the Most Disturbing Moments In TV History

live TV where nothing is scripted and every second could be your last these are some of the darkest moments in television [Music] history it's 1987 in NBC's Burbank Studio a place where popular shows like The Tonight Show and Wheel of Fortune were filmed along with live news broadcasts though even in a busy Studio like this security wasn't as tight as you might expect visitors could come and go more easily and on this particular day one visitor would change everything Gary stowman entered NBC's Studio not as an intruder but as the guest of his father who worked there no one better thany as he passed through the Halls as this wasn't unusual as employees often brought friends and family to see how live broadcasts were made stolman though had no interest in just watching as the countdown to air began the studio staff went through their usual routine cameras were in place microphones were checked and producers watched from the control room making sure every everything was ready for another smooth broadcast but lurking just out of frame was Gary stowman waiting for the right moment to strike in the middle of the broadcast stowman made his move he walked directly onto set startling the presenting news anchor David horoz and the rest of the crew stowman holding what looked like a gun demanded David's attention and gave him a note to read please what is this a gun all right he's got a gun all right well let me read this folks we have we have someone on the set who's standing here and would like me to read um to read this uh this this copy which was just handed to me you want to tell me your name or not what is it Gary and Gary where are you from at this point the broadcast cut though still in the moment and completely unaware that they were off the air David had a split decision to make resist and risk violence or read to keep everyone safe so without hesitation David began to read the message was Str and filled with paranoid delusions Gary claimed that the government had replaced his father with an alien clone and he was convinced that they were trying to silence him and even though the statement made very little sense David read every word seriously to satisfy the man threatening his life though again Gary didn't know that absolutely none of it would make it live on air though in a segment NBC did about the situation merely hours after they revealed the last part of David reading Gary's letter there is no way I can harm anyone with this empty BB gun the police arrived shortly after and arrested Gary stalman without any violence Tommy Cooper wasn't your typical comedian instead of telling jokes with punch lines he used magic tricks but the twist was was that Tommy's tricks almost always went wrong and they went wrong on purpose he would Bumble his way through a routine fumbling cards or dropping props and the audience would Roar with laughter and that's what makes this moment captured on live television all the more disturbing even though he played the Fool On Stage Tommy suffered from intense stage fright he would feel anxious every time before stepping before an audience as deep down he was terrified of failing his fans and to cope with that fear Tommy turned to alcohol his drinking became a to manage the stress and calm his nerves over time it became more than just a way to handle stage fright it became an addiction that completely controlled his life even as his career soared he would often show up late to shows and rush through them due to being so drunk by the time the cameras began to roll then April 15th 1984 Tommy was set to perform as part of a live broadcast called live from her majesties a popular variety show airing on British television it was a night like any other or so it seemed little did the audience know that they were about to witness a moment that would be remembered forever it's a Sunday evening and over 12 million people are tuned in from the comfort of their homes excited to see Tommy Cooper when Tommy stepped onto the stage that night everything seemed perfectly normal the audience cheered at the sight of him and he seemed ready to deliver another hilarious performance though just as he was getting ready to perform his first trick it happened right in the middle of his act Tommy suddenly collapsed falling backwards into the curtain behind him the crowd obviously erupted in laughter as to them this was just another part of his act a man who had literally built his career on messing up tricks had fallen over on stage though what no one in the audience realized was that something was terribly wrong for a full 12 minutes the audience the TV viewers and even some of the crew backstage thought Tommy's collapse was part of the show but this time there was no punchline Tommy Cooper wasn't improvising or acting he was having a massive heart attack live on stage in front of millions his signature F slipped off his head as he lay motionless but the laughter continued because no one could believe that the great Tommy Cooper the man who made his living from staged clumsiness was actually dying Before Their Eyes the crew and performance backstage eventually realized that something wasn't right as the broadcast continued stage hands quickly dragged Tommy behind the curtain thinking they could fix the situation without alarming the audience they didn't want to stop the show or break the illusion of live television so they carried on with the next act as if nothing happened Medics were called immediately and CPR was performed but it was already too late Tommy Cooper had suffered a fatal heart attack despite