Has Travel Channel Sunk To A New Low With Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches?

I agree with Julie. We have Bourdain coming off as an intelligent traveler wanting to see the world. This playboy model, while nice to look at, is just a joke and the Travel Channel could have done better. I expect this kind of garbage on MTV or VH1. This channel has been continuously going down hill. I mean how many weekends are we going to get 12 hour blocks of “best burgers” and “best pizza” specials, followed up by 4 hours of World Poker Tour.

They need to add more new content to their channel that simply focuses on…travel! Simply visit a location, show the viewer the sites, add in some witty banter and call it a day. I met Samantha Brown, who in my opinion is great with her shows, and she just rolled her eyes when they were playing videos of this woman in a bikini running along the beach as she was doing a speech about travel.

I dunno… I haven’t seen the show and doubt it’s my style, but… at the top of this page is a link to Matador’s “Where to Find the Sexiest Girls in the World” article — and the pic is is a girl with her breasts popping out of her shirt and hoisted almost up to her chin. At least showing some skin makes sense on the beach. You know?

Ian – I’m just not sure where it’s written in stone that this type of travel (people aren’t going to argue the show isn’t about travel, are they?) doesn’t belong on the Travel Channel. I don’t think the Travel Channel has “we cater to travelers, not tourists” or “no lighthearted holidays allowed” written out as their motto anywhere.

This seems to come down to the same old argument about different styles of travel and travelers. Readers of this blog might prefer Anthony Bourdain, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a Travel Channel audience that likes fun and beaches. By all means, dislike the show — but I don’t understand the argument that it has no business airing on the Travel Channel.

Ok, just watched the first minute of the first clip and feeling absolutely nauseous. Luxury hotels? Hotel restaurants with little glasses of champagne?? Zip-up fluorescent purple mini-dresses?? Um, is this travel, or is it a rich bunny who dresses like a stripper spending money in resorts?

This just in: The Spice Channel to debut nature show in the fall.

It seems there should be so many more appealing travel show ideas based on the economy, solo travel, family travel, etc. With so many channels to choose from these days, we should expect the channels to be choosier in their offerings.

I just added the Travel Channel to my cable TV package and I am really disappointed that this show is airing multiple times every night. Come on now Travel Channel!

I’d rather they give the airtime to independent travelers making their own productions. We can watch better travel shows on YouTube!

I would love more shows from travelers like Arthur and Pauline Frommers, Rick Steves etc. They have the potential to make the channel better.

I was actually pretty surprised to see that the Travel Channel actually added this to their line-up. The show doesn’t appeal to me in the least, mainly because it just looks flat out boring.

The Travel Channel is simply just grabbing for ratings with this one, and I’m sure the show will get some decent ratings (especially from all of her fans). In the end, it’s a business, and they’re trying to make money. So long as shows like this don’t become the norm, then I’m fine with it.

Now the other new show they added, Dhani tackles the globe, actually looks worth watching.

I expected Dhani tackles the globe to be the testosterone raging antithesis to Bridget and her beaches. I did not expect to enjoy it at all, but I did. It’s been a pleasant surprise that I find it an unexplored insight into a part of traveling culture I would not otherwise see. Thanks!

I absolutely agree with what everyone is saying about Bridget’s show–total waste of time. I really like Dhani’s show though. I was very happy they decided to add a male hosted show, and female hosted show at the same time. Too bad they couldnt have picked a better female host though..
I also love watching Anthony Bourdain’s show. The male hosts definitely shine through on the Travel Channel.

I was pretty surprised when I saw this show on the Travel Channel while I was flipping channels. So basically we’re watching 2 typical blonde American girls living luxuriously, partying and playing on beaches. Were there even qualifications for this job besides looking/sounding good on tv?? All I could think was, “these people get PAID to do this?”

Sure, I love nice beaches but if anything, the travel channel has generally taught me that there’s so much more that can be done to get a more enriching experience!

i tuned into “bridget’s sexiest beaches” because i go to jamaica alot. after listening to her whining voice, stupid comments “wow”, every other word, and inane verbage, i came to travel channel to post my disappointment that such a dumb excuse for a show on a usually great channel can make it. her voice is so irritating, and the jamacians so outshine her. get the silly fool off. back to andrew zimmern or samantha brown. or anyone with a brain. there it goes again, “wow”.

