Back in August of this year (2011), I was invited to be on the TV show, ‘Total Wipeout’.

I received an email from the television company asking me if I wish to take part. Clearly, I was strange enough to reach their list of potential victims and had reached the point of invitation.

At first, I had temporally forgotten what the programme involved and so I excitedly told my friend Steve Legg that I had been offered a television opportunity with regards to my comedy and illusion work. Steve then reminded me just what the programme entailed and I soon discovered that I was now in a position of potentially making a fool out of myself. Until now, I work under the brand of ‘Laughing with Tom’ – This was soon to change to ‘Laughing AT Tom’.

I remembered watching it, observing people getting wet, muddy, bashed by revolving bars and struggling through various difficult tasks. Whilst to some it might look like a lot of fun, to me it seemed like a few hours of humiliation, pain and mess. If you know me well, you will know that i’m not the sportiest kind of person that you might picture doing this sort of TV show. Instead, I look more like someone who has been working out with baked bean tins for the majority of his life and would struggle to fight an insect, let alone an assault course on ‘Total Wipeout’.

The offer of a week spent in Argentina with a potential £10,000 cash prize tempted me a little but without wishing to disappoint, when it came to accepting or rejecting, it didn’t seem worth the humiliation. Some have called me boring, but I believe my decision was the right one, though friends of mine who have been on it say I have missed a week of immense fun and laughter.

Whilst I might have turned this opportunity down, I do want my life to be an adventure. A bit of risk taking, a bit of the unknown and choices to make. Andrew White says, ‘Don’t take care, take risk’ He observes that we live in a culture of ‘taking care’ where everything must be safe, secure and successful, but does this limit the potential that we have?

Now, flick back to the top of this post and in the top left hand corner you will see ‘LEAVE A COMMENT’ written in green – Why not share your answers to these quick questions….

1) Have you ever thought of your life as an adventure? If so, in what way? If not, how do you see it? 

2) Are you a risk taker? How do you feel about taking risks? 

3) What or who is it that gives you confidence in your adventures?

Finally, I’d be really grateful if you would you share this blog on your Facebook and Twitter profile or forward it to your mailing via email.

Many thanks – I look forward to reading your posts!

Tom

PS – Do check this video out –