Why Fort Mill? Well, because that’s the home of Smokin’ Ed Currie, who is arguably the world’s foremost authority on peppers and inventor of the world’s hottest chili pepper-the Carolina Reaper. And festivities they are, originating from Fort Mill, South Carolina, a small township located just south of Charlotte, North Carolina. When a show’s narration begins with “How do you measure pain?”, I’m usually inclined to reach for the remote, but knowing that the line is referencing the consumption of chilis, I opted to stay with the festivities. Yes, she’s loveable, and yes, she’s daring, but she’s also good, multi-time Cheese Rolling Champion good. With her sweet smile, pixie haircut, and Evel Knievel-esque fearlessness, Flo instantly grabs you by the heartstrings. Florence Early is everything you want in a protagonist. While this cheese rolling competition, presented We are the Champions-style, would be compelling enough TV as it is, we’re pulled in even more by one of its competitors. And cringe-worthy, meant in the very best way.

And it’s followed by throngs of eager participants who are at best giving gravity a good name and at worst heading towards awaiting ambulances and medical professionals. And therein lies the charm and amusement of We Are the Champions.Īh yes, the majesty of watching a wheel of cheese rumble down a steep-and I do mean steep-Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England at 80 miles per hour. If run at full-speed, we’d be treated to bodies cascading dangerously down an English hillside, but in slo-mo, it’s pure grace and elegance. I’ve never wandered into the kitchen or sat down for a meal with a compulsion to roll some cheese, yet across the pond, there are many who would beg to differ.Īs Executive Producer and Narrator Rainn Wilson described, “in this bastion of agriculture, there is no tradition more powerful than cheese…rolling.” It was the dramatic pause after “cheese” that hooked me for the duration, as it was followed by a slow-motion visual introduction to the competition. They may be quirky, and their pursuit may be beyond my skillset or bravery, but they’re also authentic and endearing, which creates a connection with the viewer.Ĭall me crazy, but I like my cheese melty or spready or dippy.

And I mean that in the most flattering way possible because my initial skepticism quickly turned to viewing enjoyment.Įach installment of We Are the Champions shines the spotlight on a different form of competition, and instead of taking the yuk-yuk approach of ESPN The Ocho, it introduces us to people from all walks of life who have a genuine passion for their quest. Yes, I’m referring to a quote from television days gone by, but they strike me as fitting when talking about, the new Netflix show, We Are the Champions.

We are the champions video