Jane Lynch doesn’t have to go far to experience natural beauty.
Two hours up the coast from her L.A.-area home “is one of the most glorious views I’ve ever encountered,” the Emmy winner tells Us Weekly of her road trips to Santa Barbara. “I know I’m always going to be blown away.”
Her latest gig ensures she’ll be privy to even more breathtaking sights. As host of National Geographic’s Earth Live special in NYC, she will direct viewers to in-the-moment videos of animals in their natural habitats from around the world. “I don’t like getting on a plane, so this is perfect, because I still get to see what’s going on,” notes Lynch. “This is such an ambitious project that will show us what goes on in the wild when we’re not looking. We don’t often get a chance to see the beauty of these animals and the terrain in which they exist.”
The Glee alum, 56, guarantees the bird’s-eye-view footage will be just that: wild. The show’s videographers “are true explorers,” she says. “These people carry everything on their backs and climb glaciers and trees to get the shot. They have such a thirst to see what’s out there.”
For her part, she feels most natural on camera. Though the two-hour show will be streamed across 171 countries in 45 languages, Lynch insists she’s not nervous. “It’s such a big concept to put your mind around that I don’t even try,” she says. “There’s nothing to even do to prepare because it’s going to be live. I’ve looked at where the cameras are going to be. I’ve read some of the correspondence. It’s going to be as big a moment for me as it will be for the audience.”
No matter what, it’ll be an eye-opener. “As humans, we tend to believe our existence is the most important,” Lynch tells Us. “But we all live together on this planet and we’re equally vital to its sustainability. It’s really important to know that we depend on each other.”
And while animals from Texas to India will be showcased, the TV personality admits she has a certain soft spot for a particular species of fur balls. “Dogs are definitely God’s gift to the human race,” she says. “They’re unconditionally loving and I just adore them. I always have at least two or three in my house at all times.”
Earth Live airs on National Geographic Sunday, July 9 at 8 p.m. ET.
