Greg Palkot Interview…

GQ’s Taimur Kahn interviews FNC’s Greg Palkot about his harrowing experience in Egypt…

What were you thinking when you were first attacked?
That we were in trouble. That we were in deep trouble. Again, though: there were a few people in the crowd who did not think it was a great thing to kill foreigners out on the street in Cairo. So we were guided forward and protected by a few people in the crowd. And very shortly we saw what our goal would be and that was an Egyptian Army APC [armored personnel carrier] that was sitting in the middle of a plaza ahead of us.

Were you able to fight back?
I did my best but it’s tough because you’re getting it from all sides. You’re fending off the blows, you’re trying to figure out if somebody’s a friend of yours when they’re looking at you, and then the next minute they’re smashing you in the face.

Did you think about your family while this was happening?
Oh yeah, it’s quick, your life going by. Basically it was: it can’t end this way, ok? It can’t end in the middle of a riot with a bunch of thugs kicking the heck out of me. It can’t end this way.