Who is the nouveau Cousteau?

[lock_washer]

Here is an interesting article about the infighting within the Cousteau family.

Who is the nouveau Cousteau? - Relationships - Independent.ie

The sad thing...The Cousteau Society at its heyday was the reason alot of us got into diving. Now its just a battle of egos, and who looks the best on film. Its ironic that the Calypso is now rotting away in a shipyard...along with what the Cousteau Society stood for.

Lock Washer

 

[archman]

I now understand The Life Aquatic a little bit better...

 

[drbill]

I've known Jean-Michel for over 30 years, worked for him on a number of programs and had a role in the "Rediscovery of the World" series back in 1985-86 when a tour hour special on the Channel Islands was filmed. It was thanks to Jean-Michel that I first understood the value of video as an educational tool about the environment.. he handed me an early Sony camcorder and had me film some footage of the release of a pair of bald eagles during the filming of that episode. I was with him here on Catalina the day Philippe died. He served on our board when I was V.P. of the Catalina Island Conservancy. I'm well aware of the situation within the family.

Although I was not impressed with Fabien's great white shark special (I was actually down there at the same time with Guy Harvey doing scientific research on the sharks and filming footage that was used in Guy's show "Portraits from the Deep"), I think he is "finding his fins" working with his father and wish him all the best.

I was also impressed with Philippe and his sister Alexandra when they, with their mother, started the Philippe Cousteau Foundation. I was not aware of their current direction, but applaud the approach they are taking.

I hope that people will see there is room for many "new Cousteaus," especially since the two are taking different directions with their efforts. From my perspective, the issues related to our oceans are numerous and serious. It will take several Cousteaus (sisters included) along with many others to bring these issues to the global audience and suggest ways in which they can adjust their life styles to help address them.

I vote for "all of the above."

 

[Thalassamania]

Bill, It's interesting that I come to the same conclusion from the other side of the divide. Philippe was a friend but I never really got to know Jean-Michel. I've recently spent a little time with Philippe and Alexandra and I was very impressed by their honesty, dedication and approach.

I wish them all well.

 

[drbill]

Thal... I never had the opportunity to meet Philippe or his family, but I too was impressed with what I read of their philosophy and activities. I was rather disturbed to read the caption under the photograph of Fabien and Philippe referring to the latter as the "pretender."

 

[Thalassamania]

He's smart, well educated, handsome and well connected. Most people would give their right arm to be able to "pretend" as well as Philippe does, and Alexandra is all the same things in a feminine package, I think that they are really quite something, together or apart.

I suppose if we must use royal analogies, as they did in the article, since Jean-Michel took over from Jacques (became King), that technically makes Fabien the "Crown Prince" and Philippe the "Pretender."

Wiki: A pretender is a claimant to an abolished throne or to a throne already occupied by somebody else. The English word pretend comes from the French word prétendre, meaning "to put forward, to profess or claim".

 

[drbill]

Hopefully my path will cross with Philippe and Alexandra's some day. I'd be interested in meeting them.

Understand the royal connotation of the word "pretender." I don't see Jean-Michel as the "King" since he went in a different direction ending up with Ocean Futures.

There is room for many "princes" (and "princesses") in marine education and calls for action. One of the approaches I like is to focus on the regional audience with my educational efforts (the newspaper column, the DVDs and the cable TV shows). I think if regional collectives of underwater videographers, scientists and educators formed and created educational programming to get the regional audiences to understand their own local ecological systems and environmental issues, we could make a lot of progress.

Much of my audience is composed of non-divers... people who are interested in the marine environment but do not see it first hand. We need to expose non-divers to their local underwater habitats so they will come to appreciate and protect them.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Time for change! I vote for Howard and Mechelle Hall, either one is living a better example than the what is left of the "Family" and as far as I know have done less harm!

 

[USIA]

Alexandra actually used to attend DEMA every year in support of the foundation. Aqua Lung used to give her a section of the booth. Beautiful women and extremely bright. I miss the Cousteau presence at DEMA.

 

[Aussie scuba chick]

I heart the life aquatic. Go those goggles and wetsuits!