The Allure of "Deadliest Catch"

[Sorry, no politics today]

I'll be the first to admit: Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" has me hooked.

It involves the allure of the Individual Man's Freedom.

Man Against Rogue Nature.

And freedom that, we all know, is diminished by society, purposely, year by year by year.

Women are drawn to the show because they enjoy the rogue-ish, buccaneer-like, independent Bad Boy fantasy visages of not only the Captains of the various boats (employing the power fantasy) but the crew members as well for their sense of self, centrism of purpose, simplicity and vulnerability.

Men are drawn to the show because they too enjoy their fantasies of power, independence, freedom, centrism of task, challenge, domination, strength.

They, we all, vicariously live the life of crab fishermen and their Captains over and above our 9-to-5 office jobs.

You can't get any better, any more vicarious than that.

• We all know that Sig Hansen (Northwestern) has his own boat which has been in the family, pushes his crew constantly (he is one of 2 official "consultants" for the show);
• We all know that Keith Colburn (Wizard) has his own rituals and can be a militaristic jerk;
• We all know that Jonathan Hillstrand (Time Bandit) is the gravel-voiced, goateed Biker Dude Bad Boy who'd rather drink over a burn barrel, and that his brother Andy is the otra-captain who takes charge during Opilio season;
• We all know that Larry Hendrick (Sea Star) is the heftier blonde captain and famous for his Hawaiian shirts.
• We all know that Phil Harris's (Cornelia Marie) diet consists of cigarettes, Red Bull, cigarettes and more cigarettes.

Yes, we look upon these guys as the last of the veritable American Cowboys, men who can make $48,000 or more in a month or less.

What we don't see is:

The brain-glazing, back-breaking work, under the most horrible of numbing, freezing conditions. Taking place on a rocking vessel in massive seas, against the threat of rollover and capsizing.

Yes, massive amounts of money made -- but also massive amounts of money spent. For the Captains or boat owners it's nothing to spend $50,000 for a tune-up. $100,000+ for new engines. $250,000+ for a refit. Money comes in but, trust me, money goes out. Crab boats are holes in the water into which you throw copious amounts of cash. Then their are the permits. The licenses. The registrations. The inspections. Seasonal licenses are thousands of dollars.

There is also the time factor. The scheduling. The press and stress of finding the crab, laying down everything you've got and pulling up the most in the least amount of time; a season could be a few days long, a couple weeks at most. And then the forced return so you don't miss your slot at the crab processor.

And finally, the killing fatigue. Yes, those men are amped as much as possible on cigarettes, Red Bull, coffee, caffeine. But you can bet -- and of this you never hear or read -- I'd wager prodigious amounts of methamphetamine as well.

Still and all, I must admit, Deadliest Catch has me hooked.

BZ