The not so great Wallenda

[looneycat]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!

[quirky3]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!

Niagara Falls is my home town, and I went to school with Roger Woodward, who survived a plunge over the Falls at age 7 in 1960. This was an amazing feat. Nik didn't want to wear the harness, but his sponsors made it a requirement before they would pay the costs of the event. And, he did not miss a step - no need for the harness.

IMHO, "walk 1500 ft. in his shoes" before putting him down!!

[RichieB]

:agree:

[chuckster]

I agree quirky......and as you said was required to wear harness.

[ceejay]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!

Wow...I so have to disagree with you!

Of course, we skipped the first hour of hyperbole before his walk, but I found it absolutely riveting.

If you have ever been to Niagara Falls in person and have seen it's magnificance, you would be wondering what the heck was this guy thinking???

I, for one, applaud him and admire him for his faith and perseverence.

We saw history being made last night...that film will be shown for years and years!:clap2::clap2::clap2:

[graciegirl]

I am VERY impressed.

[RichieB]

ditto :agree:

[kentucky blue]

Wow...I so have to disagree with you!

Of course, we skipped the first hour of hyperbole before his walk, but I found it absolutely riveting.

If you have ever been to Niagara Falls in person and have seen it's magnificance, you would be wondering what the heck was this guy thinking???

I, for one, applaud him and admire him for his faith and perseverence.

We saw history being made last night...that film will be shown for years and years!:clap2::clap2::clap2:

I have to agree with you completely,he just made it look easy. I guess what some of the other posters call exciting is to watch a bunch of cars go around in a circle all day long ,with numerous laps under a caution light, and the winner, in many cases, is not the best driver or car, but the guy who still has some fuel left at the end.Ask any of those drivers whether they would ever try anything as dangerous as what Wallenda did last night,can't believe he received the permits to even try.What he did was nothing short of CRAZY:shocked:

[skyguy79]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!
http://www.davesfiles.com/Random/Gifs/banana-pothead.gif
Sharing?

[lightworker888]

Not sure how "trailing a safety harness" makes the action less"thrilling". Is the fact that he could get killed more exciting or thrilling than watching the skill of walking a tightrope over such a large expanse? I would think that he would have to compensate for the harness as well as the wind and the mist and that would add to the challenge. Heard that he is planning a crossing of the Grand Canyon next. He seems to be one of those who answer the question "why?' with "because it's there". BTW check out "Man on a WIre" if you like tight rope walking. That was very "exciting" in many ways for me.


LW888

[BostonCelt]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!

Yeah, you're right. Think of all the money you could have made if you'd done it first.

The TV stations didn't waste your time. You did.

[looneycat]

Yeah, you're right. Think of all the money you could have made if you'd done it first.

The TV stations didn't waste your time. You did.

not saying that what he did was not very difficult....BUT...for days this was hyped as a death-defying mega stunt, the 'event' was preceded by an hour and 40 minutes of death defying mumbo jumbo, was it a difficult feat, certainly, was it a death defying ace as promised...not at all. Tight rope walkers (THE great wallenda) had professional pride and would not use a safety harness...this was rather pale. I didn't want to see him fall but there's no nail biter when there's no risk whatsoever!

[collie1228]

I don't recall hearing that old Karl Wallenda ever used a harness - but a bunch of Wallenda's have been killed over the years - including Karl himself. Hard to sell "death defying" when there is a safety harness involved.

[mac9]

I don't believe that the safety harness took anything away from what he did. I also shudder to think that, if he did not have the harness, and something happened, how many other lives would have been jeopardized in trying to aid him.

[collie1228]

I've walked across the river on the Rainbow Bridge too. And that was just as dangerous Wallenda's walk across the falls on a wire with the safety rig.

[Francie]

I live here in Niagara County and have been to Niagara Falls too many times to count. Each and every time I am awed by the power and majesty of God's creation. For Nik to traverse this course had me riveted. Unless you have seen Niagara Falls in person you cannot possibly understand the difficulty.

[missypie]

To say that Wallenda was not so great, so then what is?

What is Great is subjective to ones opinion of what greatness is.

Wallenda had to have the harness in order for the network to post what he was doing.

Again, "What is Great?"

Answer; whatever you think it is

[RichieLion]

I don't get it. To get your kicks you needed Wallenda to be in risk of a gruesome death?

The sheer skill of walking 1800 feet on a wire in high unpredictable winds and succeeding was not enough of a skill set to impress you?

I'm at a loss.

[2BNTV]

I wouldn't even have the nerve to attempt this feat. My knees would be knocking at the thought. To consider the wind, mist and other elements, this strikes me as a couragious feat.

Watching on TV, it would seem to be easy if done correctly.

Reminds me of Evil Knievel. When he was successful. he made it look easy.

When he had a mishap, no film was available of his hospital stays.

[collie1228]

I'd never want to see anyone die a gruesome death. But by the same token, I object to people conning the public to think what they do is "death defying", when it isn't anything like that at all. I'm not interested in Wallenda whatsoever, but I am interested when the audience is being conned by the networks into thinking what he does is "entertainment". He walked across the falls in no danger whatsoever. How is that different from walking across the Rainbow Bridge?

[cappyjon431]

I'd never want to see anyone die a gruesome death. But by the same token, I object to people conning the public to think what they do is "death defying", when it isn't anything like that at all. I'm not interested in Wallenda whatsoever, but I am interested when the audience is being conned by the networks into thinking what he does is "entertainment". He walked across the falls in no danger whatsoever. How is that different from walking across the Rainbow Bridge?

I didn't watch the show, but I think that traversing the falls on a cable less than the thickness of a tennis ball is probably a little more challenging than crossing it on a footbridge, regardless of whether or not a safety harness was necessary?

Why shouldn't someone be able to enjoy watching someone's amazing talent (in this case balance) on TV if they choose? I'm a big believer that if you don't want to waste your time watching something on TV, turn it off or change the channel. If you were unaware that a harness was required and you ended up "wasting" a couple of hours watching the entire TV show, it probably wasn't the first time "wasting" time watching a bad TV show or movie. I know I've wasted more hours than I can count watching crappy movies at the theatre, but I simply move on and forget about it. Shoot, I've wasted plenty of time watching mediocre entertainment in the squares but the bottom line is that it was my choice and at the end of the day it was no big deal.

I do think that these types of shows tend to cater to a certain segment of society that hopes to see blood and gore (the same folks who slow down and stop traffic to "observe" auto accidents, many who watch auto racing hoping to see a crash, etc.). I am not saying that all who watch these types of shows are hoping to see misfortune, but many think that the chance of seeing someone hurt themselves is part of the entertainment.

[collie1228]

Cappy, I'm mostly in agreement with you. My problem is the networks hyping a "death defying" act that isn't death defying at all. But I wouldn't have watched it even if there wasn't a safety harness. I'll be interested in seeing the ratings next week. I'm betting they won't be all that great.

[zonerboy]

Let's get real here. Risk to life and limb is a large factor in the appeal of "daredevil" activities such as tight rope walking, sky diving, etc. We all have a certain fascination with blood and gore.
If there were no fights in ice hockey, and players didn't get slammed into the boards, who the heck would bother to watch it? It would be about as exciting as watching grass grow.
Same thing with pro football. If wide receivers never got their lights knocked out by viscous linebackers, if quarterbacks never got blindsided by charging defensive ends, the game would not be nearly as popular with the macho male wannabees.
A little reality, please.

[buzzy]

Might not be death defying, but falling and dangling from the harness with the cameras rolling might have been career ending for him.

[skyguy79]

There is an element to all this that I don't think has even been mentioned yet. This was a once in a lifetime event as it has never been done before and may never be done again. That in itself is news worthy and certainly worthy of being televised and for people to enjoy watching. Why some people will even get up in the middle of the night to try and catch a rare glimpse of the brief flair of a rocket launch. And how about the solar eclipse that occurred on May 20th that won't happen again in our lifetime? I think this whole issue is a non starter even if it hyped by the media as a "death defying" event!

[quirky3]

I wouldn't even have the nerve to attempt this feat. My knees would be knocking at the thought. To consider the wind, mist and other elements, this strikes me as a couragious feat.

Watching on TV, it would seem to be easy if done correctly.

Reminds me of Evil Knievel. When he was successful. he made it look easy.

When he had a mishap, no film was available of his hospital stays.
Not to hijack the post, but - 2BNTV! Welcome back! Where have you been?

[quirky3]

He walked across the falls in no danger whatsoever. How is that different from walking across the Rainbow Bridge?
Here's how it is different from walking across the Rainbow Bridge (see photo below). If it is all the same then, please take a tightrope on your next tour over to Canada.

[kentucky blue]

Cappy, I'm mostly in agreement with you. My problem is the networks hyping a "death defying" act that isn't death defying at all. But I wouldn't have watched it even if there wasn't a safety harness. I'll be interested in seeing the ratings next week. I'm betting they won't be all that great.

