Max Headroom + Dr Who + Video Pirate + Thanksgiving = Awesomeness Confirmed?
Author: Ockshun Jockson
On 22 November 1987, an unexplained transmission took over two TV stations in Chicago. To this day who did it and why remains a mystery.
During a broadcast of Dr. Who on WTTW Chicago Channel 11, on Sunday November 22nd, 1987, at around 11:15pm, a Video "Pirate" wearing a Max Headroom mask broke into the signal and transmitted one of the weirdest, unauthorized things ever to hit the Chicago airwaves. Earlier in the evening on the same day, during the Nine O'Clock News on Channel 9 (Yes, a completely different channel) the Max Headroom Pirate also broke in - although it was for a much shorter time and there was no audio.
Link:
http://cgi.fark.com/cgi/fark/youtube.pl?IDLink=3218289
Insane! I wish I could make out the audio better.
I'm curious as to the rationale for the spanking.
I think I might know of 2 prime suspects in the Greater Chicago area at the time.
Doktor Brown, care to comment?
There's a more detailed article over here, including a partial transcript -- tho' I can't speak to its accuracy:
"He's a freaky nerd!"
"This guy's better than Chuck Swirsky." (a WGN -TV sportscaster at the time)
"Oh Jesus!"
"Catch the wave." (a reference to the New Coke marketing slogan)
"Your love is fading."
(hums the theme song to the 1959 TV series "Clutch Cargo")
"I stole CBS."
(unintelligible)
"Oh, I just made a giant masterpiece printed all over the greatest world newspaper nerds." (Station WGN was sometimes called the 'World's Greatest Newspaper.)
"My brother is wearing the other one."
"It's dirty."
"They're coming to get me!"
Thanks, Trace.... I'd heard about the incident, but didn't realize there was video available anywhere!
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W, T to the F!!!!
Wretch,
I think Ockshun posted this not the Doktor...
(at least that's who comes up as the author on my screen) though I could have imagined the Doktor posting this- it being Chi-town and all... I was actually joking about the Dok and Paul Z (who I don't think is on this Blog yet) being the brains behind the Pirate Broadcast of 1987. It cracks me up that this was during a Doctor Who eps.
Quite right, Schirminatrix... sorry, O.J., for attributing thnx to the wrong quarters! Mucho appreciato.
Nope. I still lived in Coatesville in '87. There was a cable headend downlink in Elburn, IL that could have been potentially overwhelmed during the Super Bowl according to an EE friend. My thoughts are that Captain Midnight inspired quite a few people....