8 Times Sir David Attenborough Was A Total Badass
5. When He Was Extremely British About Some “Cannibals”
In a 1975 interview with fellow broadcasting legend, Sir Michael Parkinson, the dashing Sir Dave discusses the time he met a tribe of "cannibals" whilst filing in New Guinea.
He describes a scene in which his guide warns him that the men he would like to meet are "cannibals" and that he wouldn't take him any further, to which he utters the fantastically British "Well, come on, lads, let's have a talk about this".
It is at this point that a large group of men in traditional dress begin to charge at them brandishing knives. Dave doesn't bat an eyelid.
To further hammer home the fact that Attenborough doesn't take any preconceived, "noble savage", colonial crap from anybody, he then goes on to extend a friendly handshake to the leader of the group ... who happily takes it and shakes him warmly by the hand.
Of course they're not cannibals and Attenborough, as the wise and well educated demi-god that he is, will be the first to tell you where you can shove your Victorian-era exoticism.
(People in the UK may not be able to view the video above, but another version can be found here)