One man’s recently-adopted life’s purpose to travel the world in the dogged pursuit of delving into the messy business of doing good headlined the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce March 21 luncheon at the Omar Shrine Temple.
The man of the hour was philanthropist, film maker and story teller Earl Bridges, who shared his role and vision in developing the three-time Emmy-nominated travel documentary series, The Good Road, which is now in its fifth season on PBS.
“It’s kind of been described as this Bourdain meets Vice with a heart,” began the Daniel Island resident, who grew up in Bangkok, Thailand.
The premise of the show is to go to an off-the-beaten path location and select a unique hero and/or character to recount their story and the challenges that accompany it.
And while The Good Road’s mission has led Bridges and his crew to the far-away lands of Myanmar, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, one of the raconteur’s most compelling episodes transpired just outside Mobile, Alabama.
Bridges relayed his encounter with Cotton State native Jesse Darrington, who despite being born and raised in a crime-ridden environment steeped in despair, was the first of his family to be accepted into college.
During the course of the episode, the protagonist was met with the sobering news of his mother dying at the hands of her boyfriend.
“Jesse had every excuse to fail, but he still had an opportunity to succeed,” added Bridges.
“A lot of times, we think that good is linear [and] that you get from one point to the next point, and everything is all fine. But the reality is, it meanders just like your life and my life — things go all over the place.”
To that point, the Chamber’s guest speaker explained the formula his production team employs in introducing a new setting and the people involved.
It all starts with identifying a key character who faces an obstacle or problem. That individual then meets their guide who advises a plan of action, which can then result in success or failure.
While it isn’t always easy to carve a path that leads to a Hollywood ending, Bridges takes pride in the fact that his group has occasionally influenced positive change.
In one instance, the married father of one mentioned how The Good Road was instrumental in preventing an Indian village near Richmond, Virginia from being developed.
In another example, Bridges cited the team’s ability to solicit donations to the Big Life Foundation, a nonprofit anti-poaching organization.
“We’re telling really complex stories about people that are doing good in the neighborhood. And you know what? You get your medicine when it’s wrapped in a really good story. I think each of one you have some really good stories to tell,” he told his audience of business leaders.
To watch clips of “The Good Road,” visit https://www.pbs.org/show/the-good-road/.
