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Viewer discretion is advised — you might want to keep the lights on for this one.
Welcome to WatchMojo! In this countdown, we’re diving into the strangest, creepiest, and most disturbing moments ever broadcast live on TV — the kind that left viewers shocked, spooked, or simply speechless.
From Japanese Tsunami Ghosts and a Ventriloquist Senate Candidate, to a Spanish Reporter with Reptilian Eyes, Dutch TV Presenters tasting human flesh, and the infamous Vrillon Hoax — these are the moments where live television took a turn into the bizarre and unsettling.
Have you witnessed any of these moments as they happened? How did they make you feel?
Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to follow for more creepy countdowns and live TV mysteries.
Welcome to WatchMojo! In this countdown, we’re diving into the strangest, creepiest, and most disturbing moments ever broadcast live on TV — the kind that left viewers shocked, spooked, or simply speechless.
From Japanese Tsunami Ghosts and a Ventriloquist Senate Candidate, to a Spanish Reporter with Reptilian Eyes, Dutch TV Presenters tasting human flesh, and the infamous Vrillon Hoax — these are the moments where live television took a turn into the bizarre and unsettling.
Have you witnessed any of these moments as they happened? How did they make you feel?
Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to follow for more creepy countdowns and live TV mysteries.
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PeopleTranscript
00:00Between takes, he might find him skydiving or motorcycling, please welcome Rodney Alcala.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo. Today we're counting down our picks for the strangest and most disturbing
00:10occurrences that were captured live, which shocked or worried viewers at home. We'll
00:13be disregarding any creepypastas and fake occurrences like the Wyoming incident.
00:22Number 50. Strange individual at congressional hearing.
00:25And what I'm about to tell you sounds like it's out of some fiction spy thriller.
00:32In February 2023, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee
00:37about alleged abuse of federal authority. But for most viewers at home, Grassley's words were
00:42eclipsed by the eerie presence of a man sitting right behind him. Throughout the 15-minute statement,
00:46this bespectacled figure stared right at the camera with an unsettlingly blank expression.
00:51He hardly moved and even more unnervingly, barely blinked, only occasionally closing
00:55one eye in a slow, deliberate manner. Many have speculated that he might be Grassley's
00:59aid, but even that has not been confirmed. This strange individual's chilling stare was
01:03enough to give anyone the crease.
01:05The point being, there was no real purpose for another briefing, let alone a member level.
01:11Number 49. TV presenters spooked by poltergeist.
01:14In October 2016, popular Mexican clairvoyant Molly Vidente appeared on the TV program Sale
01:24El Sol to discuss the weather. But her presence seemed to serve something unsettling in the
01:28room. Just as Vidente began talking about the existence of angels, a piece of the set
01:32mysteriously broke away and crashed to the floor right behind her. This left another set
01:36piece spinning in place, a sight that sent chills through one of the startled presenters
01:40on the panel. After this clip went viral, Vidente took to social media to state that she had
01:44felt the presence of a powerful spirit in the room, which some believe may have been behind
01:48the eerie disturbance.
01:50These souls, who for whatever reason are not at rest, are also not aware that they have passed on.
02:00Number 48. Ghost Sighting During Cemetery Tour.
02:03As you can see behind me here, we have a few gravestones, but what you can't see because it's dark
02:07out. When you wander through a cemetery, you might find more than what you bargained for.
02:11Just ask WNYT reporter Sam Hessler. In 2021, during Halloween season, Hessler and her camera
02:17crew visited Green Ridge Cemetery in Saratoga Springs, New York, to cover their spooky twilight
02:22tours. While she reported in front of the camera, it appears one of the cemetery's residents was
02:26keeping an eye on things. Far in the background, viewers pointed out what looked like a ghostly
02:30figure floating across the graveyard. This chilling sight was only noticed after the footage made it
02:34on air. Perhaps it's wise to steer clear of cemeteries if you want to avoid encountering
02:38restless spirits.
02:40Number 47. News Anchors Suffer Stroke On Air.
02:42The Tulsa Air Response Space Museum is hosting a launch today.
02:49Sometimes the most unsettling moments have nothing to do with the supernatural. Case in point,
02:53this eerie clip from a 2022 news report. Oklahoma anchor Julie Chin was delivering a story on NASA's
02:59Artemis launch when suddenly, she began struggling to speak. Despite the teleprompter guiding her,
03:03Chin was unable to articulate the report. Instead, she presented a disturbing sight that
03:08left viewers at home deeply concerned. It turned out Chin was experiencing the onset of a stroke
03:12live on air. Her colleagues called 911 after recognizing the emergency, and she was rushed
03:17to the hospital. Thankfully, she recovered swiftly, but this incident is a stark reminder of how quickly
03:21things can go terrifyingly wrong.
03:24I'm sorry. Something is going on with me this morning, and I apologize to everybody.
03:28Number 46. Japanese Tsunami Ghosts When night falls and the light has vanished,
03:35there are ghosts wandering around this area. In March 2011, Japan was gripped by one of the most
03:41horrific natural disasters in human history. A powerful earthquake rocked the sea floor, triggering a tsunami
03:47that claimed nearly 20,000 lives and inflicted over $300 billion in damages. Amid the devastation,
03:54news cameras captured some strange images in the water. White, ghostly figures appeared to leap from
03:58the waves, landing on nearby buildings or simply vanishing into thin air. These spectral sightings
04:03didn't end there. In the years following the disaster, many survivors reported seeing the
04:07restless spirits of the victims roaming the streets and, in some cases, hailing down cabs. Could these be
04:12actual ghosts or mere manifestations of grief? The answer remains unknown. And another 3,000 people
04:18whose bodies have not been found continue to haunt some of the survivors.
04:22Number 45. Twin Sisters Run Into Oncoming Traffic
04:2540-year-old identical twins from Sweden wandered out onto one of Britain's busiest motorways.
04:31In May 2008, passers-by on the M6 motorway in England called highway police after spotting twin
04:36sisters Ursula and Sabrina Ericsson recklessly darting into traffic. A documentary crew for the BBC series
04:42motorway cops happened to be with the police and their cameras captured the bizarre events that
04:46followed. While talking with the officers, the sisters suddenly broke free, running into oncoming
04:50traffic and sustaining severe injuries. Even after regaining consciousness, Sabrina attacked an officer
04:55and attempted to run back onto the highway before being restrained. Just days later, Sabrina ended the
05:01life of an innocent man who offered her a place to stay out of pity. It's believed that both sisters
05:05suffered from a form of shared psychosis. What would possibly compel anyone to do this?
05:11Number 44. ABC Australia Accidentally Broadcasts Disturbing Ritual
05:16State government announced the proposed legislation today. It's in part due to the
05:20stabbing of a police dog during an arrest in Brisbane last year.
05:25Hail Satan!
05:27Audiences who tuned into ABC News Australia in August 2021 were in for a spine-chilling surprise.
05:32During a segment by anchor Ivani Young on proposed animal legislation, the feed abruptly cut to an
05:38unsettling scene. Three figures wearing black robes stood in a dimly lit red room, with one of
05:43them ominously uttering the words, Hail Satan. The eerie snippet quickly spread across social media,
05:48sparking wild speculations of a calculated move by ABC. However, Young later clarified that it was an
05:53accidental glitch, showing footage from an earlier segment discussing a push for Satanism in Australian
05:58schools. Talk about an unexpected brush with the underworld.
06:01A small group of religious rebels plan to do the devil's work inside classrooms.
06:06The Noosa Temple of Satan wants its religion taught in schools.
06:10Number 43. Pope Francis Vanishes
06:12And then watch this right here, coming up right after this.
06:17You've heard of religious miracles like turning water into wine or parting the Red Sea,
06:21but have you ever imagined the Pope vanishing into thin air? One social media user claimed to
06:25witness just that during a live broadcast from the Vatican City. In the eerie footage, Pope Francis is seen
06:30addressing the crowd from his balcony. But as he turns to retreat inside, he simply disappears into
06:34nothingness. It's a spooky sight that left the individual who posted the video understandably
06:39alarmed. The clip ignited a flurry of conspiracy theories. Is the Pope a hologram? Was he being shielded
06:43from some unseen danger? Maybe. But the true explanation may be as simple as an editing glitch.
06:48A magic trick didn't go quite as planned on live TV in Poland.
07:01Magic tricks are dazzling to behold, but they can sometimes be a nightmare for participants.
07:06Just ask Polish TV presenter Marzena Rogalska. In 2016, magician Marcin Poloniewicz joined Rogalska on
07:12her morning show, Question for Breakfast, and invited her to try the nail-in-a-bag trick.
07:16After smashing his own hand on an empty bag, Poloniewicz guided Rogalska's hand to another bag and
07:22slammed it down hard. To their horror, this bag held the hidden nail. You only need to hear Rogalska's
07:26cries of agony to know just how terrifying a moment it was for her. Fortunately, Rogalska
07:30was fine. Thankfully, she emerged with only superficial wounds and was able to forgive
07:33Poloniewicz for the incident.
07:35That the internet was destroyed and that you really hate the man who didn't want to do this.
07:43Number 41. TV reporter nearly struck by lightning.
07:46Being a TV journalist can sometimes be life-threatening. Reporters often find themselves in the midst of
07:54danger when covering harsh weather, natural disasters, and conflict situations.
07:58Matt Rodewald of Fox 10 in Arizona experienced such terror firsthand. While reporting on a monsoon
08:03storm in Phoenix, a lightning bolt struck the ground just across the street from him. A few feet closer
08:08and it easily could have harmed him and his camera crew. Despite this hair-raising encounter,
08:12Rodewald returned to his post and finished the live report. When the clip surfaced online, viewers were
08:17genuinely terrified for Rodewald and voiced their anger at the network for sending him out during such a
08:21major storm.
08:25Number 40. Rubsy's Paranormal Livestream.
08:30This eerie encounter looks like something straight out of a horror movie. YouTuber Rubsy was reportedly
08:35pet-setting at a friend's house when his livestream audience noticed something strange. At first,
08:39it appeared that the door behind him was opening unaided. Sure, that could be attributed to a faulty
08:43hinge, but when it suddenly slammed shut all by itself, it became apparent that something spooky was
08:47going on. From there, things devolved into a horror fest. Lights going on and off, objects moving about
08:52seemingly on their own. There's enough happening to make just about anyone lose their mind. But surprisingly,
08:57Rubsy maintains his composure throughout the ordeal, adding an even more unsettling layer to the unfolding situation.
09:03Number 39. 2002 Falun Gong hijackings. The spiritual movement Falun Gong gained notoriety in China
09:18after they were branded a heretical organization by the government in 1999. By the end of the 1990s,
09:24he had tens of millions of followers in China. The communist leadership saw that as a threat to its
09:31own grip on power and banned the movement. After years of physical protests and arrests,
09:36the group took their descent to the airwaves. In 2002, they hijacked state TV broadcasts,
09:41airing a film accusing the Chinese Communist Party of oppression. The film also claimed that the
09:45government staged certain events to give the group a bad image. Such anti-government messages are far
09:49from the norm in China, so they understandably left a lot of viewers stunned.
09:53The duration of these interruptions varies depending on who you ask, but they occurred
10:06multiple times throughout 2002, even once cutting off the FIFA World Cup finals.
10:10Number 38. A Nearly Fatal Collision. News reporting can be a dangerous job, though seldom is it so
10:16unexpected as this case. KTVU correspondent Alex Savage was covering an unrelated incident alongside
10:22a San Francisco highway when an out-of-control automobile nearly smashed into him.
10:25I went off the tracks and obviously it was a chaotic and confusing situation.
10:33As he leapt out of the way, the disoriented camera tilted and eerily settled on one of the
10:37tires' loose hubcaps. If that image of the crash's aftermath wasn't chilling enough,
10:41Savage's later reflections on the moment might be.
10:43He commented that his choice to go right instead of left was split second. The footage is a hair-raising
10:57reminder that the forces threatening our mortality are often only moments away. Just listen to Savage's
11:02shaking voice just moments afterward and you might be robbed of peaceful sleep.
11:06Number 37. Wendy Williams passes out. This moment might hug the line between scary and creepy,
11:11but it's disturbing in either case. During what was supposed to be a fun Halloween-themed intro,
11:16veteran TV personality Wendy Williams suddenly lost control of her motor functions. She stumbled
11:20backwards in wide-eyed horror, inexplicably dropping to the floor.
11:23Get started. Our first caress.
11:26Williams later explained that dehydration and a sudden rise in body temperature caused the incident,
11:40and she was able to recover before the broadcast was even over.
11:42That was not a stunt. I'm overheated in my costume and I did pass out, but you know what? I'm a champ,
11:49and I'm back. Though the incident was ultimately minor, the host definitely didn't know that at the
11:54time. And we can see that frightened uncertainty in her expression. And if you watch the clip
11:58without context, she almost looks possessed. Initial creepiness aside, we agree with Wendy's
12:03self-assessment of herself as a champ. Kevin said, you know, baby, I know you can do it.
12:09Go back out there and show them what you made of. Close out the show. I said I know, right?
12:13Number 36. Ventriloquist Senate Candidate. In 2012, Republican hopeful Barry Hinckley challenged
12:18Democratic incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse for the Rhode Island Senate seat. During his campaign,
12:23Hinckley released an adorable ad featuring his young son Hudson that grabbed everyone's attention.
12:27However, when they both appeared for a follow-up interview on Fox News, many were unsettled by
12:31what they saw. When host Neil Cavuto questions Hudson about the ad, Hinckley strangely mouths the
12:36exact words the boy says. What are your friends saying when they see you on TV?
12:41Um, I don't know right now. Did you notice the dad's lips moving? Sort of like a bad ventriloquist?
12:48If we didn't know any better, we'd think the Senate candidate and his son were just a bad
12:52ventriloquist act looking for some airtime. The interview unsurprisingly left a bad taste in
12:56people's mouths, which may have contributed to Hinckley's eventual loss at the polls.
