Huh, she’s hot.
Sorry I’m coming late to the game, but I didn’t notice this thread when it started back in March. Perhaps you’d be interested in my story of “Drinks with Adam and Kari.”
Back in January, I attended James Randi’s “The Amazing Meeting 4” in Las Vegas, the keynote speakers of which were the Mythbusters and Kari. (Oh, and Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann, philosopher Daniel Dennet, Bad Astronomer Phil Plait, Penn Jillette, and, of course, Randi himself were there, too. But screw them! Adam, Jamie, and Kari were there!)
Kari had been on Letterman just a few weeks earlier, and as someone mentioned, she looked very nice in an elegant black dress that was quite unlike anything she wears on the show. It was clear she had made an effort to dress up for Dave. But he didn’t mention her appearance at all, which disappointed me, since he often comments on the clothes his female guests wear.
I made a mental note before going to Vegas that if, by some chance, I had the opportunity to speak with Kari, I’d tell her that I had noticed, even if Dave hadn’t. Little did I imagine…
One of the special attractions of the meeting was an intimate performance by sleight of hand artist Jamy Ian Swiss. I got in early, took a seat close in, and a few minutes later Kari, Adam and Jamie (Hyneman) sat down right behind me. That was my chance, so I turned around, introduced myself to Kari, and told her I thought Letterman had been remiss in not commenting on her lovely dress. To my surprise, Kari did not instantly dismiss me as a hopeless, flattering old geezer, but was quite gracious and seemed sincerely pleased by my compliments. I also spoke briefly with Adam.
After Swiss’ excellent performance, most people drifted away, but Kari and Adam hung around, and were talking with Skeptic magazine publisher and Scientific American columnist Michael Shermer. I mingled and tried, as subtly as I could, to worm my way into their little group. I succeeded, and we all went off to look for a bar in the casino.
We spent the next couple of hours drinking and talking about all sorts of things, when Adam and Kari weren’t having their pictures taken with various passersby. Adam bought the first round, I bought the next. Shermer (a bicycle racer himself) and Adam talked about the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong. Shermer left at about 1 a.m. because he had to introduce an early session the next morning, but Adam, Kari, and I hung around for another hour or so.
They are both very nice folks, and more or less the same in person as they appear on the show. Adam is a naturally funny guy, and great fun to hang out with. So, needless to say, is Kari.
Think I’m a lying SOB?
Me and Kari (photo by Adam). I think she was grateful for the Johnny Walker Black I had just bought her (a double). I can’t think of any other reason why someone like her would appear so happy to be with someone like me.
Me and Adam (photo by Kari).
Interesting things I learned about the Mythbusters that week:
Adam and Jamie are not particularly good friends. The “odd couple” chemistry on the show does not extend off camera. There is clearly mutual respect, but they didn’t hang out together, and one gets the sense that Jamie finds Adam a little irritating. Jamie also seems to be uncomfortable with the whole celebrity thing, where Adam apparently revels in it.
I asked Jamie what happened to Scotty, and he said that she was one of the few women he had met who was naturally as good a welder and builder as the best men, but that she’d left the show because she didn’t care for the way it intruded into her private life.