"Dhani Jones Tackles the Globe" – It’s Not Like He’s a Raven

Dhani Jones Tackles the Globe, Travel Channel,
9 p.m. EST, Mondays

There’s a new travel show hosted by Dhani Jones, who plays for the Cincinatti Bengals. I had to slap up a few posts to distance this from my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers schedule so no bad Cinci mojo could eff up the Black & Gold.

No Bengals post-season required Dhani to tackle opponents; instead, he found time to meet, greet and eat his way across the globe. The upfront hook for this new travel show is our handsome host introduces himself and us to new cultures via sports. The backdoor hook that no one really addresses is that Dhani is a young, black male racking up the air miles, not your typical travel show host.

I know that was why I peeked in to watch it one Monday night on the Travel Channel. I first became aware of the show because of the promotion it’s receiving on NFL.com. The novelty was strong enough to make me show up, but Dhani’s engaging personality and the exposure to lesser-known sports (well, at least in the U.S.) made me stay.

The show is not perfect, and it could use some fine-tuning. I suggest dropping the segments that feature local cuisine and must-see tourist spots—the stuff you would see on any other travel show or read about in a guide. Dhani is at his best when being escorted by new friends to a local eatery and just having a good time. That set-up seems to produce more spontaneous moments and genuine reactions from Dhani and his hosts.

Dhani and friends in beautiful Basque country

My favorite episode so far was his trip to Basque country, which featured lots of socializing, food and wine. Up till then, I just kind of surfed on Dhani’s charm and good looks—have I mentioned that he’s fine?—but this sunny episode had the effect of making me do my own research online. I learned the area is home to Gehry’s Bilbao museum, and I think I’ll be able to scrounge up a few bottles of Txacoli (the sparkling libation that was poured throughout) for the summer.

The other aspect of the show that I like (besides Dhani’s propensity to undress) is the blog that Dhani uses to provide behind-the-scenes details. Again, the best entry is related to the Basque trip. Check out Dhani’s description of his diet:

Now you may look at me and say, "Oh boy, that's a big guy, he must really like to eat." But the truth of the matter is, I don't really like food at all. I'm telling you -- grapes, oatmeal raisin cookies, vanilla ice cream, Sprite and Twinkies are what this young man was raised on. No more, no less. My mother will attest to the fact that her son, Dhani Jones, although very big in size, eats like an anorexic schoolgirl. I know it's harsh but its true. Food is definitely not in his vocabulary.

After reading that, I understood his previous reactions to food. Not many football players, much less linebackers, are going to compare themselves to anorexic schoolgirls. His tongue is opened up to wonders of food in this episode.

Sometimes Mr. Jones gets repetitive in his choice of words. I never have to hear the word “Schwingen” again. As a poet, he needs to dig deeper for adjectives. However, I was impressed with his off-the-cuff couplet praising Ireland’s particular passion, hurling. When in doubt, the producers should just let Dhani be Dhani. Or, get him to strip. Hey! If he’s not afraid to do it, I’m not afraid to look.

Have mercy!

I don’t know how many more obscure sports they can find for him to sample, but he is a strong enough host to keep the show entertaining for two more seasons, I think. I’m waiting for the Mighty Opes to add this show as one of her favorite things. DVD release, anyone? I took a class on media, and we researched how black males are portrayed in American media. Bottom line, black men are either criminals and/or athletes in the media’s eye. OK, so Dhani is a professional jock. But, he’s not just a jock on this show. He’s an explorer, a poet, a lover, an eater, and a new friend. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time with someone like that? Plus, he doesn’t play for the Steelers, so I don’t have to worry about injuries and lack of focus.

Dhani Jones & Austin Healy, rugby star

Ladies! Next episode is in Australia
and requires watching burly men in skimpy suits.
My house, your vodka!