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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Stephen Gough

Aired January 24, 2004 - 07:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, January 24, 2004 it's not easy hiking the entire length of Britain, even more so if you're doing it naked. Stephen Gough spent seven months making the trek, and barely finished.
He joins us now on the phone from Edinburgh to describe his journey.

And Stephen, I hope, since this is a clean show, you are doing it with clothes on.

STEPHEN GOUGH, NAKED HIKER (on phone): Well, yes, I am, yes.

CARROLL: Very good. Stephen, you know, I read through some of this...

GOUGH: Oh, oh, hang on, let's -- let me just stop you there. I mean, being naked isn't dirty, you know?

CARROLL: No, I'm with you, I'm with you on that. I just want to know why, Stephen. Why? You know, this took a long time for you to do. There are so many other things you could be doing with your time. Why this?

GOUGH: Oh, like what? What else?

CARROLL: What do you mean, what else? You could spend time with your kids, you could go to a park, you could do it with clothes on. Why did you decide to do it with clothes off, to take this walk?

GOUGH: Well, well, that you mention kids is interesting, because, I mean, what inspired me to do this is watching my kids run around with no clothes on. You watch children, and they're so free, they're so spontaneous.

And as an adult, you think, Wait a minute, I was like that once. What happened? you know. And so it's a funny thought to think, What happened to me when I was young, and what happens to most people when they're young? We grow up, and we somehow lose that spontaneity. And we feel shame about our bodies.

And so that's what actually started me to think, I must do something about what -- situation.

CARROLL: Also, though, you know, Stephen, when you grow up, you know that you have to obey the law. You were arrested, what, some 16 times. You really must have had a dedication to want to do this.

GOUGH: Obey the law -- what, obey the law? I mean, I mean, the law is always changing, you know. Once we had a law saying slavery was absolutely fine. So, I mean, if we say, stay in the, you know, obeying the law all the time, then we will not progress.

CARROLL: OK. What did your family and friends say when you told them you were going to do this? What was their reaction?

GOUGH: Oh, well, my mum's quite a traditional woman, so she doesn't approve.

CARROLL: Aha. You know, I'm wondering also, Stephen, what happened when you were actually taken this trek? What did people say to you as you were walking by? I'm told you were just wearing socks, boots, a cap, that's it. What were people saying to you as you were walking by?

GOUGH: Well, on the whole, people were even different, although very supportive. You know, they'd stop and chat with me, you know, and ask me what was up, what's happening, what was I doing? And so, you know, I didn't know what was going to happen, and I was quite surprised at how, you know, people -- how supportive people were.

CARROLL: All right, very quickly, one more question for you, Stephen. Do you plan to do any more of these types of stunts, or is this it for you?

GOUGH: Oh, yes, you know, most certainly, you know, this is a big issue, and it's very important, because it's about how we feel about ourselves and our body's part of us. It's very important. It's how we -- how we think about ourselves is how we treat other people and the world around us.

CARROLL: All right, thanks very much for that, Stephen Gough, joining us from Edinburgh to describe his journey. And Stephen, next time you decide to do it, be sure and give us a call, let us know what you're up to.

GOUGH: All right, thanks.

CARROLL: All right. Thanks very much for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 24, 2004 - 07:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, January 24, 2004 it's not easy hiking the entire length of Britain, even more so if you're doing it naked. Stephen Gough spent seven months making the trek, and barely finished.
He joins us now on the phone from Edinburgh to describe his journey.

And Stephen, I hope, since this is a clean show, you are doing it with clothes on.

STEPHEN GOUGH, NAKED HIKER (on phone): Well, yes, I am, yes.

CARROLL: Very good. Stephen, you know, I read through some of this...

GOUGH: Oh, oh, hang on, let's -- let me just stop you there. I mean, being naked isn't dirty, you know?

CARROLL: No, I'm with you, I'm with you on that. I just want to know why, Stephen. Why? You know, this took a long time for you to do. There are so many other things you could be doing with your time. Why this?

GOUGH: Oh, like what? What else?

CARROLL: What do you mean, what else? You could spend time with your kids, you could go to a park, you could do it with clothes on. Why did you decide to do it with clothes off, to take this walk?

GOUGH: Well, well, that you mention kids is interesting, because, I mean, what inspired me to do this is watching my kids run around with no clothes on. You watch children, and they're so free, they're so spontaneous.

And as an adult, you think, Wait a minute, I was like that once. What happened? you know. And so it's a funny thought to think, What happened to me when I was young, and what happens to most people when they're young? We grow up, and we somehow lose that spontaneity. And we feel shame about our bodies.

And so that's what actually started me to think, I must do something about what -- situation.

CARROLL: Also, though, you know, Stephen, when you grow up, you know that you have to obey the law. You were arrested, what, some 16 times. You really must have had a dedication to want to do this.

GOUGH: Obey the law -- what, obey the law? I mean, I mean, the law is always changing, you know. Once we had a law saying slavery was absolutely fine. So, I mean, if we say, stay in the, you know, obeying the law all the time, then we will not progress.

CARROLL: OK. What did your family and friends say when you told them you were going to do this? What was their reaction?

GOUGH: Oh, well, my mum's quite a traditional woman, so she doesn't approve.

CARROLL: Aha. You know, I'm wondering also, Stephen, what happened when you were actually taken this trek? What did people say to you as you were walking by? I'm told you were just wearing socks, boots, a cap, that's it. What were people saying to you as you were walking by?

GOUGH: Well, on the whole, people were even different, although very supportive. You know, they'd stop and chat with me, you know, and ask me what was up, what's happening, what was I doing? And so, you know, I didn't know what was going to happen, and I was quite surprised at how, you know, people -- how supportive people were.

CARROLL: All right, very quickly, one more question for you, Stephen. Do you plan to do any more of these types of stunts, or is this it for you?

GOUGH: Oh, yes, you know, most certainly, you know, this is a big issue, and it's very important, because it's about how we feel about ourselves and our body's part of us. It's very important. It's how we -- how we think about ourselves is how we treat other people and the world around us.

CARROLL: All right, thanks very much for that, Stephen Gough, joining us from Edinburgh to describe his journey. And Stephen, next time you decide to do it, be sure and give us a call, let us know what you're up to.

GOUGH: All right, thanks.

CARROLL: All right. Thanks very much for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com