Josh Bernstein

Infobox Person
name = Josh Bernstein


image_size = 200px
caption = Josh Bernstein
birth_date = birth date and age|1971|02|24
birth_place = New York City, USA
education = Cornell University
occupation = Explorer, Discovery Channel Host & Executive Producer

Josh Bernstein (born February 24 1971) is an American explorer, author, survival expert, and TV host best known as the host of "Digging for the Truth". He now appears as the host of the Discovery Channel's "Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein".Cite web|url=http://www.questmagazine.com/z_tonya_morrison_qm200607_s2-digging-for-the-truth-josh-bernstein-history-channel.html|title=Josh Bernstein:Explorer and Anthropologist - Yes; Indiana Jones - No|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=QuestMagazine.com|year=2007|author=Tonya Parker Morrison|language=English]

Personal life

Josh Bernstein was born and raised in Manhattan, and attended the highly prestigious Horace Mann School. In 1989, he went to Cornell University where he double-majored in Anthropology and Psychology, and double minored in Native American and Near Eastern Studies.Cite web|url=http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2007/jan/bernstein_2007Jan17.htm|title=Indiana Jew: Josh Bernstein is "Digging for the Truth"|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=Hillel - Foundation for Jewish Campus Life|year=2007|author=Suzanne Kurtz|language=English] Cite web|url=http://archaeology.about.com/od/interviews/a/josh_bernstein.htm|title=An Interview with Josh Bernstein|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=about.com|year=2007|author=K. Kris Hirst|language=English] He served two terms as president of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After graduating from college, he spent a year in a post-graduate program in Jerusalem studying, among other things, mysticism and ancient texts. His ancestry is Jewish. His father was born in Jerusalem's Old City and his paternal grandparents and great-grandparents are buried in Israel.

Bernstein's father died of a heart attack six weeks before Bernstein's 15th birthday.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/fashion/22indiana.html?ex=1334894400&en=5c20fd32392f11f4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|title=Josh Bernstein "Digging for the Truth"|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=New York Times|year=2007|author=Stacey Stowe|language=English] A year later, his three-year-old sister was killed in an automobile accident. Bernstein has an identical twin brother, Andrew.

Bernstein has an apartment in New York City, and a yurt in southern Utah.Cite web|url=http://www.boss-inc.com/pdf/DiscoveryRelease.pdf|title=Josh Bernstein Joins Discovery Channel|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=Discovery Channel|year=2007|author=Discovery Channel|format=.pdf|language=English]

Professional life

The History Channel: Digging for the Truth

Digging for the Truth was a History Channel adventure-archaeology series that explored ancient mysteries around the world. The series premiered with Bernstein as host in January, 2005 and quickly became the highest-rated series in the history of The History Channel. Season 3 premiered on January 22, 2007, again setting a record for the network with the highest-rated series/season premiere to date (over 2.1 million viewers). The April 16, 2007 episode marked Bernstein's final appearance as host of Digging for the Truth.Cite web|url=http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini_id=1337|title=Digging for the Truth - Meet the New Host|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=The History Channel|year=2007|author=The History Channel|language=English] The series continued for a 4th season without Bernstein before it was removed from primetime and then cancelled.

"Digging for the Truth: One Man's Epic Adventure Exploring the World's Greatest Archaeological Mysteries" is a print companion to the television series, authored by Bernstein, that reveals much more of the personal trials and challenges he faced making the series. It received critical acclaim and was released in hardcover in Winter 2006, and paperback in the Fall, 2007.cite book | last = Bernstein | first = Josh | title = Digging for the Truth | publisher = Gotham | location = City | year = 2006 | isbn = 1592402771]

Boulder Outdoor Survival School

In addition to his former role as host of "Digging for the Truth", Bernstein is the president and CEO of BOSS, the Boulder Outdoor Survival School, the oldest and largest traditional living skills/survival school in the world.Cite web|url=http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/carol_crooker_bio.html|title=Backpacking Light Editor Carol Crooker biography|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=Backpacking Light |author=Backpacking Light |language=English] Bernstein first attended BOSS as a student in 1988, when he was 17. He returned in 1989 as an apprentice, then worked his way up to instructor, marketing director and finally CEO in 1997.Cite web|url=http://www.boss-inc.com/08bios_josh.html|title=BOSS - The Boulder Outdoor Survival School|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=January 27|author=BOSS - The Boulder Outdoor Survival School|language=English]

Discovery Channel: Into The Unknown With Josh Bernstein

On February 20, 2007, Bernstein announced that he was leaving The History Channel and Digging for the Truth to join the Discovery Channel as an executive producer and host of specials as well as a new prime-time series called "Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein." The new series premiered on August, 18, 2008, and is just as adventurous and globe-trotting as Digging for the Truth, but with less of an archaeological focus.Fact|date=September 2007

Media appearances

Bernstein has appeared on NBC, ABC, and CBS News programs, including Good Morning America and The Today Show. He appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on January 15, 2007. Bernstein is known for wearing many hats, mostly cowboy hats, which has led to him being likened to Indiana Jones. Although the History Channel played up the comparison in its promotion of "Digging For The Truth", Bernstein frowns on this comparison, pointing out that he never wears a fedora (Indiana Jones' trademark cap), and his fashion sense has nothing to do with the fictional archaeologist.

He has also been featured in the premiere issue of Men’s Vogue magazine, the cover of the Style section of The New York Times, and People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive issue.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/06/arts/television/06dig.html?ei=5088&en=72522bdd25190583&ex=1296882000&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print|title=Chatty Host Who Makes Archaeology Glamorous|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 10|publisher=New York Times|year=2006|author=Felicia R. Lee|language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/14/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main3499403.shtml|title=Newest "Sexiest Man Alive:" Matt Damon|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 14|publisher=People Magazine|year=2007|language=English] He is a member of The Explorers Club, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a professional photographer, with published credits in USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Men's Health Magazine, Self, Marie Claire, Men's Fitness, Outside, and Backpacker magazines.Fact|date=August 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.joshbernstein.com/ Official Discovery Channel site]
* [http://www.historychannel.com/diggingforthetruth/?page=home Digging For The Truth Homepage]
* [http://www.boss-inc.com/ Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS)]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/joshfan/ Josh Bernstein Fans Worldwide]