Have you ever wanted to team up with people around the world? Make new friends? Test your personal limits? Participate in a life changing scavenger hunt that is hilarious, serious, creative, and terrifying all at once?
Assuming you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to any, or maybe all of these questions, you should check out GISHWHES (pronounced gish-wes).
Established in 2011 by actor and philanthropist, Misha Collins, The Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen (GISHWHES, for short) is a week long annual event stuffed to the brim with the most absurd items you’ll find on any scavenging adventure. Teams of 15 people tackle a unique list all to benefit Random Acts, a non-profit run by Collins that aims to encourage random acts of kindness. It seems like a walk in the park, but each of the 150+ items are meant to be completely outrageous and that’s not counting the few that are thought up by Collins’ young son, West. Don’t believe us? Past years have included the following:
Challenge a professional athlete to a game of hopscotch and win. The image must include both of you hopscotching and the professional athlete’s name.
Go through a TSA (or your country’s equivalent) checkpoint dressed for snorkeling.
A brass band quartet performing “Carry On My Wayward Son” from a median strip, while commuter cars are stuck in terrible traffic.
GISHWHES is designed to make you test the limits of your personal comfort, form lifelong friendships, put some good into the universe, and create artistic expressions for the ages. GISHWHES items are little memory making treasures on their own, but that’s not to say there’s no pot of gold at the end of this metaphorical rainbow. Winners of the hunt get to travel to a specified location for an all new adventure, such as a slumber party in a haunted Scottish castle (this year, it’s discotecking in Costa Rica!), and rightfully earn full bragging rights out of THOUSANDS of participants.
At the end of it all, even if you don’t win the trip, you can sleep well knowing you’ve done something great. I have participated in GISHWHES for three years–and last year I even convinced my fellow staff member, Jen, to participate as well. This year, we have decided to chronicle our journey for you. Stay tuned to our twitters (linked below!), and here as well! GISHWHES entries will be posted regularly during the week of August 1-8, and if you’re in the mood to try something extreme, definitely check out the website, and join up next year!
Leia Calderon
Editor
@ladyvader99
Jen Schiller
Staff Writer
@jenisaur
P.S. If you’re interested in helping out with an item and being part of the fun, keep an eye on the #GISHWHES tag on Twitter & Tumblr!
Daku Con 2018 Convention Recap!
Colorado Anime Fest Wrap Up
A Quick Run Down of Free Comic Book Day
September’s Twitch Giveaway!
The E3 Experience: Never too Late to Talk Hype
Harry Potter. Avengers. Doctor Who. Sherlock. Long ago, the four fandoms lived together in harmony and then everything changed when I discovered Supernatural. Only Tumblr, master of all fandoms, could help me and as I fell further and further into gifs, I became obsessed. Months passed and I fell in love with the series and its stars, Jensen and Jared. Although I’ve finished all eight seasons, I have to wait with everyone else. I believe Supernatural can save the world.
If you had told me six months ago that I would be balls deep in a CW show, I would have punched your face. A bad Buffy rip-off with very attractive male leads? Hard pass. At the urging of several friends (none of whom knew each other, all of whose opinions I respected), I begrudgingly began the series, seven seasons of which were available on Netflix.
The words that launched millions of fans into this fandom struck me hard, and although I didn’t know it yet, behind my rolled eyes and scoffs at their cheesy lines, I was irrevocably smitten with the show. It wasn’t long until I was in tears over an episode, and black Impalas caused my breath to hitch. Perhaps you’re like me and have only heard mentions of the show. What’s it about, you wonder? Dean (Jensen Ackles) and his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) are the sons of a respected hunter, John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who specializes in the supernatural. When John goes missing while tracking down an entity which killed their mother, the boys head out to follow his trail, slaying monsters and creatures along the way.
With this foolproof recipe for every episode, the show explores the at first strained relationship between the brothers, allowing us to become emotionally attached to them as the story arcs intertwine into one pleasantly satisfying backbone. Later seasons introduce new characters, such as fan favorite Castiel (Misha Collins), a rebellious angel, scruffy father figure Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver), and the King of Hell, played by a man you may have seen in many other shows (Mark Shephard),
Later seasons also disposed of the standard “themed bad guy/Winchesters save the day” in favor of more in depth stories, some spanning several episodes, particularly when the angels become key players. Episode titles also evolved from generic one worded phrases like “Wendigo,” “Scarecrow,” or “Bugs,” to hilarious pop culture sentences such as “Are you there, God? It’s me, Dean Winchester,” and “Live free or Twi-Hard.”
Now, gents, you might have hesitated on watching this show due to thoughts of it pandering to its female audience. Shirtless scenes are few, far between, and, sorrowfully, brief. As far as the cast being a sausage fest, well, I haven’t even mentioned the gorgeous ladies of Supernatural.
Fellow hunter Jo Harvelle
The demon, Ruby (version 1.0)
The demon, Ruby (version 2.0)
The demon, Meg (version 2.0)
Friend to the Winchesters, Charlie
In my attempt to embrace being part of the fandom, I lost track of myself and didn’t write for weeks at a time. I went hours glued to Netflix. Meals were scavenged in the few seconds the title card appeared on screen. I became active in Tumblr, reblogging gifs faster than I’m proud to admit. I joined the legions of fans screaming of feels upon hearing the first measures of Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son” and I am currently looking at the Jensen Ackles sticker on my Tardis patterned notebook. Judge me not, fellow geeks, for I assure you, should you give Supernatural a fair chance (season 2 for me was where I really started watching with interest), you may find yourself longingly wishing to attend a Supernatural convention, and you may not. As with all shows, there are extreme portions of the fandom, and I plead with you to not be scared off by them; they’re mostly harmless.
I finished the most recent season about a month ago and to get my fix, to cure my lust for more, I scoured YouTube for interviews and convention footage of the stars, feeling like a puppy begging for scraps, hints, anything about what may lie ahead. LITERALLY, I HAVE SPENT HOURS ON YOUTUBE. I am not hyperbolizing. Thankfully the gods have blessed us with a 5-minute long sneak peek and a 1-minute promotional commercial and that has sated the beast that resides in my heart. For now.
I leave you now with this, a peek at the hilarious moments of Supernatural, for not only will the show pluck at those heartstrings, it will tickle that funny bone.
Aquaman is the Embodiment of “Fine”
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
Sub Cultured Heads to PAX South 2019!
REVIEW | The Batman Who Laughs – #1