the efforts to save him there was nothing they could do Tommy Cooper had passed away just feet from where the audience was still laughing at him unaware of the tragedy that had just occurred his body was found this week his girlfriend got the life-changing phone call early Saturday morning Sharon badget says she was stunned by the news throughout the time he'd been missing she still kept hope he'd be found alive Allison Parker and Adam Ward were journalists working for WDBJ7 a local news station in Virginia on the morning of the 26th of August 2015 they were assigned to cover a story like any other other day though it would soon turn into one that no viewer would ever be able to forget Allison was a 24-year-old reporter who grew up knowing she wanted to be a journalist a career that allowed her to meet people and tell their stories after graduating from James Madison University she quickly found her place at wbj7 where she was known for her professionalism and work ethic Adam Ward who was 27 was an experienced cameraman who often worked together with Allison the morning of August 26th 15 started like any other day for Allison and Adam they were assigned to cover a local story about tourism at Bridgewater Plaza a small shopping and Recreation Center in manetta Virginia it was a peaceful everyday assignment one that both Allison and Adam had done many times before that morning Allison was scheduled to interview Vicky Gardner the executive director of a small chamber of commerce to discuss how tourism was affecting the community as usual Adam set up the camera checking the angles making sure everything was ready for the live broadcast Allison prepared her questions for the interview with Vicki who was also getting ready to speak on camera the interview began without any issues but then in the middle of the live broadcast a figure appeared in the background one that neither Allison nor Vicki took any notice of it first the figure then moved closer towards the camera and suddenly several shots were fired viewers watching the live broadcast heard the sound before they could fully process what was happening the camera still rolling captured the chaos as the camera tilted and fell Allison and Vicky screamed and ran for cover while Adam still holding the camera was caught in the crossfire for viewers at home the scene was confusing and terrifying no one could have imagined that they were witnessing a real live murder and fold on their screens colleagues back at the station were just as shocked as the anchors who are monitoring the live feed were stunned as the screen suddenly cut back to the studio colleagues at the station tried to reach out to Allison and Adam but there was no response within minutes Emergency Services were called and the plaza was soon flooded with police and medical personnel but it was already too late Allison and Adam had lost their lives whilst Vicki had suffered a wound but was able to at least physically recover in hospital after a surgery the station's anchors still shaken had to continue the broadcast not yet realizing the full scope of the tragedy that had just occurred after the shooting the gunman still at large uploaded his own footage of the attack onto Facebook he eventually was found out to be Vester Lee Flanigan II a former employee of WDBJ7 the same station where Allison and Adam worked Flanigan who went by the on air name Bryce Williams had been a reporter at the station several years before the attack Flanigan's relationship with the station was Rocky from the beginning he was known to clash with his colleagues and supervisors often accusing them of discrimination and unfair treatment his behavior at work became increasingly erratic and it led to a series of complaints from co-workers he accused some of them including Allison and Adam of making racist remarks Flanigan was also seemingly obsessed with other tragic events like the attack on Charleston Church committed just 2 months earlier after the police had tracked him down it eventually led to a very short high-speed car chase and after being ran off the road being surrounded by the police Flanigan decided to end his own time on Earth in his car they found a wig several disguises and three license plates the station that day was forced the balance mourning the loss of two team members while continuing to provide news coverage to Their audience including coverage of the event itself weing black trunks weighing 144 the Challenger Amo gri G it's the early 1960s a time when boxing was one of the most popular sports in America two names stood out in the world of welterweight box boxing Emil Griffith and Benny kid Pere both Fighters were skilled ambitious and determined to be the best and the two had faced each other twice before with grith winning the first match and pay winning the second capturing the Welterweight Title as their rivalry was heating up the boxing world was eager for their third and final showdown what everyone expected to be the fight of the year and the weeks leading up to the match tension between the two fighters had began to escalate during the weighin before the fight paray had reportedly called Griffith a homophobic slur in front of the press knowing it would strike a nerve you see at the time being openly gay or bisexual was not accepted in mainstream Society especially if you were competing for the championship of such a masculine sport Griffith who was in fact bisexual knew it could be career ruining if a secret came out so he likely took the remark very personally and it could have turned the fight into something more than just the championship match