Recap: Naked And Afraid Alabama (Season Premiere)

Naked And Afraid Alabama Discovery Channel
Mmmmm... Snake heart.

Recap: Naked and Afraid Alabama “King of the Forest”

Roll Tide. Welcome back to another season of survival on one of my favorite TV shows, Naked and Afraid.

I have been watching this series for so long that I have no idea what season this is: some part of me thinks this is Season 5, while another part of me calls this Season 6. Whatever the number, I’m hoping for another great adventure (And lots of crazy people). The biggest change for me this season is that I will have to use less photos. Google has informed my that when you use blurred images in your blog posts, you are considered a pornographer. Yikes! I am not a porn-maker. And I wish I could show more images from the episodes because some of the locations that the show uses are amazing, but I will deal with what I have get.

Related Article: 5 Reasons I Would Die on Naked and Afraid

Form the get-go, I know that this is going to be a season like no other. Some of the upcoming episodes look SO amazing; some people are really going to get F’d up by Mother Nature. This season, Naked and Afraid is traveling to 6 continents, but for this episode, we are staying in the good ‘ol USA.

Let’s meet this week’s brave survivalists:

Naked And Afraid AlabamaChalese Meyer
Age: 26 years old
Occupation: Recreational Therapist and Nanny
Current Residence: Salt Lake City, UT
Relationship Status: In A Relationship
Survival Skills: Fire Building, Foraging, Shelter Building, Certified Wilderness First Responder
Starting PSR: 6.3 out of 10.0

Chalese grew up in an outdoorsy LDS (Mormon) family who spent time hiking, camping and fishing. Chalese recently fell in love with her BFF, and is using her Naked and Afraid experience to come out to the world (Surprise, Chalese’s Dad!). She and her girlfriend are avid skiers and snowboarders, marathon runners, hikers, bikers, fishers, climbers, backpackers, campers, world travelers, and all around outdoor enthusiasts.

As a recreational therapist, she uses fly-fishing, rafting, climbing and equine therapy to help residents of a behavioral facility.

Naked And Afraid AlabamaSteven Lee Hall Jr.
Age: 32 years old
Occupation: Professional Artist
Current Residence: Orlando, FL
Relationship Status: In A Relationship
Survival Skills: Shelter Building, Fire by Friction, Hunting, Gathering, Tracking, Water Purification, Tool Production, Strong Will, Level Headedness
PSR: 8.0 out of 10.0

Steven is a professional artist and has spent his life learning to fly fish, track game and build fire and shelter. I think he’ll be a confident and creative survivalist. He also lives in a climate similar to Alabama, so I think he’ll be familiar with the foes he’ll be facing.

The Naked Meet-Up: Steven hopes that his partner is a bad-ass and good looking, and he gets his wish — Chalese is tough and a beauty. Steven is super cocky, and at the first glance Chalese can only focus on his, um, c*ck. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen one,” she laughs.

Get to know Alabama: Hot during the day, but at night, the temperatures can dip by as much as 50 degrees.

Southern Alabama is home to coyotes, bears and black widow spiders. IT’s also the 50 different species of snakes, including timber rattlesnakes.

Steven has one of the worst haircuts ever, but his enthusiasm is completely adorable. He’s like an excited child, and this is his fairytale adventure.

Day 1
They find a flat area and make a quick elevated platform to get them off of the forest floor for the night. Chalese uses her fire-starter to get a blaze going, and with some water from a pond in Steven’s cooking pot, they have water, shelter and fire. That night, something large and scary screamed outside of their camp.

Day 2
They build an impressive teepee, but it does little to keep them warm at night. Their toasty solution is to cuddle in some very intimate positions in their quest for body heat.

Day 3
They’re hungry. Steven and Chalese’s flighty confidence would drive some Naked and Afraid participants crazy, but they are enamored with each other. It seems like they’re two halves of the same person!

Naked And Afraid Alabama
Every boy loves his snake-poking stick!

While they’re scouring the banks of their water source, Steven sees a snake and takes off in pursuit. And with a poke of his stick, dinner is caught. That night, their bellies are full, but their bodies are still cold. More sexy-looking cuddling. This time, Steven lays on top of Chalese. Sexy.

Day 4
While they’re still running on snake-power, S&C go exploring, they find a yucca plant, and are excited for all of the plant’s uses. Chalese hopes to make soap, because they’re pretty rank; but they also have a great source of nutrition.

While Steven talks to the camera, we hear a fain yell of “Medic!” in the background. Chalese has nearly chopped off her fingertip and needs to get stitches.

For Chalese, the biggest shame of getting hurt is that she can’t use her injured finger to wash her hair. Her awesome teammate volunteers to wash her hair and even helps wash her stinky pits.

Day 5
They’re hungry again, but they don’t find any food. That night, their camp is surrounded by a pack of howling coyotes.

Day 6
No food, but plenty of coyotes.

Day 10
It’s been 6 days since Steven and Chalese have eaten. They’re no longer as chatty as they once were. But suddenly, Steven spies a possum in a tree. He runs like a lunatic through the forest and bats it out of the tree with a stick. It almost looked like Steven was swinging at a piñata. But when they cook the meat, they decide that it tastes tainted and don’t eat more than a bite. I would have been shocked if possum meat tasted anything but disgusting.

Day 14
They go on another food walkabout and Steven spies a bit of movement in a patch of sun. His eagle eyes have spied a timber rattler! But Steven’s not scared; he stabs it like it’s no problem.

Naked And Afraid Alabama
Mmmmm… Snake heart.

And when he skins the deadly beast, he pops the snakes still-beating heart into his mouth.
Chalese: “That’s sick!”
Steven: “Yeah, you damn right — that’s sick, girl. You damn right. You know why? I’m the king of the forest, that’s why!”
That night, a storm rolls into camp and the night does from cold, to cold and wet.

Day 16
The rain hasn’t let up in days, but despite the deluge, Steve and Chalese have managed to keep their fire going.

Day 17
The rain stops, but their fire is out too. Everything in camp is saturated with wetness; so restarting the fire is going to be next to impossible. And before they do, the next wave of storms arrives. They hunker down for a night of fire-less sleep, so Chalese sleeps on top of Steven and cries that she can’t take any more of this torture.

Day 18
After a miserable night, Steven and Chalese are desperate for fire. Chalese rubs pine sap on the wet tinder and it eventually lights. It’s a moment of respite and relief after days of rain.

Day 21
Steven and Chalese don’t seem to have very hard extraction. They’re hiking thorough thorn-covered terrain, but it’s not the epic hike of other N&A teams. And there are no shark-infested waters anywhere in sight. But nevertheless, thorns suck. It’s funny — Steven and Chalese are very similar, but they handle adversity so differently — Chalese yells and screams and swears to vent her frustration, and Steven keeps it inside because, “It doesn’t change anything.”

Chalese and Steven seem like a pair who will be life-long friends:
Steven: “I’m gonna miss Chalese, She’s like my little right-hand lesbian wingman.”
Chalese: “Your penis will forever be engraved in my head.”
Steven: “…You’re welcome”

Over the course of three weeks, Steven lost 25 pounds and Chalese lost 24 pounds.

Steven was a total badass hunter and his PSR rose from 8.0 to 8.6 out of 10.

Chalese showed her resourcefulness when her team needed it most and her PSR rose from 6.3 to 6.7 out of 10.

What did you think of this episode? I feel like we watched two BFF’s on a camping trip. But I liked watching this fun duo. Some of the days looked terrible, but they were so likable that all-in-all, it was a fun episode.

Naked and Afraid
That awkward moment when you ask your coworker to take a photo of you
… topless.

More Naked and Afraid:
5 Reasons I would die on Naked and Afraid
Recap Episode 1 “Alabama”
Recap Episode 2 “Canada”

45 Comments

  1. By far the most entertaining episode yet. I love in alabama so I myself didn’t find their conditions too unbearable considering we live like this during hunting season, minus the naked part.

    • I loved this episode! I was actually hoping they would be more than friends! I would like more follow up after the shows to know if people are friends afterwards

  2. After watching this show for all the years it’s been on, I’m getting pissed about something. The whole world is concerned about the desecration of the rain forests in South America. These survivalists come in with their machetes and chop down whole trees and kill them just because they see a few coconuts at the very top. This tree is just left to die after they leave. Even worse is when they girth the whole tree just to make bark shingles and this beautiful tree is also left to die. They could take a few shingles from different parts of the tree and the tree will still live. Think of how many creatures lose their homes because of this raping of the trees.

  3. I just watched a rerun from Argentina and the couple never showed any signs of having water, never caught any food except for a few worms and grubs, managed to maintain a fire in the pouring rain, and the temps got down into the high 30s and they made it out. Doesn’t this sound a bit far-fetched?

  4. This was my favorite so far..i just started watching the show like 2 weeks ago and i love it..been watching all the reruns and i have to say there has been other ladies that are straight out bitches..they were either too whiney or ungreatful of the men. Im sure after they watched the show they noticed it themselves. I know for a fact i could not make it..or maybe if it was in an island and i had a partner like Steven..and maybe not even because i would not be able to eat or kill snakes or bugs etc. Yuk..if we had and be able to catch lobsters and fish then yeah. Lol

  5. I’d love to know ‘where they are now’. There seemed to be some real base magnetism between C and S. Itd be great to find out they hooked up a few months later!

    • I agree with you Al; they were definitely sexually attracted to each other and Chalese said that she wasn’t “really sure” that she was lesbian. They made a great couple; hope they hooked up after the show.

  6. So….are they still only granted 1 item to bring? If so, from day 1 they had the fire starter, knife, and if you watch closely….while they are drinking boiled water the firs night…they are drinking it from camping cookware. Anyone have have some insight?

    • I know that if they find something in the wild, they may keep and use it. It happened on an African episode once. It was also a pot.

      • Not so, Al. During the XL series last summer, Honora found an abandoned shed in Columbia and tried to take some things with her that would help in her survival; however, the producers would not allow her to do that. They said that the shed actually was used by natives and, even though it was torn down, they made her leave everything behind.

  7. I wonder if Steve and Chalese are still involved in their original relationships after Chalese admitted that, not only did they sleep naked on top of each other, but slept in every position they could find comfortable, even having “balls” in her face. Do balls produce warmth? Is it possible for a man to lay naked on top of a beautiful woman and not have sex? There was definitely hot chemistry between them.

    • lesbian my ass pretty sure thry had sex numerous times he even cslls her babe dhe was all over him at night

    • lesbian my ass pretty sure they had sex numerous times he even calls her babe she was all over him at night

  8. What a great couple. So what if the terrain wasn’t as bad as some of the other places it still would have crushed most modern couples. Great job and very enjoyable to watch to people work so well together.

  9. My question is what part of Alabama? They can’t be in all of the great state of Alabama. Nothing I read tells where just the southern part of the backwoods of Alabama? What township are they filming in???

    • I’m also searching for where specifically in Alabama they were in. I live in N.E. Alabama, I know this was somewhere in south Alabama backwoods. Please post if anyone knows!

  10. Kellie, I enjoyed your write up almost as much as I enjoyed the show and S and C. S and C were free of the “hang ups” so common on other episodes. What a relief!
    A comment said this was an “easy” site. I think a place with no food to harvest is not easy. I saw none of the usual small game and birds which abound in the Southern woods (cottontail rabbits, squirrel, field mice, woodchucks, quail, dove, nor even blackbirds. Only one yucca plant? I think the Producers site “scouts” blew it again.

