Recently, while flipping channels on the tube, I came across a show flashing copious amounts of skin, blonde hair, and inane one-liners like they were going out of style.
My first thought was that I’d landed on The Girls Next Door. But it wasn’t long before I realized I was in fact on The Travel Channel, and the show was the newly launched Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches.
Turns out the show’s host, Bridget Marquardt actually was a Playboy bunny in Hef’s mansion. And now she’s gallivanting around the world, showcasing the world’s beaches at their sexiest.
Or at least, it’s a thin excuse to get mostly naked and rub mud on their bikini clad bodies.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m all for fun and (borderline) nudity… but I suppose I expected more from Travel Channel. With smart shows like Anthony Bourdain, this seems like a dubious addition to their lineup.
As one viewer, Manny, wrote on Bridget’s blog:
Did the intelligence quotient suddenly drop below a 100? I watched the show [and] half an hour was the most I could take of the “airhead acting”. You will notice that most of the talking was done by the [...] natives and not our host. Our host was busy gawking and looking around like a child at Disneyland.
The Travel Channel really needs to evaluate this show because unless they want to appeal to the MTV generation their demographic is not represented here. I am not trying to hate but evaluate and Bridget needs to go back to MTV crowd or other mindless pursuits.
Then again, April writes:
Thanks Bridget. It is nice to watch a beautiful girl and one who is educated to teach us about great places to visit. The Travel Channel picked a great host when they found you.
Am I being too hard on them? What do you think of the new show Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches?
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She is so annoying and….not hot!
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This is by far the lowest standard of travel showmanship I have ever seen. When people think travel, they’re not thinking of bird-brain blonds teaching them what’s hot and what’s not. Travel Channel has hit a new, record low in travel journalism. She lacks travel vocabulary. Critics are right, she should find an alternative medium for the lesser minds. No suggestions!
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I completely agree with what Manny and many of the other obviously intelligent crowd, this show is pretty much, in a nut-shell, CRAP. I saw the previews on Travel Channel and could already tell that it would be tough for me to like this show, but I gave it a shot anyway. After a half an hour of dumbfounding mindlessness, I simply couldn’t take it anymore and changed the channel for good. Like Manny and many others have said, she doesn’t host. She just walks around like a kid in a candy store ooing and awing at everything and lets the people that she interviews do most of the talking. I also found it to be really irritating that the “host”, Bridget, would shy away from anything having to do with the history of a place or anything intellectual. As soon as an event showed itself, such as jet skiing or para-sailing, then finally she would show some enthusiasm. She walks around half naked most of the show, which isn’t so bad (being a guy) and has a friend with her to help spread out the pressure of “hosting” a show. Basically, this show is horrible and doesn’t belong on the Travel Channel which has a reputation of intelligence to uphold to it’s audience. I hate Blondes more than ever now. Thanks Travel Channel!
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Wow…I couldn’t be more pleasantly surprised when I searched for a website with opinions on this new Travel Channel with Bridget as a host. Whenever my boyfriend and I go away we always decide on beaches. We both love the ocean and fun in the sun. We also have been avid watchers of the Travel Channel enjoying the different cultures and parts of the world we may never get the chance to see. However, after watching this new show our opinions have changed. This does belong on another network. Perhaps the one’s my teenagers watch. Please Travel Channel, for the sake of not losing more viewers, change your minds on this one!!!!!
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Jeff, you had a coherent comment going right up to the end. Then this:
“I hate Blondes more than ever now.”
Speaking of dumbfounded mindlessness…
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I agree with Eva. Anyone can see the woman bleaches her hair.
GOTCHA!
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Eva, yeah you have a point there…
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while i understand the uproar, at least the show isn’t claiming to be anything other than that it is. look at the title! and really let’s face it, most american women are worse than bridget in terms of intelligence and experience. and many of you act like she’s some sort of ambassador to the states. as if she’s the first woman to travel abroad! also, she’s traveling to all of the places that skinny big boobed stereotypes flock to on their spring break vacations. so in that respect, it’s a perfect show for the majority of people who watch tv, because they’re more likely to go to waikiki beach than tibet.
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Ya’ll are IDIOTS! It’s a frickin’ SHOW for God’s sake, NOT a presidential debate! The TC attempts to show a different perspective and you all manage to diminish and insult American women as a whole. Do you insult American men when one hosts show that is ALL about how big of a phucking pig one can be in each small, teeny town in the US? NO! Get a life, take a breath, and don’t be so serious. There’s a place for EVERYthing, including a reformed addict such as Anthony Bourdain. Love him as I may, he has his flaws and is human just as Bridget is.
