THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA Brings Outdoor Sports’ Most Controversial, Opinionated Personality to Television
Tred Barta is Bill O”Reilly with a rod’n reel. He’s brash, opinionated, authoritative, and oftentimes controversial and THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA combines it all into television’s first reality outdoors show. A half-hour pilot for THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA, produced by Surge Entertainment, has been given a green-light and is scheduled to premiere Fri., April 9 at 5:30 PM local with an encore Tues., April 13 at 5:00 PM local on Fox Sports Net.
THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA is an in-your-face, reality-based blue water fishing and hunting show built around its irascible host Tred Barta. Unlike established fishing/outdoor genre shows, Barta’s series treats viewers to what really happens in the great outdoors. From the Canyons of the North Atlantic pursuing Big Eye and Yellowfin tuna to the wilderness in pursuit of Bull Moose with a long bow, it delivers the total outdoor experience – the good, the bad and the ugly – all through the wit, humor and genuine ranting of Barta.
“Outdoor sports shows might have been seen as reality programs before anyone knew what a reality program was, but that’s changed now,” says George Greenberg, Fox Sports Net’s Executive Vice President, Programming & Production. “What makes THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA unique compared to its predecessors is how it’s shot, how it’s edited and what’s being said. Viewers are going to come away not only with memories of big game and stunning photography, they’re going to be challenged to think about how they participate in these sports. They come away feeling good about being a true outdoorsman and doing it the hard way, the Tred way.”
Says Barta: “I’m a dinosaur and that’s OK with me. I’d prefer to shoot a moose with a traditional bow from 30 feet than use a rifle from 300 yards. That’s my way. What’s been passed off as outdoors shows up to now is canned crap. It’s anything but real and I’m tired of it. And if you’re a real outdoorsman, you should be tired of it, too. How can a show be any good, or be considered real, if the host has to kiss the butt of 25 sponsors before he gets his line wet.”
Barta’s For the Record column has appeared on the back page of Sport Fishing magazine for over 15 years, and he’s authored articles that have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Marlin, Big Game Fishing Journal and numerous other periodicals.
His unabashed passion for hunting and fishing is unparalleled, and for that he makes no apologies. His book, The Best and Worst of Tred Barta, has been a huge success, earning him new fans everywhere and is the inspiration for this show.
“This yuppie, dotcom generation of trendoids not only makes me feel uncomfortable, but offends my manhood,” says Barta. “Call me a jerk, but I like experiencing hunting and fishing at the hardest levels, and this show is produced with an attitude, my attitude.”
While some of his ideas may spark debate, Barta is a highly respected conservationist who promotes the responsible use of natural resources. He’s a devoted family man who has dedicated himself to teaching traditional fishing and hunting skills to the next generation of sportsmen. The Barta Blue Marlin Classic at Walkers Cay, Bahamas has become the premier bluewater fishing tournament in the world, raising more than $1,000,000 for the IGFA’s Junior Angler Program.
“Our tournaments are 100% billfish release with no monetary prizes, and scoring is by the honor system because I believe that your word is the most valuable thing you possess,” adds Barta. “First and foremost, we promote the concept that families that fish and hunt together, stay together.”
Surge’s Mark Freedman, the executive producer of feature films grossing over $500 million, is the executive producer of THE BEST AND WORST OF TRED BARTA. Producer/director Bob Wheeler is a 30-year veteran of film and video production.
