Stephen Fry in America Sees US DVD & Blu-Ray Release

American fans of Stephen Fry's brilliant documentary Stephen Fry in America will be pleased to know that they will finally be able to buy the program on DVD and Blu-Ray!  On July 27, 2010 the title will be officially available in stores.  The list price for the DVD is $29.98.  The Blu-Ray list price is $39.98.  Stephen Fry in American can currently be pre-ordered through amazon.com for a $2.99 discount.  The discount is in effect on both versions of the documentary.

Stephen Fry in America is a 6 part documentary that takes viewers to each of the fifty United States.  Fry, driving his trusty little black London cab, makes a stop in virtually every state (a few states he only passes through).  You can read a summary of all 6 parts here.

Amazon.com DVD Pre-order Link:  Stephen Fry in America (2pc)
Amazon.com Blue-Ray Pre-order Link:  Stephen Fry in America (2pc) [Blu-ray]

Stephen Fry in America Sees US DVD & Blu-Ray Release

American fans of Stephen Fry's brilliant documentary Stephen Fry in America will be pleased to know that they will finally be able to buy the program on DVD and Blu-Ray!  On July 27, 2010 the title will be officially available in stores.  The list price for the DVD is $29.98.  The Blu-Ray list price is $39.98.  Stephen Fry in American can currently be pre-ordered through amazon.com for a $2.99 discount.  The discount is in effect on both versions of the documentary.

Stephen Fry in America is a 6 part documentary that takes viewers to each of the fifty United States.  Fry, driving his trusty little black London cab, makes a stop in virtually every state (a few states he only passes through).  You can read a summary of all 6 parts here.

Amazon.com DVD Pre-order Link:  Stephen Fry in America (2pc)
Amazon.com Blue-Ray Pre-order Link:  Stephen Fry in America (2pc) [Blu-ray]

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Six: Pacific

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 6, Pacific
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 16, 2008.

All good things must come to and end and, alas, Stephen Fry in America is no exception.  We've covered thousands of miles and 45 states with our fearless host in his little black London cab.  In this episode, we visit the last five states in the Union.

We start in San Fransisco, California.  Trolley cars, hills, the Painted Ladies and Chinatown.  Stephen tours Chinatown and sees fortune cookies being made and gets to taste a freshly made and still hot chocolate cookie.  He heads to Nob Hill to speak with Jonathan Ive, design guru for Apple Computers.  As well all know, Stephen is a huge fan of Apple products.  Stephen drives across the famous Golden Gate Bridge on his way to Mendocino County to ride with Sheriff Tom Ullman who is on the front line of the "weed growing" in California.  Stephen attends a quick firearms class in preparation for the bust he is getting ready to attend with the officers.  He gets to shoot a "Dirty Harry" magnum.  It's clear to see that Stephen isn't completely comfortable with firearms from his handling of the gun.  Stephen is fitted with a bulletproof vest and we set off for the bust.  The cameras go inside to see what the police have taken in the bust.  Sheriff Ullman tells Stephen that marijuana sells for roughly $2,500-3,000 a pound and each plant can produce two pounds.  The grow rooms are full of marijuana plants.  Thousands upon thousands of possible dollars of weed.  Stephen leaves the drugs and heads for Humboldt University to a cafe where there is an all-female amateur performer night. 

In the state of Oregon we arrive at the Rogue River forest to track down an endangered red tree vole.  Two activists are trying to find some red tree voles so they can help save the trees in the forest.  If there are red tree voles, the trees will be protected as well as the voles.  A red tree vole nest is found much to the happiness of Nate and Laura and Stephen.  Next, we move on to speak with Matt Johnson to talk about a creature some believe is real and others believe is fake:  Bigfoot.  Johnson describes an encounter he and his family had with a Bigfoot.  He describes it as a very tall hairy primate that walks up right like a human being. 

In Seattle, Washington at Pike Place Market Stephen meets Christopf Snell.  They tour the Pike Place Market and Stephen samples some of the foods they sell there and enjoys some of the performances.  He heads to a marina to visit with some sea lions.  He meets Barney who gets a tooth brushing and does some tricks for the camera then we get to see some very playful sea otters having dinner. 

Unfortunately, we must leave the adorable little black cab behind as there is no room for it to go along to the last two states we visit. 

Stephen lands at Kodiak Island, Alaska, the second biggest island in the United States.  Stephen gives us a brief history of the state and takes us to see some of the Russian influence that still remains in Alaska.  He visits a Russian Orthodox mission in Kodiak.  Stephen and Lee Robinson, a local fisherman, go out onto the water to see sea otters in the wild.  Stephen and Lee do a little fishing and Stephen catches and Irish Lord fish.  It's a horrendously ugly fish and it ends up going back into the waters.  Stephen takes to the air again and heads to Barrow to visit with the Inuit peoples who live there.  He goes out on a whaling mission with the natives who are allowed by law to capture 22 whales per year.  Henry, the whaling captain, tells Stephen that he always says "no" to the oil companies because the waters is their food.  If they are contaminated they will not be able to eat.  The waters are too choppy to harvest a whale for now so the whalers come in and put away their equipment. 

The final stop in our journey is the state of Hawaii.  Stephen walks along Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu with a rea-life Magnum P.I., Terry Pennington, a private investigator.  They talk about the dark side of Hawaii; the vices and homelessness.  Stephen then moves on to the other side of the island, the North Shore where he is going to swim with sharks.  He gets into the shark cage and is lowered into the water.  Immediately, we can see sharks all around the cage.  They're curious about Stephen.  He finds the experience to not be frightening at all, but instead beautiful.  On to Kauai, Stephen meets with Titus Kinimaka for a little ukulele music and a  walk around Kauai to see some of the beautiful sights.  He goes with Titus to his home for a traditional celebration.  The Big Island is where we go to to visit the Keck Observatory.  We then go for a flight over the lava fields that form new land. 

It's been a long, colorful and interesting journey.  We've seen sights that were beautiful, grim, depressing and inspiring.  I think it is fantastic that Stephen took us not just to the most popular US tourist attractions but to places off the beaten path.  Stephen has taken us places the average traveler wouldn't get to see.  He has shown us the good and bad that the United States has to offer. 

Some Americans might argue that Mr. Fry has shown only the dark side of the United States.  That he deliberately focused on the crime, homelessness and seedy characters.  America has its flaws.  But, for every flaw you also have something good.  For the crime you have the majestic beauty of Monument Valley.  For the homelessness, you have Anita Singleton-Prather helping preserve the Gullah culture for future generations.  For the seedy characters you have the working class folks in Maine, West Virginia and every other state in the Union working hard to make life better not only for themselves but for their communities.

Seeing something through rose-colored glasses isn't really seeing it.  In Stephen Fry in America, those glasses came off. 

I am thoroughly convinced that when, and if, the announced sequel More Fry in America airs on the BBC it will be just as entertaining and interesting as its predecessor.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Six: Pacific

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 6, Pacific
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 16, 2008.

All good things must come to and end and, alas, Stephen Fry in America is no exception.  We've covered thousands of miles and 45 states with our fearless host in his little black London cab.  In this episode, we visit the last five states in the Union.

We start in San Fransisco, California.  Trolley cars, hills, the Painted Ladies and Chinatown.  Stephen tours Chinatown and sees fortune cookies being made and gets to taste a freshly made and still hot chocolate cookie.  He heads to Nob Hill to speak with Jonathan Ive, design guru for Apple Computers.  As well all know, Stephen is a huge fan of Apple products.  Stephen drives across the famous Golden Gate Bridge on his way to Mendocino County to ride with Sheriff Tom Ullman who is on the front line of the "weed growing" in California.  Stephen attends a quick firearms class in preparation for the bust he is getting ready to attend with the officers.  He gets to shoot a "Dirty Harry" magnum.  It's clear to see that Stephen isn't completely comfortable with firearms from his handling of the gun.  Stephen is fitted with a bulletproof vest and we set off for the bust.  The cameras go inside to see what the police have taken in the bust.  Sheriff Ullman tells Stephen that marijuana sells for roughly $2,500-3,000 a pound and each plant can produce two pounds.  The grow rooms are full of marijuana plants.  Thousands upon thousands of possible dollars of weed.  Stephen leaves the drugs and heads for Humboldt University to a cafe where there is an all-female amateur performer night. 

In the state of Oregon we arrive at the Rogue River forest to track down an endangered red tree vole.  Two activists are trying to find some red tree voles so they can help save the trees in the forest.  If there are red tree voles, the trees will be protected as well as the voles.  A red tree vole nest is found much to the happiness of Nate and Laura and Stephen.  Next, we move on to speak with Matt Johnson to talk about a creature some believe is real and others believe is fake:  Bigfoot.  Johnson describes an encounter he and his family had with a Bigfoot.  He describes it as a very tall hairy primate that walks up right like a human being. 

