TV Host Chris Gethard is Walking Across America, With Your Help

Improv comedian and public access TV host Chris Gethard will be hosting his Chris Gethard Show at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee on June 7. He's just left Los Angeles to get there, and while ten days may seem like an overestimate to get from LA to Manchester, TN, keep in mind that Gethard will be getting there on foot> Yes, on foot. And only with the assistance of his fans. (Perhaps he needs to pick up the pace.)

Gethard, normally based in New York City where he hosts The Chris Gethard Show on Manhattan public access television, left Los Angeles yesterday with a few of his regular cohorts who will be documenting his journey across the country without a car, money or phone. A video he posted on his site did indicate he will be packing camouflage shorts, a manriki chain, a glow-in-the-dark hockey mask a la Jason Voorhees, a manual flashlight, and some prescription medication. So keep an eye out for him.

The author of A Bad Idea I'm About To Do will be relying entirely on the help of fans and strangers, who have been emailing helpgethard@gmail.com since he announced his plans last month, offering assistance in the form of food, transportation, and shelter. Along his journey, Gethard has access to Twitter (@ChrisGethard) and will be tweeting from the road. You can follow along with the hashtag #BonnarooGethard.

The comedian will also be posting daily video on YouTube Channel Bonnaroo365.

Gethard is under no illusions about the difficulty and danger of this self-appointed task. In a recent interview about the trip with the Huffington Post, Gethard discussed the possibility of dying along the way; one role his crew will play is getting him to the hospital if he requires medical help. Drawing on his years of improv training with legendary troupe Upright Citizens Brigade, he says, will keep him open to opportunity as he relies on the goodwill of others to get him across the country. "If I hem and haw and refuse help because I'm nervous about it," he said, "I won't get there on time. I think that attitude of being open-minded and accepting and ready to get into trouble is going to be valuable."

Interested in following Gethard's journey or even in helping him out? Follow him at @ChrisGethard or the hashtag #BonnarooGethard.

Photo credits: Bonnaroo courtesy of Bouche/Flickr Creative Commons