I read about ‘Jack’s Big Adventure’ in the January 2006 issue of Outside. Apparently, Young Master Osbourne has decided to quit smoking tons of herb, roll off the couch, and got healthier (?). As part of this six month plan he decided to climb El Capitan in Yosemite. This is also part of a reality TV show called, Jack Osbourne – Adrenaline Junkie. The author of the article said something about him eating 5.10s for breakfast. It struck me as an advertisement for his TV show stuck in the middle of a magazine article. One would think that a magazine that has contributors like Rick Ridgeway, Paul Theroux, Ian Frazier, Mark Jenkins, Tim Cahill, E. Annie Proulx, Edward Abbey, and Jon Krakauer would appall such tactics. I was more than a little disappointed. For something like 27 years Outside Magazine has seemed to be committed to good writing and publishing feature articles from the above mentioned authors on a variety of outdoor, travel and adventure topics. The magazine has won 3 consecutive National Magazine Awards for General Excellence and has been nominated for the award sixteen times, so what in the HELL is an advert for Jack’s new TV show doing in the middle of it and labled as as artical?!?!

I would like to see Jack on the sharp end of a rope on ANY 5.10 in the Valley or in Joshua Tree (or any 5.8 in the ‘Gunks…). Yes, it is great that he lost some weight and his whining quotient has dropped considerably – but, being hauled up a route – no matter how classic – isn’t really climbing.