In Seattle, Washington at Pike Place Market Stephen meets Christopf Snell.  They tour the Pike Place Market and Stephen samples some of the foods they sell there and enjoys some of the performances.  He heads to a marina to visit with some sea lions.  He meets Barney who gets a tooth brushing and does some tricks for the camera then we get to see some very playful sea otters having dinner. 

Unfortunately, we must leave the adorable little black cab behind as there is no room for it to go along to the last two states we visit. 

Stephen lands at Kodiak Island, Alaska, the second biggest island in the United States.  Stephen gives us a brief history of the state and takes us to see some of the Russian influence that still remains in Alaska.  He visits a Russian Orthodox mission in Kodiak.  Stephen and Lee Robinson, a local fisherman, go out onto the water to see sea otters in the wild.  Stephen and Lee do a little fishing and Stephen catches and Irish Lord fish.  It's a horrendously ugly fish and it ends up going back into the waters.  Stephen takes to the air again and heads to Barrow to visit with the Inuit peoples who live there.  He goes out on a whaling mission with the natives who are allowed by law to capture 22 whales per year.  Henry, the whaling captain, tells Stephen that he always says "no" to the oil companies because the waters is their food.  If they are contaminated they will not be able to eat.  The waters are too choppy to harvest a whale for now so the whalers come in and put away their equipment. 

The final stop in our journey is the state of Hawaii.  Stephen walks along Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu with a rea-life Magnum P.I., Terry Pennington, a private investigator.  They talk about the dark side of Hawaii; the vices and homelessness.  Stephen then moves on to the other side of the island, the North Shore where he is going to swim with sharks.  He gets into the shark cage and is lowered into the water.  Immediately, we can see sharks all around the cage.  They're curious about Stephen.  He finds the experience to not be frightening at all, but instead beautiful.  On to Kauai, Stephen meets with Titus Kinimaka for a little ukulele music and a  walk around Kauai to see some of the beautiful sights.  He goes with Titus to his home for a traditional celebration.  The Big Island is where we go to to visit the Keck Observatory.  We then go for a flight over the lava fields that form new land. 

It's been a long, colorful and interesting journey.  We've seen sights that were beautiful, grim, depressing and inspiring.  I think it is fantastic that Stephen took us not just to the most popular US tourist attractions but to places off the beaten path.  Stephen has taken us places the average traveler wouldn't get to see.  He has shown us the good and bad that the United States has to offer. 

Some Americans might argue that Mr. Fry has shown only the dark side of the United States.  That he deliberately focused on the crime, homelessness and seedy characters.  America has its flaws.  But, for every flaw you also have something good.  For the crime you have the majestic beauty of Monument Valley.  For the homelessness, you have Anita Singleton-Prather helping preserve the Gullah culture for future generations.  For the seedy characters you have the working class folks in Maine, West Virginia and every other state in the Union working hard to make life better not only for themselves but for their communities.

Seeing something through rose-colored glasses isn't really seeing it.  In Stephen Fry in America, those glasses came off. 

I am thoroughly convinced that when, and if, the announced sequel More Fry in America airs on the BBC it will be just as entertaining and interesting as its predecessor.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Five: The True West

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 5, True West
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 9, 2008.

This, the second-to-last installment of Stephen Fry in America is full from the first second to the last with breathtaking scenes and great humor as we tour one of the most spectacular parts of the United States, the American West.

Episode five opens in New Mexico with Stephen riding in a hot air balloon high over the Rio Grande Rift.  He moves on to Taos, New Mexico where he visits one of the "earthships" of the desert.  He speaks with founder, Mike Reynolds about the self-sustaining homes built with refuse such as old tires, cans, etc.  For a home built essentially with garbage, it is quite lovely.  The idea of the homes is that a family of four could live in one with absolutely no utility bills and still have plenty of water and food.  The home employs solar panels to generate power.  Reynolds explains how the homes fully sustain themselves and the residents needn't go without a single modern convenience.  He arrives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and visits "Post Office Box 1663".  Stephen takes us to Los Alamos past the Center for Integral Nanotechnologies and to the Quark Bar.  Terry Wallace and Stephen discuss the research conducted in Los Alamos today.

In the state of Utah, Stephen ventures into the desert and Monument Valley, part of the Navajo Reservation.  He speaks with Jameson, a Navajo, about how director John Ford came to use Monument Valley for the epic western movies he made.  Jameson's sister, Sally, shows Stephen how she makes the gorgeous woven sumac baskets she sells to tourists and collectors.  Stephen tries his hand at weaving a sumac reed into the basket she is working on.  She tells him the baskets that a 20" can sell for $3,000 to $7,000.  Stephen enjoys a traditional Navajo meal with Jameson and his family.  He dines on Navajo fried bread and ribs.  He leaves Jameson and his family for Lake Powell.  He, dressed in denim and a cowboy hat and with a glass of wine before him, enjoys the comforts of a boat on the man-made lake.  He fixes eggs and bacon for breakfast then, a bit further down the lake, Stephen and Rob Big Horse visit an area sacred to the Navajo:  Arches National Park.  The stone "arch" is so tall the Statue of Liberty can actually stand beneath the apex of the arch.

In Arizona Stephen hitches a ride in a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress".  We get to see the interior of the bomber as Stephen gives us a little history of the duties of the bomber crew.  He visits an Air Force base where American aircraft are sent when they retire.  Over 3,000 airplanes of all sorts are injected with synthetic rubber and wrapped with protective cling film live at the base until they are needed again.  We arrive at the Old Tuscon film studios for the highlight of not only this episode but, as some viewers of the series might say, the entire series.  Stephen dons cowboy attire complete with a sidearm, cowboy at and spurs for a mock showdown on main street.  "Fry" is ordered out of town by the Marshall but he draws "shooting" a deputy.  The Marshall tells "Fry" he's been wantin' to kill him anyway to which "Fry" replies:  "Oh, really?  Many have tried, Marshall.  Few have succeeded.  Only two, in recorded time have succeeded in killing me and even they didn't do it very well."  The Marshall tells him he'll do it right this time.  They draw and "Fry" is hit!  "Oh!" he exclaims!  "Oh!  Oh!  Oh, that hurt! Oh, oh, it's rather like...oh!  Ooh!"  The Marshall tells him to think about that next time!  "Fry" falls to his knees, "oh, oh excuse me, I may be having to have a death scene!"  He falls to his back.  "Oh, sweet mother of mercy is this the end of Stephen Fry?"  Our outlaw hero dies with more fanfare and overacting than you could find in any Stallone, Schwarzenegger or Van-Damme movie.  Watch out, Clint Eastwood!  Here comes "Fry"!  We next see our outlaw hero leading his horse "Spinoza" down the street telling him they showed that sheriff a thing or two.  Stephen enjoys the shows in Old Tuscon with the other tourists.

Stephen passes over the Grand Canyon on his way to Las Vegas, Nevada.  He also flies over the Hoover Dam and approaches Las Vegas from the air.  He takes part in a "Spy Games" incident.  He attends an "Agency" briefing to solve the case of the "Missing Michael".  Along with a band of colleagues, Chippendale dancers, Stephen sets out to work the case.  His job is to sabotage the case.  They go from themed casino to themed casino in search of the clues.  The Chippendales figure out that Stephen is the mole.  He goes from the sexy Chippendales to the Mormons.  Big jump there, huh?  He drops in on a photo shoot for a Mormom "missionary beefcake calendar".  He speaks with the creator of the calendar as well as some of the models about the calendar and their religion.  He moves from Mormons to silver in Virginia City.  And, from silver it's a natural progression to whorehouses, right?  He visits the world famous Mustang Ranch.  He receives a brief tour of the brothel by the "madam" and gets some info about how the brothel works.  Stephen gets to talk with one of the courtesans, "Mandy".  She is extremely straightforward with Stephen about the work she does and how she feels about it.  The owner takes Stephen to a "negotiating room" where the money and services are discussed.  The owner embarrasses Stephen by telling him about a procedure they have called a "DC".  He gets to see some of the different suites they have at the Ranch.  He leaves the Mustang Ranch and heads for the purifying mountains and Lake Tahoe. 

Finally, we see California as Stephen arrives at the coast and pulls in at the beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean for a preview of the final installment in the series. 

Make sure to come back tomorrow for the final installment in Stephen Fry in America when we visit the last five states in America when we visit the Pacific.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Five: The True West

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 5, True West
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 9, 2008.

This, the second-to-last installment of Stephen Fry in America is full from the first second to the last with breathtaking scenes and great humor as we tour one of the most spectacular parts of the United States, the American West.

Episode five opens in New Mexico with Stephen riding in a hot air balloon high over the Rio Grande Rift.  He moves on to Taos, New Mexico where he visits one of the "earthships" of the desert.  He speaks with founder, Mike Reynolds about the self-sustaining homes built with refuse such as old tires, cans, etc.  For a home built essentially with garbage, it is quite lovely.  The idea of the homes is that a family of four could live in one with absolutely no utility bills and still have plenty of water and food.  The home employs solar panels to generate power.  Reynolds explains how the homes fully sustain themselves and the residents needn't go without a single modern convenience.  He arrives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and visits "Post Office Box 1663".  Stephen takes us to Los Alamos past the Center for Integral Nanotechnologies and to the Quark Bar.  Terry Wallace and Stephen discuss the research conducted in Los Alamos today.

