Richard Wiese
Encyclopedia
Richard Wiese is a world-class explorer. He is the author of a detailed guidebook titled Born to Explore. Wiese is the host of the ABC
television program, Born to Explore, which was scheduled to debut September 3, 2011.
Wiese is an Emmy winning host and producer and was also the youngest man to become president of the Explorers Club. As an extreme adventurer his goal is to inspire young people and spark their interest for discovery and the love of outdoors.
.
. Richard grew up traveling and exploring with his father. The first substantial adventure Richard was involved with was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
in Tanzania
at the age of 11. Wiese has since then led many other explorations and projects. While attending St. Anthony’s High School in Smithtown, New York, as a decathlete he broke the Long Island record for the javelin. He spent many of his college years modeling for Ford. Wiese attended Brown University
and graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science
in Geology and Biology. While attending Brown, Wiese was the big brother of John Kennedy Jr. in their fraternity Phi Psi. He also studied Applied Physiology at Columbia University
, and completed the USDA Graduate Program
in Meteorology.
hundred-year history. During his presidency he has worked in the Yucatán jungle of Mexico
putting satellite collars on jaguar. He also climbed and sampled the most geologically unique volcano in the world, Tanzania's Ol Doinyo Lengai
(which means "mountain of god" in the language of the local Maasai tribe) and participated in two expeditions to Antarctica to core glaciers for the purpose of climatological studies. He was also a member of the 2004 Yeronisos Island Expedition in Cyprus
and led an expedition to bio-prospect for extremophiles and new life forms in Mount Kilimanjaro
's crater, resulting in the discovery of 29 new life forms.
Other expeditions Wiese has participated in include: an expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro
to place the first ever weather station
on its slopes, an expedition leader to the Northern Territory
of Australia
to look for basis of the Aboriginal myth of the Rainbow Serpent
, team member of the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt. Everest, achieved the first ascent
of an unclimbed mountain in Alaska
and discovered 29 new life forms on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa
and cross country skied to the North Pole
.
In 1986 Wiese played the role of ‘Chris’ in the film Club Paradise
In 2003 People magazine named Richard one of the 25 hottest bachelors of the year.
In July 2004 Esquire named Richard one of their “10 Tough Bastards” in their special survival.
In Men’s Journal in 2006 called Richards Kilimanjaro expeditions one of their “Adventures of a lifetime.”
Also in 2006 Picture of the Week featured Richard working in a high altitude chamber while he was president of the Explorers Club.
Some print media
that Wiese has appeared in is: The New York Times
, The New Yorker
, Life magazine, Travel and Leisure, Wine Spectator
, The New York Sun, Business Week, USA Today
, Sports Illustrated
, Newsday
, Esquire
, Men’s Journal, and People
.
Wiese has also made appearances on television. Some of the networks he has appeared on include: CBS Late Night with Craig Ferguson
, WB
, Fox
, CBS Morning Show, ABC
, MSNBC
, and WB 11 Morning Show.
Wiese has also appeared on several episodes of Saturday Night Live
.
Wiese is hosting an exploration show called Born To Explore, which is based on his book, Born To Explore. Born To Explore is being filmed in a variety of countries and focuses primarily on the animal life but also gives a glimpse into the life of the people and their culture as well. Wiese has also hosted a TV show called Exploration with Richard Wiese that has been broadcast internationally. He also filmed a TV series called Hell on Earth
Born to Explore was a book authored by Wiese and was released on May 12, 2009.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television program, Born to Explore, which was scheduled to debut September 3, 2011.
Wiese is an Emmy winning host and producer and was also the youngest man to become president of the Explorers Club. As an extreme adventurer his goal is to inspire young people and spark their interest for discovery and the love of outdoors.
.
Early years
Richard Wiese was born to Rick and Maries Wiese in Long Island, New York. His father, Richard Wiese, Sr., was the first man to pilot solo around the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Richard grew up traveling and exploring with his father. The first substantial adventure Richard was involved with was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
at the age of 11. Wiese has since then led many other explorations and projects. While attending St. Anthony’s High School in Smithtown, New York, as a decathlete he broke the Long Island record for the javelin. He spent many of his college years modeling for Ford. Wiese attended Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Geology and Biology. While attending Brown, Wiese was the big brother of John Kennedy Jr. in their fraternity Phi Psi. He also studied Applied Physiology at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and completed the USDA Graduate Program
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
in Meteorology.
Personal life
In 2007, Wiese married his wife, Nicci. Richard and Nicci live in Weston, Connecticut. They are the parents of three young children, a girl and twin boys. Other than participating in adventures and journeys, Richard also likes taking digital photography courses, world politics seminars, and global cooking lessons.Expeditions and projects
Wiese has traveled to all seven continents and has participated in several expeditions and projects. In early 2002, he became the youngest president in The Explorers ClubThe Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
hundred-year history. During his presidency he has worked in the Yucatán jungle of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
putting satellite collars on jaguar. He also climbed and sampled the most geologically unique volcano in the world, Tanzania's Ol Doinyo Lengai
Ol Doinyo Lengai
Ol Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano located in the north of Tanzania and is part of the volcanic system of the Great Rift Valley in Eastern Africa. It is located in the eastern Rift Valley, south of both Lake Natron and Kenya. It is unique among active volcanoes in that it produces...
(which means "mountain of god" in the language of the local Maasai tribe) and participated in two expeditions to Antarctica to core glaciers for the purpose of climatological studies. He was also a member of the 2004 Yeronisos Island Expedition in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and led an expedition to bio-prospect for extremophiles and new life forms in Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
's crater, resulting in the discovery of 29 new life forms.
Other expeditions Wiese has participated in include: an expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
to place the first ever weather station
Weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
on its slopes, an expedition leader to the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to look for basis of the Aboriginal myth of the Rainbow Serpent
Rainbow Serpent
The Rainbow Serpent is a common motif in the art and mythology of Aboriginal Australia. It is named for the snake-like meandering of water across a landscape and the colour spectrum caused when sunlight strikes water at an appropriate angle relative to the observer.The Rainbow Serpent is seen as...
, team member of the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt. Everest, achieved the first ascent
First ascent
In climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
of an unclimbed mountain in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and discovered 29 new life forms on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and cross country skied to the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
.
In the media
In 1982 Wiese appeared in a brief love scene with Brooke Sheilds in the film Endless Love.In 1986 Wiese played the role of ‘Chris’ in the film Club Paradise
In 2003 People magazine named Richard one of the 25 hottest bachelors of the year.
In July 2004 Esquire named Richard one of their “10 Tough Bastards” in their special survival.
In Men’s Journal in 2006 called Richards Kilimanjaro expeditions one of their “Adventures of a lifetime.”
Also in 2006 Picture of the Week featured Richard working in a high altitude chamber while he was president of the Explorers Club.
Some print media
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
that Wiese has appeared in is: The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Life magazine, Travel and Leisure, Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
, The New York Sun, Business Week, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, Men’s Journal, and People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
.
Wiese has also made appearances on television. Some of the networks he has appeared on include: CBS Late Night with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
, WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, CBS Morning Show, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, and WB 11 Morning Show.
Wiese has also appeared on several episodes of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
Wiese is hosting an exploration show called Born To Explore, which is based on his book, Born To Explore. Born To Explore is being filmed in a variety of countries and focuses primarily on the animal life but also gives a glimpse into the life of the people and their culture as well. Wiese has also hosted a TV show called Exploration with Richard Wiese that has been broadcast internationally. He also filmed a TV series called Hell on Earth
Born to Explore was a book authored by Wiese and was released on May 12, 2009.
Awards and recognition
- Special lifetime achievement award by the Science Museum of Long Island
- The American Museum of Natural History Expeditions named Wiese an Explorer in residence
- In 2005, Wiese was honored at the 2005 National Scout Jamboree2005 National Scout JamboreeThe 2005 National Scout Jamboree was the 16th national Scout jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America and was held from July 25, 2005 through August 3, 2005 at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia...
, where he addressed 90,000 people and had a camp named after him. - In 2004, he was USA Representative to Moussem de Tan Tan in MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, a gathering of 45,000 nomadic Arabs in the desert of southern MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, by invitation of King Mohammed VI - 2004 Golden Halo Advertising Award for Best Environmental/Wildlife Campaign
- A member of The Explorers ClubThe Explorers ClubThe Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
, Royal Geographic Society, and the American Meteorological SocietyAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...