Gothamist: Thwarted Empire State Building Parachute Attempt

Larry Lifelines

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 09:53:10 -0500

Not the first, or even second to try this. Two people did it in 1986, and a friend of mine did it in 1989. Nothing was ever said about my friend's jump, which was videotaped and done on a Sunday morning, so few New Yorkers noticed. Never mentioned by the media, either.

S.D.

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 18:06:06 -0500

Too Funny!! He was the Discovery Channels Host For the show "The Stunt Junkies”!!! Took the show a little too far...

Brightliner

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 20:04:40 -0500

Even if he didn't land on anyone, there could have been serious consequences. He has to land somewhere, and the middle of the street away from buildings would be safer. Except drivers would probably have to stop short to avoid hitting him or might simply get distracted by a guy falling out of the sky. It'd be the same kind of risk if you drove down the street with a naked babe on top of your car. She probably wouldn't land on anyone, but I bet there'd be a collision or two from gawkers. Just an accident waiting to happen. But guys like Corliss never think about potential consequences. They're just in it for the thrills.

smitty

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 17:20:19 -0500

not really that "harmless" - he could have landed on someone.

Brightliner

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 15:11:25 -0500

No problem, Jen. I know I may sound "pugnacious," as Jake put it, at times (and now that I read it, I did sound that way in the entire message above), but I don't really mean to. It's just the New Yawker in me showing through.

rev pays

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 12:33:00 -0500

As BL noted, cameras at the Empire State Building, probably won't get a second notice. Helmet? maybe he made it look like a Cap or Hat. You know tourists wear funny stuff and he had a fat suit , could be a medical thing. So, the security people didn't want to look insensitive. What more security should they do? When I see those walk through metal detectors, I try to bypass them and get a security guy with a hand wand for a quick look through my bag.

Jen

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 12:15:37 -0500

Sorry about the deep-link - in the past when I had done that, the photos wouldn't resize. My issue with security not noticing something was up was why would someone have a helmet with a camera strapped onto it. Daredevil bike tricks? I dunno, I guess security can only do so much and Corliss would have tried to get up there somehow, but it's stunts like this that can make some buildings rethink their policies. Or maybe the ESB will have to get tall plexi-glass guards, a la Top of the Rock.

Brightliner

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:22:13 -0500

Jen, please don't deep-link to AM New York's popups. They're annoying as all get up because they resize your browser window. And what's so surprising about hime being able to carry a video camera up anyway? It's not like a million tourists a year don't do the same thing. What good is an observation deck if you're not allowed to take pictures? Sure, the helmet shouldn't have made it through, but the parachute wouldn't have set off metal detectors. What do you want, strip searches for all ESB visitors?

S.D.

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:17:04 -0500

I read on the WNBC site that they Handcuffed him to the Rail. That had to hurt...

asdf

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:15:26 -0500

Two clowns, Australians I believe, did this way back when. Ended up on Letterman the next day as they had a friend video it from the ground. BEst part, after landing, cutting off the chute and hopping into a cab, the cab driver said, "This rides on me".

Travis Lusk

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:50:40 -0500

More pictures of the guy hanging on the side of the building taken from WCBS-AM 880's Chopper880. http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/29916.php

K

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:43:08 -0500

They should have just let him do his thing. if they couldn't manage to hold on to him, and he fell, he would'nt have been able to get his parachute open...rite?