In the state of Utah, Stephen ventures into the desert and Monument Valley, part of the Navajo Reservation.  He speaks with Jameson, a Navajo, about how director John Ford came to use Monument Valley for the epic western movies he made.  Jameson's sister, Sally, shows Stephen how she makes the gorgeous woven sumac baskets she sells to tourists and collectors.  Stephen tries his hand at weaving a sumac reed into the basket she is working on.  She tells him the baskets that a 20" can sell for $3,000 to $7,000.  Stephen enjoys a traditional Navajo meal with Jameson and his family.  He dines on Navajo fried bread and ribs.  He leaves Jameson and his family for Lake Powell.  He, dressed in denim and a cowboy hat and with a glass of wine before him, enjoys the comforts of a boat on the man-made lake.  He fixes eggs and bacon for breakfast then, a bit further down the lake, Stephen and Rob Big Horse visit an area sacred to the Navajo:  Arches National Park.  The stone "arch" is so tall the Statue of Liberty can actually stand beneath the apex of the arch.

In Arizona Stephen hitches a ride in a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress".  We get to see the interior of the bomber as Stephen gives us a little history of the duties of the bomber crew.  He visits an Air Force base where American aircraft are sent when they retire.  Over 3,000 airplanes of all sorts are injected with synthetic rubber and wrapped with protective cling film live at the base until they are needed again.  We arrive at the Old Tuscon film studios for the highlight of not only this episode but, as some viewers of the series might say, the entire series.  Stephen dons cowboy attire complete with a sidearm, cowboy at and spurs for a mock showdown on main street.  "Fry" is ordered out of town by the Marshall but he draws "shooting" a deputy.  The Marshall tells "Fry" he's been wantin' to kill him anyway to which "Fry" replies:  "Oh, really?  Many have tried, Marshall.  Few have succeeded.  Only two, in recorded time have succeeded in killing me and even they didn't do it very well."  The Marshall tells him he'll do it right this time.  They draw and "Fry" is hit!  "Oh!" he exclaims!  "Oh!  Oh!  Oh, that hurt! Oh, oh, it's rather like...oh!  Ooh!"  The Marshall tells him to think about that next time!  "Fry" falls to his knees, "oh, oh excuse me, I may be having to have a death scene!"  He falls to his back.  "Oh, sweet mother of mercy is this the end of Stephen Fry?"  Our outlaw hero dies with more fanfare and overacting than you could find in any Stallone, Schwarzenegger or Van-Damme movie.  Watch out, Clint Eastwood!  Here comes "Fry"!  We next see our outlaw hero leading his horse "Spinoza" down the street telling him they showed that sheriff a thing or two.  Stephen enjoys the shows in Old Tuscon with the other tourists.

Stephen passes over the Grand Canyon on his way to Las Vegas, Nevada.  He also flies over the Hoover Dam and approaches Las Vegas from the air.  He takes part in a "Spy Games" incident.  He attends an "Agency" briefing to solve the case of the "Missing Michael".  Along with a band of colleagues, Chippendale dancers, Stephen sets out to work the case.  His job is to sabotage the case.  They go from themed casino to themed casino in search of the clues.  The Chippendales figure out that Stephen is the mole.  He goes from the sexy Chippendales to the Mormons.  Big jump there, huh?  He drops in on a photo shoot for a Mormom "missionary beefcake calendar".  He speaks with the creator of the calendar as well as some of the models about the calendar and their religion.  He moves from Mormons to silver in Virginia City.  And, from silver it's a natural progression to whorehouses, right?  He visits the world famous Mustang Ranch.  He receives a brief tour of the brothel by the "madam" and gets some info about how the brothel works.  Stephen gets to talk with one of the courtesans, "Mandy".  She is extremely straightforward with Stephen about the work she does and how she feels about it.  The owner takes Stephen to a "negotiating room" where the money and services are discussed.  The owner embarrasses Stephen by telling him about a procedure they have called a "DC".  He gets to see some of the different suites they have at the Ranch.  He leaves the Mustang Ranch and heads for the purifying mountains and Lake Tahoe. 

Finally, we see California as Stephen arrives at the coast and pulls in at the beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean for a preview of the final installment in the series. 

Make sure to come back tomorrow for the final installment in Stephen Fry in America when we visit the last five states in America when we visit the Pacific.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Four: Mountains and Plains

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 4, Mountains and Plains
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 2, 2008.

In the state of Montana Stephen starts his journey at the Airborne Border Patrol Headquarters in Great Falls.  He flies along the 49th Parallel with the Airborne Border Patrol.  He speaks with Agent John Miller who takes him to the American/Canadian border.  He holds his hand over the barbed wire fence so his hand is in Canada while his body is in the United States.  He stands on a marker with his right foot in the United States and his left foot in Canada--literally straddling the 49th Parallel.  He drives to Glacier National Park and takes in the gorgeous scene in front of him.  Beautiful mountains, crystal clear water, blue and white skies and white snow.  He heads into southern Montana to visit Ted Turner at his two million acre ranch to see the 46,000 bison he owns.  Stephen and Turner drive out onto one of his ranches to see the bison after having breakfast.  They get out of the car to walk to view the bison closer and Stephen asks what reaction he should have if they charge to which Turner simply replies "run like hell".

Next, we move to Idaho.  At the Continental Divide on the state line of Idaho and Montana Stephen pours some water on one side of the Continental Divide and explains that it will drain into the Atlantic Ocean.  He then pours water on the other side explaining it will drain to the Pacific.

We enter Wyoming and see more snow covered mountains and wolves.  He visits an animal sanctuary to get a close-up look at the beautiful creatures.  Just over the mountains from Yellowstone National Park Stephen visits a remote cattle ranch.  He speaks with the ranchers, John and Debbie, about how they cope with the wolves that live in the mountains with them.  He learns how to harness Huskies for a dog sled then is off for a ride!

Stephen heads to Bismarck, North Dakota where he dines at Kroll's Diner for some German fare.  He eats a mountain of food before moving on.

Stephen arrives at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and stands before it with the camera in front of him.  With perspective, we get an idea what Mount Rushmore might look like with Stephens head carved into the rock.  He goes a bit down the road to the currently being carved Crazy Horse stone monument.  The monument was started in 1948 and while the face of Crazy Horse was completed and dedicated in 1998 but there is still a great deal of work to be done to complete the entire monument.  He moves on into the Badlands of South Dakota where he visits with the Dakota Sioux tribe at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Stephen shows viewers the Wounded Knee memorial monument and speaks with Russel Means, a veteran campaigner for Sioux rights.  He stops by the Pine Ridge College Center to see if the tide of despair may be turning.

In Nebraska, Stephen is impressed by the vast and open spaces the United States has to offer.  I-80, near Grand Island, Nebraska, Stephen stops at a large truck stop to speak with Bruce, a trucker about the lifestyle of being a trucker.  He stops by a truckers gift shop to browse the often humorous items it contains.  Stephen takes off with Bruce for a brief ride in the big rig and a bit more about what it means to be a trucker.

To the state of Kansas where again, impressed by the open space, Stephen opts to go to White Cloud, Kansas on the banks of the Missouri.  White Cloud is a town that is all but dead, almost a virtual ghost town.  He talks to "the head ghost, Wolf River Bob" who has lived in White Cloud since 1926.  White Cloud lost the steamboats and railroad and, because of that, could no longer support anything.  One of the more unusual places Stephen visits is the underground home of Ed Payden.  In the 1950's, the structure used to be an underground nuclear bunker built by the United States government.  Stephen tours the old missile site before entering the actual Peyden home.  As lovely as Ed and Diana Peyden are, Stephen cringes knowing there will be singing and flute playing to come.

Colorado:  On to Aspen for a bit of skiing.  He cannot see the point of skiing at all but he loves the relaxation and tasty beverages of ski holidays.

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Stephen visits a branch of the Salvation Army.  He speaks with a volunteer at the Salvation Army, Heidi, who is, by day, a champion for the down and out and, by night a belly dancer.  Stephen gets to balance a sword on his head before heading off to a rodeo.  Our hero attends the rodeo complete with a cowboy hat.  He watches a "mutton busting" event before moving on.

Lastly, we visit the great state of Texas.  Stephen arrives in Houston, Texas and attends a fund raising gala with the super wealthy of Texas.  He takes the stage to help in the fund raising process.  He speaks with Shelby Hodges about the responsibility of the rich.  He leaves the rich to have a ball driving his little black cab on a beach.  He makes a stop to see the fabled Rio Grande river then heads to the Border Patrol Headquarters in El Paso, Texas.  He goes out for a ride with a Border Patrol agent.  He sees the strength of the Rio Grande and gets to actually see the apprehension of a few individuals that tried to illegally enter the United States from Mexico.  He enjoys a happy Mexican song and beer in a bar near the border.

Stay tuned for the second-to-last installment in this fantastic series on the United States where we visit a truly gorgeous section of the country:  The True West.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Four: Mountains and Plains

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 4, Mountains and Plains
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was November 2, 2008.

In the state of Montana Stephen starts his journey at the Airborne Border Patrol Headquarters in Great Falls.  He flies along the 49th Parallel with the Airborne Border Patrol.  He speaks with Agent John Miller who takes him to the American/Canadian border.  He holds his hand over the barbed wire fence so his hand is in Canada while his body is in the United States.  He stands on a marker with his right foot in the United States and his left foot in Canada--literally straddling the 49th Parallel.  He drives to Glacier National Park and takes in the gorgeous scene in front of him.  Beautiful mountains, crystal clear water, blue and white skies and white snow.  He heads into southern Montana to visit Ted Turner at his two million acre ranch to see the 46,000 bison he owns.  Stephen and Turner drive out onto one of his ranches to see the bison after having breakfast.  They get out of the car to walk to view the bison closer and Stephen asks what reaction he should have if they charge to which Turner simply replies "run like hell".

Next, we move to Idaho.  At the Continental Divide on the state line of Idaho and Montana Stephen pours some water on one side of the Continental Divide and explains that it will drain into the Atlantic Ocean.  He then pours water on the other side explaining it will drain to the Pacific.

We enter Wyoming and see more snow covered mountains and wolves.  He visits an animal sanctuary to get a close-up look at the beautiful creatures.  Just over the mountains from Yellowstone National Park Stephen visits a remote cattle ranch.  He speaks with the ranchers, John and Debbie, about how they cope with the wolves that live in the mountains with them.  He learns how to harness Huskies for a dog sled then is off for a ride!

Stephen heads to Bismarck, North Dakota where he dines at Kroll's Diner for some German fare.  He eats a mountain of food before moving on.

Stephen arrives at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and stands before it with the camera in front of him.  With perspective, we get an idea what Mount Rushmore might look like with Stephens head carved into the rock.  He goes a bit down the road to the currently being carved Crazy Horse stone monument.  The monument was started in 1948 and while the face of Crazy Horse was completed and dedicated in 1998 but there is still a great deal of work to be done to complete the entire monument.  He moves on into the Badlands of South Dakota where he visits with the Dakota Sioux tribe at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Stephen shows viewers the Wounded Knee memorial monument and speaks with Russel Means, a veteran campaigner for Sioux rights.  He stops by the Pine Ridge College Center to see if the tide of despair may be turning.

In Nebraska, Stephen is impressed by the vast and open spaces the United States has to offer.  I-80, near Grand Island, Nebraska, Stephen stops at a large truck stop to speak with Bruce, a trucker about the lifestyle of being a trucker.  He stops by a truckers gift shop to browse the often humorous items it contains.  Stephen takes off with Bruce for a brief ride in the big rig and a bit more about what it means to be a trucker.

To the state of Kansas where again, impressed by the open space, Stephen opts to go to White Cloud, Kansas on the banks of the Missouri.  White Cloud is a town that is all but dead, almost a virtual ghost town.  He talks to "the head ghost, Wolf River Bob" who has lived in White Cloud since 1926.  White Cloud lost the steamboats and railroad and, because of that, could no longer support anything.  One of the more unusual places Stephen visits is the underground home of Ed Payden.  In the 1950's, the structure used to be an underground nuclear bunker built by the United States government.  Stephen tours the old missile site before entering the actual Peyden home.  As lovely as Ed and Diana Peyden are, Stephen cringes knowing there will be singing and flute playing to come.

Colorado:  On to Aspen for a bit of skiing.  He cannot see the point of skiing at all but he loves the relaxation and tasty beverages of ski holidays.

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Stephen visits a branch of the Salvation Army.  He speaks with a volunteer at the Salvation Army, Heidi, who is, by day, a champion for the down and out and, by night a belly dancer.  Stephen gets to balance a sword on his head before heading off to a rodeo.  Our hero attends the rodeo complete with a cowboy hat.  He watches a "mutton busting" event before moving on.

Lastly, we visit the great state of Texas.  Stephen arrives in Houston, Texas and attends a fund raising gala with the super wealthy of Texas.  He takes the stage to help in the fund raising process.  He speaks with Shelby Hodges about the responsibility of the rich.  He leaves the rich to have a ball driving his little black cab on a beach.  He makes a stop to see the fabled Rio Grande river then heads to the Border Patrol Headquarters in El Paso, Texas.  He goes out for a ride with a Border Patrol agent.  He sees the strength of the Rio Grande and gets to actually see the apprehension of a few individuals that tried to illegally enter the United States from Mexico.  He enjoys a happy Mexican song and beer in a bar near the border.

Stay tuned for the second-to-last installment in this fantastic series on the United States where we visit a truly gorgeous section of the country:  The True West.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Three: Mississippi

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 3, Mississippi
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 26, 2008.

The "Mighty Mississippi River" is the theme of this entire episode.  Stephen follows it from the southernmost tip of the river in Louisiana to its source in Minnesota.

We start our journey in Louisiana where Stephen is in the French Quarter in New Orleans on Mardi Gras.  He is sporting a broken arm, the same break he received during a bad fall while filming another excellent documentary series Last Chance to see.  (For a top-notch recap of the entire Last Chance to See documentary please visit the "A Media Mindset" blog.)  He takes us to see Sallie Ann Glassman, a Voodoo priestess and attends a Voodoo celebration.  Glassman describes Voodoo as a mix of African traditions that came over with the slaves, European Catholicism, Native American practices and Masonry; "a gumbo of all those traditions".  He tours some of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans with Isiah.  He takes a ferry ride up the Mississippi on his way to his next stop:  the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as "Angola" or "The Farm".  It houses some 5,000 prisoners and employs 1,800 staff members.  He tours the 18,000 acre prison campus with the warden, Burl Cain.  He sees the workshop where prisoners make wheelchairs and items to assist the handicapped.  While the security might seem lax, the prisoners know that if they try and escape, if the guards don't get them, the wild hogs, alligators, snakes, bears and other panthers that roam the woods near the prison very well might.


To Natchez, Mississippi where he passes by a riverboat and several beautiful antebellum plantation homes and through to Clarksdale, Mississippi.  Clarksdale carries the motto "The Home of the Blues" because a good number of blues musicians are from Clarksdale, Mississippi.  He goes to Ground Zero, a music club owned by Morgan Freeman who explains why  the area is called the "Delta". 

From Mississippi we move into Arkansas.  Stephen canoes along the Mississippi with John Ruskie who runs courses in river craft for urban youths. 

We move 300 miles upstream to St. Louis, Missouri.  But, instead of visiting the St. Louis arch Stephen tours the homeless areas of the city and actually speaks with homeless individuals.  He visits a building known to the homeless as "The Riverfront Hilton".  While I know that there are homeless individuals that live that way by choice, I still found it incredibly shocking to hear one of the homeless men Stephen spoke with actually say they "chose to live like this".

He moves on to Iowa to the Maharishi Vedic City.  It has its own currency and constitution.  It was incorporated on July 21, 2001 and is the world's center for transcendental mediation.  He stops by the office of Dr. Fred Travis where his alpha waves are tested. 

Stephen makes a stop in Elkhart, Indiana and takes a ride in a big, red firetruck with fire Chief Mike Compton.  He actually goes into a burning building where a fire was set by the fire department for training purposes.  He describes being in the building as "just Hell".

Stephen discusses the Kent State incident while passing through the state of Ohio. 

On to Detroit, Michigan and to the Ford village located next to the Ford Motor plant and takes a ride in a Model "T" Ford.  He then moves on to Ford's most bitter rival:  General Motors.  He speaks with John Manoogian, the designer of a new model of Cadillac, at the tech center. 

Next, we travel to the state of Illinois.  Stephen gives us a 'birds eye view' of Chicago before heading off to visit Buddy Guy at a blues club.  He and Guy go on a tour of the South Side.  He moves from the blues to comedy with a visit to the Second City comedy club.  He even performs with the comedians then has a hot dog with all the trimmings with a couple of the latest stars of Second City.  One of the young comedians explains why Chicago is called "the Windy City".  He goes to a factory to see Oscars being made and even helps a bit by dipping a statue into the gold.  He looks out over the city at night from the observatory at the Sears Tower to see a breathtaking view of lights of all colors.

In the state of Wisconsin where our brave host makes comment about how cold it is and shows viewers a bottle of water he left in his cab overnight that is now frozen solid.  He goes to a farm that makes Ewe's milk cheese.  He tries his hand working the milkers.  He comments that American cheeses are "appalling".

