Diego Buñuel host and director of the National Geographic Channel series, Don't Tell My Mother - Nat Geo photo

Video Beat - NEW SEASON for Don't Tell My Mother on the National Geographic Channel

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

By far host Diego Bunuel is the best that we've seen in hosting a show while getting the programs message across while being an integral part of the series so much so that it wouldn't work without him. There are reasons why - Recommended TV Listings

Monday August 23, 2010

Don't Tell My Mother

Apparently Southeast Asian television is stepping up and getting in tune with the Western world of designating a specific time of the year for introducing new season programming and that time is NOW.

Most notably is a series on the National Geographic Channel that we stumbled across while channel chasing in an attempt to escape bad mindless programming to find something which would be food for thought or the BRAIN. We found it in Nat Geo's Don't Tell My Mother directed and hosted by Diego Bunuel

By far Bunuel is the best that we've seen in hosting a show while getting the programs message across while being an integral part of the series so much so that it wouldn't work without him. There are reasons why.

The series goes into troubled areas affected by conflicts and wars such as Afghanistan, Colombia, North Korea, Congo, Venezuela, Israel, Iran, Iraq, the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo) and Pakistan. He has a personality where he employs humor, knowledge and superb communication skills that engages and mesmerizes the individuals he is interviewing in getting their side of story and not selling what many programs do a biased point of view. Without Bunuel the program wouldn't work and there are reasons why.

The 35-year-old Bunuel is multi-lingual who speaks fluent English, French and Spanish. When those interviewed speak in their native tongue he interprets what they say on camera while when appropriate inserts humorous comments. They don't know what he is saying but they trust him due to his demeanor. An example is when being shown a church that had numerous figures having a large penis he noted how excited she was in making that point and said that her husband wasn't that well endowed.

On another occasion while in Venezuela he went into a ghetto area where foreigners fear to tread. If they did they would put themselves in danger of being robbed or murdered. Being tall Bunuel was invited to play basketball with a group of locals. Not being familiar with the game he was reluctant to do so. The basketball rim without a net was attached to a utility pole. He soldiered on and scored a goal much to his delight thus endearing himself to his hosts and further gaining their trust.

Bunuel shows no fear when he goes into dangerous areas not so much because of his tall stature he has the skill of gaining the trust of those he engages. His warm smile, humor and giving them an impression that he is interested in them and not there to destroy or expose them is the key. He gives off an air that he has been there and done that as if he is apart of their fabric and there are reasons why... that being his background.

He is the grandson of Spanish film director Luis Buñuel. He received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University, majoring in journalism as well as a minor in politics. He gained journalism experience by being an intern for various newspapers such as the Times Picayune in New Orleans, San Francisco Examiner, Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Miami Herald and the Chicago Tribune before going to work for the Sun Sentinel as lead crime reporter.

In 2000, Bunuel did his French military service in Bosnia and was stationed in Sarajevo-which led him to a specialization in war reporting.

Back in France, he started working for the press agency CAPA as a war correspondent. He covered 9/11, the 2001 US intervention in Afghanistan, was embedded with the US Marine Corps in 2003 for a month as his unit traveled from Kuwait to Baghdad. After that he went on to follow the Second Congo War, the 2004 tsunami in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Yasser Arafat's funeral in Ramallah and did a special report on the rise of evangelical Christians in George Bush's America, among some 50 other news stories.

Bunuel quips on the Nat Geo website, "Traveling is my passion. I'm fascinated by the remarkable stories every country has to offer. It was this desire that led me to travel the world to Pakistan, Venezuela, Iraq and more looking for stories and meeting fascinating people along the way. It was a great trip, sometimes traveling to dangerous places, which is why I never told my mother where I was when traveling."

Don't Tell My Mother is co-produced by Canal+ and the National Geographic Channel, This season the series will be visiting Asian nations. The program will make its new season debut tomorrow Tuesday August 24 at 8 PM Thailand/Cambodia time and 9PM Singapore and Hong Kong time. Check your local listings for the time in your area.

For more show information go to: http://natgeoadventure.tv/Diego+Bu%F1uel

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TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia/Thailand time zone. Check our chart or your local listings for time in your area.

NOTE TIMES OF THE SAME TELECAST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

5:30 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - SEASONS 8 & 9 - Star World

8:00 PM - TRUE BLOOD - HBO

9:30 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - SEASONS 8 & 9 - Star World

2:00 AM - AMERICAN GREED - CNBC

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