How do you comment so negatively on a performance you didn't even watch?The ratings were outstanding for ABC,their most watched Friday show since November 2007.The show more than doubled the ratings of any of the other networks on Friday .They drew over 13 million viewers on a Friday evening, for the actual walk in the 18-49 age group,the advertisers most important demographic group.

[collie1228]

I didn't watch it, but saw a photo in the next day's newspaper. That's when I noticed the safety wires and actually had to laugh. Again, I have no problem with his using the safety wire - and I would guess that if it were up to him, he wouldn't have used one. My issue is the death defying hype from the network. It's a joke.

[DonH57]

The media in one form or another hype up everything they can. I watched most of the event and found it to be pretty interesting. I don't feel the harness really took anything away from the stunt if anything adding a possible problem to his balance. Even with the harness something still could have went horribly wrong. I can't knock him for doing it because you'll never get me up there on that wire.

[2BNTV]

.......

[graciegirl]

.......

I agree. ;) I think my Sweetie would say this is getting to be a ****ing contest. You can't win a ****ing contest.:22yikes:

[quirky3]

I agree. ;) I think my Sweetie would say this is getting to be a ****ing contest. You can't win a ****ing contest.:22yikes:
I think we're all exchanging views and expressing opinions. I'm OK with that. I don't generally expect people to always agree. That's why I like this forum.

[graciegirl]

I think we're all exchanging views and expressing opinions. I'm OK with that. I don't generally expect people to always agree. That's why I like this forum.

lol, your expectations are realistic. I was just tryin' to support all that goes on in Niagara Falls. Lot of terrific folks from that area. You'd think they were Cincinnatians, they are so nice.

[2BNTV]

I respectfully agree to disagree with others who have a different viewpoit than mine.

Let's be one big happy family on this wonderful forum. :smiley:

Never forget that one can brighten a room when entering and some when leaving. :jester:

[Carl in Tampa]

trailing a safety harness took all the 'thrill' out of the stunt....a very ho hum event! please TV stations don't waste our time!!!

The TV executives wouldn't televise the event unless he agreed to the harness. It actually made the uphill part of the walk more difficult because he had to drag it along.

I didn't need a "thrill" to admire the athletic ability required to complete the walk.

:eclipsee_gold_cup:

[skyguy79]

I respectfully agree to disagree with others who have a different viewpoit than mine.

Let's be one big happy family on this wonderful forum. :smiley:

Never forget that one can brighten a room when entering and some when leaving. :jester:You ain't just whistling Dixie there! It also doesn't hurt to have your hand ready on the light switch... just in case! http://www.4smileys.com/smileys/happy-smileys/happy-smiley55.gif

[joannej]

Nic did a lot of praying as he was crossing the tightrope. If it was a piece of caking, he wouldn't have been praying. Also, there were times he said he could not see with the mist and spray, and the wind came at him from all directions. He had 40 lbs. on his back carrying the balance pole or bar. The safety chain looked like more of hindrance to him than a help. What if that would have caught on to something? Note: he did not want to have this hooked on to him. Nic had a lot of elements to deal with. I was very impressed with his courage. Remember, too that he practiced quite a bit before he tried this feat. So if it looked easy to you, think about what I just stated.

[Francie]

Bythe way, Nik did NOT want to wear the safety harness at all. ABC mandated it.

[2BNTV]

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[Bill-n-Brillo]

I agree. ;) I think my Sweetie would say this is getting to be a ****ing contest. You can't win a ****ing contest.:22yikes:

I won several ****ing contests back in my high school days....... :shocked:

:pepper2:

Bill :wave:

[graciegirl]

I won several ****ing contests back in my high school days....... :shocked:

:pepper2:

Bill :wave:

Perhaps you could demonstrate your technique the next time y'all come for dinner....:22yikes::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::wave:

[lightworker888]

Too much information!!! LOL


LW888

[skyguy79]

Perhaps you could demonstrate your technique the next time y'all come for dinner....:22yikes::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::wave:B oy Howdy! You want pictures of the stains on the walls to prove it too? http://th677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/greyfox5150/SMILIES/th_crazysmiley.gif

[graciegirl]

Boy Howdy! You want pictures of the stains on the walls to prove it too? http://th677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/greyfox5150/SMILIES/th_crazysmiley.gif

Stains on the wall???? I thought it was a debate team.:a040::coolsmiley::icon_wink:

[skyguy79]

Stains on the wall???? I thought it was a debate team.:a040::coolsmiley::icon_wink:Eileen was in her HS Debate Club and she never heard that term in relationship to debates. So... I asked a dog what his opinion was, and this is all I got out of him:

http://mr-carpet-cleaner.com/images/Pet-Odor-Removal.jpg http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts.net/images/smilies/groan.gif
http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts.net/images/smilies/hahadog.gif

[senior citizen]

Niagara Falls is my home town, and I went to school with Roger Woodward, who survived a plunge over the Falls at age 7 in 1960. This was an amazing feat. Nik didn't want to wear the harness, but his sponsors made it a requirement before they would pay the costs of the event. And, he did not miss a step - no need for the harness.

