Chet Garner loves Texas.
And Texas loves Chet Garner.
After sitting down with him for an hour it’s easy to see why.
The host of the popular PBS television series The Daytripper was in Milam County Thursday as featured speaker at the Cameron Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
He took time out of his whirlwind schedule for an interview with The Reporter. We’d had some correspondence several years ago after dubbing his unique show “Rand McNally Meets Monty Python.”
Garner not only liked that characterization, he embraced it.
HELLO, DOLLY—It’s diffi cult to describe The Daytripper to anyone who hasn’t seen it, but the program focuses on two facets of Garner’s personality, his deep affection for the Lone Star State and his sense of humor.
Maybe not in that order.
Each episode targets a different city or town and viewers are often treated to the sight of Garner dressed as Dolly Parton (La Grange), “Three-Legged Willie” (Georgetown), Sam Bass (Round Rock), or a visitor from outer space on a bicycle (Marfa).
Yes, on a bicycle.
Don’t be fooled into thinking Garner is a lightweight. There’s some serious thought behind the shenanigans.
He trained as a lawyer—“shhh, don’t say that too loudly,” he cautioned—and admitted to having an epiphany one day.
“I wanted to be on a beach, not in a courtroom,” he said. “I wanted to do something different with my life.”
The Daytripper was the result. “You know I’ve got a TV show that’s all about encouraging people to watch less TV,” he said. “I want them to get out and experience this wonderful state of ours. There’s so much to see and so many great folks to meet.”
THE FOOD—Maybe a more accurate summation of the show than the Monty Python quip would be “Diners, Drive-Ins and Diving in a Swimming Hole.”
A far-from-complete list of Garner’s physical activities for the camera includes biking, climbing the highest peak in Texas, zip-lining, feeding alligators, going “mudding,” fi shing and jumping into every body of water from a trickling creek to the Gulf of Mexico.
And then there’s the food. He visits restaurants twice in every episode, not including desserts.
“I guess that’s the No. 1 question I get asked” he said. “Why don’t you weigh 400 pounds?”
The answer? “The crew has never yet let me fi nish any meal I’ve started.”
Ah yes, the crew. They are loyal and professional and that’s necessary because getting hours of video pared down into a coherent 30-minute episode—well, mostly coherent—is a lot of hard work.
The editing is massive. The travel is sometimes exhaustive. He’s been doing this for a long time.
“We are about to fi lm our 100th episode,” Garner said, proudly.
‘HOME’—How long will he keep doing this? The Daytripper is in its ninth season and has garnered—oops, sorry—a number of awards, including four individual Lone Star Emmys for its host.
“As long as I keep having fun,” Garner replied, and then what had been a light-hearted conversation turned serious.
“Texas is just really so special to me,” he said. “I think one of the most profound lines I ever read was ‘everyone needs some place to be from.’ Well, I’m from Texas.”
He certainly is. A native of Comanche, he also lived in southeast Texas and currently resides in Central Texas.
He has Garner relatives buried in a rural cemetery near Rockdale.
THE GARNER EFFECT—He has had an impact on the state he loves so much.
Daytripper viewers tend to be passionate about the show, in a variety of ways.
Restaurants he has visited have seen spikes in businesses after shows have aired, at least once during a show’s airing.
“Yes, I had one family tell me they saw me eating at a restaurant, turned off the TV, jumped in the car and headed right out to eat at that restaurant.” he said.
So he will go on tripping. There’s lots of Texas still to see.
“I’d like to see it all,” Garner grinned. He means it.
Bottom line. The Daytripper is a rarity in our day and age, something that’s totally original, like Texas. Sure, it’s a travel show but you’d never confuse it with any other travel show you’ve ever seen.
The fi rst question asked him in Thursday’s interview was a two-parter: “Did you come up with the concept of your show? and “What is the concept of your show?”
And Chet Garner did just what you’d expect him to do. He threw back his head.
And laughed.
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