Rick Steves to produce program on Iran

A friend from the Washington State chapter of the United Nations Association called me six months ago and asked what I could do to help them build understanding between Iran and the US, and to defuse the tension that could be leading to war. I answered, “The only powerful thing would be to produce a TV show on Iran.”

I remember when the bombs first fell on Baghdad, thinking I'd missed an opportunity to make a travel show that could humanize Baghdad and give “collateral damage” a face. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to do this for Iran. My government would let me go. The Islamic Republic of Iran actually wanted the publicity. I threw together a proposal for a TV show — no politics, just travel. The working title: Iran: Its People and Culture, Yesterday and Today.
(snip)
Who’s paying for this production? Me. I figure this adventure will cost me roughly what each household in the US is already paying for Iraq. If I can help avert an extra war — even just a little bit — this will be a brilliant personal investment — and lots of people will owe me big-time. (Do the math: $3,000,000,000,000 divided by 300,000,000 US citizens; cut the zeros = $10,000 per person...that’s about $40,000 per family. Care for another war?)

This will be a journey of discovery for me. We have a very sketchy script to start with. It will evolve over the next 10 days. Each day, after a long day of shooting, I’ll massage what we’ve shot and learned into the script, print out a new version and come up with a shooting plan for the next day. My hunch: By Day 10, we’ll have a fine show.

http://www.ricksteves.com/blog/

Look at the comments: overwhelmingly favorable, although there are a few dittoheads in the bunch.

on my local PBS station (they usually run two back to back) Iran could easily be a multi part series.

He's pro-pot and openly liberal and internationalist.... and doesn't care if it undermines his travel business.

My wife and I have traveled all over Europe using his guides.

it doesn't seem to have hurt his travel business at all.

Nothing worse than an ugly American dragging half their belongings all over Europe and expecting the "little people" to take care of their crap. (Unless they're actually paying them to do so.)

don't mention.

For example, on my last trip to England, I visited the town of Wells, which is reachable only by bus. One of the highlights of a trip to Wells is its cathedral, and as a choir geek, I like to attend Evensong.

Rick Steves' guidebook was the only one that let it be known that the last bus out of Wells leaves before Evensong is over, so that if you want to attend, you either have to leave early or spend the night. (I ended up spending the night in a delightful old inn on the main town square.)

If you look at his London guidebook, you see that he tells you exactly which bus or Tube lines to take to reach all the major sightseeing spots.

Although Rick has tours, you can travel on a shoestring through Europe without an organized tour. I did independently once -- it's fabulous and I hope to do it again someday.

I wish he wouldn't go to Iran because they hang gay teenagers.

First we get our news on TV from comedians, now we'll get it from a travel show host. If I were your average TV journalist I'd start to wonder who really needs me.

http://www.travel-earth.com/iran/north/

Thank you Lydia

:)

What a magnificent country! As I scrolled through the pictures (I think there were 50 or so) I kept thinking of how the monsters in our government don't care if they reduce it all to rubble.

What in the name of all that's holy have we, as a nation, become?

I may have bookmarked that thread. Don't have time to look for it now, but will post it later if it can be found.

* * * *

I watch Rick Steves' shows all the time, although I don't suppose I'll ever be able to afford to go to Europe. Kudos to him for his efforts.

He watches his show regularly, buys the guides, and we've seen him speak
at the LA Travel Show twice, now.

I like him. He is the antidote for the "Ugly American" stereotype.

Oh yeah- love his political views! :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing this, Lydia! :hi: :pals: