He’s tried sumo wrestling with Conan O’Brien, farming with Jennifer Garner and jousting with Jason Sudeikis.
But Kevin Hart’s latest physical challenge might be his toughest yet.
In the April 23 episode of the YouTube comedy series Kevin Hart: What The Fit, the stand-up comedian and movie star tries his hand at Scouting.
Alongside singer and actor Nick Jonas, Hart joins actual Scouts and Scouting volunteers from California. They explore the outdoors, learn new skills and try to complete merit badge requirements.
You can expect a ton of laughs throughout the 15-minute episode. But what else can we expect? Bryan on Scouting talked to two Scouters who were part of the show to learn more.
Meet Clif and Jessica
Clif Stewart, an Eagle Scout, Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and former summer camp staffer, is a district finance chairman in the San Diego Imperial Council. For his day job, he’s a small-business benefits consultant.
Jessica Pazdernik is the council commissioner for the Western Los Angeles County Council and an assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 2019, a Scouts BSA troop for girls. For her day job, she’s a costumer who has worked on shows like Glee and movies like Captain Marvel.
Bryan on Scouting: What was your reaction when you first learned of the opportunity to be on this show and meet Kevin Hart?
Clif Stewart: Excitement. My Scouting career has taken me all over the country and provided me with all kinds of opportunities. It’s been a wonderful 34 years.
Jessica Pazdernik: I thought it was a great opportunity for our troop. Since I work in costumes in my career, I’m used to being behind the scenes, so it was fun for me to be “the talent” for this project. I will admit, it was hard to be on a set without a walkie talkie in my ear and my set bag around my waist!
BOS: What can you tell me about the actual filming process?
Clif: We got to the location at 7 a.m. and left at 1 p.m. after we grabbed lunch. Filming was interesting. There was a lot of hurry up and wait, but we used the time to prep.
Jessica: The cool thing about the way the show is filmed is that the cameras never stop, so you need to just roll with the punches no matter what happens. It was great seeing the kids laugh at both of the actors, as well — they never stopped!
BOS: What did you think of Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas?
Jessica: It was fun to watch the comic interplay between Kevin and Nick. Working with comedians is always unpredictable, and Kevin is very funny in person. You never quite know what they are going to do, so the laughter you see was very real!
Clif: Kevin Hart was a really nice guy to the kids and everyone involved from the Scouting side. He took time to talk to the kids and take pictures with them.
Jessica: Yes, he was great with the Scouts. He made them laugh so much and gave them a great memory for the day. It was nice of him to take that time and give all of us a look into his off-camera personality.
BOS: What about the other stars of the show: the Scouts?
Jessica: My troop held a quick audition in late December 2019 to see how comfortable we were on camera. That was fun, and I was very proud of all of my Scouts that auditioned.
Clif: My favorite moment was watching the Scouts interact with Kevin and Nick. The Scouts BSA girl who threw the tomahawks is an amazing Scout. Her knowledge and enthusiasm were quite impressive.
BOS: Without spoiling anything, what can you tell us about the episode?
Jessica: Kevin has a great “Scout character” that he created. I think viewers will get a kick out of seeing how he portrayed himself as a Scout and how he worked with our real Scouts from the two troops. He’s got a whole backpack of tricks that viewers will enjoy, and the ending is hilarious.
BOS: What do you think this opportunity will do for Scouting nationwide?
Clif: I think it will be a nice promotion for the organization. Scouting continues to evolve and grow, and we need more opportunities like this to promote the Scouting experience to kids all over the country. Scouting is still relevant. It still has a place in America and society as a whole.
Jessica: This will show that Scouting is still out there, alive, thriving, relevant and, most of all, fun! It’s great to see Scouts of all types working together, laughing, having fun and maintaining the core mission of the BSA to “Be Prepared.” This episode really celebrates those things, and, in its format on YouTube, keeps it very current for today’s market.
Watch the Scouting episode of What The Fit
April 23 update: Here’s the episode!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vQaWytKI-Y
Thanks to RC Peterson and the talented team at the Western Los Angeles Area Council for their work in securing this opportunity!
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