LIVESTREAM: Discovering Americana and the soul of entrepreneurship through Fry’s eyes

It features the inimitable British comedian charting his way across the 50 states of the US, assimilating everything Americana and of course, imparting some wonderful nuggets of wisdom, both on the cultural and not so surprisingly, the entrepreneurial front. Setting off on his voyage from New England, Fry wastes no time whiledigging into a meal of freshly cooked lobster in Maine, informing the audiences about the intricacies of commercial fishing in the lobster capital of the US.

Those who cringe at the sight of live lobsters being dunked live into cauldrons of boiling water, can take heart. Fry says the best of the cooks use a simple technique to paralyse the creatures into numbness, by just stroking the back of an upright lobster, which seems to magically stun them into paralysis, making the procedure almost painless.

Fry, who is enamoured by the work ethic of the lobster fishermen even gets a hands-on feel of the business, when he is taken fishing for a day – it’s back breaking work and a lobster which would ideally sell for $25 in the wholesale bazaar, is sold for upwards of $65 in diners and restaurants across America… so much for fair trade.

Fry’s journey in New England also takes him to Vermont, home of the maple syrup, and a cornerstone for nutritious, and highly indulgent breakfasts across the country. The ubiquitous syrup, in America is poured on virtually everything – from pancakes to waffles, eggs, bacon or sandwiches, much to the chagrin of the refined Englishman. But rather than delving on maple syrup, Fry chooses to enlighten viewers with a visit to the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory in Vermont.

The company, which has tussled with the likes of Häagen-Dazs for years, has emerged victorious by sticking to its mom and pop ideology of business. The brand name with its Hey! attitude feels like a friend chatting you up, and that’s possibly the key to building an ice cream empire. For those curious to know Fry’s self-made ice cream flavour – it’s called Even Stephen.

Fry doles out the niceties, with a little bit of saltiness as well, as he saves his choicest barbs for New Jersey – an industrial town reduced to a shadow of its former self. His jibes are more specifically aimed at the Trump Taj Mahal tower, which he describes as tacky and tasteless.

That’s the gist of the first show, there are five episodes to go, and each promises to a deep dive into the American consciousness, and its entrepreneurial wizardry.