Finally, we arrive in Minnesota and head to Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Stephen visits a Hmong community of some 40,000 immigrants from Laos/Vietnam.  He has lunch with and speaks with the Hmong Senator, Mea Moua about the Hmong culture and history.  He takes a snowmobile ride out to go ice fishing.  He catches a small fish.  One of his guides catches a much large fish, a Pike.  The Pike is returned to the lake.  As Stephen and his guide are dining upon fish Stephen feels the urge to leave the ice when he hears it cracking beneath him.

We are halfway through our journey of all fifty United States.  In the next installment we head a bit farther west into the Mountains and Plains.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Three: Mississippi

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 3, Mississippi
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 26, 2008.

The "Mighty Mississippi River" is the theme of this entire episode.  Stephen follows it from the southernmost tip of the river in Louisiana to its source in Minnesota.

We start our journey in Louisiana where Stephen is in the French Quarter in New Orleans on Mardi Gras.  He is sporting a broken arm, the same break he received during a bad fall while filming another excellent documentary series Last Chance to see.  (For a top-notch recap of the entire Last Chance to See documentary please visit the "A Media Mindset" blog.)  He takes us to see Sallie Ann Glassman, a Voodoo priestess and attends a Voodoo celebration.  Glassman describes Voodoo as a mix of African traditions that came over with the slaves, European Catholicism, Native American practices and Masonry; "a gumbo of all those traditions".  He tours some of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans with Isiah.  He takes a ferry ride up the Mississippi on his way to his next stop:  the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as "Angola" or "The Farm".  It houses some 5,000 prisoners and employs 1,800 staff members.  He tours the 18,000 acre prison campus with the warden, Burl Cain.  He sees the workshop where prisoners make wheelchairs and items to assist the handicapped.  While the security might seem lax, the prisoners know that if they try and escape, if the guards don't get them, the wild hogs, alligators, snakes, bears and other panthers that roam the woods near the prison very well might.


To Natchez, Mississippi where he passes by a riverboat and several beautiful antebellum plantation homes and through to Clarksdale, Mississippi.  Clarksdale carries the motto "The Home of the Blues" because a good number of blues musicians are from Clarksdale, Mississippi.  He goes to Ground Zero, a music club owned by Morgan Freeman who explains why  the area is called the "Delta". 

From Mississippi we move into Arkansas.  Stephen canoes along the Mississippi with John Ruskie who runs courses in river craft for urban youths. 

We move 300 miles upstream to St. Louis, Missouri.  But, instead of visiting the St. Louis arch Stephen tours the homeless areas of the city and actually speaks with homeless individuals.  He visits a building known to the homeless as "The Riverfront Hilton".  While I know that there are homeless individuals that live that way by choice, I still found it incredibly shocking to hear one of the homeless men Stephen spoke with actually say they "chose to live like this".

He moves on to Iowa to the Maharishi Vedic City.  It has its own currency and constitution.  It was incorporated on July 21, 2001 and is the world's center for transcendental mediation.  He stops by the office of Dr. Fred Travis where his alpha waves are tested. 

Stephen makes a stop in Elkhart, Indiana and takes a ride in a big, red firetruck with fire Chief Mike Compton.  He actually goes into a burning building where a fire was set by the fire department for training purposes.  He describes being in the building as "just Hell".

Stephen discusses the Kent State incident while passing through the state of Ohio. 

On to Detroit, Michigan and to the Ford village located next to the Ford Motor plant and takes a ride in a Model "T" Ford.  He then moves on to Ford's most bitter rival:  General Motors.  He speaks with John Manoogian, the designer of a new model of Cadillac, at the tech center. 

Next, we travel to the state of Illinois.  Stephen gives us a 'birds eye view' of Chicago before heading off to visit Buddy Guy at a blues club.  He and Guy go on a tour of the South Side.  He moves from the blues to comedy with a visit to the Second City comedy club.  He even performs with the comedians then has a hot dog with all the trimmings with a couple of the latest stars of Second City.  One of the young comedians explains why Chicago is called "the Windy City".  He goes to a factory to see Oscars being made and even helps a bit by dipping a statue into the gold.  He looks out over the city at night from the observatory at the Sears Tower to see a breathtaking view of lights of all colors.

In the state of Wisconsin where our brave host makes comment about how cold it is and shows viewers a bottle of water he left in his cab overnight that is now frozen solid.  He goes to a farm that makes Ewe's milk cheese.  He tries his hand working the milkers.  He comments that American cheeses are "appalling".

Finally, we arrive in Minnesota and head to Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Stephen visits a Hmong community of some 40,000 immigrants from Laos/Vietnam.  He has lunch with and speaks with the Hmong Senator, Mea Moua about the Hmong culture and history.  He takes a snowmobile ride out to go ice fishing.  He catches a small fish.  One of his guides catches a much large fish, a Pike.  The Pike is returned to the lake.  As Stephen and his guide are dining upon fish Stephen feels the urge to leave the ice when he hears it cracking beneath him.

We are halfway through our journey of all fifty United States.  In the next installment we head a bit farther west into the Mountains and Plains.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Two: The Deep South

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 2, The Deep South
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 19, 2008.

In this, the second part of Stephen Fry in America, Stephen leaves the hustle and bustle of the busy eastern United States and heads for the more laid back life of the Deep South.  In this episode, Stephen encounters colorful locations and even more colorful people.

Our first stop is the state of Virginia where Stephen watches a military parade at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day. 

Next, we move on to West Virginia.  Stephen gives us the story of the Mason-Dixon line and actually takes us to the stone marking the line itself.  For something that is so famously referred to by many in the South, the Mason-Dixon line is in a remote location with not even a formal sign marking it.  Stephen next visits a coal mine where he gears up and goes down into the mine with the brave men who work it.  It is a dark and frightening place he goes into.  It's like a hot, black and endless tomb.  And with all the recent stories of mine cave-in's that have been in the U.S. news, I can't help but look at the faces in this episode and wonder if they are all still alive.  They truly are brave men.

After leaving West Virginia, we enter the state of Kentucky.  Stephen takes some time to look over the horse flesh in the state.  He speaks with a young man who actually has a tattoo of the state of Kentucky on his posterior.  Now, I'm sure we all love where we live but, really, would you have where you live tattooed on your heiny?  Stephen attends an auction at a horse trading house and later talks to the auctioneer about the method of speaking during the auction.  Stephen is quite fascinated by the fast way of speaking of the auctioneer.  After a drive through a Kentucky rain shower he visits the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Distillery for a tour and a tasting session where he appears to have a very good time.  One of the crew had to drive him home after that session, I bet.  Next, we go to London, Kentucky to a barber shop where he talks with the locals and even tries out the Kentucky accent while getting his hair cut.

Stephen next heads to Kentucky's neighbor to the south, Tennessee.  He visits a former school on a Friday evening to listen to Bluegrass Music being played and enjoyed by the locals.  He learns to pronounce the name of a Bluegrass band he's listening to and is told by one of the players that "ya'll talk funny over there" meaning Stephen has a funny accent.  Next, Stephen heads to Knoxville to visit the Department of Forensic Anthropology or the 'body farm' at the University of Tennessee.  This isn't a place you'd want to visit on your yearly family vacation.  It isn't even a place you'd want to think about visiting.  Here, the University of Tennessee has a collection of dead bodies that are left out in the elements to decompose.  Forensic students use the over 180 bodies to learn about forensics and the decomposition of the human body.  It's a gruesome and frightening place but, at the same time, a very positive and hopeful place.  It's comforting to think that the important work being done at the U of T "body farm" goes a long way to helping the loved ones of those who have died horrible deaths the closure and peace they need.

On to North Carolina and the Smokey Mountain National Park where he sees a black bear in a tree chewing a branch to get a great stash of berries.  Stephen takes a balloon ride over the Mountains to see them from the air.  The sights the camera catches from over a mile into the air are stunning.  It is fall when Stephen visits North Carolina so all the trees are a blaze of red, orange, yellow and green as far as the eye can see.  They go down to treetop level and Stephen is able to lean over the edge of the basket and pick a leaf from a tree.  Sometimes, from the air is the best way to view the beauty of the mountains.

Next, to the lowland coast of South Carolina and Gullah culture.  Gullah is a culture brought to America by the slaves.  He speaks with Anita Singleton-Prather, a descendant of slaves brought to the United States from Africa and a Gullah expert.  She defines Gullah as "the blending of different cultures of West Africans that were brought here with that of the Europeans that became the masters of the plantations with the Native Americans that were the originals owners of the property and the plantations".  She gives us a treat of speaking a bit of the Gullah language.  She's an amazing woman.

Stephen visits Georgia on Thanksgiving day.  He spends the day at an old southern Georgia plantation with the family that owns it.  He rides Shadow, a Tennessee Walking Horse.  Shadow is described as a very gentle horse, especially for people who don't know how to ride.  However, when Stephen gets on the horse, Shadow just has to start galloping instead of just leisurely walking.  He speaks with two ladies, one who is a young 91 and 98.  Their grandfather fought in the United States Civil War.  Later, Stephen stands by as the family sings "America the Beautiful".  Then, now that the deep fried turkeys are done Stephen has Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Next, we hit the state of Florida where Stephen goes to Miami, a city he clearly is not fond of.  He thinks it a "hole" and says it isn't his kind of city.  It is "horrible, horrible concrete buildings".  He heads to Miami Beach hoping it isn't quite as "revolting".  I get the impression that Miami and Miami Beach are two places Stephen will not be visiting for pleasure very often.  He stops in at a "Snowbird" party of retired people who migrate to Florida for the winter.  Stephen hates dancing and sees the party as the "living embodiment of Hell".  Next, he's off to take a ride out into the Everglades.

Our final stop is the state of Alabama.  Stephen makes a stop in Montgomery and sits in at a Pardons and Paroles session.  This is another bit of Stephen Fry in America that focuses on the darker, gritter part of American life.  It isn't something you want to attend on your family vacation.  He listens to some of the cases and what the friends and loved ones as well as the victims have to say in behalf of the prisoners.  Stephen attends one of the most extravagant and insane displays in southern culture:  a football game.  He stops in to the Auburn University Stadium for a game between Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.  Stephen describes he whole event:  "I really don't know if anything sums up America better.  It's simultaneously preposterous, incredibly laughable, impressive, charming, ridiculous, expensive, overpopulated, wonderful, American."  I must agree that "preposterous, incredibly laughable, ridiculous, expensive and overpopulated" are perfect ways to describe the spectacular that is sports in the South.

Stay tuned for the next part of Stephen Fry in America when we visit the "Mighty Mississippi River".

Stephen Fry in America, Episode Two: The Deep South

Stephen Fry in America
Episode 2, The Deep South
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 19, 2008.

In this, the second part of Stephen Fry in America, Stephen leaves the hustle and bustle of the busy eastern United States and heads for the more laid back life of the Deep South.  In this episode, Stephen encounters colorful locations and even more colorful people.

Our first stop is the state of Virginia where Stephen watches a military parade at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day. 

Next, we move on to West Virginia.  Stephen gives us the story of the Mason-Dixon line and actually takes us to the stone marking the line itself.  For something that is so famously referred to by many in the South, the Mason-Dixon line is in a remote location with not even a formal sign marking it.  Stephen next visits a coal mine where he gears up and goes down into the mine with the brave men who work it.  It is a dark and frightening place he goes into.  It's like a hot, black and endless tomb.  And with all the recent stories of mine cave-in's that have been in the U.S. news, I can't help but look at the faces in this episode and wonder if they are all still alive.  They truly are brave men.

After leaving West Virginia, we enter the state of Kentucky.  Stephen takes some time to look over the horse flesh in the state.  He speaks with a young man who actually has a tattoo of the state of Kentucky on his posterior.  Now, I'm sure we all love where we live but, really, would you have where you live tattooed on your heiny?  Stephen attends an auction at a horse trading house and later talks to the auctioneer about the method of speaking during the auction.  Stephen is quite fascinated by the fast way of speaking of the auctioneer.  After a drive through a Kentucky rain shower he visits the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Distillery for a tour and a tasting session where he appears to have a very good time.  One of the crew had to drive him home after that session, I bet.  Next, we go to London, Kentucky to a barber shop where he talks with the locals and even tries out the Kentucky accent while getting his hair cut.

Stephen next heads to Kentucky's neighbor to the south, Tennessee.  He visits a former school on a Friday evening to listen to Bluegrass Music being played and enjoyed by the locals.  He learns to pronounce the name of a Bluegrass band he's listening to and is told by one of the players that "ya'll talk funny over there" meaning Stephen has a funny accent.  Next, Stephen heads to Knoxville to visit the Department of Forensic Anthropology or the 'body farm' at the University of Tennessee.  This isn't a place you'd want to visit on your yearly family vacation.  It isn't even a place you'd want to think about visiting.  Here, the University of Tennessee has a collection of dead bodies that are left out in the elements to decompose.  Forensic students use the over 180 bodies to learn about forensics and the decomposition of the human body.  It's a gruesome and frightening place but, at the same time, a very positive and hopeful place.  It's comforting to think that the important work being done at the U of T "body farm" goes a long way to helping the loved ones of those who have died horrible deaths the closure and peace they need.

On to North Carolina and the Smokey Mountain National Park where he sees a black bear in a tree chewing a branch to get a great stash of berries.  Stephen takes a balloon ride over the Mountains to see them from the air.  The sights the camera catches from over a mile into the air are stunning.  It is fall when Stephen visits North Carolina so all the trees are a blaze of red, orange, yellow and green as far as the eye can see.  They go down to treetop level and Stephen is able to lean over the edge of the basket and pick a leaf from a tree.  Sometimes, from the air is the best way to view the beauty of the mountains.

Next, to the lowland coast of South Carolina and Gullah culture.  Gullah is a culture brought to America by the slaves.  He speaks with Anita Singleton-Prather, a descendant of slaves brought to the United States from Africa and a Gullah expert.  She defines Gullah as "the blending of different cultures of West Africans that were brought here with that of the Europeans that became the masters of the plantations with the Native Americans that were the originals owners of the property and the plantations".  She gives us a treat of speaking a bit of the Gullah language.  She's an amazing woman.

Stephen visits Georgia on Thanksgiving day.  He spends the day at an old southern Georgia plantation with the family that owns it.  He rides Shadow, a Tennessee Walking Horse.  Shadow is described as a very gentle horse, especially for people who don't know how to ride.  However, when Stephen gets on the horse, Shadow just has to start galloping instead of just leisurely walking.  He speaks with two ladies, one who is a young 91 and 98.  Their grandfather fought in the United States Civil War.  Later, Stephen stands by as the family sings "America the Beautiful".  Then, now that the deep fried turkeys are done Stephen has Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Next, we hit the state of Florida where Stephen goes to Miami, a city he clearly is not fond of.  He thinks it a "hole" and says it isn't his kind of city.  It is "horrible, horrible concrete buildings".  He heads to Miami Beach hoping it isn't quite as "revolting".  I get the impression that Miami and Miami Beach are two places Stephen will not be visiting for pleasure very often.  He stops in at a "Snowbird" party of retired people who migrate to Florida for the winter.  Stephen hates dancing and sees the party as the "living embodiment of Hell".  Next, he's off to take a ride out into the Everglades.

Our final stop is the state of Alabama.  Stephen makes a stop in Montgomery and sits in at a Pardons and Paroles session.  This is another bit of Stephen Fry in America that focuses on the darker, gritter part of American life.  It isn't something you want to attend on your family vacation.  He listens to some of the cases and what the friends and loved ones as well as the victims have to say in behalf of the prisoners.  Stephen attends one of the most extravagant and insane displays in southern culture:  a football game.  He stops in to the Auburn University Stadium for a game between Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.  Stephen describes he whole event:  "I really don't know if anything sums up America better.  It's simultaneously preposterous, incredibly laughable, impressive, charming, ridiculous, expensive, overpopulated, wonderful, American."  I must agree that "preposterous, incredibly laughable, ridiculous, expensive and overpopulated" are perfect ways to describe the spectacular that is sports in the South.

Stay tuned for the next part of Stephen Fry in America when we visit the "Mighty Mississippi River".

Stephen Fry in America, Episode One: The New World, New England

Yeah, I've gotten a tad side-tracked and it's taken me longer than I intended to get this up.  I know I promised this a while back, so, after too-long of a wait, here it finally is.  Mr. Fry packs so much into a single hour that it would take several pages to give you every single detail so I'm just going to be giving you a hit-and-miss review of all the places he goes and all the things he sees.

Stephen Fry in America
Episode One, New World, New England
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 12, 2008

In this, the beginning of Stephen Fry in America our fearless hero takes us on a guided tour of the eastern United States.  The eastern portion of the United States is best known for its picturesque views, stunning fall colors, never-sleeping big cities and colorful residents.  We see all of these things in this episode, plus.

The first stop on our journey is the state of Maine.  Maine is the northernmost, easternmost state in the continental United States.  It is widely known as the home of author Stephen King and setting for the large majority of his writings, moose and as one of the best places, if not the best place, in the United States to go for fresh seafood.  Following the latter, Stephen takes us to the city of Eastport where he goes lobster fishing with a local family of commercial fishermen.  Stephen goes out on the boat with them and, then once back on land, he learns how to "put a lobster to sleep" before enjoying a fresh lobster dinner.



Next, we move on to the state of New Hampshire.  New Hampshire must come in second only to Massachusetts in terms of political importance to the United States.  If it weren't for the prominence of Massachusetts' Kennedy family it would probably come in first place.  Stephen's visit to New Hampshire focuses on a political rally for Mitt Romney.  He attends a house party at the home of one of Romney's supporters and discusses the political atmosphere and process in the United States.  Then, he moves on to something much more interesting and relaxing than politics. (And, really, isn't just about anything more relaxing and interesting than politics?)  Stephen visits the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods and takes a train to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States.  It is also the windiest place on the planet.  A record of 231mph was set on April 12, 1934.

