When The Impossible Is No Obstacle: A Triumph Fit For A 'Ninja'
For those who have never seen the show American Ninja Warrior: Imagine an Army obstacle course, redesigned by Dr. Seuss and a team of rock-climbing acrobats. Competitors have to thread their way through the daunting obstacles, completing a number of stages before they can hope to finish the whole thing.
That means leaping onto 2-inch ledges, climbing rope that stretches several stories in the air, grappling forward along hanging poles — and doing all of it under a time limit.
Since the show (based on a long-running Japanese show, Sasuke) first aired in 2009, not a single person has completed the course and won the American competition ... until last week.
A busboy named Isaac Caldiero — who also happens to be a world-class rock climber — became the first of thousands to achieve what the show calls "total victory." He completed all four stages of the course to win the million-dollar grand prize.
In fact, two people completed all four stages this season: competitor Geoff Britten finished the course first. But Caldiero had a faster time, and won the money — and the title.
In an interview with NPR's Arun Rath, Caldiero puts it simply: "Heck, you're talking to the first American Ninja Warrior."
But it didn't come easily, not least because competitors have to attack the course without getting to practice on it first, he says.
"I mean, all it takes is one slip and you're done. One shot, one kill — you don't get any rehearsal on any of these obstacles."
This made things especially difficult on his final obstacle: a 75-foot rope climb.
"Even in my training, I had never done anything like that," he says. "So all of a sudden, when it's like, 'You have to do this in 30 seconds,' I was very nervous. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, here we go.' "
Yet, despite a brief scare as his arms slowed, Caldiero says his adrenaline carried him through. Now, though, he faces another difficult task: letting the news of his win sink in.
"It still to this day is unreal," he says. "I'm still kind of in disbelief."
And about that million-dollar prize?
"We considered ourselves to be rich and happy before all of this, so this is just a bonus," Caldiero tells Rath, speaking of himself and his girlfriend, Laura Kisana. "You definitely aren't going to see us out driving around in fancy cars and living it up. You know, we're going to keep down to our roots, and we're going to go rock climbing."
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Transcript
ARUN RATH, HOST:
But first, for those of you have never seen the show "American Ninja Warrior," it's based on a long-running Japanese show, "Sasuke." Imagine an army obstacle course redesigned by Dr. Seuss and a team of rock-climbing acrobats.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: And quickly onto the floating boards.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: He went out on the body prop. Nice.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: Having no problem here on the bolt rafter. Open sights on this jump. You're landing a two-inch ledge. Oh.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHEERING)
RATH: Since "American Ninja Warrior" first aired in 2009, no one has completed every single obstacle and won until last week.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #3: This is Isaac Caldiero. He's a bus boy, and he also happens to be one of the best climbers in America. He's been telling us since he started two years ago that if he can get to this point - stage three - that he could win it all.
RATH: On the finale, Isaac Caldiero became the first of thousands to achieve what the show calls total victory - completing all four stages and winning the million-dollar grand prize. We caught up with him on the streets of New York.
ISAAC CALDIERO: Yeah, we're just out running around, checking out the town, meeting my lady Laura, just doing a little sightseeing. We've been doing a lot of work and interviews all week, and so we're just trying to get a little - a relaxing day.
RATH: And enjoying your new celebrity.
CALDIERO: (Laughter).
RATH: So for people who have no idea what this thing is at all, could you first explain briefly what "American Ninja Warrior" is?
CALDIERO: Well, it's known as the most impossible obstacle course in the entire world. And it's never once been beat here in America up until now, and you're talking to the first American ninja warrior (laughter).
RATH: And what's been so difficult about it? For people who haven't seen the course, explain why it's taken so long for a competitor to get past stage three.
CALDIERO: I don't know. There's just so much pressure behind it. There's so much build up and hype over it, and no one can just beat this thing. I feel like that has kind of built this presence behind it where it's like this impossible feat. It's a very heartbreaking competition. I mean, all it takes is one slip, and you're done. You know, it's one shot, one kill. You don't get any rehearsal on any of these obstacles. You compile all of these things together, and that's what makes it the world's hardest obstacle course.
RATH: Tell us what's going through your head when you're looking at that fourth stage - the final obstacle, that 75-foot rope climb.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #4: A 75-foot rope climb in under 30 seconds. Can he do it?
CALDIERO: So even in my training, I had never done anything like that. So all of a sudden when it's like, all right, you have to do this in 30 seconds, I was very nervous. I was like, oh, my gosh, like, here we go.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #4: And he's up.
CALDIERO: My arms kind of slowed down for a second, and all of a sudden I was just like, oh, no, I'm not giving up yet.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #4: Locking those legs in. Oh, man, he is moving fast. Look at the time.
CALDIERO: I just got this last little boost of adrenaline.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR")
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #4: Isaac Caldiero is an American ninja warrior, and he's a million dollars richer.
CALDIERO: It still, to this day, is unreal. You know, I'm still kind of in disbelief (laughter).
RATH: In the profiles that we've seen about you, you seem to lead a super frugal lifestyle. Now you've got a million bucks, so how much do you think your life is going to change?
CALDIERO: Yeah, exactly. It's been very simple and frugal, and the way me and Laura like to live our lives is based off of that. We considered ourselves to be rich and happy before all this, so this is just a bonus. You definitely aren't going to see us out driving around in fancy cars and living it up, you know. We're going to keep down to our roots, and we're going to go rock-climbing 'cause that's what we love to do most.
RATH: Isaac Caldiero is the first-ever champion of "American Ninja Warrior." He joined me from the streets of New York City. Isaac, thanks for taking the time. Good luck.
CALDIERO: Thank you, man. It was a pleasure. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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