting of these glaciers is going on. So, this ends up
Speaker A
being a key place for us to be able to study [music] climate change, but also to understand the impact that it's going to have on the rest of the world.
Speaker A
Coming up, I've got one favor [music] to ask. Yeah, go ahead. I promise my wife I'll get you to sign something for her, but I couldn't find the only thing I could find in the airport.
Speaker A
Oh, look at this. And now this is for real. I found this on the riverbank. Okay, so don't freak out too [music] much.
Speaker A
So, a bear has chewed on this. I think the president looked a little surprised when I pulled out this sort of bloody carcass of halfeaten salmon. So, the president often jokes about being inside this bubble almost like a cage. But
Speaker A
actually, it's true. I was telling your producers that the bubble is so tight that uh and it's the toughest thing about being president.
Speaker A
So, every once in a while I'll go off script and everybody gets very nervous.
Speaker A
Yeah. All right. You guys ready? And you think, you know, being commander-in-chief, you just do anything you want. But actually that's not the case.
Speaker A
Okay. So you feel that breeze coming down. It's called a catabatic wind. Okay. Like cold air sinking coming down.
Speaker A
So we'll make a little bit of a rock wall here. Okay. Protect our fire. Then we can sit on some rocks.
Speaker A
And what kind of rocks are we looking for? About that size. Any of these. Just we'll pile them up like that just to protect our flames.
Speaker A
you get these quite strong, cold, catabatic winds that come off the funnel of the glacia and that's just going to put a fire out straight away. So, I asked the president if he'd help me make a simple rock wall that will protect the
Speaker A
fire and then we get on with the important business of cooking the president some lunch.
Speaker A
Fire in the middle. Okay. Is that all we need? That's all we need. Put me to work, man.
Speaker A
Okay, that's all we need. All right. We got our slate. This is the piece of slate that we found earlier.
Speaker A
So that's what we're going to light it with. Little fire steel. The good thing about these is that when it's pouring a rain like it is most of the time in Alaska, you can still start a fire.
Speaker A
You can still start it. Matches obviously get wet. Lighters have failed at critical moments. So I always take this. So hold that one.
Speaker A
All right. Little bit of cotton ball. So So you you've got some cotton ball.
Speaker A
You can use anything. I've even used the fluff from my belly button. [laughter] It was it was a long hike. How much fluff do you store in your belly button?
Speaker A
[laughter] Always prepared apparently. So, all right. What do we got here? So, that's This is just a bit of solid fuel. Okay.
Speaker A
Cuz obviously there's not a lot of dry wood around. All right. Okay. So, we'll put that on there.
Speaker A
Yeah. So, the way this works. Uh-huh. Right. See that sharp bit there? Yeah. Angle that. So, if the copper walls there Yeah.
Speaker A
you're trying to drive it in. Got it. There. These fire steels, they look really simple, but they're actually not, you know, and I done them a ton with people over the years, and you know, first time people always messing around,
Speaker A
faffing around, trying to get it going. They can't do it. You're going to do it.
Speaker A
Don't burn your fingers, though. That's all right. All right. Okay. So, angle it a bit like that.
Speaker A
There you go. Keep going. That's it. That's it. You're gone. There we go. You done it. You done it.
Speaker A
All right. Legendary. Can I say, Mr. president is quite annoying when you're good at everything.
Speaker A
Oh, well, the uh I tell you what, I'm not the guy who climbs Everests. I'm just taking your lead.
Speaker A
You know, I have not started a fire without matches [music] or uh a lighter before, and so I'm going to have to get me one of those little gizmos cuz uh that worked pretty good. I'm assuming Secret Service usually has one, but I'm
Speaker A
going to make sure that's in our supply kit. And we'll get the slate on top of it. You can put that on.
Speaker A
There you go. Great. All right. Let that heat up. All right. So, we're going to get a little bit of water straight off this ice.
Speaker A
All right. And then we'll make the catkins tea with that as well. Do you want to fill that up?
Speaker A
I'll go get the water. Okay. And I'll get this. This log's about tip it over a little bit.
Speaker A
Would you ever would you ever get Michelle camping? You know, Michelle tends not to be an outdoor girl. She's she's uh she loves hiking and she's in great shape.
Speaker A
Yeah. Uh but when night falls uh I think she's ready for some nice sheets.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. So by then that's great. But she uh she loves being outside. So when you first move to the White House Yeah.
Speaker A
How do you do president and dad? I mean, you know, the interesting thing is actually I ended up getting more time with the kids as president because I live above the store, right? So, at uh at a certain point, let's say 6:30 at
Speaker A
night, I can go upstairs, I can have dinner with him, and if I have to go back to work, I can. And so, you know, being able to have dinner with him every night was something that uh I could
Speaker A
enjoy more than I did before I was president. And that tradition has not changed. Really? That's incredible.
Speaker A
Which which has been great. Now, and that's such a statement for family first. Well, it's actually my joy, my pleasure because uh if I've had a day full of Yeah.
Speaker A
world uh nonsense. Yeah. For me to be able to come home and just listen to the girls and let them tell me about their day, it gives me a whole new perspective and and renews me.
Speaker A
It's so heartening to think that the leader of the free world, ultimately, he's a dad.
Speaker A
Okay, lunch. Here we go. All right. What do we got? Well, Alaska is a land of bear and salmon. We haven't got bear.
Speaker A
Oh, look at this. But look at this. And now this is for real. I found this on the riverbank. Okay, so don't freak out too much.
Speaker A
I think the president looked a little surprised when I pulled out this sort of bloody carcass of halfeaten salmon. This was half eaten by a bear.
Speaker A
Now, why wouldn't the bear finish this cycle? Well, because this looks like a nice looking piece of fish. Yeah, but but what if you notice what they've had is all the high fat content, the eggs, bit of the skin. They'll often take the
Speaker A
brain as well. And if there's a lot of fish in the river, they'll leave the meat because they want that high density calorific value fat.
Speaker A
Interesting. So, a bear has chewed on this. Yeah. But we're going to cook it up, so it's going to be good.
Speaker A
All right. I've seen some of the things bear eats. I think uh a piece of salmon, that'll work just fine.
Speaker A
Oh, I heard a little sizzle there. Yeah, that's Yeah, the fact that he told me that this was a leftover fish from a bear. I don't know if that was necessary. He could have just left that out.
Speaker A
That's that. Have you ever got lost in the White House? No. It's huge. The What about the girls when they were young when they first went there?
Speaker A
You know, they they found some good hiding places. It's a great place to do hideand-seek.
Speaker A
The best. But uh you know, the truth is the White House's grounds are not that big because it's an old capital. It doesn't have some of the grandiosity and scale and I think it partly reflects American democracy. I think there was a a sense
Speaker A
that the White House shouldn't be too ostentatious and before 9/11 you used to be able to walk right up and people were driving right in front of the White House. Now now the roads have been blocked off but I remember uh when I was
Speaker A
a young man the first time I visited you could walk right up to the gate and look right through and there'd be traffic behind you.
Speaker A
And do you remember doing that at a young age? I think the first time I visited I was 21 and that made a big impact.
Speaker A
I can't say that I imagined I'd be looking out from the other side of the window.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. Life's weird, isn't it? It is. You don't expect a kid of a single mom born in Hawaii uh named Barack Obama to end up being president.
Speaker A
That's not something you generally tell. Amazing. Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah. Coming up. I made you a s'more. Let's Let's see how it goes.
Speaker A
I love you, but that looks terrible. I promise you it's better than anything that you've ever had on this show.
Speaker A
Huh? Great president, but lousy cook. Come on, man. That's s'mores solid. Let me try it out.
Speaker A
One of the most surprising thing about the president is just what a normal, down to earth, regular guy he is.
Speaker A
Let's face it, the cameraman's got the toughest job, though, doesn't he? Yeah. I mean, he's got to do everything I do backwards.
Speaker A
Backwards. Yeah, he's like he's like Ginger Rogers. I guess you imagine someone with that much responsibility and also power would somehow, you know, be above it all. But actually, he wasn't that at all.
Speaker A
This is [music] a good way to spend the day, isn't it? This beats our usual day in the White House.
