GeneChing
05-10-2010, 09:48 AM
Has Parkour arrived? You know David Belle is on Prince of Persia.
Local hosting Parkour show on MTV (http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/54430/Local-hosting-Parkour-show-on-MTV)
by Elisha Dacey - Story: 54430
May 10, 2010 / 8:00 am
Andy Bell isn't quite sure how he ended up here.
"I took a break (from Nitro Circus), it was a rough show... and MTV called me and asked if I wanted to host their new parkour show.
"I didn't even know what that was."
Bell is the co-host for MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge, a new show that debuted on the popular station last week.
So what is parkour, anyway? "People have seen it, it's hard to explain," says Bell.
Parkour is an underground sport that grew up in France. Closely associated with a sport called freejumping, people literally hurl themselves over objects, up walls and through obstacles. It requires exceptional balance, precision jumping and extreme athleticism - not to mention, courage.
Still don't get it? Think Jackie Chan. Or that chase scene at the beginning of "Quantum of Solace." Now multiply it by ten.
Most of the people involved in the sport film themselves and post the videos up on sites like YouTube, with some videos garnering 50 million views. Thanks to that, the sport has grown exponentially in recent years and is now emerging into the mainstream.
Cue Parkour Challenge. The reality show is two-part. Contestants are divided into teams and are taken to a location where they're given a theme. They film each other doing stunts at the location and the two hosts, Bell and his co-host, Travis Wong, decide who did the better film. The winning team is then given a challenge to complete, live, at the same location, and a winner is chosen from the team for a cash prize.
Bell says it's MTV's first live reality show.
Bell is no stranger to taking chances. He grew up in West Kelowna where he went to Mount Boucherie Secondary School. While there, he and his buddies used to film themselves whenever they had the chance, especially performing tricks while doing motorcross.
Bell then spent several years doing motorcross professionally, and was a regular on MTV's Nitro Circus. "My mom would call me after a show and ask 'Are you OK?' And I would tell her, 'Mom, we filmed that eight months ago. I've been talking to you for eight months, I'm OK.'
"She doesn't want to know about my stuff until it's over," he laughs.
MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge runs for the next 11 weeks on MTV Thursday nights. Episodes are also posted on the MTV Canada website after airing. It's being filmed in Los Angeles.
Local hosting Parkour show on MTV (http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/54430/Local-hosting-Parkour-show-on-MTV)
by Elisha Dacey - Story: 54430
May 10, 2010 / 8:00 am
Andy Bell isn't quite sure how he ended up here.
"I took a break (from Nitro Circus), it was a rough show... and MTV called me and asked if I wanted to host their new parkour show.
"I didn't even know what that was."
Bell is the co-host for MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge, a new show that debuted on the popular station last week.
So what is parkour, anyway? "People have seen it, it's hard to explain," says Bell.
Parkour is an underground sport that grew up in France. Closely associated with a sport called freejumping, people literally hurl themselves over objects, up walls and through obstacles. It requires exceptional balance, precision jumping and extreme athleticism - not to mention, courage.
Still don't get it? Think Jackie Chan. Or that chase scene at the beginning of "Quantum of Solace." Now multiply it by ten.
Most of the people involved in the sport film themselves and post the videos up on sites like YouTube, with some videos garnering 50 million views. Thanks to that, the sport has grown exponentially in recent years and is now emerging into the mainstream.
Cue Parkour Challenge. The reality show is two-part. Contestants are divided into teams and are taken to a location where they're given a theme. They film each other doing stunts at the location and the two hosts, Bell and his co-host, Travis Wong, decide who did the better film. The winning team is then given a challenge to complete, live, at the same location, and a winner is chosen from the team for a cash prize.
Bell says it's MTV's first live reality show.
Bell is no stranger to taking chances. He grew up in West Kelowna where he went to Mount Boucherie Secondary School. While there, he and his buddies used to film themselves whenever they had the chance, especially performing tricks while doing motorcross.
Bell then spent several years doing motorcross professionally, and was a regular on MTV's Nitro Circus. "My mom would call me after a show and ask 'Are you OK?' And I would tell her, 'Mom, we filmed that eight months ago. I've been talking to you for eight months, I'm OK.'
"She doesn't want to know about my stuff until it's over," he laughs.
MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge runs for the next 11 weeks on MTV Thursday nights. Episodes are also posted on the MTV Canada website after airing. It's being filmed in Los Angeles.