Golden’s Erik Weihenmayer climbed Mount Everest 10 years ago as the first blind man to reach the 29,035-foot summit. But that’s nothing. Now he’s going on a reality-TV show.
Starting Thursday night, Weihenmayer competes on ABC’s new adventure racing show “Expedition Impossible,” created by “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett. Thirteen teams of three people each race through the deserts, mountains, rivers and canyons of Morocco. One team is eliminated each week. Weihenmayer’s team includes Boulder’s Jeff Evans.
“I was glad to be alive at the end,” Weihenmayer said. “You’re running full blast on riverbeds, kayaking blind through whitewater. It’s super challenging to ride a stallion blind. And the camels are totally insane. They are prehistoric beasts. I don’t think I have ever been more afraid in my life than being on a camel, and I’ve done a lot of scary things.”
All three members of the winning team get a new Ford Explorer and $50,000.
“It’s not like ‘Survivor’ money,” Weihenmayer said. “This is for a different kind of person than a ‘Survivor’ person. We’re just trying to be the smartest and fastest and best team.”
A home and a crown.
Blair Griffith, Denver’s homeless Miss Colorado USA, is featured on ABC’s “2 0/20” tonight, sharing her tale of woe with Elizabeth Vargas.
Griffith and her mom were evicted from their home just after Griffith won the local title. They moved in with friends, making them what Griffith calls “technically homeless.”
The news release from ABC says Griffith has been “hiding something very personal.” Well, she has hardly been hiding the “homeless” angle. It has been reported in this column, on various local TV outlets and on “Today.” And European newspapers loved the story. “HOMELESS BEAUTY QUEEN” is a headline that sells papers in any language.
Now she’s in Las Vegas waiting to compete in Sunday night’s pageant on NBC.
Give a hoot.
Whoo hoo! Ariana Bulik, a waitress at Hooters on South Colorado Boulevard, made it to the finals. THE FINALS! She will compete against 99 others June 25 in the 15th annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami. “It’s hectic here,” she said on the phone Thursday from Miami. “Rehearsing, photo shoots, going out. I work like six days a week. It’s my life. So this is a nice vacation.”
City spirit.
Denver author Gregory Hill is riding high, having just won the International Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for “East of Denver.” He gets a publishing contract with Penguin and a $15,000 advance. . . . Realtor Rollie Jordan’s son Dax Jordan is the new drummer for Frogs Gone Fishin’, playing in the Westword Music Showcase at 6:45 Saturday night at City Hall. . . . Ginnie Kontnik and Scott Eldredge get hitched Saturday night at JW Marriott. . . . Sez who: “Woke up in bed with a gorgeous woman, who I’m going to have lunch and the rest of my life with.” Jason Barmer
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