Next, Stephen moves on to Vermont where he visits Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.  Ben & Jerry's is one of the most popular brands of ice cream in the United States.  They specialize in unique flavors that have even more unique names.  Some of their popular flavors are Cherry Garcia, a cherry flavored ice cream named after Grateful Dead member Jerry Garcia and Chunky Monkey, a banana flavored ice cream.  Stephen tries his hand at creating his very own ice cream flavor.  He mixes vanilla ice cream with candy bits and walnuts and a blend of chocolate and the flavor is ultimately named "Even Stephen".  You know, I wouldn't mind stocking my freezer with a pint or two of "Even Stephen"!

But, unfortunately, we cannot stay with Ben & Jerry forever so we move on to New York state.  Of course the most famous thing about New York state is New York City but, for now, we're not going there.  We are in the Adirondack Mountains where we visit a beautiful cabin built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, Topridge.  After a brief tour of the luxurious cabin, Stephen on to his next activity in New York state:  hunting white tailed deer.  Now, I've really got to say here that I find deer hunting to be an absolutely repulsive sport so I developed an entirely new love for Stephen when he asked the hunters if they could shoot the deer with the cameras instead of guns.  While Stephen is a meat eater, he doesn't want to see an animal actually being harmed.  When you consider the other rituals the hunters go through to track their prize (such as smearing themselves with deer poo and not washing their hunting clothes for the entirety of hunting season) and that deer hunting can be long hours of simply sitting and waiting I can imagine Stephen was mighty happy to be moving on from his New York hunting party to his next destination.  (I know I would have been!)

Next, we enter the state of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts is the home to the famed Kennedy family of politicians (President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy) as well as home to famed ivy league university Harvard.  Stephen attends a tea party in Boston at Harvard University being hosted by Professor of Divinity Peter Gomes.  He discusses the history Harvard University as well as a brief history of American social attitudes.  Another thing that the state of Massachusetts is famous for is witches.  And not the witches of Hollywood like you see on Charmed or Sabrina the Teenaged Witch but real people who practice witchcraft as their religion.  Stephen stops by Salem, Massachusetts and speaks with Laurie Cabot in her shop about her religion.  He even gets to attend a Sowain (Samhain) celebration, or a witches New Year celebration. 

After a night of celebrating with witches in Salem, Massachusetts, Stephen moves on to Connecticut where he starts off by sailing on an America's Cup yacht, The Weatherly, before heading to the United States Navy submarine yard where he tours a submarine and gets to raise the periscope and look through it much to his pleasure.  He has a seat in the officers mess and speaks with his tour guide about daily life on the submarine.  He gets a view of the torpedo room and gets to see an actual Tomahawk missile.

Next, we move to the tiny state of Rhode Island and the city of Newport.  Stephen shows us a few of the stately "cottages" built there by the wealthiest of Americans at the start of the twentieth century.  He visits one of the cottages where author Edith Wharton used to live.  He speaks with one of her friends about life at the cottage and about attending the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier.

Back we head to the state of New York, but this time, we go to the Big Apple, New York City.  There, Stephen meets up with a gentleman who drives a cab for a living and is given a small tour of Manhattan where he learns about the "class cleansing" in New York City and how the cabbie judges who he will and won't pick up.  John the cabbie takes him to what Stephen calls a "Goodfellas social club".  There, he meets a group of gentlemen who are true New Yorkers through and through.  From their sense of humor to their accent they are pure New Yorkers.  They talk to Stephen about everything from running numbers to why there are bullet holes (!!) in the walls of the club to one of them having the pleasure of working with Robert DeNiro.  Before leaving New York City, Stephen drives ex-Police front man Sting around for a bit while they discuss life in the Big Apple.

On to New Jersey!  No Jersey Shore antics on this visit!  No, Stephen takes us to Atlantic City.  Atlantic City is one of the most famous gambling meccas in the United States; right up there with Las Vegas.  Stephen tries his hand dealing blackjack in a casino.  He doesn't do a bad job but I really do think it's best he keep his day job.

Next, he crosses the Delaware River by ferry.  Once on land and in his little black cab Stephen recites the old song Delaware by Perry Como.

Our next state is Maryland.  However, we're just passing through here.  Nothing to see here, gentlemen.  Move along, please!!

And we hit Washington D.C.  Washington D.C. isn't a state but, by all American standards, it could be.  Washington D.C. is where all American laws, both good and bad, are made and American politicians, both good and bad, get together to make those laws.  It is a city that is often ripe with scandal, corruption and dirty politics.  But we don't see any of that on this visit with Stephen, thankfully.  Instead, he sits down for a brief conversation with the founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales then heads off for a show at a local comedy club, Capitol Steps.  Stephen talks politics and show business over lunch with two of the performers from the club before heading off to the Willard International Hotel.

The final leg of our journey in episode one is the state of Pennsylvania.  Stephen visits the city of Gettysburg where he views the Civil War battlefield where more than 46,000 and 51,000 men and boys were killed in the battle fought there from July 1 to July 3, 1863.

The next installment of Stephen Fry in America takes us to the Deep South where he visits states such as Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Florida and Alabama.

Stephen Fry in America, Episode One: The New World, New England

Yeah, I've gotten a tad side-tracked and it's taken me longer than I intended to get this up.  I know I promised this a while back, so, after too-long of a wait, here it finally is.  Mr. Fry packs so much into a single hour that it would take several pages to give you every single detail so I'm just going to be giving you a hit-and-miss review of all the places he goes and all the things he sees.

Stephen Fry in America
Episode One, New World, New England
The original air date for this episode on BBC One was October 12, 2008

In this, the beginning of Stephen Fry in America our fearless hero takes us on a guided tour of the eastern United States.  The eastern portion of the United States is best known for its picturesque views, stunning fall colors, never-sleeping big cities and colorful residents.  We see all of these things in this episode, plus.

The first stop on our journey is the state of Maine.  Maine is the northernmost, easternmost state in the continental United States.  It is widely known as the home of author Stephen King and setting for the large majority of his writings, moose and as one of the best places, if not the best place, in the United States to go for fresh seafood.  Following the latter, Stephen takes us to the city of Eastport where he goes lobster fishing with a local family of commercial fishermen.  Stephen goes out on the boat with them and, then once back on land, he learns how to "put a lobster to sleep" before enjoying a fresh lobster dinner.



Next, we move on to the state of New Hampshire.  New Hampshire must come in second only to Massachusetts in terms of political importance to the United States.  If it weren't for the prominence of Massachusetts' Kennedy family it would probably come in first place.  Stephen's visit to New Hampshire focuses on a political rally for Mitt Romney.  He attends a house party at the home of one of Romney's supporters and discusses the political atmosphere and process in the United States.  Then, he moves on to something much more interesting and relaxing than politics. (And, really, isn't just about anything more relaxing and interesting than politics?)  Stephen visits the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods and takes a train to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States.  It is also the windiest place on the planet.  A record of 231mph was set on April 12, 1934.

Next, Stephen moves on to Vermont where he visits Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.  Ben & Jerry's is one of the most popular brands of ice cream in the United States.  They specialize in unique flavors that have even more unique names.  Some of their popular flavors are Cherry Garcia, a cherry flavored ice cream named after Grateful Dead member Jerry Garcia and Chunky Monkey, a banana flavored ice cream.  Stephen tries his hand at creating his very own ice cream flavor.  He mixes vanilla ice cream with candy bits and walnuts and a blend of chocolate and the flavor is ultimately named "Even Stephen".  You know, I wouldn't mind stocking my freezer with a pint or two of "Even Stephen"!

But, unfortunately, we cannot stay with Ben & Jerry forever so we move on to New York state.  Of course the most famous thing about New York state is New York City but, for now, we're not going there.  We are in the Adirondack Mountains where we visit a beautiful cabin built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, Topridge.  After a brief tour of the luxurious cabin, Stephen on to his next activity in New York state:  hunting white tailed deer.  Now, I've really got to say here that I find deer hunting to be an absolutely repulsive sport so I developed an entirely new love for Stephen when he asked the hunters if they could shoot the deer with the cameras instead of guns.  While Stephen is a meat eater, he doesn't want to see an animal actually being harmed.  When you consider the other rituals the hunters go through to track their prize (such as smearing themselves with deer poo and not washing their hunting clothes for the entirety of hunting season) and that deer hunting can be long hours of simply sitting and waiting I can imagine Stephen was mighty happy to be moving on from his New York hunting party to his next destination.  (I know I would have been!)

Next, we enter the state of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts is the home to the famed Kennedy family of politicians (President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy) as well as home to famed ivy league university Harvard.  Stephen attends a tea party in Boston at Harvard University being hosted by Professor of Divinity Peter Gomes.  He discusses the history Harvard University as well as a brief history of American social attitudes.  Another thing that the state of Massachusetts is famous for is witches.  And not the witches of Hollywood like you see on Charmed or Sabrina the Teenaged Witch but real people who practice witchcraft as their religion.  Stephen stops by Salem, Massachusetts and speaks with Laurie Cabot in her shop about her religion.  He even gets to attend a Sowain (Samhain) celebration, or a witches New Year celebration. 

