SEATTLE — NBC's reality competition show American Ninja Warrior started season 14 last Monday. Evening's Jim Dever chatted over Zoom with hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila about the new season. Below is a transcript of the interview.
JIM: "Ok guys. You have spent some quality time in Tacoma now. I want to play a little game, what's your favorite part about Tacoma, and what's your least favorite part of Tacoma?
AKBAR: "Least favorite thing about Tacoma? Hmmmm. The cumulonimbus clouds."
JIM: "Ok, I can understand that. Matt, how about you?
MATT: "Honestly, I loved the Tacoma Dome. I want to see a concert there. But the other thing there, the views in Tacoma, looking back, seeing Seattle I just thought, looking back, we really had a good time going there."
JIM: "There is no way to not be drawn into the show when the two of you are doing play-by-play and color commentary. I'm wondering if I were to do something mundane right now, could you go ahead and give me a little of that? I'm gonna go, I'll go get that mug off my shelf there and bring it back to my desk."
MATT: "Oh Akbar you can see Jim's lining up right now the mug clearly inside but will his balance hold out?
AKBAR: Man. He's got 180 degrees turn and oh, look at him. He's making the twist. And look at that. I can't believe it. Jim looks maxed, but it's not about getting there. You got to get it back and set it on the desk without spilling anything at all. Oh, no! Let's take a look again at this on a replay. You can see Jim had the cup in his hand. But then all of a sudden, he tripped over himself.”
MATT: Unfortunately it looks like there's been a serious injury. The handle on that mug came off. When we go to break our medical group we'll take a look at not just Jim but at that mug as well. We'll have the latest when we return on American Ninja Warrior!"
JIM: “I love that so much. Thank You."
JIM: "On the premiere show last week we saw Seattle's own James McGrath have a huge life moment. And everybody knows about it. Now. How did that affect the two of you? You said you were tearing up were you really?
MATT: "11 years ago, I met James McGrath and to see him grow up to meet Alyssa Baird through the show. And to see a proposal happen between two people who wouldn't have met were it not for American Ninja Warrior. And to be able to share that moment when he proposed to her and she said yes, I was tearing up and I was like, get a Kleenex!”
JIM: "Well thank you for that and all the rest. I'm way over time, but thank you for talking to us today."
MATT: "Thanks, Jim. Get that mug some super glue to fix that."
American Ninja Warrior airs Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. on KING 5.
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