HSN Salesman Breaks TV With Wiimote: Real or Fake?
When a man helplessly calls for his 'mama' after shattering his flat screen, it's oddly sad. But when a Home Shopping Network host launches a Wii Tennis racket at the screen (jump to 5:05 in the above video), cracks the TV, and continues to plow right through his pitch without missing a beat (with no help from his hysterical co-worker), we laugh at him, and then with him. Hey, he didn't break a sweat, and the savvy production team flawlessly cut to a different shot instead of letting the poor guy suffer. It's almost too good to be true, but we agree with Gizmodo here. A very real screwup that fortunately (for us) was caught on live TV. However, if anyone is going to buy into a bunch of plastic, poorly affixed sports accessories, then it serves them right. [From: Gizmodo and Joystiq]
Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams
Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.
Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.
Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.
Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.
17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.
Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail + phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."
Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
cc said 3:05PM on 10-20-2009
Our daughter did this to our 60 inch tv. She was bowling and didn't have the strap on.
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blondeeagle1970 said 7:27AM on 10-21-2009
Now I am second guessing whether or not to get one. I need the exercise badly so I can lose the weight need before riding horses again but I have been told I have a damn hard time controling my strength. So WII are an accident waiting to happen. Oh boy.
tehjessecat said 3:17PM on 10-20-2009
It's real. He didn't let go of the remote. Rather, the attachment wasn't on all the way and flung off. We have the same thing attachments.
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generalchaos said 3:26PM on 10-20-2009
and nothing people can do about it because nintendo gave warnings in manual. oh and if you throw the remote it's the players fault just common sense when holding loose plastic while sweating and please read the manaul and show your kids how to so you can prevent stuff like this. oh those thinking about lawsuit your wasting your time like i said nintendo gave warnings so judje would side with nintendo.
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Mike said 3:26PM on 10-20-2009
only wii employees would do this
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Master Chief said 6:29PM on 10-20-2009
Good one mike!
But next time, try and get it right :)
You can't really work for a Wii. And that guy works for the home shopping network, not Nintendo.
Better luck next time champ!
htc6600 said 3:27PM on 10-20-2009
I bowl 300's on the Wii sitting down and flicking my wrist at the bar. You don't need to destroy your TV.
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makinmoney3385 said 3:43PM on 10-20-2009
He didn't throw the remote the cheap plastic tennis racket piece flew off. Wii's are useless they don't get you active. If you wanna get active go outside. That Wii fit is ridiculous congrats to you morons who think you are actually getting a killer workout on it. Hey wanna hoola hoop but you say you dont have the cooridination well for just 200 dollars for a wii and another 70 you can stand on a platform and wiggle. Then your computer character can hoola hoop for you. Theres no need to see the outside world when you have a wii. PATHETIC!!!!!
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roundsfamily21 said 3:57PM on 10-20-2009
I had a Wii once and the Nerf attachments from Wal-Mart fell off and shattered my brand new 36" Sony. The strap and grip held on the Wiimote but the attachements suck except for the fishing rod one that came with the Sega Bass Fishing game thats the only one that held on pretty good. Nintendo really needs to come up with better attachments or more TV's will get broken!!!!!
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Amanda said 4:08PM on 10-20-2009
Wow... Some of you people are REALLY STUPID!
1) He didn't let go of the remote... the attachment flew off!
2) This isn't a disaster.
3) YOU DON'T NEED THE ATTACHMENTS TO PLAY THE GAME! I played tennis and baseball yesterday with just the "wiimote." (aka the attachments are just something for the company to make extra money)
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karadear1 said 4:47PM on 10-20-2009
sorry dear you are wrong he is just standing to close to the tv. He hits the tv with the paddle then the paddle breaks when it hits the black plastic on the bottom of the tv. Maybe you should watch that video again before you start calling people stupid.
jamesbondfire said 4:06PM on 10-20-2009
Who's the co-host, Kate Gosselin?
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rjfscorpio711 said 4:27PM on 10-20-2009
Notice how he destroyed the TV screen and they made him stand in front of it or didnt show it again during his presentation? What a laugh! My friend said his wife had a "strap on" and he couldnt sit for a week! Somehow I dont think he was talking about the same kind of strap on.:)
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Joe said 4:42PM on 10-20-2009
That is fake. Great stunt to get us to watch the whole Wii advert waiting to see this "accident." Nice marketing guys!!!
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karadear1 said 4:43PM on 10-20-2009
The guy is standing to damn close to the tv. He wacked the tv with the paddle and then the paddle broke when it hit the bottom part of the tv. I guess old tube tv's are still good for something. I don't see my kids breaking the tube with a piece of plastic. >.
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Bigbill said 1:57PM on 10-22-2009
PAY ATTENTION! The device does not fly off his wrist. He hit it on the table on his downswing.
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menyniko said 5:16PM on 10-20-2009
This is really freakin hallaries vidio, i almost squrtid milk out of my nose.
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couch922 said 5:29PM on 10-20-2009
This is stupid, it is not funny, and the only reason I am writing something is to say, damn, this is the best they can come up with for entertainment, bullcrap, this was just meant as a sales ploy, heck, even prime time TV repeats shows during prime time because they are trying to suck every penny out of advertising,,,, over the air TV sucks, and cable or satellite is worse. People, where the hell have you been, we used to watch all sports free on TV...now you pay big money to access it, many times you pay to access over the air tv because their transmitters are so small... America, you piss me off with your lazy attitudes and your willingness to take it in the ___, this country is not growing, it is falling apart, but go ahead! Hell, don't talk about it, just forget it and it will all go away...freedom that is....
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cpearsonveit said 5:34PM on 10-20-2009
I don't know why people would think the disaster was fake... ? Why would any salesman intentionally portray a product as cheap and highly breakable while, in the process, destroying a perfectly good flatscreen TV? Who is benefitting from this "fake" disaster? Is this disaster fake? What a stupid question... obviously not...? How do 17% of the people polled think it is fake? Am I missing something?
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cynharrelson said 5:42PM on 10-20-2009
If you stop start around 5:02 on the video, it looks more like the host "hit" the counter the TV was sitting on. At any rate, I think we Americans' give enough to the Asian countries. And I think the whole "Wii" crap is just that,Crap!
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