with the stage set fans packed into Madison Square Garden on March 24th 1962 to witness the third and final battle between these two Rivals a fight that people would remember for all the wrong reasons from the very first punch it was clear that this wasn't just another fight in the earlier rounds pay had been able to hold his own as he was no stranger to taking hits but this time something was slightly off and as the rounds went on the fight turned into a brutal back and forth both men Trading punches in the center of the ring but by the 12th round the fight had taken the toll on both men but for Benny pay things were getting worse after enduring round after round of punishment he was visibly exhausted his legs were shaky and his arms were slow to come up in defense then it happened in the corner of the Ring grith saw his opening paray was pinned against the ropes unable to escape Griffith Unleashed a barrage of punches one after the other with no sign of stopping left hook right hook uppercut each punch landed cleanly and paray had no answer his hands dropped his body went limp but grith kept going the referee hesitated for just too long in that moment grith continued to pound Parade's unprotected face and head Landing 29 unanswered punches in a matter of seconds finally the referee stepped in and pulled grith off of him but the fight was over paray slumped to the canvas unconscious grith left the ring that night as a Victor to him and to everyone around him it was just another fight a brutal one but just another fight per was carried out the ring on a stretcher unconscious and unresponsive grith watched as his rival was taken away perhaps knowing that he went too far but not how bad it truly was as Pere arrived in hospital the doctors quickly realized the extent of his injuries he had suffered severe brain trauma from the fight a week had passed and he had still not regained consciousness from being knocked out in the ring and remained in a coma grith would try for hours to visit paray after learning of his condition but was B entry then on the 10th day after the fight Benny kid pay would pass away due to the Damage Done to his brain grith would then become the target of Benny's fans who were absolutely convinced that he had killed the man on purpose Benny P's death was not the first time a boxer would die from his injury sustained in the ring but it was one of the most public and devastating examples the brutal nature of the fight the intensity of Griffith's punches and the failure of the referee made it not only tragic but it extremely controversial the referee of the fight Ruby Goldstein would never find work again after the incident and griffith himself now carrying the heavy burden of pere's death would continue his boxing career but it was clear that things would never be the same though he went on to fight many more matches he seemed to be different out of his next 23 matches he was only win nine of them setting his final record at 85 wins to 24 losses ail Griffith said himself that he could never quite punch someone with the same strength again out of the sheer fear of claiming another life accidentally now in England's under 23 Squad kept his feet on the still icy pitch substitute Gary hair was lurking and it looked every inch a replay it was the 11th of May 1985 a sunny exciting Saturday afternoon in Bradford England thousands of fans had gathered at the valley parade Stadium to watch their beloved Bradford City football team play Lincoln City the atmosphere was electric as Bradford City had already secured the third division championship and this match was supposed to be a celebration a joyful conclusion to a successful season fans packed the stands eager to cheer on their team one last time before the summer break but hidden beneath the surface of this celebration there was a disaster waiting to happen the main stand at Valley parade was a massive structure built almost entirely of wood it had been standing since 1908 and over the years it had s countless football matches but in those decades something else had also built up under the stands piles of rubbish old newspapers discarded food wrappers and other trash had accumulated beneath the wooden stands the structure itself was outdated and unsafe but no one seemed too concerned after all it stood for nearly 80 years without issue what fans didn't know was that the stand was scheduled for demolition just 2 days later as workers were supposed to come in and tear it down because of the safety concerns the club had been warned several times about the safety risks it posed as inspectors had pointed out the dangers of the paper and rubbish collecting underneath the stand but at the moment during the match no one was thinking about any of that people were focused on the game on celebrating and on the bright great future ahead of their team around the 40th minute of the match though things began to take a dark turn a small whisp of smoke appeared from underneath the wooden seating area at first most people didn't notice it seemed too minor to worry about maybe someone had lit a cigarette but what started as a tiny flicker of smoke quickly grew into something much more dangerous we've actually got a fire at the stand on the far side of the ground and that looked very nasty indeed now the police have gone over there to try and quell the fire and they're frantically getting some of the supporters out now these are extraordinary scenes at Valley parade it's supposed to be a day of Celebration one hopes the stand doesn't burn down one single lit cigarette was accidentally dropped through a gap in