I think this show could be better, with more focus on the destinations, but I also think this is a good move for the travel channel! They are able to appeal to a wider customer base with a little something for every traveler. Who said all travelers are into “smart” anthony bourdaine style shows? There is an untapped younger market out there that are into traveling and learning about exotic locations to add to their list of places to visit, but get bored with such a focus on food and “intelligence” like most of their other shows.

I know this because I have a passion for traveling and love to watch the travel channel to learn about exciting places to visit, but my boyfriend can’t sit through most episodes with me as he is easily bored! So a show like this works for us even if it’s not ideal, he gets entertained and maybe enlightened on new places, and I can learn about the sexy beaches!

HA! I’m so glad Jane mentioned the moat comment…I laughed myself silly when I saw that part of the Croatia episode! I turned the show on because I was hoping that they would have some nice beaches and maybe some places that I haven’t seen before, but it became painful to watch after about ten minutes. The saddest part was that my boyfriend came into the room and HE was the one to change the channel….he said the women were so stupid that he was getting a headache. I am actually embarrassed that people like Bridget are representing our country. No wonder we have such a bad reputation!

Agreed – it’s gotten to a ridiculous level. It seems like the only way to satisfy you interest in travel is to read traveller’s blogs, which is sad.

I wanted to catch this show before commenting. No. Just – no.Just because the post card backdrop changes behind the bikini show doesn’t mean this show has anything to do with travel, any more than giving an attractive woman who flaunts her vacuousness qualifies her as a guide. It’s like tuning in Masterpiece Theater and getting “The Grapes of Wrath” performed by the Muppets. Somehow, something’s missing.”And welcome back! We’re here in beautiful, sun-drenched… where are we again? Oh, who cares. It’s another beach somewhere. You’re just waiting for skin anyway, so you won’t change the channel. Zoom in on Bridget’s rack! Look, there’s a sailboat! This is what travel’s all about! I’m splashing in the water now! Wheee, suckers, wheee!!! See you next time on Bridget’s Breastiest Breasts!Ian, you have to assume depth to claim the producers are sinking to a “new low.” This show is meant to dredge the shallow end. The only inspirational aspect it has is to demonstrate imbeciles can buy plane tickets, too, but most of us already knew that.Eva, there’s a difference between a little spice and a plateful of pepper. There better be something worthwhile there or it won’t satisfy. College guys figure this out when they follow the cute girl for a while, but give it up when the brainfreeze gets too painful. That’s this show – and yes, TV – in a nutshell.

Also, the show has producers, and even writers! Shouldn’t you be criticizing them, instead of the host? She reads what they tell her to, as does Dahni. What makes him any more qualified then her – someone with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communications with actual TV experience? The show suffers from poor writing, if anything.

I’m getting a little tired of the trend where if something aspires to being weak, it’s the people who complain about it who’re jerks.

This is why the rest of the world is blowing the US away in technology and art, while we’re being fed Two and a Half Men. There may be a connection.

“But it’s so funny!” Gods…

I watched this for the first time the other night and I wanted to see what there was to see in Jamacia, but oh my gosh….I was insulted by having to watch this bimbo. I am pretty open minded but how did this woman get this job….I have an idea…

Get rid of her…Travel Channel is going down the tubes with running the same stuff over and over again and Anthony Zimmerman…thats a bad one too. I am tired of that show.

I do love to travel and learn new things though and would welcome some new entertaining content….Travel Channel, quit trying to get the fringe. How about focusing on main stream.

“I’m not defending what other people write.”

Sorry, Daniel. I took this line — “I’m getting a little tired of the trend where if something aspires to being weak, it’s the people who complain about it who’re jerks.” — to mean that you were defending the thread in general (hence, the plural of “people” and “jerks”) rather than just yourself. My mistake. Consider yourself exempted from my comment.

Thanks for the dripping sarcasm, by the way. Makes me feel really good.

Sorry, just to add one point:

DH: I know you were being sarcastic when you said “Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches, all about travel” but you actually ended up being truthful: the show is all about travel, just not the type of travel you and a lot of other people on Matador enjoy.

Oo-kay…

Eva, sorry about being sarcastic. I don’t like being called an elitist. I try to respect people’s points of view, and don’t like being lumped with people who stereotype women, blonde or otherwise, as stupid.

