Rick Steves & Me?

When you go to something like the APT Fall Marketplace, you expect to see people who star in PTV programs.

We happen to air Rick Steves' Europe almost every other day, in our early afternoon pledge spot. I could probably quote the subject matter, chapter and verse. Ask me about the Jewish section of Rome...go ahead, I know it all. :-)

Anyway, before the current show, we used 3 regular Rick Steves' Europe shows and he came to our studios and recorded breaks for us. That trio of shows, contained one show that was a "behind the scenes" show. I watched it upwards of 50 times (or at least it felt like that many times) and never tired of watching how Rick and his crew of two, made television.

Well, obviously this first shot is me and Rick Steves. I was invited to a newcomers meet and greet with the man and I was happy to get to spend a few seconds with him. But the big thrill, for me, was also getting to meet his producer, Simon.

Simon is a very quiet man and I think he was blown away that I knew not only who he was, but that I did indeed quote chapter and verse from the "Making of" show. How he carries lots of the equipment, because there are only 3 of them and how they are always running from this place to that place.

I think I made his day on Monday and then we sat down the next day (after Rick had to fly out to tape Pledge Breaks) to talk on Tuesday afternoon. I just was kidding him that he was finally on his own and he could take a breather and he totally agreed with me, that Rick does run him hard.

They are a great team and they have been shooting programs for the past 24 years.

May they continue to educate us about Europe and other places, like the Middle East.