Zionsville man traces his roots on Norwegian reality show
Learning about ourselves and tracing the steps that brought us to where we are can be a local task. We can search our library’s genealogy department, we can Google things on our computers or simply ask questions of older relatives.
Todd Ferris followed a very different path to learn about his roots. He landed a spot on a reality television show. In Norway.
Ferris, a Zionsville resident and great-great grandson of a Norwegian immigrant, is set to appear on the third season of Norway’s extremely popular Alt for Norge program, which features 12 Americans of Nordic descent vying in an array of challenges.
The winner’s prize? $50,000 and a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the Norwegian fork of his family tree.
For Ferris, the idea started as a lark and ended up as something of a life-altering event.
“Two years ago, my aunt was at a Sons of Norway meeting and heard that the show was looking for people who’d never been to Norway before,” Ferris said. “It looked like an adventurous thing to do, so I sent in an audition tape – it was pretty cheesy.”
About Todd
- Hometown: Edina, Minnesota
- University of Evansville graduate
- Taught for five years in IPS schools
- Real estate agent with F.C. Tucker in Indianapolis
Ferris explained that he’d been so used to the American concept of reality television – strong personalities, conflict, etc. – that he assumed Alt for Norge would want more of the same. Dressed as a news anchor and being as outlandish as possible in his submission, Ferris had unknowingly missed the program’s breadbasket entirely.
“They told us on day one that it was a family show and they didn’t want fighting or cliques formed,” he said, “and they took steps to make sure that those things wouldn’t happen. That was the biggest difference.”
A year after receiving his rejection letter – “They did tell me they enjoyed my video,” Ferris said – he got a second chance. Asked politely to tone it down the second time around, Ferris simply talked about himself and his family in his second try. A short time later, he was through a 40-person second round in Chicago and off to Norway.
About Alt for Norge
- 600,000 to 800,000 viewers each week (Norway’s population: 4,952,000)
- Two-time Gullruten award winner (Norwegian equivalent of an Emmy)
Ferris’ season, which began shooting in April, is long-completed and the premiere episode is set to air tomorrow, but he contractually cannot give details of what transpired until they happen on the show.
“Everybody is asking me all the time what happened and I can’t tell them anything,” he said. “When we left, they told us we’d be gone anywhere from two to nine weeks, depending on how we fared. We had no contact with the outside world during shooting.”
Ferris was understandably guarded with details, but did say that in past seasons the premise had been for contestants to travel around Norway, competing in all manner of physical and mental challenges that served to eliminate players along the way, with the underlying theme being learning more about one’s history and oneself.
Few yet know how much Ferris got to absorb in his native homeland and for how long, but suffice it to say he came back a changed person.
“Growing up, my mom always stressed Norwegian traditions,” he said. “We’d say a Norwegian prayer before formal dinners and she made a Norwegian cake for my wedding. I never really appreciated them until I came back – there’s a whole new appreciation for things I’ve been missing out on.”
When Ferris did come back, he returned to two three-and-a-half year old girls and a pregnant wife. He said the time apart was tough, but a strategy had been put in place before he left.
“My wife was a trooper,” said Ferris. “She handled it well and we took steps to prepare. I wrote a letter for every day for the kids to read, and for her as well. They kept a journal at home, and I kept a journal of what I did over there. They handled it as well as they could have.”
Does Ferris have any tips on what to look for as season three unfolds?
“We’ll see how it plays out,” he said.
Want to watch Todd take on Norway?
Log on to www.tvnorge.no to stream the show each Sunday, beginning tomorrow.