Top 10 Craziest 2000s Events Caught On LIVE TV
#10: Olympic Marathon Runner Is Tackled
It was the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima was hoping to score big in the men’s marathon. De Lima was leading the race by around 25 seconds, when he was attacked by an Irish priest named Neil Horan. Horan, who is also referred to as the Armageddon Priest, had become infamous for disrupting sporting events to propagate his belief of a fast-approaching apocalypse. The Irishman shoved de Lima off the track and into the crowd, subduing him until he was pushed off by a spectator. As a result, de Lima lost his composure and the lead, eventually finishing in third place. Horan was later dismissed from the clergy.
#9: Kanye West Takes a Jab at George Bush
Kanye West has always been a controversial and outspoken celebrity. On September 2, 2005, he took part in “A Concert for Hurricane Relief,” a benefit show meant to raise money and awareness for Katrina relief efforts. The program was watched by over eight million people, who helped raise $50 million for the cause. West appeared alongside comedian Mike Myers, only to deviate from the prepared script and go on a political tangent about the foibles of America. He then stated that George Bush doesn’t care about Black people, which prompted visible discomfort from both Myers and Chris Tucker. Suffice to say, the incident put a weird asterisk next to an otherwise very productive night.
#8: Malice at the Palace
The beauty about live sports is that anything can happen. Not only is the game’s outcome completely unpredictable, but so are the players’ behaviors. The so-called ‘Malice at the Palace’ occurred on November 19, 2004 during a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons. With just about 45 seconds left, Pacers player Ron Artest fouled Piston Ben Wallace, prompting Wallace to shove him violently. The result was complete pandemonium. The players got heated, and after a fan threw a cup at Artest, the fight spread into the stands. Nine players were suspended, ten people were charged with assault, and the NBA implemented many new reforms to prevent future incidents. In short, it’s one of the worst fights in sporting history.
#7: The Landing of JetBlue Flight 292
Top 20 Craziest Events Caught On Live TV of the Century (So Far)
JetBlue Flight 292, an airplane traveling from Burbank to New York, made headlines on September 21, 2005. Soon after departing, the pilots discovered a malfunction that stopped the plane’s landing gear from retracting. This prompted an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport. However, there was too much fuel in the plane, which posed a dangerous risk upon touchdown. As a result, they had to fly over Los Angeles for hours, drawing the attention of national news outlets. Many viewers - including those on the plane itself - tuned in to watch the developments. What could have been a fiery crash that cost lives ended up a safe, if rather sparky, landing. Luckily, no one was injured in the ordeal.
#6: The Balloon Boy
Top 10 Craziest Events Caught on Live TV
Coming in at the tail end of the decade, the Balloon Boy story was a true adventure. It occurred on October 15, 2009, when a young child was supposedly trapped inside a balloon that was flying over Fort Collins, Colorado. The story became a live media sensation, and a huge rescue effort was put in place involving the National Guard. However, the boy was later found safe at home, leading many to conclude that the incident was a hoax. This was seemingly confirmed on that night’s episode of “Larry King Live,” where the child in question said it was done “for the show.” The boy’s parents received minimal jail sentences, although they were eventually pardoned by Colorado Governor Jared Polis in 2020.
#5: Two News Helicopters Collide
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On July 27th 2007, those watching the news in Phoenix, Arizona were met with a horrifying sight. A police pursuit was being followed closely by the helicopters of ABC affiliate KNXV-TV and independent station KTVK. At 12:46 local time, the two news helicopters collided live on-air, leaving the news anchors back in the studio visibly confused. The crash soon took center stage, as other news helicopters following the chase began reporting on it instead. This accident, sadly, proved fatal, as both pilots and photographers from the two stations lost their lives. An investigation was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, which concluded that pilot error was likely at fault.
#4: The Invasion of Iraq
Another Top 10 Craziest Events Caught on Camera
The Iraq War was extensively covered in the media, and much of it was captured on live television. The invasion began in March of 2003, and viewers were given an uncomfortable glimpse into the realities of war. Gunfire echoed and explosions rocked the air, sending plumes of black smoke drifting into the night sky. It was a nightmarish scene, like something out of “Apocalypse Now.” For many, this footage served as the end of an era - or maybe the beginning of one. The drama continued throughout the months, as audiences were soon shown a televised documentation of Iraq President Saddam Hussein’s statue being toppled on April 9th.
#3: The Death of Dale Earnhardt
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Watching the demise of a person on live TV is always very difficult to digest, but this tragedy was made even worse owing to the legendary status of Dale Earnhardt. He was a hero to many - including children - and watching him die in such a violent way was incredibly traumatic. Earnhardt was racing in the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001 when he collided with two other racers, causing his car to spin out of control. He slammed into a wall at high speed and instantly suffered a fatal skull fracture. While he was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital, his tragic collision had already been captured in front of 17 million TV viewers.
#2: Hurricane Katrina
Few other events defined the 2000s like Hurricane Katrina. The historic storm was international news, and millions tuned in from around the world to watch the latest developments. Meteorologists informed viewers of its track and intensity, and surreal footage from New Orleans beamed the frightening realities onto televisions and computers. Buildings were completely ripped apart, while city roads were turned into deep lakes. Throughout the last week of August 2005, all anyone could talk about was Hurricane Katrina. And for good reason. Most of the city was destroyed, costing the lives of nearly 1,400 and up to $125 billion in damage.
#1: 9/11
Top 10 Creepiest Things Caught on Live TV
It’s hard to describe just how world-changing the events of 9/11 were to someone who wasn’t there. Following the initial attack on the North Tower, the country came to a complete standstill as virtually every TV station turned their programming to live coverage of the event. And that’s when the second plane hit. As viewers were glued to their television screens watching the North Tower billowing smoke, United Airlines Flight 175 flew right into the South Tower. The result was perhaps the most shocking and unbelievable image in the history of live television. Many TV stations devoted 24/7 coverage to the event, and it’s estimated that about two billion people witnessed the attacks on that fateful day.
