Paul de Gelder, Discovery’s Shark Week – CR: Discovery Channel
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Discovery’s Shark Week begins tonight with the programs K-Pop Shark Heroes,Air Jaws: Red White and Breach, and Invasion of the Mega Sharks. Shark Week vet Paul de Gelder joins Dr. Neil Hammerschlag on a mission to track down the great white “Big Rose” on Invasion of the Mega Sharks, and that show premieres on Discovery at 11 pm et/pt. De Gelder, who also spearheads Bull Shark Dinner Bell (July 27) and Ultimate Shark Dive (July 30), talked to Deepest Dream about his gratifying work on Shark Week. Plus, he also discusses why Bimini is one of his favorite destinations!
Read more: Paul de Gelder Talks Discovery’s Shark Week And Love For Bimini in the Bahamas
Dr. Neil Hammerschlag riding on the back of the boat with Paul de Gelder, points to something in the distance. CR: Discovery Channel
Although new adventures is one of the elements of Discovery’s Shark Week, there is also the obvious value of education (and safety precautions). ”We’re not just doing it for cheap thrills,” said de Gelder. “And we’re not trying to make the sharks look bad. We are actually trying to create a show whereby we can keep people safe and teach them about the bull sharks and their environments. And how when humans enter the water, they can make the right choices so that they’re not gonna get hurt by a bull shark too.”
In the interview, de Gelder also talked about the challenges of public speaking and writing his autobiography Uncaged.
”I always found the challenge with writing a book was the making yourself actually sit down and start writing,” said de Gelder. “That was always hard, because I never knew where to begin. But once I sat down, the stories began to flow out. I always recommend to everyone I know, whether or not you’re gonna get a book published or not, sit down and write your story. I would love to read about the lives and the stories of my grandparents, my great grandparents, but they never wrote it down. So those stories, those incredible times that have changed so much, are now lost to time. If we think about how much the world is changing while we’re in it, and how much it’s gonna change for our kids and our grandkids – wouldn’t you imagine that they’ll wanna read about your life as well?
Being a world traveler comes with the job, and de Gelder also explained why Bimini, a chain of islands in the Bahamas, is one of his favorite destinations.
”Bimini in the Bahamas is always a favorite of mine,” said de Gelder. “I have run tourist trips out there just because I love it out there so much and I wanna share it with everyday people, not just on television. We go out there for a few days and I introduce all of these people to these incredible hammerhead sharks, and then the tiger sharks turn up as well. You don’t need to be on TV, (and) you don’t need to be a part of Shark Week. You can just be a normal, everyday person. (Just) go and get your scuba diving license, and you can come and see these amazing animals as well. So that’s probably one of my favorite places in the world.”
Catch a clip of Bull Shark Dinner Bell (airing July 27, 11 pm et/pt on Discovery):
Are you a fan of Paul de Gelder’s work and Discovery’s Shark Week? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Invasion of the Mega Sharks, featuring de Gelder and Dr. Neil Hammerschlag, airs tonight at 10 pm et/pt!
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I’ve been a movie reviewer/interview since 1991 (as a UCLA Daily Bruin scribe), worked at Westwood One for 20 years. Currently a podcast co-host of “CinemAddicts” and “Find Your Film.” I can be reached at [email protected] for inquiries or whatever the case may be!
