George: We met him towards the end of our last little stint out there. There were more tweets during our reruns that Sunday [during a Season 1 marathon] than we got all of last year. By the time the season ended, three Change.org petitions had called for the shows cancellation, drawing a total of 3,000 supporters from the U.S., Europe, South America, Australia, and across West Africa. It's humbling to see the poverty that exists there. Soon we will be creating games and NFTs based on real elements. Though vilified in the press, Tay said, the Chinese miners had improved the local way of life: installing electricity in thatched huts, building a public restroom with flush toilets, and putting dozens of unemployed young men to work in the mines. (Raw declined to comment on the incident.) So what do you watch instead? As Wrights four children bounced on a giant trampoline in the backyard, the men explained that they had returned to Ghana several times since the evacuation, mainly to recover the thousands of dollars in equipment theyd left behind. I can say that Parker is a cool kid, he's been supportive to us and so has Fred. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. We have a full Biography, Photos, Theatre Credits, and more! Not everyone celebrated their departure. I talked with Scott and George by phone recently about Jungle Gold, a few days after the Season 2 premiere. In a surreal scene, Lomu jumps in the car with a gold bar he says is worth $75,000, before a masked man runs out of the jungle firing a machine gun, steals the gold and runs off. A short video about the incident appeared months later on Discoverys website. The reality stars of Jungle Gold on the Discovery Channel (DStv 121) face fines, arrest and even possible imprisonment over charges of alleged brutality and illegal mining in Ghana, with the Ghanaian government which now wants to see Scott Lomu and George Wright apprehended and arrested. So Literally Ask US Anything, we can't spoil the upcoming season, but anything else is fine. In Jungle Gold, Discovery Channel's hit reality series, George Wright and Scott Lomu try their best to climb out of a mountain of debt.Their loyal families wait at home while the two toil away in Ghana, hoping to strike gold and solidify their financial futures. Messrs Lomu and Wright starred in the popular television show Jungle Once the show ended, they pursued a few of the offers, but nothing came of them. What sort of feedback do you get from viewers about the show? After rainstorms, locals with nothing else to do had taken to searching the gutters for specks of gold. That supports been really the lifeblood in this entire operation. He was sawing into an overcooked hamburger patty when he glanced at the flatscreen on the wall. I think it would shock a lot of people to hear how encouraging they are, and how supportive they are. According to Wright and Lomu, a top Discovery executive told them, Your show is so real it's unreal.. . 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1975th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 975th year of the 2nd millennium, the 75th year of the 20th century, and the 6th year of the 1970s decade. While Lomu and Wright couldnt tell me too much about whats coming in season two, what they did say sounded intriguing. Jungle Gold, Discovery Channel (2012 - 2013) Staying international, Jungle Gold sets itself apart by following just one crew, Scott Lomu and George Wright, as they take to the African gold mining industry in an attempt to recover from the 2008 American financial crisis. Yet, at the same time, Ghanas small-scale mining sector had grown increasingly chaotic. Have you ever seen the show 'Gold Rush'? We didnt exploit anyone, Lomu told me. SENT to Ghana for a TV series, the American stars of Jungle Gold were accused of destroying the environment, exploiting workers, racism and even murder. Contribute to changjiangsx/sbm development by creating an account on GitHub. Don't miss the season finale of Jungle Gold on Discovery, featuring Food Insurance friend's Scott & George Shining Dawn- Jungle Gold's Scott Lomu & George Wright Scott Lomu and George Wright join our company. The heart and soul of this amazing piece of equipment are the people, Wright narrates. ET) give the term gold diggers a literal spin with this reality show, now in its second season. The most recent episode where Scottie had to fly home immediately because his boy was diagnosed with autism was just another laughable fake emergency. The Friday audience is a different audience. That would be exporting it, as Wright and Lomu have to mine through such obstacles as armed locals and illegal miners . Last modified on Sat 2 Jul 2022 00.15 EDT. Back in 2009, Scott Lomu and George Wright, two clean living Mormons, were trying to find a way to make money after suffering huge losses when the housing bubble popped the year before. The chief warned that if they fought the miners, they would be killed. We just wanted to show what its like in Guyana from our perspective, Wright said. Lomu peeked out the compounds window, half expecting a military convoy to break down the gate and haul them away. What is behind the allure of gold mining? Steve Wright is to leave his BBC Radio 2 weekday show after almost 24 years, after the station's boss told him she wants to . On Demand DVD New Releases Aug. 26-Sept. 1, The three crew leaders from Discovery Channels Gold Rush series will be featured in a limited summer series called Gold Rush South America, the network announced today. Wright, 32, a mixed martial arts enthusiast with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, grew up in California before moving to Utah at 16. Given Africans response to Season 1 in the States, Lomu had begged Raw not to air the show in Ghana, fearing retaliation. Scott Lomu and George Wright buying supplies during an episode of Jungle Gold. Only the most coldhearted, inhumane person could spend more than an hour in Ghana and think to do that.. I have never seen the show. But regardless of their portrayal onscreen, Wright and Lomu believed they had done more good than harm in Ghana. A month later, the government cracked down illegal foreign miners, and thousands of Chinese nationals were also deported, removing a vital source of income for many villages. It was clearly time to go. That February, 5 million people watched the Season 2 finale of Gold Rush, continuing its two-year run as the most-watched cable show on Friday nights. Wrights wife, Marie, sat in amazement as her unflappably nice Mormon husband imitated Rambo: shouting orders, grimacing at the camera, and heaving logs out of the road, his every flippin' and shoot bleeped out to create a bawdier impression. So if you ask us a question, we'll get you answered. In this weeks episode, the pressure continues to mount. ET) give the term "gold diggers" a literal spin with this reality show, now in its second season. The spinoff series follows the miners from the jungles of South America, to the mountains of Alaska, to the Klondike. Read Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper Archives, Feb 15, 1862, p. 2 with family history and genealogy records from chicago, illinois 1860-1945. Hes a gentleman whos a land broker. Net Worth in 2021. Reeling from the news, Lomu flew to Utah the next day. George Wright have accepted positions as members of the Companys Jungle Gold an action-packed reality show about two Mormons from Utah mining for gold in Ghana was a hit when it premiered on the Discovery Channel in 2012. Yeah, I just about hate the leads of #JUNGLEGOLD 8 min in. These two are typical failed realtors who have entitlement issues just like the rest of the yuppies of their generation. They have hatched a radical plan to turn things around; mining for gold. In the Season 2 synopsis, Raw admitted the first season had produced disastrous results. But lessons had been learned. Same here, it completely went down hill with all of the reality shows. We fell comfortable. Petitions called for its cancellation and Wright and Lomu were attacked on social networks and in the media. It described how miners were regularly killed or injured thanks to unsafe practices, with 150 dying when one unlicensed mine flooded, and how cyanide, lead and mercury, used to extract gold then dumped in rivers poisoned communities. According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous American Football Player George Wright's net worth is $1-5 Million at the age of 72 years old. Am I supposed to feel bad for their debt as they exploit Africans? He also thought their brand identity could help attract new shareholders in the U.S. Ensurge has operated in Guyana for several years, with a board of directors, environmental standards, and an established network of distributors, drivers, and laborers. Based on the interview, My Joy Online, Joy FMs heavily trafficked website, published two short but searing articles about Jungle Gold on May 9 and May 10. They amassed large portfolios of raw land and residential properties throughout Utah. Scott and I know we could have done better. But like gold miners throughout history, a mixture of delusion, pioneering instinct, and financial desperation drove them to it. We were hemorrhaging money, Wright told me. I was astonished, Mensah said months later. Gold dealing, they concluded, was a scam. Ready to get to work in Africa!, Jungle Gold may have enraged Ghanaian ex-pats and officials, but it was a hit with Americas 1849-year-old demographic. Season 1 Ep 11. IE 11 is not supported. By paying for excavators and local laborers, foreign investors could split the gold profits with the companys owner. The Jungle Gold guys had remedied this problem by obeying the law. Keep 'em coming if you have them. Watching the videos, I got the sense that Wright and Lomu, regretful over Jungle Gold, were trying to redeem themselves by portraying Guyana in a flattering light. G: When the show gets edited they are continually making editing choices between our daily life choices and events. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Thats the last were going to see of Ghana.. That October, Sam Maynard, Raws head of U.S. factual television and one of Jungle Golds executive producers, informed Wright and Scott that the show had been canceled. Watch part 1 unfold here: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/jungle-gold/videos/run-for-the-border-part-one.htm. Additionally, Mr. Lomu has been appointed as Chairman of the Companys Villagers set up roadblocks and demanded hundreds of dollars. Season 2 of Jungle Gold airs Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Airing in the slot behind Gold Rush, it had helped Discovery dominate the Friday night cable ratings. The next day, Joy FM dispatched its Kumasi correspondent, Erastus Asare Donkor, to gather reactions to the story in the citys streets and markets. G: Good question, for us this was nothing more than the right opportunity at the right time. That summer, the men resumed their former routine, traveling to Ghana in shifts. ", "This is a disgrace for a brand such as the Discovery Channel to glorify what these bandits are doing in our country. The site itself was a wide clearing in the jungle scarred by gaping 20-foot pits, where Ghanaian laborers wrangled the equipment in pools of coffee-colored mud. The new operation went as poorly as the first. Wally was convinced it would happen, Wright said. The show not only increased the chances theyd be recognized, he thought, it also provided a detailed map to their Season 1 mining claim, which lay on the same road as Fahiakobo. Why is mining for gold better (in your opinion) than taking your initial capital and investing it wisely? Can you tell us your secret at being perfect such as yourself. The ratings fell. In exchange, he asked Wright and Lomu to put up $50,000. To guarantee cell service in the bush, the company bought Raw a 30-foot antenna. There was also an image problem. DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ensurge, Inc. (Trading Symbol: ESGI) announced today that Scott Lomu and George: When we first originally went to Africa gold was actually lower than it is today, even though its taken a hit over this last year. But we like to think our presence is making a difference. (DStv, they later learned, chose not to air the second season in Africa. No way. We say, Yeah, we travel back and forth between here and West Africa. And then they always said the same thing which I felt there needed to be some deciphering after theyd say it theyd always say, I wish I could do that. And I said, Well, I dont think you understand what youre saying. become affiliated with a public mining company. Not a land owner. By then, they each had two kids and houses in the suburbs. As a nationwide manhunt ensued, Discovery ordered Wright, Lomu, and the shows 20-person British film crew to evacuate Domenase and head to the airport in the capital city of Accra. She was crying hysterically. Desperate for cash, he recruited two men he thought would make enthusiastic gold dealers. I like him every once in a while (laughs) its just really hard to trust him. One op-ed, titled Jungle Gold: A Case Study in the Exploitation of Africa, captured the collective indignation that greeted the series. They cast Wright and Lomu as hardworking family men engaged in a heroic struggle against hostile and uncooperative natives. If so, what do you think of those guys up in Alaska? Gold prices were high, getting equipment was cheap. You were a bad realtor, a dreamer, no clue about mining, engineering, equipment operation, management, or investment. to possess the upside potential we considered to be a prerequisite. Lomu and Wright sat in the back and ducked. The other was Wally Macias, a charismatic Mexican-American and former undercover narcotics agent in Kanab, Utah. What the freak is this? Lomu shouted. He was still there when I showed up six months later. At any moment, a police vehicle, a military car, can come in and stop this plane, Lomu says in the finale. It is really pathetic. There are plenty of other channels. Can you talk about your new colleague Dave Thomas? Other scenes needed no stage-managing. G: Oh man if Scott sees this, he's gonna have hay day on this question. Greenhorn gold miners George Wright and Scott Lomu put everything on the line -- their lives included -- to hit pay dirt in the gold-rich and danger-filled jungles of Ghana. I hate Todd fat arse lazy Hoffman because hes a total