the wooden seating it slipped into the PS of rubbish that had been accumulating under the stands for years the paper litter acted as fuel Catching Fire almost instantly what could have been a harm accident on any other day became the spark for an unimaginable tragedy but many still didn't realize the seriousness of the situation it was happening so fast that there was little time to react within just a few minutes what had been a fun exciting afternoon turned into a scene of chaos the fire fueled by all the rubbish and paper spread rapidly with the wind helping to carry the Flames higher and further across the structure making it impossible for people to stop it in the commentary booth the broadcasters struggled to process what they were witnessing at first they tried to remain calm and composed offering updates on the situation but as the fire grew larger and more intense the commentators voices conveyed a growing sense of horror and disbelief as the scale of the tragedy became apparent the heat is now becoming tremendous I'm sitting immediately opposite the main stand and I can feel the heat is almost beginning to burn me over here quite honestly the whole stand is going to have gone in the space of a few minutes quite extraordinary scenes at Valley [Applause] parade this was supposed to be a day of utter Joy Triumph and celebration it's turning it into a nightmare in total the fire consumed the lives of 56 Spectators and left many more lives completely destroyed in the aftermath many of the deceased were found pinned to their chairs by debris that had fallen on them making Escape impossible it the Blazer is Owen there you go King Owen Hart was living the life that most wrestlers could only dream of Born Into the Heart family he had wrestling in his blood his father Stuart was a wrestling icon and his brother Brett The Hitman har was one of the most famous wrestlers in the world at the time but Owen wasn't just the skilled wrestler he had charm humor and a connection with the audience that made him stand out Owen's wrestling career took off in the 1990s he was known for his technical skill his highflying moves and his ability to entertain the crowd whether he was a hero or a villain fans couldn't help but cheer for him and he made people laugh especially with his character the blue blazer a goofy superhero that Owen played to Perfection but by the time the 1999 Pay-Per-View event over The Edge was about to begin Owen's character was going through some changes the WWE which was called the WWF back then had scripted a big entrance for Owen that night as the blue blazer he was supposed to descend from the rafters of the keer Arena like a superhero flying in to save the day and the general idea was simple Owen would be lowered into the ring from above attached to a special harness and once he'd been lowered close enough to the ground the harness would be released making Owen fall flat on his face it was meant to be a funny dramatic entrance to make the fans laugh and it wasn't the first time that Omen had done a stunt like this but this time things were slightly different as there was a lot more at stake as this was a live Pay-Per-View event with millions of fans watching from home behind the scenes preparations were being made for Owen's big entrance the stunt had to be timed perfectly and the equipment needed to work just right but even the smallest error could turn a harmless stunt into a disaster the harness that they were using for the stunt was designed for a quick release meant to let him detach easily when he reached the ground but this quick release feature had a serious flaw it required very little Force to disengage or meant if something went wrong or if it was just knocked the wrong way it could release too early as Owen stood high above the ring harnessed in everything seemed ready but in just a few moments the atmosphere inside the arena and in homes around the world would change nearly instantly at exactly 7:38 p. m. it happened Omen was released from the harness too early the crowd didn't realize it but Omen was already dead he had fell from a height of 78 ft at first many of the fans believed it was just part of the show as they thought for a brief second that it was just another scripted event but as the paramedics rushed into the ring the reality of the situation started to sink in commentators Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler who were sitting ringside quickly realized the seriousness of the situation they was stunned in the midst of the live broadcast they struggled to find the words as Owen Hart's lifeless body was rushed to the hospital the show at kamper Arena continued but behind the scenes chaos and confusion reigned WWE officials scrambled to manage the Fallout of what had just happened the show's producers were faced with an impossible decision how do you move forward after a tragedy like this do you stop the event or do you continue hoping to keep the audience calm and prevent mass panic Vince mcmah the head of the WW made the controversial call to continue the event for fans in the arena there was little information given about what just occurred immediately after the accident an investigation began the police and Regulatory Agencies were brought in to examine the scene interview Witnesses and look at the equipment that had been used in the stunt early reports focused on the harness as it wasn't designed for the kind of stunt that Owen was performing safety precautions that could have prevented the accident were not in place the investig revealed that the harness required only a slight tug for it to