Friday, February 03, 2006
That Sound You Just Heard Was Houdini Escaping His Grave
We learn from the Melonfarmers that 'more than a dozen viewers' (thirteen, actually) complained about the escapologist Jonathan Goodwin being hanged from the gallows on live television, E4's 'Death Wish, Live!' programme on Monday night.
Well, sort of. In fact, he took part in a stunt whereby he had to pick his way out of a sturdy pair of handcuffs in order to escape the trapdoor being opened. He failed to do so in the time before the mechanism worked, and had to be cut down. He sustained no serious injuries.
Regular viewers of E4 will be aware that Goodwin is hardly the world's best escapologist. He had an entire programme devoted to him during that channel's 'Magic Week', and was proved to be more than a little average at his profession. In one of the stunts, he was taken to the top of a tall building, stripped naked, and bound up in something or other, before being put in an elevator, with his clothes in a pile. His family were waiting at the bottom of the lift. He completely failed to escape, was still naked, and had one of those gimp mask bits in his mouth, when the elevator doors opened. Apparently, his aunt has refused to speak to him since.
Another stunt saw him stripped to his underpants and put in a beehive. The hive was split in two, and he had to escape his predicament before the bees, stored in the other half of the hive, were let loose on him. I believe he may have been smeared with honey or something first, too. He left the hive covered in stings on almost every inch of his body.
The real purpose of telling you all this is that, after his failure on Monday, Goodwin said, 'I was told it was dangerous and stupid and it turns out that the advice was right. But despite a sore neck, I am fine and hope to be buried alive on Friday.' You see, Goodwin is being buried alive as the final part of 'Death Wish, Live!', and my Freeview is broken, so I don't have E4. Can someone watch it and tell me if he cocks up again, like I'm sure he will?
Grade A Nutter!
Well, sort of. In fact, he took part in a stunt whereby he had to pick his way out of a sturdy pair of handcuffs in order to escape the trapdoor being opened. He failed to do so in the time before the mechanism worked, and had to be cut down. He sustained no serious injuries.
Regular viewers of E4 will be aware that Goodwin is hardly the world's best escapologist. He had an entire programme devoted to him during that channel's 'Magic Week', and was proved to be more than a little average at his profession. In one of the stunts, he was taken to the top of a tall building, stripped naked, and bound up in something or other, before being put in an elevator, with his clothes in a pile. His family were waiting at the bottom of the lift. He completely failed to escape, was still naked, and had one of those gimp mask bits in his mouth, when the elevator doors opened. Apparently, his aunt has refused to speak to him since.
Another stunt saw him stripped to his underpants and put in a beehive. The hive was split in two, and he had to escape his predicament before the bees, stored in the other half of the hive, were let loose on him. I believe he may have been smeared with honey or something first, too. He left the hive covered in stings on almost every inch of his body.
The real purpose of telling you all this is that, after his failure on Monday, Goodwin said, 'I was told it was dangerous and stupid and it turns out that the advice was right. But despite a sore neck, I am fine and hope to be buried alive on Friday.' You see, Goodwin is being buried alive as the final part of 'Death Wish, Live!', and my Freeview is broken, so I don't have E4. Can someone watch it and tell me if he cocks up again, like I'm sure he will?
Grade A Nutter!