IMHO, "walk 1500 ft. in his shoes" before putting him down!!

I agree !!!

He was awesome. We never stay up that late, but it was something else. I'm so glad he made it. In the dark, with the mist and the spray, just amazing......with the wind and the "up and down" the cable.

Wearing the harness was something his sponsors demanded....as you mention. An unbelievable feat.........accomplished.

We love Niagra Falls.......have been there several times..........but it was nicer in the old days before all the high rise hotels took over.

Without that balancing pole and the harness, he might have left his children orphans and his wife a widow.

We got a kick out of them asking him for his passport on the Canadian side. "What is your business in Canada?"

[1978tbird]

I'll tell you what - - next time you go to The Falls, instead of walking across the Rainbow Bridge take a wire across Niagara. You'll quickly discover the difference. As far as being tethered to the wire - he didn't want any part of it but ABC said they would shut down coverage of the event if he took it off. He needed ABC's sponsorship as it cost over $1.3 million to set up the walk.

For those who claim it wasn't death defying enough - would you rather have seen him fall into the gorge? The possibility of him dangling from the wire isn't exciting enough? I guess the length of the walk through swirling and changing winds with a mist that was more like a steady rain down a steep slope and back up again while talking to annoying television hosts isn't very challenging. The problem is that he made it look too easy. He never missed a step during the 40 or so minutes he was out there while while holding his balance beam. Most people's arms would have went numb long before he completed his walk.

For those who felt they were wasting there time - - why did you continue to watch it? And as far as not being exciting enough - - probably the same ones who complain that the NASCAR race last week wasn't very good - there weren't enough wrecks.

If you had taken the time to listen to him he said it was his dream to walk across Niagara Falls since he was a young child and he was demonstrating that you can do just about anything you want to do if you put your mind to it and work hard.

But - - that's just my opinion . . . . . . .

[quirky3]

I'll tell you what - - next time you go to The Falls, instead of walking across the Rainbow Bridge take a wire across Niagara. You'll quickly discover the difference. As far as being tethered to the wire - he didn't want any part of it but ABC said they would shut down coverage of the event if he took it off. He needed ABC's sponsorship as it cost over $1.3 million to set up the walk.

For those who claim it wasn't death defying enough - would you rather have seen him fall into the gorge? The possibility of him dangling from the wire isn't exciting enough? I guess the length of the walk through swirling and changing winds with a mist that was more like a steady rain down a steep slope and back up again while talking to annoying television hosts isn't very challenging. The problem is that he made it look too easy. He never missed a step during the 40 or so minutes he was out there while while holding his balance beam. Most people's arms would have went numb long before he completed his walk.

For those who felt they were wasting there time - - why did you continue to watch it? And as far as not being exciting enough - - probably the same ones who complain that the NASCAR race last week wasn't very good - there weren't enough wrecks.

If you had taken the time to listen to him he said it was his dream to walk across Niagara Falls since he was a young child and he was demonstrating that you can do just about anything you want to do if you put your mind to it and work hard.
But - - that's just my opinion . . . . . . .

Very well said. I read in the Niagara Falls paper that he showed up the next day to help clean up after the thousands of spectators. He said he always wants to leave a place as it was before the event took place.

[quirky3]

Here's one more awesome picture - can you see him?

[RichieB]

But - - that's just my opinion . . . . . . .

I share the same opinion, and you expressed it in words better than I could have come up with ! :bigbow:

[2BNTV]

Awesome picture with a tiny blip in the middle. :smiley:

Seriously, this thread is startining to remind me of the joke, "don't P*** on my leg and tell me it's raining outside".

IMHO - An awesome feat. I agree with 1978tbird.

[Tom Hannon]

All of these "Stunts" are made for Hollywood. Remember when Evil Knievel said he could cross a Grand Canyon on a motor cycle? When push came to shove and the money for the big event made his jump a national event, he shows up with a damn space ship.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

All of these "Stunts" are made for Hollywood. Remember when Evil Knievel said he could cross a Grand Canyon on a motor cycle? When push came to shove and the money for the big event made his jump a national event, he shows up with a damn space ship.