    • OOps! I forgot about the moderator delay in posting comments and thought I had failed to hit the “post comment” button. Hence the repeat posting.

    • J.C.- you always add such fantastic info to every episode. I think what made this episode “easy” was that it didn’t have horribly hot weather, water was plentiful, and we didn’t see scores of mosquitoes (although I’m sure they were there!). I wonder if the production crew scared away the smaller game; while the survivalists may move throughout an environment with stealth, I wonder if a production crew is as careful.

  11. I enjoyed this show and found the show and both S and C entertaining. There seemed to be a complete absence of the small game (wildlife) that abounds in the South. There were no visible cottontail rabbits (maybe all the coyotes ate them), squirrels, field mice and such. There were none of the typical game birds such as quail and dove or at least I didn’t see them. Hardly any birds of any kind (not even blackbirds) except a shot of and eagle (or Hawk) far overhead. Only one of the very useful yucca plant? It appears the advance “scouts” who pick these sites, blew it again. Someone said this was an easy site? No food to be harvested does not seem like an easy site to me. I liked the absence of “hang ups” between the partners.

  12. Funny thing is , how the show makes out that the timber rattlesnake is one of the most venomous ( DEADLY ) snakes here .. that is so untrue that it sickens me .. I am a herpetologist and have been for over 30 years , the rattlesnake, copperhead and cottonmouth are not deadly unless you have basically no immune system. . Or if it bites in a main artery or you get bitten multiple times by several! They are hemotoxin snakes ,, other countries have neurotoxin snakes that WILL kill you .. the only one in alabama that has a neurotoxin is the coral snake and him biting you is very slim .. anyway I teach about snakes and wish shows like this wouldn’t be so dramatic in stretching the truth to a flat out lie , teaching people false information creating more fear than need be ! I’d really love to know what part of Alabama this was ! I am a resident here and would love to visit this area .. and just throwing it out there lol …. why doesn’t the others on the show that are starving for water ever stop to think about boiling the sea water with a leaf over it on an angle so they can drink the clean condensation that evaporates and runs down the leaf ?? I get tickled at how much problem these people have at common sense on survival. . I guess because I grew up in a dirt poor family out on a farm surrounded by thousands of acres of woods that I had free reign to ! Either way. . I love the show !

    • I understand it was filmed in Bullock County Alabama on a plantation, maybe a hunting g plantation, not sure about that.

    • The name of the plantation is Sehoy Plantation on highway 51 in Bullock County Alabama. I love the show but I could never do it.

    • Most of these primitive survival skills were well known to all of us “dirt poor” farm boys by 12 years old. I like you, was one of them. Harvesting anything edible from forest or field was a necessity.I am 77yo and those conditions we lived under are long gone. “Eating poor” (remember “pot likker” gravy and corn meal mush?) is long gone these days. Thank God for that!!

  13. Hi Kellie, I too like Naked and Afraid, and was stoked to see that the first episode this season was in Alabama, my native state. Great couple with good chemistry and mutual support. It seemed to me, though, that they should have been setting numerous traps early on, to avoid starvation and losing so much weight.

    I got so interested in N&A, especially the exploits of N&A double veteran Dani Beau, that I located her and interviewed her at length. She told me quite a bit about how the show is organized, how contestants are recruited, what happens in editing, etc. She also revealed some amazing things that happened in Colombia that were never shown on camera.

    I also wrote a “how to” survival guide for prospective N&A and other survival show contestants, giving some tips on what to bring along. For example, ever heard of “tsampa” or “parangs”? If you had both, your survival chances would skyrocket!

    All this is on my website (which has NO commercials, ads or pitches) at http://www.themosttraveled.com/new_land.html.

