So what do you get when you combine Dangerous Extreme Sports and Dramatic Performing Arts? Extreme Ironing of course. While we aren’t aware of a reality tv series about the sport yet, there was a documentary about the activity that aired on British WAG TV – Extreme Ironing: Pressing for Victory. Its only a matter of time before we see irons on mud runs, or Mark Burnett leading an elimination round.
The quasi art/sport was created in 1997 when brit Phillip Shaw came home after a hard day’s work and decided he’d much rather go rock climbing than iron his clothes. Since multi-tasking was in at the time, he decided to do both – at the same time and the rest is history.
Shaw who also goes by the nickname of “Steam” then decided he’d go on a World Tour to promote the activity. In New Zealand, he managed to really impress a group of German tourists, and together they started “Extreme Ironing International” the first organization devoted to the art/sport. Shaw now runs the “Extreme Ironing Bureau” (EIB) to document the evolution of the art/sport and runs Team Steam, extreme ironing for charity.
In 2013, Mike Kelsey, Matt Hicks, Caysey Herschaft and Erika Weinbacher started what is thought to be the first American Chapter of Extreme Ironing, hosting an event in Ellenville, NY. The popularity spread to Canada and Matt Lauer even demonstrated Extreme Ironing on the TODAY show.
Intrigued? Watch this, its for a good cause:
