Ep 10 The Max Headroom Incident

TRUE

Imperative Entertainment

True Crime, History, Society & Culture

4.5 • 623 Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2018

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As people in Chicago gathered around their TVs for the nightly news, sportscaster Dan Roan was reporting the day’s highlights when the screen suddenly went black. Seconds later, a new image appeared on the screen. There was no sound and viewers were no longer looking at Dan Roan. They were now looking at a strange figure in a rubber mask, sunglasses, a brown jacket, tie, and white shirt. Behind the figure was a corrugated metal sheet moving up and down giving the amateur effect of a 3D background. The figure moved erratically from side to side, back and forth, as if laughing hysterically. The lack of audio only added to the weird spectacle. It lasted for half a minute before station engineers were able to regain control of the broadcast. Two hours later their screens once again lost reception and turned black. The creepy masked figure took over the airwaves again. This time however, there was audio and what happened over the 90 seconds that followed is still described as one of the most bizarre television hacking crimes in broadcasting history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.0	This podcast is intended for mature audiences. Listener discretion is advised.
0:58.5	It started. It started just after 9 p.m. on November 22nd, 1987.
1:06.7	As people in Chicago gathered around their TVs for the nightly news, WGN sportscaster Dan Rowan was in the middle of reporting the day's highlights when the screen suddenly went black.
1:11.6	There was then the defense which hadn't put up a sack in 12 quarters finally did.
1:16.6	There was no sound aside from the buzz of static and viewers were no longer looking at Dan Rowan.
1:23.6	Seconds later, a new image appeared on the screen. People were now looking at a strange figure
1:30.0	in a rubber mask, sunglasses, a brown jacket, tie, and white shirt. Behind the masked figure was a
1:38.4	corrugated metal sheet moving up and down, giving the amateur effect of a 3D background.
1:45.2	The rubber mask, suit, and background image simulated Max Headroom, the highly recognizable
1:50.8	TV character from the short-lived but very popular show of the same name.
1:56.3	This is Max Headroom.
1:58.5	Max Headroom.
1:59.5	So!
2:00.5	Sit back.
2:02.0	Relax.
2:03.1	And enjoy.
2:04.9	The figure moved erratically from side to side, back and forth, as if laughing hysterically.
	...

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