disengage meaning that Owen's slight movement or even a small bump could have triggered it Owen's wife Martha Hart was devastated not only had she lost her husband in such a public and horrifying way but she was also left with questions about why the WWE had allowed such a dangerous stunt to happen Martha soon took legal action filing a wrongful death lawsuit she argued that the company had been negligent and ensuring Owen's safety Martha's lawsuit eventually resulted in a settlement but the damage had already been done in the Years following his death Martha Hart established the Owen Heart Foundation it's a charity dedicated to helping individuals in need with scholarships housing and other forms of support Owen was by all measures a legend in the WWE and is welld deserving of being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame however his wife very justifiably has barred him from being entered into the Hall as she feels it's wrong for the same organiz ization that neglected his safety use him for profit even after death the Station nightclub in West War Rhode Island was a small local venue but on the night of February 20th 2003 it was packed people were excited to see great white a popular rock band from the 1980s over 460 people crowded into the Club ready for a night of loud music and fun but there was a problem the nightclub was only supposed to hold 404 people that night it was over capacity as too many people squeezed into too small of a space people were standing shoulder toosh shoulder with barely any room to move and everyone focused on the band unaware of the Hidden dangers around them as the band got ready to play great white decided to add a special effect to their show pyrot Technics small fireworks that were set to go off on stage these kinds of effects are exciting to watch but can also be very dangerous especially indoors the owner of the station had lined the walls and ceilings with foam to make the club soundproof unfortunately the foam was also highly flammable and even though there were safety regulations in place they weren't followed at around 11:07 p.

m. the lights dimmed the music started and great white took the stage the crowd cheered as the fireworks burst into the air lighting up the small st stage but within seconds the mood shifted what most people didn't realize was that the Sparks from the fireworks had hit the foam on the ceiling and walls at first no one seemed concerned as most thought it was just part of the show but the fire spread faster than anyone could ever imagine the Flames grew quickly and soon the entire back of the stage was on fire thick black smoke started to fill the room making it hard to see or breathe Panic set in people began to rush and shove desperate to escape the growing Inferno but there was another bigger problem the nightclub didn't have enough clear easy exits some of the doors were blocked or hard to find and most of the crowd just rushed to the front door which was the same way they came in with so many people trying to escape all at once the entrance became jammed people were trapped and the fire was spreading even faster it took less than 90 seconds for the Flames to completely take over the club as the fire blazed it was already too late for many inside the Flames had grown so quickly that even with firefighters AR on the scene within minutes there was little they could do the fire had burned so intensely that parts of the building had collapsed before the emergency teams could fully intervene initially the local news station was simply there to cover the event as part of their Community Spotlight but in the end they recorded the deaths of a 100 people that night as the news spreads air traffic over Sydney is diverted there are evacuations the Sydney Opera House the US Consulate which issues an eer Mercy warning to Americans the morning of December 15th 2014 started as just another Monday in the city of Sydney the lint Cafe in Martin Place welcomed customers offering a break from The Busy streets outside this peaceful setting would become the center of a national crisis located near the center of the city the cafe was perfectly positioned right across the street from the seven news Television Studios where they would soon broadcast the cafe to millions of eyes across the country but everything changed when a man dressed in a long black robe walked into the cafe his name was man Haron monis a self-proclaimed Chic with a very troubled history monus had been in the news before he was known for his radical views and runin with the law for instance to protest against Australian troops being deployed in Afghanistan monest would write letters to the families of Fallen Soldiers which would essentially make fun of them and insult them but on that day he had more than just controversy on his mind he carried a shotgun and in a few short moments he took control of the cafe and the people inside then monus revealed his plan this was not just a hostage situation it was something far more terrifying the customers and employee were now prisoners and monis made it clear that no one would leave unless his demands were met but the question of what he actually wanted hung in the air as monis forced the hostages to display a black flag with Arabic writing in the cafe window from the outside onlookers had no idea what was happening inside but soon the entire country would find out as soon as the first news of the hostage situation broke television networks scrambled to capture every detail with cameras from the seven news Studios just across the street already rolling as viewers at home had a front row