Brand is best known as a comedian and actor who’s appeared in movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek. Brand also writes and discusses his struggles with addiction and recovery, while focusing heavily on philosophy and related topics. All of these subjects are a big focus of his podcast.
Bear and Brand first met and became friends after Brand filmed an upcoming episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
On the podcast, the two discuss the show, Bear’s adventures, his connection with those who have served, and, of course, surviving in the world.
Here’s a look at the best moments of the podcast.
New Behind-the-Scenes Details About Running Wild
It’s not easy to imagine Russell Brand in the outdoors, but it is easy to imagine he would be an entertaining guest on Bear’s show. The two sounded like they had a great time filming, and Bear said Brand is the exact kind of guest he loves to have on Running Wild, people who are willing to go outside their comfort zone.
“There were moments in the show where I was actually generally terrified,” says Brand.
However, Bear was candid with his response and said even big-name Hollywood action stars faced uncomfortable moments on the show. People like Zach Efron admitted their trepidation for going off the beaten path.
Filming the show has since inspired Brand to take up rock climbing.
Bear Shares What Adventure He Would Never Do Again
On the podcast, Brand asks Bear which adventure he would avoid doing again.
Bear explains that adventure starts when something goes wrong. He’s faced significant threats, from faulty parachutes to snake bites.
However, one trip came to mind—a trip up toward the Arctic with five others on an inflatable motor boat. The group traveled from Halifax, Nova Scotia up to Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland. Along the way, the group got trapped in massive storms, and it was extremely dangerous.
Bear says while the situation created lifelong friendships, he learned to respect Mother Nature in a new way.
Bear’s Focus on the Men and Women Who Serve
The military will always hold a special place in Bear’s life, especially when bonding with those who serve.
Bear, who served in Britain’s Territorial Army, says he always misses the camaraderie that the military creates. He tries to replicate that in his daily life by looking for certain qualities in the people he hires for his show or expeditions.
“We always hire based on character and people we like and can trust before the skills,” says Bear. “The skills you can teach, but loyalty, kindness and selflessness, those sort of qualities are harder to teach.”
Sharing an Exclusive Clip of Brand Rappelling in Running Wild
One of the podcast’s funniest moments was an exclusive clip from Running Wild. In the clip, Bear works to calm Brand down before he rappels down a cliff. However, in true Brand-style humor, the comedian is wearing a kilt for the adventure and is a little exposed . . .
“True pity and apologies to the crew who were underneath you on that cliff face,” says Bear, joking about Brand’s Scottish kilt that is usually worn without any garments underneath.
Surviving the Apocalypse
The two also chatted about survival throughout the episode, with a heavy focus on today’s modern comforts. Both Brand and Bear discuss over-reliance on technology and society’s current disconnect with nature.
Bear used the opportunity to discuss the skills he believes are essential and the work of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy that teaches these skills.
“The fundamental principle is that nature is our best healer,” says Bear. “It’s all great when everything works, like when that cell phone works. When everything is going great, it’s great. But what happens when the cell phone doesn’t work, or when you do find yourself in life on that back foot and you’re struggling a bit? To me, that’s when adventure happens and when life gets interesting, but you’ve got to have some skills to fall back on.”
