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Podcasts The Frame
In 'Free Solo,' a climber takes El Capitan at face value
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The Frame Tile
Episode 18958
Listen • 26:41
In 'Free Solo,' a climber takes El Capitan at face value

Alex Honnold's daring climb of Yosemite's famous rock formation is chronicled in a new National Geographic documentary; with Bill Cosby's sentencing hearing this week, and other disgraced entertainment figures re-entering the arena, culture critic Megan Garber examines the “familiarity fallacy” and “accountability theater.”
Professional adventure climber Alex Honnold in Yosemite National Park.
Professional adventure climber Alex Honnold in Yosemite National Park.
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National Geographic Documentary Films
)

On today's show:

Why did he climb it? Because it's there

(Starts at 8:00)

The new documentary, "Free Solo," is an intimate portrait of professional adventure rock climber Alex Honnold. In 2017, Honnold completed the first ever free solo climb of the 3,200 foot granite face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Free climbers use no ropes, harnesses or protective equipment, so there is no margin for error. Honnold spent years preparing for the climb, but for a long time didn't tell anyone that free soloing El Capitan was something he was seriously considering. When filmmakers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Meru") approached Honnold about making a documentary, he thought that could give him the extra push to do all the work necessary to complete the climb successfully. Vasarhelyi and Chin captured the last couple of years leading up to Honnold's free solo ascent of El Capitan. The result is their new National Geographic documentary film, "Free Solo."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRVZ4SW7WU

The #MeToo movement at a crossroads

(Starts at 1:00)

With Bill Cosby's sentencing hearing this week, and other disgraced entertainment figures re-entering the arena, culture critic Megan Garber talks with John Horn about the “familiarity fallacy” and “accountability theater.”