I never said “this isn’t travel.” I said the SHOW had nothing to do with travel. Yes, that was exaggeration. It does have a little bit to do with going someplace exotic.

If people want to cruise beaches on their trips, fine. But TV shows are crafted messages, and just because it’s called a travel show doesn’t mean the content really matches.

I’m not against the host because she’s a woman or because she’s pretty, but because she has nothing to say. I’m not against the show because people are having fun, I’m against the show because it’s so dumbed down it only marginally has any content that qualifies it as a travel show. It’s an entertainment show with a context of travel, instead of a travel show with a context of entertainment. It’s like saying Laverne and Shirley is an honest portrayal of life in Milwaukee.

Let’s say I start a new Christian channel. For starters, it has reruns of “Charlie’s Angels” and “7th Heaven,” with Led Zeppelin’s “Hammer of the Gods” (check out when they play “Stairway to Heaven!”) and “City of God,” followed by a documentary about the Air Force’s Blue Angels. You can’t tell me that this is a Christian channel.

I swear, I love beaches. I like hearing about beaches, and doing fun things on beaches. I would like to watch a show about beaches. I would like to watch a show about Bridget. But on her show, Bridget takes center stage. That’s all, folks.

I think her show is great. She is fun and vibrant, which makes people want to watch her show. She explores the history of the countries as well as places tourist can go to have some fun. You are being way to hard on the Travel channel, I believe they are just trying to show how well rounded and versatile they can be.

She is so annoying and….not hot!

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!

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…

Eva, yeah you have a point there…

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.

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.

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?

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!

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…

I was watching TC yesterday and it hit me, it’s been a loooong time since seeing those obnoxous Bridget commercials. This time last year TC had her on with every commercial break and I had to hit the mute button every time she came on. The entire ad is her squealing like a drunk 18 year old girl on her first spring break. I watched about 10 minutes of one episode last spring and it appeared the show was all about her trying to act cute and ditzy. Bottom line: the show is not entertaining. I’m guessing they pulled it, praise Buddha!

All of you people must be a bunch of fat asses that are upset because your husbands finally want to watch the Travel Channel. Let me guess youre fans of Samantha Brown, the girl with a fat ass like yourself who only cares about the thread count in the bedroom. You should be happy that there was a younger, more appealing woman on the Travel Channel who was more interested in the things there were to do around the places she was staying, not just the spa and how nice the room was. She attracted a lot of younger people to be interested in traveling and broadening their knowledge and culture. It’s pretty pathetic how almost every one of you had to address her looks and how she was “not hot” out of trying to make yourselves feel better. I wasnt watching the show becasue of her hottness, I was watching it because she actually showed fun things to do around the world that Samantha Brown’s lard ass couldnt show because she was too busy trying to accumulate more cellulite.

I think Bridget is a fantastic host. It does appeal to a young demographic but that is whats so great about it. I have finally found a show that I can appeal to on TLC. All the other channels have the same middle-aged hosts. Bridget brings something fun and new to the TLC. I wish there were more seasons .

I am a fan of the original GND show & think Bridget is the smartest of the lot & wish I could have seen her show on TC to make my own assessment; however, I am disappointed in some of the crude remarks re: Bridget & her looks, attitude, etc… She’s a former playmate, people. Plus, dig on the title of the show: Sexiest Beaches. It’s not like she’ll be on the hallowed beaches of Normandy or trekking to Mont Ste Michel(sic?) or someplace with deep historical merit. It’s like mental masturbation basically: it’s where would one go for fun in the sun w/friends & your significant other, not a place to build sand castles w/the kids. Perhaps TC was looking for “new blood” re: viewership. Perhaps MTV or VH-1 should have picked this up for spring-breakers as this is a vehicle right up their alley. Ther’s no need to be hating of a typical blond resident from the Playboy Mansion, as in the title suggests, that’s what you’re getting.

Bridget makes me to watch the TLC with her capability to understood a boring but required show. The name of show compelled her to dress up with bikini and she can’t dress up her with intellectual dresses. She is brave, intellizent, loving, funny, cute and simple. Waiting for her new episode in TLC. For Western world the dress of her is simple, so don’t cry if u doesn’t have any personal…… With Bridget.