After a night of celebrating with witches in Salem, Massachusetts, Stephen moves on to Connecticut where he starts off by sailing on an America's Cup yacht, The Weatherly, before heading to the United States Navy submarine yard where he tours a submarine and gets to raise the periscope and look through it much to his pleasure.  He has a seat in the officers mess and speaks with his tour guide about daily life on the submarine.  He gets a view of the torpedo room and gets to see an actual Tomahawk missile.

Next, we move to the tiny state of Rhode Island and the city of Newport.  Stephen shows us a few of the stately "cottages" built there by the wealthiest of Americans at the start of the twentieth century.  He visits one of the cottages where author Edith Wharton used to live.  He speaks with one of her friends about life at the cottage and about attending the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier.

Back we head to the state of New York, but this time, we go to the Big Apple, New York City.  There, Stephen meets up with a gentleman who drives a cab for a living and is given a small tour of Manhattan where he learns about the "class cleansing" in New York City and how the cabbie judges who he will and won't pick up.  John the cabbie takes him to what Stephen calls a "Goodfellas social club".  There, he meets a group of gentlemen who are true New Yorkers through and through.  From their sense of humor to their accent they are pure New Yorkers.  They talk to Stephen about everything from running numbers to why there are bullet holes (!!) in the walls of the club to one of them having the pleasure of working with Robert DeNiro.  Before leaving New York City, Stephen drives ex-Police front man Sting around for a bit while they discuss life in the Big Apple.

On to New Jersey!  No Jersey Shore antics on this visit!  No, Stephen takes us to Atlantic City.  Atlantic City is one of the most famous gambling meccas in the United States; right up there with Las Vegas.  Stephen tries his hand dealing blackjack in a casino.  He doesn't do a bad job but I really do think it's best he keep his day job.

Next, he crosses the Delaware River by ferry.  Once on land and in his little black cab Stephen recites the old song Delaware by Perry Como.

Our next state is Maryland.  However, we're just passing through here.  Nothing to see here, gentlemen.  Move along, please!!

And we hit Washington D.C.  Washington D.C. isn't a state but, by all American standards, it could be.  Washington D.C. is where all American laws, both good and bad, are made and American politicians, both good and bad, get together to make those laws.  It is a city that is often ripe with scandal, corruption and dirty politics.  But we don't see any of that on this visit with Stephen, thankfully.  Instead, he sits down for a brief conversation with the founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales then heads off for a show at a local comedy club, Capitol Steps.  Stephen talks politics and show business over lunch with two of the performers from the club before heading off to the Willard International Hotel.

The final leg of our journey in episode one is the state of Pennsylvania.  Stephen visits the city of Gettysburg where he views the Civil War battlefield where more than 46,000 and 51,000 men and boys were killed in the battle fought there from July 1 to July 3, 1863.

The next installment of Stephen Fry in America takes us to the Deep South where he visits states such as Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Florida and Alabama.

Stephen Fry in America: An Introduction

"I was so nearly an American. It was that close. In the mid-1950s my father was offered a job at Princeton University – something to do with the emerging science of semiconductors. One of the reasons he turned it down was that he didn’t think he liked the idea of his children growing up as Americans. I was born, therefore, not in NJ but in NW3."

So begins Stephen Fry in America.

When a documentary is made about a particular country or state usually you see the normal tourist highlights. When one thinks of the United States places like Washington D.C., Miami Beach, Hawaii, Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis might come to mind. Stephen shows you those things in this documentary, but he also focuses on the roads less traveled in America. He doesn't just show the beautiful side of life in America, he shows a part of American life that is gritty, depressing, violent and heartbreaking. He sugar coats nothing and you get to see parts of America for all they are worth--both good and bad.

I'd wager that even people who were born and raised their entire lives as United States citizens will be seeing some things that they've never seen before. Mr. Fry is able to take viewers places the average traveler wouldn't be able to go or wouldn't care to go such as inside a home built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, on a tour of a U.S. Navy submarine, to a "body farm", sitting in on a Pardons and Paroles session in Alabama, inside Angola State Penitentiary, to the factory where the Oscars are made and a home once lived in by Edith Wharton.

Stephen Fry in America was presented in the United Kingdom in six, sixty-minute segments on BBC One in October and November of 2008. Viewers in the United States were able to see the documentary on HDNet. Stephen drove a black London cab, "albeit hired in the U.S." to all 50 of the States (he couldn't take his little cab to Alaska and Hawaii). Each segment comprised one section of the United States.

He meets a wide variety of people in his travels: barbers, deer hunters, prisoners, celebrities, Native Americans, distillers and amateur musicians. The people themselves are often as colorful and unique as their surroundings. I mean, how many people would really have the state of Kentucky tattooed on their posterior? That's being unique!

Episode One, New England saw Stephen visiting Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York City, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Episode Two, The Deep South took Stephen through Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

Episode Three, The Mississippi River brought Stephen to Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Episode Four, Mountains and Plains took our host through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas

Episode Five, True West continues the journey to New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Nevada

Episode Six, Pacific completes the journey by visiting California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii

Fans of Stephen Fry in America, myself included, have been hoping for a long time that extra footage Stephen and his crew obtained during his travels in America would be compiled into a second series. The original series and a companion book, Stephen Fry In America, was released onto DVD in the United Kingdom. Fans in the United States are still awaiting the release of this brilliant documentary of their country to be released on DVD.

For more information about this amazing six part documentary series please visit Stephen Fry's official site. While you are there, why not enjoy the rest of the great content on Stephen's site? You might even want to join Club Fry so you can leave comments for Stephen and discuss all things Fry (and even things non-Fry) with other Stephen Fry fans.

Over the course of the next several days I will be discussing each of the six parts in greater detail. To start off with, enjoy a brief introduction to Stephen Fry in America from You Tube presented on the BBC's Official YouTube channel:

Stephen Fry in America: An Introduction

"I was so nearly an American. It was that close. In the mid-1950s my father was offered a job at Princeton University – something to do with the emerging science of semiconductors. One of the reasons he turned it down was that he didn’t think he liked the idea of his children growing up as Americans. I was born, therefore, not in NJ but in NW3."

So begins Stephen Fry in America.

When a documentary is made about a particular country or state usually you see the normal tourist highlights. When one thinks of the United States places like Washington D.C., Miami Beach, Hawaii, Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis might come to mind. Stephen shows you those things in this documentary, but he also focuses on the roads less traveled in America. He doesn't just show the beautiful side of life in America, he shows a part of American life that is gritty, depressing, violent and heartbreaking. He sugar coats nothing and you get to see parts of America for all they are worth--both good and bad.

I'd wager that even people who were born and raised their entire lives as United States citizens will be seeing some things that they've never seen before. Mr. Fry is able to take viewers places the average traveler wouldn't be able to go or wouldn't care to go such as inside a home built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, on a tour of a U.S. Navy submarine, to a "body farm", sitting in on a Pardons and Paroles session in Alabama, inside Angola State Penitentiary, to the factory where the Oscars are made and a home once lived in by Edith Wharton.

Stephen Fry in America was presented in the United Kingdom in six, sixty-minute segments on BBC One in October and November of 2008. Viewers in the United States were able to see the documentary on HDNet. Stephen drove a black London cab, "albeit hired in the U.S." to all 50 of the States (he couldn't take his little cab to Alaska and Hawaii). Each segment comprised one section of the United States.

He meets a wide variety of people in his travels: barbers, deer hunters, prisoners, celebrities, Native Americans, distillers and amateur musicians. The people themselves are often as colorful and unique as their surroundings. I mean, how many people would really have the state of Kentucky tattooed on their posterior? That's being unique!

Episode One, New England saw Stephen visiting Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York City, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Episode Two, The Deep South took Stephen through Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

Episode Three, The Mississippi River brought Stephen to Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Episode Four, Mountains and Plains took our host through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas

Episode Five, True West continues the journey to New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Nevada

Episode Six, Pacific completes the journey by visiting California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii

Fans of Stephen Fry in America, myself included, have been hoping for a long time that extra footage Stephen and his crew obtained during his travels in America would be compiled into a second series. The original series and a companion book, Stephen Fry In America, was released onto DVD in the United Kingdom. Fans in the United States are still awaiting the release of this brilliant documentary of their country to be released on DVD.

For more information about this amazing six part documentary series please visit Stephen Fry's official site. While you are there, why not enjoy the rest of the great content on Stephen's site? You might even want to join Club Fry so you can leave comments for Stephen and discuss all things Fry (and even things non-Fry) with other Stephen Fry fans.

Over the course of the next several days I will be discussing each of the six parts in greater detail. To start off with, enjoy a brief introduction to Stephen Fry in America from You Tube presented on the BBC's Official YouTube channel: