Pierre Robert Has an Update From Burning Man
Pierre Robert is on vacation this week, and it’s not just any getaway: he decided to go experience Burning Man in the Nevada desert for the first time. Our intrepid Good Citizen knew he was in for an adventure, but what has transpired isn’t exactly what he had envisioned.
The festival draws thousands of free spirits to Black Rock Desert every year for a week of camping and community. In theory, it’s the perfect destination for Pierre, our nature-loving Mr. Peace & Love. He even made sure to pack accordingly, as you can see in this Instagram reel.
Big thanks to – who else? – Jacky Bam Bam for that glorious Mummers suit.
Mother Nature had other plans, though. A late summer storm dumped over two months’ worth of rain on the desert in just 24 hours, per CNN. This turned the sandy ground into a thick clay that made traveling in and out of the area treacherous. Since there aren’t many amenities to be found in the middle of the desert, attendees were told by Burning Man organizers to conserve their supplies while the ground dried out, which could take several days.
Back here in Philly, MMR listeners have expressed concern for Pierre. Did he and others have proper shelter? Was he stuck in the quicksand with no way out? Did he even make it to the festival site before the airport got shut down?
We finally received an update via text from the Duke himself: “Hi there, I’m still stuck out in the desert with virtually no cell signal. Occasionally a text is able to get through so if you get this, could you go on my socials and post that it’s been quite crazy and wet but I’m OK and still standing.”
He also sent photographic proof of life:
As the photo shows, Pierre is alive and well! (Those shoes look like goners, though.) The ground was beginning to dry out at the time the pic was snapped, and now 6ABC reports that the driving ban on the sand has been lifted and “exodus operations have officially begun in Black Rock City.”
We’ll hear more about Pierre’s muddy Burning Man adventures when he returns next week. In the meantime, we’re rolling through the Back to School A to Z on air – our annual alphabetization of everything that rocks.
UPDATE (9/5): Pierre called the Preston & Steve Show earlier this week to give a firsthand account of Burning Man. Turns out, everyone was supportive and helpful throughout the ordeal. Stream the update below, and peep the photo of Pierre and composer Michael Giacchino.
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