seat to the terrifying events as they unfolded in real time for the first time Australia was experiencing a hostage crisis broadcast live across the country inside the cafe monest knew exactly how to use the media to his Advantage he wasn't just looking for attention he demanded that his message be heard not just by those in the cafe but by the entire world soon after The Siege began monus made his demands clear first he forced some of the hostages to call the media using a phone in the cafe and tell them to broadcast his words this is an attack on Australia by the Islamic State he demanded that the news stations delivered this message to the public immediately hoping to create fear and panic but that wasn't all monis also requested something even more symbolic a flag he demanded that an Islamic State Flag be delivered to him at the cafe as monus wanted to show the world that he was acting on behalf of Isis even though the group itself had no direct connection to him as it seemed like his goal was clear to be seen not just as an isolated attacker but as part of something much larger and menacing if the media broadcasted his message and the flag was delivered monis believed he would have more power to influence the whole city but even with the cameras rolling the authorities did not give in the police and media hesitated to fulfill monus's demands broadcasting such a statement could cause Widespread Panic and delivering the flag would only give him more power though officials knew the situation was fragile any misstep could provoke monus and lead to a devastating outcome but while they deliberated on how to handle monus's request the world watched every passing hour felt like a lifetime and the tension only grew but the demands did not stop there monis also claimed that four devices had been planted around Sydney ready to go off if his orders were not met this declaration sent a wave of panic throughout the city as the police raced to search for these potential bombs the media continued its W to--all coverage showing the live footage of the cafe where reporters speculated on what might happen next the New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew cipion took charge of the search for these supposed devices the police force was stretched thin as it is having to both monitor the hostage crisis unfolding at the cafe and scour the city for these bombs though their top priority was preventing a Citywide catastrophe no corner of Sydney could be left unchecked and the Clock Was ticking but where would these devices actually be monus hadn't given the authorities any details and he provided no specific locations for the devices just the chilling fact that they were out there somewhere the vagueness of the threat made things even worse high-profile locations such as government buildings train stations and tourist areas L the Sydney Opera House were all potential targets these places were filled with people all unaware of the potential danger they were in people across the city held their breath wondering if monus's threats about the bombs were real streets were cleared businesses were closed and police forces were on high alert but as hours passed nothing was found outside the cafe the cameras continued to roll what made this situation so unique and so frightening was the fact that monis knew that it was happening live in front of everyone in real time millions of people even Beyond Australia were following every development as the day dragged on the situation became more unpredictable the live coverage only heightened the tension as viewers at home could sense that something was about to happen the standoff between Monas and the authorities was entering dangerous territory and both sides were running out of time though what no one knew is that the Final Act of this crisis was about to infold and it would not be a peaceful resolution after hours of searching the new South Wells police reported back that not a single device had been discovered the police come through every high-risk area checked suspicious packages and worked around the clock to make sure the city was safe yet despite monus's claims there were no signs of any explosives anywhere in Sydney so what was monis really up to for the authorities this was a critical Turning Point as they had to reassess the situation if there were no bombs then monus's threats were likely a bluff and he had used fear to keep everyone the hostages the police and the city under his command for hours though now that his bluff had been exposed the question was what would Monas do next as The Siege progressed a handful of hostages saw a brief opportunity to flee and the confusion of the early moments of the standoff when monus was distracted several of them made a run for it sprinting out the doors and into the safety of the surrounding police Cordon their escape was a aray of Hope for those still inside but it also made the situation more dangerous for the hostages who remained monus became more tense and angry as he realized his grip on the situation was slipping he tightened his control knowing that every escaped hostage weakened his position the escapes were immediately taken into police custody questioned for any information that could help them revolving the crisis but for the hostages who stayed behind the fear of the unknown was the worst part monus had made it clear that he was willing to take Extreme Measures to achieve his goal and the hostages had no idea what would happen next would he turn violent would the police storm the cafe as the hours tipped by their exhaustion grew but then just after 2: a. m.