It’s a Real Power Play as Teddy Wilson and Aliya Jasmine Unmask THE MIGHTIEST

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede   Have Teddy Wilson and Aliya Jasmine been able to resist the urge to describe themselves – without context – as “THE MIGHTIEST” co-hosts”? “Well, you just gave that to us, so we appreciate it, and now we’re going to never resist the urge to describe ourselves that way,” Wilson said. “We should just change all our social handles to @MightiestHosts,” Aliya Jasmine agreed. Hey, nobody can claim it’s inaccurate, with THE MIGHTIEST debuting Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery. THE MIGHTIEST is a six-episode docu-series examining the science and ingenuity behind some of the biggest and most complex planes, trains, and ships that humankind has ever made and operated. But what qualifies for the show, and what doesn’t? It’s easy to picture Wilson and Aliya Jasmine behind a judges’ table, saying, “Well, this is pretty mighty, but is it mightiest?” “Yes, it has to be 10-out-of-10 on the mighty scale,” Wilson said. “I think you just pitched the best spinoff we could ever do,” Aliya Jasmine said. Future spinoffs notwithstanding, the series premiere of THE MIGHTIEST is titled Launch Day. Wilson is aboard the U.S. Navy’s newest and largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, to document final training as the crew prepares for its first mission. Meanwhile, Aliya Jasmine looks at the massive Airbus A-380’s first landing at a major North American hub, as well as the re-launching of a flying telescope. “It’s a really big show to produce, so we’re fortunate that we work with the absolute best production team in the country,” Wilson said. “Aliya Jasmine and I get to go do the fun, adventurous stuff. But we’re just two small pieces of a very big puzzle. We’re nerds, you know. We’re geeks at heart. So something I love about THE MIGHTIEST, and all the work I’ve done in the franchise, is getting to learn about these incredible machines, the places they operate, and the teams that put them together. And now Aliya Jasmine is getting a taste of all that. She’s an amazing journalist, so she brings that mind and experience to the show.” Okay, it’s one thing for Wilson to describe himself as a nerd, but is Aliya Jasmine just going to sit there and take it? “Oh, but I am a nerd!” she said with a laugh. “It’s a proud badge I wear. People think I’m cool because I was one of the faces of MTV Canada for a long time, but Teddy was a producer of mine on MTV, so he knows. He saw the giant, vintage comic-book collection I kept under my desk. He knows I was an old-school ’80s rock ’n’ roll fan. Teddy used to see all of my textbooks about environmental journalism way before I went back to school to get my Master’s. So he has known the non-cool A.J. for a very long time. The fact that I now get to proudly wear my nerd patch on my arm alongside Teddy is a dream come true.” “We’re kindred geek spirits,” Wilson confirmed. Modern society seems to have a love-hate relationship with technology. The world relies on it so much, but also resents it. And when most people think of technology, they think of their phones, rather than the massive technological marvels that really keep things running. So what is it that Aliya Jasmine and Wilson hope that viewers take away from THE MIGHTIEST? “I think for me, the series really reveals the innovation of science and engineering that enable these machines to conquer nearly impossible challenges, but more than that, it’s about the people who make it happen,” Aliya Jasmine said. “I think what a lot of our viewers will walk away with is this renewed faith not only in technology, but in humankind. Neither of us are smart enough, or qualified enough, to have one of these jobs. But for a few days, we actually get to do it, we’re embedded with them. To have the ability to tell their stories is an honour.” Wilson added, “in a lot of these environments that Aliya Jasmine and I filmed in, there’s a lot of danger for the teams and the crews that do this incredible work. Obviously these machines and these vehicles are impressive, but it’s really a testament to human resilience in terms of how they’re operated. Behind technology is people.”   billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv