The Truth About Max Djenohan From Naked And Afraid XL
To fans of Discovery's Naked and Afraid, Max Djenohan is a familiar face, having competed on multiple seasons of the hit reality TV show. As noted by The Seattle Times, Max had just a taste of the full experience the first time around, competing in a 14-day fan challenge before returning the next season to stay the full 21 days. The experience made Max a bit of a survivalist expert. "Go out there and see if the first thing you want is clothes," he said when The Seattle Times asked why he didn't make clothes. "The first thing you need is shelter ... or fire, it's kind of a debate. And then you need some way to procure water to hydrate. Then you go find food."
Max also appeared in an episode of the spin-offs Naked and Afraid: Alone — in which he had to survive by himself — and Naked and Afraid XL, a 40-day survival challenge. Now, Max is returning for yet another edition of the XL spin-off, this time competing for an unprecedented 60 days in wilderness (via The Futon Critic).
Clearly, Max isn't afraid to go on Naked and Afraid. But what else is there to know about this beloved survivalist? Keep reading to find out.
Max Djenohan is an outdoorsman through and through
When he's not trying to survive in the wilderness on reality television, Max Djenohan is an avid snowboarder with multiple sponsors. He has worked at Boardworks Tech Shop in Washington state since its inception, according to its official website. The Boardworks site also features several professional videos of Max snowboarding in the Pacific Northwest.
Max opened up to The Snowboarder's Journal about his experience being "pretty much the only Black kid at every competition" and diversity in the sport. "All the people of color represented by [REI] are sitting by a fire, literally doing the least. You have no top tier athletes showing," he said when asked about media representation. "Who said a collegiate basketball player couldn't be one of the top climbers on earth? Not being able to see yourself there, that's the barrier."
On top of being an athlete and survivalist, Max happens to be a nature photographer, selling many of his prints on his official website, where he says he "is seldom seen without a camera in his hand." Whether Max is in the middle of nowhere or close to home, it's clear that he is always eager for an adventure.