Two New TV Shows For Drinkers

Nov. 30, 2014 – Two new shows dedicated to bar crawling around the world are competing in the 10:00 p.m. slot on Monday nights. “Booze Traveler” hosted by Jack Maxwell debuted on the Travel Channel on November 24. The same night at 10:30 p.m. National Geographic rolled out “Chug” hosted by Zane Lamprey.
Maxwell’s “Booze Traveler” puts his liver at risk in 13 foreign countries including Armenia, Belize, Lithuania, Mongolia and Nepal. He also visits less exotic locations like Louisiana and Tennessee. The opening show found him in Turkey downing Raki, the national drink of anise flavored distilled grapes mixed with water, which turns it cloudy. Other drinks included one made from the petals of red poppies. Frequent cultural and historic references keep it interesting including a story that Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey was so fond of Raki that he made a bottle a member of his Cabinet. It sounds apocryphal but Ataturk did die of liver disease so who knows.

The intrepid Jack Maxwell, whose credits include appearances in “24”, “Lost” and “Beverly Hills 90210” will sample some very bizarre drinks as the season continues including “spit beer” brewed with saliva by an Amazon jungle tribe. We may skip that one.
“Chug” on NatGeo has the distinction of being the first Kickstarter-funded series to air on TV. The goal of $500,000 was quickly exceeded with $591,803 raised in just 45 days. Zane Lamprey’s track record as the host of “Three Sheets” which aired for four seasons, 2006-2009, as well as “Drinking Made Easy” which finished in 2013 obviously energized a fan base of 8,177 backers.

The name “Chug” does not refer to drinking but to chugging along in a train, Lamprey’s preferred mode of transport in the series. Boozy locations visited include Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Fiji, Vienna, Rome and Budapest.

Both hosts know that the best way to understand other people and their cultures is to share food and drink. We can envy all the fun they have but their programs offer insights that as couch potatoes we thankfully will never have to experience. Spit beer, anyone?

PS: Hope you’re catching Season Four of “Bar Rescue” with Jon Taffer on Spike.