Canada – Brantford Expositor TV host flying high after plane crash
Published on Friday, February 15th, 2013, under Media
When Brantford’s SCOTT WILSON decided to dive into a new travel TV show, he wanted to go deeper than the typical tourist attractions.
Little did he know that his adventures would turn into pure irony.
The host of Descending, an underwater exploration show on OLN, was shooting footage in Indonesia last year when the small plane he was in descended directly into the ocean, taking him on the kind of underwater adventure you never want to see.
“There was a guy with a small float plane and he offered to take us up to get some aerials,” recalls Scott.
His partner and cameraman, ANDRE DUPUIS, went first, nabbing some wonderful aerial footage but, knowing what a plane nut Scott is, Andre encouraged him to take a ride.
Scott and the pilot buzzed over some dugongs – big manatee-like creatures – and went back for a better view.
“He ascended and the engine slowed and then the pilot cranked hard right and the plane stalled. Down we went.”
The saving grace, says Scott, was that they were only about 400 or 500 feet above the ocean and, although he was in the front of the little tandem plane, he was wearing a crash helmet so when the windshield blew in, he was somewhat protected.
“I kept thinking the guy was just hot-dogging and sooner or later we were going to pull out of the dive but suddenly I was surrounded by water!”
Two more things went right for the former BCI boy: his fingers miraculously found and released his five-point harness on the first try and, when he bobbed to the surface, he and the pilot found a pontoon from the plane had broken off before the aircraft sank out of sight.
Back on shore, Andre and Scott’s brother, JEFF WILSON, a producer on the show who sometimes gets to do field work with the travellers, were going crazy!
“They were frantically trying to get in boats to get to where they saw the plane go down. It shook my brother up pretty badly for two hours.”
And it still shakes up the guys’ mom, DIANNE WILSON. She refuses to watch that episode, which features footage that Andre got both before the crash and during the search for Scott and the pilot.
While some would have sworn off small planes or flying entirely, Scott went another route.
“In December, I officially became a pilot. It was a huge accomplishment for me and the crash was kind of a catalyst. I figure if something happens, I want to be in control!”
Meanwhile, Descending is nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards (formerly the Geminis) including Best Science or Nature Documentary Series. Winners will be announced Feb. 27.
And here’s good news for fans of Scott’s other venture, the award-winning Departures, which he hosted with BCI buddy JUSTIN LUKACH: Justin has returned to southern Ontario and the boys are once again “thick as thieves”.
“Departures’ term with National Geographic is just winding down and the rights have been sold to Travel Channel International. It’s weird but the U.K. is just getting to the end of Season 1 and I’m talking to people there about adventures we had five years ago.”
While Scott maintains there’s little chance of a Season 4 of the show, it just keeps plugging along in reruns.
“Justin and I have several irons in the fire right now. Whatever happens we always know our bags are packed and we’re ready to go.”
* * *
To get on the longest running game show in the world, you’ve got to have a plan, a ticket and some good old-fashioned Brantford chutzpah.
For 25 years, DAVE HUGMAN has dreamed and schemed of getting on The Price is Right. Each time business took him near Los Angeles, Dave applied for tickets.
Once, he even got them but he was mugged in the underground parking lot of the Toronto airport and the thief took his wallet, watch, travel funds and – most critical – his coveted Price is Right tickets.
Last month, Dave, a sales rep for 3M Canada, got a second chance to cross off this item from his bucket list. And the tickets he was granted were e-mailed, so they can’t be stolen.
“My plan to get chosen as a contestant was simple: be as nice as possible to everyone in line and make a lasting impression on anyone associated with the show,” says Dave.
His ticket allowed up to four people to get in but none of Dave’s co-workers was remotely interested in hitting the gates of CBS Television City at 6:30 a.m. to get a good seat.
“In fact, they all thought I was crazy!”
Just before the gates opened at 8:30 a.m., the couple behind Dave – dressed as hillbillies – took a close look at their tickets and discovered they were for a show two days later!
With 500 people waiting in line for 400 seats, the hillbillies were thrilled when Dave said they could come in on his ticket.
For the next four hours, from the ticket-taking station, photo station and producers’ interview, Dave schmoozed his way along, chatting up folks and displaying his excitement at being there.
During a rapid-fire questioning by the producers, Dave turned around the mundane questions around when he exposed his Wayne Gretzky T-shirt. He told the producers that he lives three streets away from where Wayne grew up and was instrumental in helping Gretzky become the greatest hockey player of all time.
“How so?” asked one of the producers.
“Well, I was a goalie in pee wee and played three games against Gretzky. He scored 41 goals against me and that gave him all the confidence in the world to go on and become a superstar!”
That got him a laugh and placed him firmly in the producers’ minds.
But Dave’s enthusiasm took a dive during lunch. While the studio audience ate, reruns of The Price is Right aired on screens around the room, which made Dave happy since he hadn’t seen the show in 20 years. He quickly became aware that he was at a distinct disadvantage!
“The people around me knew the prices to a penny! Rice-A-Roni … ’73 cents’ they mumbled in unison while I’m thinking two bucks. Ding-ding-ding – 73 cents it is!
“I’m thinking to myself, even if I get picked to ‘come on down!’ I’m dead given my lack of pricing knowledge.”
Soothing himself with the idea that it was really all about some camera time and he was the 27th person in the door so he’d get a good seat, Dave continued through the six-hour process.
“The usher at the studio doors looks at my number and his clip board and says, ‘Follow me.’ He walks past the good camera seats and heads to the far left of the studio! I noticed my hillbilly friends (numbers 28 and 29) were being seated in the centre of the studio and asked why we were split up since we came on the same ticket?”
This is where it pays to be generous. The usher said Dave could sit with his friends since they came together!
Minutes from show time, Dave and the audience are going crazy trying to impress the producers they had seen earlier.
In the midst of cheering and smiling, Dave sees the producers eying him – but also notices an older woman making her way up the stairs with a cane, looking at the empty seat beside him.
Leaping into action, he helped her to the seat, and aided her in getting off her coat and storing under her chair, as instructed, never letting on that he knew he was being watched.
Dave was so busy, he failed to see a guy walking across the stage with a big cue card bearing the name David Hugman in giant letters.
The hillbilly yelled: “David is your last name Hugman? Get up there before they call someone else!”
Stunned, Dave made his way to the stage and … well, we can’t tell you the rest of the story.
“After the show I was required to sign a contract that means I could be sued for the cost of producing the show if I tell anything,” says Dave.
But his episode airs on CBS on March 4 – and it’s worth seeing!
Stay tuned.