Speaker A
No doubt about it. You seem to push through so many things that you believe in. What have you learned about getting things done that are really on your heart?
Speaker A
Persistence. I'm a I'm a big believer in persistence. They've done studies of kids growing up in important neighborhoods or war torn regions of the world and the kids who survive it and uh thrive. It's not necessarily the smartest kid. It's not necessarily the
Speaker A
the strongest kid. It's the most resilient kid. And uh I think that's true in in just about every circumstance.
Speaker A
A lot of stuff that you try is not going to work. But if you stay determined, uh typically you can uh make real progress and and and you have to have some something of an even keel so that you
Speaker A
don't get too high and you don't get too low uh in order to stay determined. You know, one of the things that I try to tell my daughters is uh don't don't believe the hype when things are going
Speaker A
good and don't despair when things are going bad. Yeah. It's funny. [music] Kids are such a good foil, aren't they? To remind us of those sort of values, you know, cuz we all have days where we feel a bit
Speaker A
beaten up. Absolutely. Yeah. That your your girls must be such a huge encouragement to you.
Speaker A
They are wonderful. Nobody can make me happier or make me feel more stupid. Yeah. [laughter] join the club. Three boys, I get the same.
Speaker A
But you know what your goal uh is to make sure that your kids are a little smarter than you are. You know, the uh constantly improving the gene pools. You marry good women and you know, they'll do a little better than you do.
Speaker A
When you were growing up, did you know that you wanted to spend this much time outdoors? Was this just sort of in in uh in the DNA and the environment and how you grew up? Well, my my dad was a
Speaker A
commando and a climber, and at a young age, all I wanted to do was hang out with him, climb together, be together, and uh and as a young kid, it was the only thing I was good at. I was always a
Speaker A
kid that climbed the highest tree up the buildings. And you know, somebody said to me, age seven, that I could have a job that involved climbing up stuff, getting muddy, being outside, doing this sort of stuff. I would have thought I was the
Speaker A
luckiest man in the world, you know. So, I've always tried to pursue what I've love and what I'm okay at naturally.
Speaker A
Yeah. And uh you know, I've just been super lucky. Had a great team around me and stuff. And I would never thought I'd be doing this. I'm with the president of the United States. The whole thing is totally mad. And I'm cooking for him and
Speaker A
I'm the worst cook in the world. No, but I tell you, the salmon is starting to look pretty good.
Speaker A
Should you try a little bit of this? Yeah, let's try that. Come on. That would be a little sample.
Speaker A
That's tasty. Can still smell the bare breath on it. Mhm. I tell you what though, that's good.
Speaker A
Good. Well, it's fresh. That's proper Alaskan salmon for you. Bear's a mediocre cook, but the fact that we ate something recognizable was encouraging. It would have been nice if we had had a cracker to go with it, but
Speaker A
that's all right. Those things uh are hard to pack. Do you have a faith that's important in your life? Absolutely.
Speaker A
I think it was uh my favorite president, President Lincoln, and I'm paraphrasing here, but he said uh if you weren't a religious man before you took office, you will be humbled and on your knees and praying to God for some help.
Speaker A
[laughter] Yeah, that's it's like the I love that quote that says there's no such thing as an atheist in the Southern Ocean.
Speaker A
That's exactly right. or on the death zone on Everest, you know. And I and and that too is is is I think part of determination and resilience.
Speaker A
But that also is what keeps an even keel. Yeah. And what do you kind of want to be the legacy if you had to pick one thing as a legacy of your presidency?
Speaker A
Well, you know, it it's uh we provided healthcare to millions of people who didn't have it. Um, we repaired an economy that was globally on the brink of uh a great depression. Uh, but this climate change agenda is as
Speaker A
important as anything I'm going to do. I think it will have a more significant impact on the lives of future generations is just about anything. And we're still a long way from getting it right, but it's something that uh
Speaker A
working together I think we can make a difference on. coming up. Now, I had always heard if you drink your own pee, all that's going to do is just dehydrate you further.
Speaker A
If you're out in the wild, you got nothing else. You don't want to be wasting. That's fine to reink.
Speaker A
Seems to be Bear's main claim to fame is that he drinks his own urine.
Speaker A
So, when I was cooking lunch for the president, the guy who checks all of his food is safe was kind of, you know, watching me like a hawk. And it turns out the White House actually has a very
Speaker A
strict policy about the president not being seen to eat anything on camera, let alone a halfeaten salmon. I sort of expected the president's food advisor to, you know, step in and stop the filming. But I kind of think he was, you
Speaker A
know, following the president's lead. That's tasty. And luckily, good for him, the commander-in-chief was up for it.
Speaker A
I want to do one thing for you. Normally, my guests get terrible food. Yeah.
Speaker A
They get bugs and all of this, but you're the president. So, I'm going to make you the best dessert you'll ever have.
Speaker A
What am I going to I've learned so much from so many good American friends, and the best thing I've learned is a s'more.
Speaker A
[laughter] Now, in Hawaii, every year we have a bonfire on the beach and we make s'mores.
Speaker A
Yeah. Okay. Well, you're the s'more experts. I'm No, I'm not. Sasha is the s'more expert.
Speaker A
Okay. So, talk me through it. You put your marshmallow on the stick. Okay. We're going to do this directly over the flame.
Speaker A
Sometimes they catch fire. That's half the fun. That one's That one's working right there. All right. Now, we're going to we're going to put the marshmallow on. Try Look at this. This looks insanely good.
Speaker A
And then you get you get your other cracker on top there. That one I officially say the president's made.
Speaker A
I made you a s'more. [music] Let's let's see how it goes. I love you, but that looks terrible.
Speaker A
I promise you it's better than anything that you've ever had on this show. Huh?
Speaker A
Great president, but a lousy cook. Come on, man. That s'mores salad. Let me try it out.
Speaker A
Oh, it is good. I think we've earned it. We've burned some calories. That's not bad, man. What are you talking about? Come on. Not as good as your salmon, but pretty good.
Speaker A
You know, there was, you know, when they announced that we were doing this, there was a there was a petition on the White House.
Speaker A
What they want me to eat? They said, "You got to get the president drink his own pee and all the secret service went, you'd end up some jail somewhere." You know, [laughter] this seems to be Bear's main claim to
Speaker A
fame is that he drinks his own urine. I, you know, I suppose in extremists, it it's something that I would do if the alternative was death. It's not something I'd make a habit of and I probably wouldn't do it just for a TV
Speaker A
show. Now, I had always heard if you drink your own pee, all that's going to do is just dehydrate you further.
Speaker A
If you're really dehydrated already, so you're peeing out brown pee, right? It's pure waste product. It's it's not going to help.
Speaker A
It's not going to do it. But if you're well hydrated and you're out in the wild, you got nothing else, right?
Speaker A
That's you don't want to be wasting. That's fine to reink and it will um it will help you. And there a lot of stories of of people drinking their own P&H actually saving their lives. Okay. So, the notion would
Speaker A
be that you might want to actually uh drink some pee even while you still have some water.
Speaker A
The key is to drink it while you still got some water. Got it. But once you're really dehydrated, because the notion is you stretch it out a little bit. I did learn something though. If you kind of mix in some urine
Speaker A
while you still have water and you're relatively hydrated, that can stretch your water supply out a little bit. I feel fairly confident that I'm never going to find myself in that circumstance, but uh it's good to know.
Speaker A
Uh I'll I'll I'll file that in in the memory banks. I've shared some camps with some amazing people over the years, and one thing I love about campfires in the wild, it's the ultimate leveler, but this for me has been my favorite.
Speaker A
I tell you what, it's been wonderful. What a great way to spend a day.
Speaker A
And the small gets better and better. Okay, we're heading on down. All right, we put out our fire here.
Speaker A
Yeah, that's the key thing. Oh, we got to have our catkins. We got to try our tea.
Speaker A
Catkins are also good for flatulence. Well, not a problem I have, but perhaps you do.
Speaker A
My kids, I tell you, [laughter] my kids need Kens and plenty of it. All right, let me try Let me try it out.
Speaker A
That's nice. Okay, good. Yeah, that was pretty good. Okay, that's where we're heading. And uh then we're on our way.
Speaker A
Okay, good. Let's do it. Would you ever encourage your girls to go into politics? No. Uh, but if they came to me and they said they wanted to go into elective office, Yeah.
Speaker A
I would be completely supportive. Yeah. Because I I think it can be noble work if done for the right reasons, the right way.
Speaker A
You know what I try to teach my daughters is uh be useful. Yeah. And be kind.
Speaker A
Yes. Yes. And if you do those two things, then wherever your passions take you, you'll uh you'll turn out okay. And you'll being kind is such a big one. It's not complicated, is it?
Speaker A
Sometimes we have a journey in life to come around to realizing actually you're right. That is it.
Speaker A
Try to be useful to somebody and try to be kind. It's been such a privilege for me to be able to spend a little bit of time with him.
Speaker A
But I think this is where we split. All right. And actually see what the man himself is like. And for me, just respect.
Speaker A
I've got one favor to ask. Yeah, go ahead. I promised I promised my wife. I said I'll get you to sign something for her, but I couldn't find the only thing I could find in the airport.
Speaker A
Oh, this is this is this is the classic. Was it this is the classic amazing bottle [laughter] opener. Um thing is you look ripped, you know.
Speaker A
I am pretty ripped, actually. You couldn't do that with Winston Churchill. No, no, I'm fairly cut, but uh it it's possible that that uh bottle opener is a little dated. Uh I noticed, for example, there was no gray hair on uh the Obama
Speaker A
figurine, and clearly uh the presidency's taken a little bit of a toll, but uh you know, Michelle tells me I'm I'm holding up okay.
Speaker A
Do you know the thing I was most worried about on this whole trip? What's that?
Speaker A
Just keeping you safe. I'm skinny, but I'm tougher than I look. You are well. We we've made it. Mission accomplished.
Speaker A
Thank you. Can I pray for you before we go? Absolutely. One of the things I really wanted to do was to be able to say a little prayer with him and it's always awkward doing that. But um you know, here's a man who
Speaker A
really has the weight of the world on his shoulders. And everyone's always taking from him. And I just wanted just for 10 seconds just to be able to pray for him and and for protection over the incredible stuff he's doing. Lord, I
Speaker A
thank you for the president's great strength of courage and character. Bless and protect his [music] work in his family. Uh forgive us when we fall short and help us be strong in you. Amen.
Speaker A
Amen. Appreciate you, man. Amazing. Thank you. God bless. Honestly, it's been such a privilege.
Speaker A
Had a wonderful time. As I said, I'm genu I'm in awe of what you're doing to protect our planet.
Speaker A
Well, you are a great ambassador for the wilderness and uh I promise I I will not invite you to a cocktail party.
Speaker A
Um I might make an exception for you, Mr. President. Well, now [clears throat] the but maybe we can scale the face of of the White House.
Speaker A
Safe journey out. Thank you. Don't get attacked by a bear. I won't. Secret service is over to you.
Speaker A
Bear was a [music] terrific companion also to get a sense of how passionate he is about the wilderness and sharing that knowledge. It was a wonderful time. And the fish was pretty good, too.
Speaker A
You know, we've only got one planet and we've got to care for it before it's too late. But what it takes is for strong men to stand up and be counted and do something that's going to make a
Speaker A
difference. I feel a real kind of care for this protection and love he has for the planet. And I really want to champion what he's doing because it is remarkable.
Speaker A
Alaska in [music] some ways is ground zero for what's happening in climate change. We can't take this for granted.
Speaker A
It's one of the great legacies of this country. We started the movement for national parks, for preserving huge chunks of wilderness, [music] and that's part of what sets America apart.
Speaker A
If we ever lose that, then uh we're going to lose an essential part of of who we are.
Topics:Bear GryllsBarack ObamaRunning WildAlaskaExit Glacierclimate changesurvivalwilderness adventurecelebrityglacier retreat
![Introduction to DaVinci Resolve – [Full Course] for Beginners (2026) — Transcript](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MCDVcQIA3UM/maxresdefault.jpg)
![[YTP] Pragerworld — Transcript](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Nopw6DGzCFA/maxresdefault.jpg)
