Journalist-adventurer spoke at April 16, 2016 dinner
Boyd Matson, a long-time National Geographic, journalist and adventurer, has been bitten, scratched, or pooped on, and occasionally kissed by most of the creatures found at your local zoo.
He talked about some of his adventures and misadventures at the Explorers Club Washington Group dinner at the Cosmos Club Saturday evening, April 16, 2016.
What could go wrong? When setting up for an expedition we all make plans but then once we set our first foot outside the door, unexpected, unplanned things may start to happen. Boyd will recount details of things that have gone wrong while on the road.
What he refers to as his job, others might describe as a career spent attending summer camp for adults.
During his twenty-one years at Nat Geo he was the host for a variety of programs on both television and radio. As the host of the weekly radio show, “National Geographic Weekend,” he conducted interviews from the studio and the field, connecting with some of the greatest explorers and adventurers on the planet to transport listeners to the far corners of the world and to the hidden corners of their own backyards.
Some of these were:
- Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak three times.
- Gone scuba diving in both Antarctic and Arctic waters.
- Competed in the Marathon Des Sables” a 7-day 150-mile foot race in the Sahara.
- Participated in New Zealand’s “Southern Traverse” endurance race.
- Recorded rare adolescent elephant behavior in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
- Climbed through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall.
- Conducted the last interview with Babu Shiri Sherpa, the record- breaking mountaineer, just hours before his death on Mount Everest.
Matson’s interviews were often based on his own first hand experience traveling to some of the most exotic and isolated places on the planet as a on assignment for National Geographic. On his travels to all seven continents he has participated in high-adrenaline adventures, witnessed amazing natural history, been present for exciting discoveries in archeology and paleontology, and documented disappearing cultural traditions.
Matson also wrote about his experiences in his monthly column, “Boyd Matson Unbound” for National Geographic Traveler magazine, produced videos for National Geographic.com, and served as a spokesperson for the National Geographic Society.
Prior to hosting “National Geographic Weekend,” Matson, hosted the National Geographic Television-produced public T.V. series, “Wild
Chronicles.” He was also the longtime host of the award-winning series, “National Geographic EXPLORER.”
Before coming to National Geographic, Matson spent many years in network television news: co-anchor “World News Now” (ABC); host of “The Real Story” (CNBC); correspondent for “Real Life With Jane Pauley” (NBC); co-anchor and correspondent for “USA Today On TV”; co-anchor “Sunday Today” (NBC); and senior correspondent “Today” (NBC).