Balut and water buffalos in Hidden Cities: Extreme

Manila, Philippines -  The successful History program Hidden Cities takes viewers into the nooks and crannies of “Asia’s most bustling cities (and its) hidden worlds filled with forgotten palaces and temples, abandoned towns and disused underground fortresses that shelter unbelievable relics and untold stories.”

Buoyed by the popular reception, the channel is set to unveil a spinoff that takes viewers on a different, yet no less compelling, journey around key Asian countries and cities. De- scribed as Fear Factor-meets-Dirty Jobs, the appropriately titled Hidden Cities: Extreme “promises to be a fast-paced television ride” — an experiential, rather than exploratory adventure.

Said Hazel Yap, marketing director of AETN All Asia Networks: “The essence of the show is to bring the experience to our viewers. It’s all very local so that Asians can connect with the host (and show).”

Thrown into the fire, so to speak, is 35-year-old host Simon Yin, who was once an MTV New York video jock. Of Taiwanese descent, Yin is the eldest of three boys raised in Atlanta, Georgia before he relocated to Hong Kong recently. “In my high school, there were only three Chinese kids,” he remembered. “I was so blown away by Asia. It’s the place to be now. It’s the place where I belong.”

Yin credits his mom for his outgoing attitude. “Growing up, I never was lacking in adventure. Playing cops and robbers in the woods with sticks and stones for guns and grenades, BMX biking and horseback riding for summer camps, white water rafting, fishing,” he revealed.

Yin actually auditioned for the original Hidden Cities gig, which eventually went to Anthony Morse.

“I think my personality was a little too big, too colorful,” he shared with a smile during a one-on-one interview with The STAR the day before he and the Hidden Cities: Extreme crew headed off to Cebu to shoot an episode. “I struck great rapport with the producers and directors over there (in Singapore). (But) maybe I wasn’t sexy enough. Anthony’s quite sexy, and I think he’s the best choice.”

Still, Yin obviously made an impression with History. Even if he didn’t land the original project, producers rang him up for Extreme. “They gave me a list of some of the things I was going to do, and was like, yeah, let’s do it! I feel like the show is a great match for me because everything that they said that we were going to have to do I had experiences with: Horseback riding, deep sea fishing, rock climbing, motorcycles.”

Yin also feels that he’s an “every- man” that viewers can connect with. “I’m not a six-pack-carrying guy, if you know what I mean,” he volunteered, and insisted Hidden Cities: Extreme will be “high energy, fast-paced and adventuresome.”

Filipino viewers would be interested to note that an entire episode will be devoted to Yin’s exploits here. Expect to see Yin behind the wheel of a jeepney and navigate through infamous traffic, then learn the martial art of eskrima, make (and eat, of course) balut, climb a tree to harvest coconuts and brew tuba, then train with a Cebu City SWAT squad. A pretty interesting mix of activities, indeed.

Aside from our country, Hidden Cities: Extreme will feature great exploits in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and China — in taut and fast-paced 30-minute episodes that are not your typical tourism fare.

For starters, Yin said he will person- ally “hunt, capture and eat” a tarantula, various insects and even drink the blood of a cobra. Also on the itinerary area water buffalo race, a football match with elephants and other savory sundries.

“The activities that we’re going to be doing are real things that locals are doing. None of this is fake,” he maintained. “When it came to choosing activities, (producers chose) what’s interesting, what’s exciting, what’s new, what can be showcased to people that they haven’t seen before.”

Yin grinned and added: “And then which ones can scare the s--- out of Simon. I was careful about telling them my fears because then they would make me do things that I was scared of.”

He did draw a line, though. “They wanted me to base-jump off the Petron as Towers, I said no way. My dad died skydiving, so I have a phobia jumping off of high things,” Yin revealed. “Why would I tempt fate? A family member already died doing that.”

Then he thoughtfully continued: “But I think, eventually, it will happen one day. I try to live my life fearlessly. Yes I’m scared, but I’m also excited.”

There’s also going to be “some Indiana Jones stuff” in Hidden Cities: Extreme, guaranteed Yin. Yes, even some monkey brains.

(For details, follow Hidden Cities at facebook.com/HiddenCities, or visit www. historyasia.com.)