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Matt Bush

Gumby King · · The Gym · Joined Jun 2016 · Points: 52
Fann Yanng wrote:

Every South African climber is genuinely embarrassed for their entire climbing community when you mention his name...that's why.

I'm curious, go on.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349
Gumby King wrote:

I'm curious, go on.

Me too.... why can’t people just say what they wish to say? 

Not Not MP Admin · · The OASIS · Joined Nov 2018 · Points: 17
Anonymous wrote:

I'd sponsor him, if I was in a position to do so. Maybe Alex Honnold could sponsor/climb with him. Would love to see a movie coming out of Africa. Particularly one where Matt is juxtaposed against Alex. Such a dynamic would be interesting (or not; but still want to see the climbing!)

African Fusion is a pretty rad little film about climbing in Africa, even has Honnold for ya 

Gregory H · · So, CA · Joined May 2018 · Points: 0
Fann Yanng wrote:

Every South African climber is genuinely embarrassed for their entire climbing community when you mention his name...that's why. 

Is it the lycra, the hero-dangle-chalk-up-pose, or something else?

J A · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 45

How can he afford so many different pairs of tights?  But seriously, what does he say about the barefoot climbing?  Really curious.  Is he only doing easier routes barefoot or is he working on the ability to do increasingly harder routes without the rubber?

James Frost · · Prescott, AZ · Joined Jun 2019 · Points: 684
Anonymous wrote:

I forgot about that one. Is that the one where Cedar gets eaten by a hyena?

Nah, I think that's the yet to be released Sufferfest 3

Not Not MP Admin · · The OASIS · Joined Nov 2018 · Points: 17
Anonymous wrote:

I forgot about that one. Is that the one where Cedar gets eaten by a hyena?

Not that’s a BD film I believe. Also good little watch 

Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635

Quite a few of his instagram posts are ads and paid messages, so it's not like he's trying to be an under-the-radar soul climber or anything like that. Free soloists can be a quirky bunch, and it seems like mainstream climbing culture and media has settled on an established mythology of free soloing that goes roughly Bachar, Croft, Hersey, Osman, Potter, and Honnold, and doesn't really expand beyond that. Most of us have a pretty skewed view of the practice.

Nobody talks about Reardon anymore, Austin Howell is already being quietly forgotten, Alain Robert is only thought of as a skyscraper guy, most folks who know even who Alex Huber is probably don't know that he did the first solo of a 5.14, and more people can identify Verm's staged beer-chug-free-solo photo than they can Kurt Alpert's unstaged one. I live in one of the hubs of Eastern US climbing, and when Jules Lines came through town to give a slideshow and book talk, most of us had never heard of him.

Not Not MP Admin · · The OASIS · Joined Nov 2018 · Points: 17
Pnelson wrote:

Quite a few of his instagram posts are ads and paid messages, so it's not like he's trying to be an under-the-radar soul climber or anything like that. Free soloists can be a quirky bunch, and it seems like mainstream climbing culture and media has settled on an established mythology of free soloing that goes roughly Bachar, Croft, Hersey, Osman, Potter, and Honnold, and doesn't really expand beyond that. Most of us have a pretty skewed view of the practice.

Nobody talks about Reardon anymore, Austin Howell is already being quietly forgotten, Alain Robert is only thought of as a skyscraper guy, most folks who know even who Alex Huber is probably don't know that he did the first solo of a 5.14, and more people can identify Verm's staged beer-chug-free-solo photo than they can Kurt Alpert's unstaged one. I live in one of the hubs of Eastern US climbing, and when Jules Lines came through town to give a slideshow and book talk, most of us had never heard of him.

Does anyone have Kurt Alpert’s “unstaged” version?

Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635
Not Not MP Admin wrote:

Does anyone have Kurt Alpert’s “unstaged” version?

Woops, typo, I meant Kurt Albert.

Jennie Matkov · · New Paltz, NY · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 40

Edit: whoops, Paul beat me;)

Tom Bishop · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2022 · Points: 0

I know Matt. Fair too well. I’ve trained with him. I consider him an acquaintance not a fren, and that gives me perspective me thinks. I take no sides.
First, South Africa is too far and is too insignificant in the climbing scene for brands to take athletes. Even though you have the most breathtaking climbing areas, and a crowd of climbers who take no prisoners. Matt is just statistics in that regard. Second, Math is his own victim. His personality is unique, his physical prowess is unique, but he has pushed too hard being his own PR agent and that hasn’t worked too well for both sides. Third, he is not alone, there are many climbers out there, who don’t have sponsors and would probably deserve a few (with monetary compensation rather than discounts on gear). Again, statistics.

Tom Bishop · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2022 · Points: 0
Fann Yanng wrote:

Every South African climber is genuinely embarrassed for their entire climbing community when you mention his name...that's why. 

Kinda like how a lot of americams feel when Trump's name is brought up abroad....

#politicizeMP

I don’t agree. He has clashed with few people, such as the owner of City Rock back many years ago (all good now) but this happens everywhere. He is a good guy, he is far from being a bad person, quite the contrary, he is fun to be around, and he ALWAYS gives advice, no matter to who. Please don’t smear him or character assassinate him, we should take what he does at face value in climbing terms, he is that good. 

M M · · Maine · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 2

His TedX talk years ago was interesting and will help anyone understand him better. 

I believe he markets himself a bit too much for the boys instead of just the community, this may be why he isn't so well known. I definitely like his newest style of wall acrobatics climbing.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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