That jousting reality show (tentatively entitled American Knights) that we created with the fine folks at Vessolar Studios over a year ago (then, with the much snazzier name, Knights of Mayhem) is currently in production at NatGeoTv and, following some buzz from the upfronts, is starting to get some early press.
Salt Lake City's KSL News did a feature on local-hero-in-the-making, Charlie Andrews, when his knights performed at a Utah renaissance fair. The news clip and full story are below. You can also check it out at the KSL News site.
Mike Anderson » 05.22.11 »
JOUSTING TROUPE BECOMES SUBJECT OF NEW REALITY SHOW
A local man is the World Champion of Full Contact Heavy Armored Jousting, but is soon to become the star of a new reality show.
Charlie Andrews, originally from California, is the reigning, undefeated champion of jousting; a sport Andrews helped evolve into the competition it is today.
Following his recent success with the first full-contact jousting troop--the Knights of Mayhem--Andrews is now the subject of an upcoming reality show to air on National Geographic TV. The reality show has been tentatively titled the Knights of Mayhem and is set for five episodes.
Over the weekend, Andrews competed against other knights at the Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Fire in preparation for the World Championship next month in Las Vegas.
"It's two trains on the same track. Head on. Bang," Andrews described.
Andrews and the Knights of Mayhem have now attempted to develop new standards for modern day knights, making it the next extreme sport.
"We haven't killed anyone yet in our sport, but we've sent quite a few to the hospital," Andrews said. "Who doesn't love big strong men, coming down, pounding themselves with eleven foot lances?"
The lances are made of solid wood; the armor made of steel. In all, the equipment weights about 150 pounds.
"There's nothing better than rolling down the list at 20 miles per hour, on a 2,000 pound warhorse, and laying the wood to some fool coming the other way," Andrews said. "It's the nest feeling in the world."
When these guys make contact, it's sure to hurt.
"This is a hundred percent full contact," added Andrews. "This is the German version known as Realgestech. It is the most dangerous in the world."
This and more of Mike Anderson's pieces can be found at the KSL website. And if you missed it, you should check out The New York Times Magazine feature on Charlie and some other prominent full-contact jousters here. Find out when you can see Charlie live--and maybe even get into an episode of the reality show--at KnightsofMayhem.com. And keep an eye out for the show coming to NatGeoTv this fall!