tool, I cant hate these guys, I just scratch my head at their stupidity and hope Discovery will stop insulting our intelligence and cancel this ridiculous show. To ensure the most secure and best overall experience on our website we recommend the latest versions of, Internet Explorer is no longer supported. Its author, Amma Bonsu, a Ghanaian activist and investment banker in Toronto, wrote that Jungle Gold reprised the antiquated narrative of Africa as a lawless jungle. [The] under-bed of racism is so alive in this [show]! she later told me. Weve always felt like maybe we need to have the production company subtitle him with truth. Bottom line, hes surprised us in a lot of good ways, and hes surprised us in a lot of bad ways, as youll see in the season to come. It looked like we were being mocked, Donkor said. The production team swore to take a different approach to the second series. A lot of Latter-day Saints did go mining, said David Walker, assistant professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Season 1. As Brigham Young understood, gold mining is an inherently unstable profession. That November, Bill emailed the treatment to a handful of production companies, including Raw TV, the British company that produces Gold Rush. RELATED: GOLD RUSH SEASON 4 PREMIERE DATE In Gold Rush South America, premiering Aug. 2 at 9pm ET/PT, Gold Rush crew leaders Todd Hoffman, Dakota Fred and Parker Schnabel take their operations to find new, gold-rich ground in preparation for Gold Rush Season 4, which Discovery says will premiere in the fall. Theyd spent the past year trying to dramatize their daily lives for the cameras. He didnt even sound convinced himself when he said to the blonde Neanderthal that he was going back to Utah.for what? The entire landscape of the mining industry over the last year has changed dramatically, and so we encountered a lot this season. When Doyle learned the arrest warrant had been extended to the crew, he called for an immediate evacuation. Under Review. Upon arrival, the cast and crew had paid the landowner $50,000 and set up camp on the villages perimeter. It mostly comes down to the bravest of us all which is our wives they support us 100 percent. Jarred by the response, Wright and Lomu responded to many of them, trying to clarify any misunderstandings. viewers. When I asked what he and others had made of the predominantly white film crew in their midst, he shot me a confused look. They had paid locals well, contributed to the local economy, and obeyed Ghanas mining laws, they said. I can hardly wait to see what drama they come up with next. A heated argument ensued. Around the time Lomu saw himself on TV, Evans Mensah was channel-surfing in his Accra apartment when an image of bright green cocoa trees filled the screen. He earned the money being a professional American Football Player. Ensurge Inc. announced that Scott Lomu and George Wright have accepted positions as members of the company's management team. There were things we didnt expect, things that normally wouldnt happen to us happened because the cameras were there, said Lomu. One day in Ghana is more dramatic than this entire freaking episode!. Wright and Lomu considered escaping into the jungle, but Discovery made the final decision. But the sight of two white guys standing by as a half-dozen Ghanaians labored in the heat created a disquieting visual reminder of Ghanas years as a British colony. He found instead the two articles in My Joy Online ordering his arrest and accusing him of killing people. It was time to bail out. But as the cast and crews Land Rovers pull out, a pile of logs impedes their path. But the. Runtime. With Scott Lomu, George Wright. As Richard Bushman, a professor emeritus of history at Columbia University, put it: Mormons think things will work out for the best.. Season 1 Ep 12. When I asked a 21-year-old local named Nana Jyamfi what he did for a living, he laughed: Im waiting for the Chinese to come back.. Never had a real job or a real education, never think ahead or do research about anything. George Wright and Scott Lomu, former real estate investors that lost everything in the 2008 crash, make the life-altering decision to travel to Ghana in West Africa to hunt for gold. Theres more chance if drippy wife getting off her ass and getting a part time job, Dru kelly why so bitter? The crew, he 's gon na have hay day on this question Villagers set up on. Be a prerequisite between here and West Africa: we met him the. How encouraging they are has been appointed as Chairman of the yuppies of their.. Coldhearted, inhumane person could spend more than an hour in Ghana, fearing retaliation the upcoming,! Laborers, foreign investors could split the gold profits with the companys Villagers set up camp on the.... 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