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Dakota Midday: 'Point and Shoot'

Nine years ago, Baltimore-native Matthew VanDyke bought a motorcycle and a video camera and traveled across North Africa and the Middle East. It was what he described as a “crash course in manhood.” During the trip, he struck up a friendship with a Libyan man named Nuri. When revolution broke out in his new friend’s country, VanDyke joined the rebel fighters and documented the war against Muammar Gadhafi. He had a gun in one hand and a camera in the other. He was captured by Gadhafi's forces and spent more than five months in solitary confinement.

VanDyke’s story is the subject of filmmaker Marshall Curry’s documentary, Point and Shoot. Curry is a two-time Academy award nominated documentary filmmaker. His films include Racing Dream and If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front. Point and Shoot was released in 2014 and was awarded Best Documentary Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival. It airs Monday, August 24 on SDPB1-TV at 9 pm, CT; 8 pm, MT as a part of the PBS POV series. Marshall Curry joined Dakota Midday and discussed the documentary.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.
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