And he didn't make it across!!! And ultimately, it wasn't actually the Grand Canyon that he attempted to jump:

Evel Knievel - The Snake River Canyon (http://weirdscifi.ratiosemper.com/evelknievel/canyon.html)

That man would try about anything!!! :D

Bill :)

[2BNTV]

And he didn't make it across!!! And ultimately, it wasn't actually the Grand Canyon that he attempted to jump:

Evel Knievel - The Snake River Canyon (http://weirdscifi.ratiosemper.com/evelknievel/canyon.html)

That man would try about anything!!! :D

Bill :)

And has many broken bones to prove it. :D

[looneycat]

I'll tell you what - - next time you go to The Falls, instead of walking across the Rainbow Bridge take a wire across Niagara. You'll quickly discover the difference. As far as being tethered to the wire - he didn't want any part of it but ABC said they would shut down coverage of the event if he took it off. He needed ABC's sponsorship as it cost over $1.3 million to set up the walk.

For those who claim it wasn't death defying enough - would you rather have seen him fall into the gorge? The possibility of him dangling from the wire isn't exciting enough? I guess the length of the walk through swirling and changing winds with a mist that was more like a steady rain down a steep slope and back up again while talking to annoying television hosts isn't very challenging. The problem is that he made it look too easy. He never missed a step during the 40 or so minutes he was out there while while holding his balance beam. Most people's arms would have went numb long before he completed his walk.

For those who felt they were wasting there time - - why did you continue to watch it? And as far as not being exciting enough - - probably the same ones who complain that the NASCAR race last week wasn't very good - there weren't enough wrecks.

If you had taken the time to listen to him he said it was his dream to walk across Niagara Falls since he was a young child and he was demonstrating that you can do just about anything you want to do if you put your mind to it and work hard.

But - - that's just my opinion . . . . . . .

OK, here's the difference, with that setup I WOULD do it and for far less. If I fell, Oh Well! so I dangle 4 feet below the wire....no harness..I wouldn't do it for ten times the amount.
As far as watching it, actually I DVR'd it and FF'd so I only watched 10 minutes until I realized we were once again duped by the network (not Wallenda per se)

[BostonCelt]

OK, here's the difference, with that setup I WOULD do it and for far less. If I fell, Oh Well! so I dangle 4 feet below the wire....no harness..I wouldn't do it for ten times the amount.
As far as watching it, actually I DVR'd it and FF'd so I only watched 10 minutes until I realized we were once again duped by the network (not Wallenda per se)

Ah, here we go again......

Do you consider NASCAR or Formula 1 racing to be death-defying? How about the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels? They all have safety devices so I guess they're not by your logic. Yet, there's still deaths that occur. So how should these events be advertised...death defying or not???

Most people don't watch these events to see deaths or to see safety devises used. They watch for the entertainment of seeing someone do something unique....win a race, perform a maneuver, walk a tightrope. If racers with helmets and seatbelts, or pilots with parachutes, or tightrope walkers with safety harnesses bore you because the "death defying" is affected, fine. Go back to watching "The View" or whatever....

[looneycat]

Ah, here we go again......

Do you consider NASCAR or Formula 1 racing to be death-defying? How about the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels? They all have safety devices so I guess they're not by your logic. Yet, there's still deaths that occur. So how should these events be advertised...death defying or not???

Most people don't watch these events to see deaths or to see safety devises used. They watch for the entertainment of seeing someone do something unique....win a race, perform a maneuver, walk a tightrope. If racers with helmets and seatbelts, or pilots with parachutes, or tightrope walkers with safety harnesses bore you because the "death defying" is affected, fine. Go back to watching "The View" or whatever....

well I have raced and I did have some safety equipment, and no that still wasn't safe it just had safety equipment to mitigate SOME of the risk. When one is tightrope walking and CAN'T fall you have mitigated ALL of the risk...there's a big difference. And don't kid yourself, people DO come to races to see crashes.

[BostonCelt]

well I have raced and I did have some safety equipment, and no that still wasn't safe it just had safety equipment to mitigate SOME of the risk. When one is tightrope walking and CAN'T fall you have mitigated ALL of the risk...there's a big difference. And don't kid yourself, people DO come to races to see crashes.

Again, my question to you is... Are NASCAR/Formula 1/airshows death defying or not? Can they be advertised as such, even though there are safety devises in place specifically to prevent death??

And, no, I don't kid myself.