    The Dani Beau interview is the 8th story listed, and the “How to Survive a TV Survival Show” story is the 9th. The other stories are devoted to adventure and travels on land (including the search for Jim Thompson, the “Missing Silk King of Thailand,” finding the real “Bali Hai,” etc. Other parts of the website cover searches for missing aircraft, searches for missing towns, battlefields and plantations, cruising and tall ships, and the wild and wacky country of Vanuatu (the coolest country you never heard of).

    Enjoy!

    Llewellyn “Lew” Toulmin, Ph.D., F.R.G.S.
    Travel/Adventure Editor and Columnist, The Montgomery Sentinel
    Member, The Explorers Club

  14. Loved the chemistry between these folks
    None of the hang-ups and irritating griping that others have exhibited
    …although other survivalists may have endured more harsh conditions
    …and yet others may have needed to be more creative to solve their situation
    Still, I imagine these two would conquer other environments together
    a pleasure to watch them

    • I so agree with you..they had chemistry and got along great. How many of you think they had sex? I do..the camera crew leaves them at night for their own security…so im saying they did.

      • Hello Myra, I’m positive they had sex. They were definitely sexually attracted to each other, enjoyed being naked together and, Chalese said, they slept in every position they could including “having balls in her face”. I have been to trying to find the N&A Q&A that said they did provide condoms to the survivalists and Chalese had already said that she had a lesbian girlfriend following a male relationship and wasn’t “really sure” she was a true lesbian. Of course they had sex.

  15. Thought this couple worked together the way you should when put in this kind of situation! Good show. I happen to be from the great state of Alabama and know that there are lots of dangers out there, even if not hippos or leopards.

  16. This was the best show yet. Chalese I loved your additude. Y’all were a great team. Steven you are a good man. No bitching at each other, taking care of each other when cold and hungry. Chalese I must complement you on being a women and not letting ego interfere with the quest like most women do on this show. I would go to the end of the world for a woman like you.

  17. Alabama? When did Alabama become a fearful place to hang out naked? No scorpions, no misquitos and crazy insects, no leopards, no scorching sun, no sharks! The only thing to fear in Alabama – the killer opossum!!! Oh no! – a possum! Watch out, it may play dead! True, there were snakes, but in typical N&A fashion, they just lay around waiting for the contestants to stick and stab them. Overall, I was unimpressed by this episode. People were fun, but it would have been even more fun to have seen how they would have done if thrown into sand flea infested beaches, or some hungry monkey jungle. And, while your at it, provide undrinkable water like every other team has bee provided. You know – the poop filled watering holes that may contain a hippo or two. Hoping for a solid second episode recovery.

    • Thank You! This was hands down the EASIEST one yet. I was waiting for a hunter and his dog to come walking by.

    • They just put them in the wrong part of Alabama. The producers could have found a more challenging location than a hunting plantation. It is true we do not have leopards, but we do have mountain lions. We also have the scorpions, mosquitoes, crazy insects (and spiders), scorching sun, and sharks (including the nasty bull shark who likes to travel upriver into fresh water). We also have the coyotes (meaner than you think), alligators, jaguarundis, bobcats, occasional leprosy ridden armadillos, and very hateful fire ants. The flora includes thorny cat briars, berry brambles, wait-a-damn-minutes, and so many poisonous ivys and sumacs. The weather is unpredictable at best. The temperature was 39F this morning, and six hours later was 91F with a humidity so high it was like walking through pond water. Add in the frequent tornadoes, and occasional lunatic who looks like an extra from Deliverance, and you will find Alabama can indeed be challenging.

        • Oh, forgot to say, my next-door neighbor was bitten by a timber rattler last year while outside laying pine mulch. She was undergoing chemo at the time, and she nearly died from that bite!

      • I was thinking that myself. There are all what carrier place is the northern Alabama to be naked and on your own. I didn’t know like when they got hit by a Mobile gully wash! in fact we just got out from underneath one about 20 minutes ago.

      • love your come back i lived northeast alabama my whole life until a few months ago now i live the northwest corner florence!

Comments are closed.