This afternoon on my show, I talked with Les Stroud, whose “Survivorman” series has become must-see TV in my house.

Les is the guy who gets dropped in extreme locations and left alone for a week with no food, no water, no shelter — and no camera crew. I asked him about the controversy swirling around Bear Grylls (star of the similar show “Man vs. Wild”), who apparently has staff with him on his adventures, and is accused of sneaking off to sleep in a cabin at times.

Les, on the other hand, has no one with him. In addition to having to survive and escape the environment he’s left in, he has to lug some 50 pounds of camera equipment to capture his week on video for our entertainment. I asked him how he manages to get some of the shots he gets, how he knows which plants to eat, and whether knowing how to start a fire is the most vital skill he possesses.

Listen to our conversation here.