The truth about Bridget is that she is smart and possibly plays the role to pay her bills. More importantly, she represents that element of tourist who is afraid to ask a “stupid” question but needn’t be because there are many resources available for an answer. Simply put, she is REAL, not the least bit pretentious. Blonde? YES! Flaky? POSSIBLY? Fake? Not necessarily. She represents the average tourist who isn’t a self-righteous, a-hole, know-it-all.
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Years ago I produced a show for the TC on a fine state in dixie. Well, they wanted it to be “sexy” back then- seriously. While on the road with this production we met TONS of TC fans and they were all late 30’s and up. NOT the demo that TC wants, but honestly these ARE their viewers.
Why do they try SO HARD to try to be young and hip? If only it was fashionable to market to adults rather than teens.
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Ok, I’ve been an avid watcher of the Travel Channel for quite a while now… I watch Bourdain, Zimmern, Brown… I gave it a shot to Man V Food, and I said: “Eh.. Ok” then I watched Dhani and I said: “Eh.. Ok.” and then Bridget and I said:
“Heck No!” I mean, if they wanted an excuse to get an almost naked playboy bunny on the screen then they’ve got it. I thought that the travel channel would care more about the intellectual hunger of its viewers. If they wanted something “Sexy” then.. why couldn’t they just get a “Sexy” girl who also has something in her head? I can’t understand. I am sure that there are plenty of gorgeous girls out there who are also talented for hosting a travel show.
I am sorry, but this Bridget really does not even know what she is doing, all she does is giggle and wow at everything she sees, and that is ok to a certain extent, but when we are talking about a “world class” channel then they should try to keep up a “world class” standard for their hosts.
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Yeah Dhani Tackles the Globe is an awesome show. The dudes got personality and style. I love his moto of taking the initiative in a situation that presents itself to him because he realizes that you only have one shot at a moment in life. Its also pretty hilarious at times and an overall great new show.
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I’ve been wanting to write a review about this show since I first wasted my time watching it. Who did Ms. Bridget have to sleep with to allow the Travel Channel to air this tripe? One word… pretentious. I’m so sick of seeing busty blonds acting stupid and helpless. Is there actually a producer or creator out there who thinks this is the mentality of their viewer?
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Pathetically, one of the reasons I got my cable is mainly because of the travel channel. I love Zimmer and Bourdain. Their shows got a lot of quality, style, and educational values to it. I didn’t understand why TC introduced the new show something like Bridget’s sexy beaches. I was surprised. Anyways, I gave it a shot to watch it. The comments were right, it seemed like she was acting or something. Was she faking of being scared of what she was about to experience? She was OOohing here and there and Wowing here and there. I personally think her makeup was way too cakey for an outdoor show. And of course, I don’t like the half nudity. If I do like nudity I would go for another show. It’s not a Man’s World like before and I hope Girls can have more self respect.
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I haven’t seen the show listed for a while, I can only hope that The Travel Channel has come to it’s senses and cancelled the no-talent, annoying little twit. She belongs on MTV, Spike or the Playboy Channel – where people don’t care if you have no brains or talent. It’s clearly just a T&A show – who cares?? Bridget – GO AWAY AND STAY AWAY!
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Travel channel jumped the shark with this one. Not only is she dumb as a brick, but if anyone thinks she’s remotely hot needs their head examined. The girl is dumpy, with a granny grill. A real horror show in the morning, I bet.
With shows like Man vs Food and this, I see the travel channel eventually pandering to the idiot index and looking more and more like the Food Network. Good luck Anthony Bourdain, the writing’s on the bimbo.
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Lele, I get your point about people taking this less seriously as it is just a TV show, but you really should not make excuses for her to make a career out of baring her body and flouncing around like a ditz. The more allow and support such models of shallow, mindless bimbos in our society, the more we’re going to see it in our culture, and the dumber we’ll all be as a result. We need to support and cheer on intelligent, strong, dignified women in the media if we ever expect to see them there consistently, and shows like this are in no way helpful for perceptions or perceived ideals of Americans, blondes, or women as a whole. Bridget’s not stupid, but she shouldn’t be supported in prostituting her body for the cash. For intelligence’s sake, at least get the woman a guide book…
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Oh, you people are whiners. Bridget is hot. If you don’t think so, you’re either gay or jealous. Either way, don’t watch the show, but don’t give us a bunch of grief just because you take something like the Travel Channel entirely too serious. I mean really, what is Bizarre Foods or Man vs. Food but simply entertainment? Oh but no bikini, just a couple of fat guys, so they’re okay, right?
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