Lisa Ling talks to a group of children in India Photograph by Charles Poe/NGT&F
Since joining the National Geographic Channel’s Explorer series as host in 2002, Lisa Ling has covered the looting and rediscovery of antiquities in war-torn Iraq, investigated the deadly drug war in Colombia, examined the complex issues surrounding China’s one-child policy, and journeyed more than 1,600 feet (488 meters) below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in search of sunken treasure. In the 2005 season, Ling explored the phenomenon of female suicide bombers in Chechnya, Israel's occupied territories, and the dangerous culture inside American prisons. Most recently, she traveled to El Salvador to work on a harrowing story about a street gang that is considered to be the world’s most dangerous. As the first woman host since the series premiered two decades ago, Ling immerses herself in the stories she investigates, sometimes going undercover and into danger zones.
Ling also serves as a special contributor for the Oprah Winfrey Show, which builds on her sense of adventure, taking her from India to the Congo. Prior to traveling the globe for Explorer, Ling was known for revealing her "view" of the world to millions of Americans as co-host of Barbara Walters' hit daytime talk show, The View, where she shared no-holds-barred opinions on current events and everyday issues. But Ling was already a television veteran when she came to The View. At age 16, she hosted Scratch, a nationally syndicated teen magazine show. Ling moved on to become one of the youngest reporters for Channel One News, a network seen in schools across the country. By the age of 25, Ling was Channel One's senior war correspondent, visiting violent hotspots around the globe.
In this illuminating presentation featuring dramatic video clips from Explorer, Ling will share her adventures and her personal success story, and advocates having an open mind and heart to the issues surrounding us. In addition, she will present images and stories from her recent National Geographic book (co-authored with University of Minnesota anthropologist Joanne B. Eicher) Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride—an exploration of the historical cultural, and emotional impact of women’s rituals around the globe.
Pricing: () Series tickets start at $100 (members), $115 (nonmembers), and $60 (students/educators). Single tickets (on sale January 9, 2006) are $37.50 (Patron—reserved seating), $27.50 (general admission), and $17.50 (students). Handling fees may apply.