13:00Why were you mouthing the words that he said?
13:02Well, I'm not sure. You know, I was, you know, obviously we were both a bit nervous
13:06because of the first time we did national TV.
13:08Number 35. Mysteriously moving glass of water.
13:11The Primera Edición breakfast show in Honduras had their own fair share of a spooky
13:15occurrence during a live taping in 2015. While presenting the morning news, host Carlos Molina
13:20notices his glass of water move on its own.
13:28He's taken aback, naturally, and calls the attention of his co-host Pablo Zapata to it.
13:32Molina described feeling a chilling sensation just seconds before observing the self-sliding glass,
13:36attributing it to a paranormal experience.
13:43Viewers were a bit more skeptical, however, speculating that it was likely a prank on the
13:47hosts by their co-workers. This notion has since been dismissed by Molina, who countered that when
13:51he tried to move the glass afterwards, it remained stuck to the table.
13:54Number 34. Blue light in New York City. Aliens, UFOs, the apocalypse. Those were some of the
14:00thoughts on the minds of New Yorkers when a bright blue light engulfed the sky in December 2018.
14:04Many who were indoors witnessed the eerie lights being broadcast on the news,
14:08as they pretty much turned nighttime to day. Overnight, the New York City sky lit up in a
14:12supernatural shade of blue. Oh my god. What is that? That looks gnarly. Look at the sky.
14:20Well, that doesn't look good. Sparking alarm citywide. To further complicate matters,
14:24some residents saw the lights in their homes flicker and the LaGuardia airport experienced
14:28a total blackout. Fortunately, this one wasn't the work of any extraterrestrial force. Instead,
14:32the blue light was caused by an explosion at a power plant in Queens, which would explain
14:36the outages residents experienced. The explosion and fire knocking out power in the area and
14:41wreaking havoc at LaGuardia airport. I guess the aliens decided to take a rain check on their
14:46invasion plans. Number 33. UFO flashes intense bright light. In February 2020, a crowd of over
14:52200 people gathered for a UFO sighting at Yaya Beach in Peru, which has been described as a hot
14:57spot for the strange objects. The event was covered by Capital TV and broadcast live to thousands of
15:02viewers. At one point, some people in the audience noticed an unexplained light hovering above the
15:06sea. They pointed their laser pens at the mysterious object, only to be hit by an intense bright light
15:10in response. As the program was filmed late in the night, it's not quite clear what the light
15:14source could be. A boat? A drone? A UFO? We'll leave that for you to decide.
15:18Number 32. Spanish reporter with reptilian eyes. This unsettling footage was captured by a viewer who
15:23was watching the Spanish news channel, Televisión Español Internacional. Towards the end of the piece,
15:28the reporter blinks repeatedly and for a brief moment, a second set of eyeballs appears over his closed eyelids.
15:33I'm looking at this reporter and I noticed something about his eyes at the very last minute.
15:38According to the viewer, this was possible proof of the reporter being an anthropomorphic
15:41reptile camouflaging among humans. The actual explanation, however, may be a lot less fantastic.
15:46Some internet users speculated that the reporter may have been wearing contact lenses,
15:50which made him blink often. There it is, the blink. I'm gonna do it in slow-mo now.
15:58There we go. That, combined with the camera compression glitch, likely resulted in the reptilian effect.
16:03Either way, the appearance is sure to give anyone watching the creeps.
16:06Number 31. Paranormal newspapers. These days, it seems poltergeists and breakfast shows go hand
16:11in hand. Yet another alleged poltergeist disturbance occurred on the morning club show at Club FM in
16:16Tirana, Albania. At first, everything seems normal, until suddenly it isn't. The host, Blendi Saleh,
16:21appears to be interviewing a guest on the program when a newspaper on the table in front of them
16:24abruptly flies off camera.
16:26What makes this particularly disturbing is that the two are the only ones sitting in the booth and
16:31there aren't any doors open or windows in sight. So what exactly could have thrown the newspaper in
16:40the air? Understandably, Saleh and his guest are dumbfounded.
16:43And frankly, so are we.
16:48Number 30. TV Solidarity. In September 1985, Polish audiences who tuned into the popular crime show,
16:55ZO7 Zgostje, were met with strange inscriptions superimposed over the broadcast. The message read,
17:00Enough price increases, lies and repressions. Solidarity, Torun. And it is our duty to boycott the
17:05election. It was later revealed that this intrusion was carried out by four astronomers from the University
17:10of Torun in Poland. This was done as a show of support for the Solidarity opposition movement,
17:14which had called for a boycott of the 1985 parliamentary elections in protest of the
17:18communist regime. This fight with the communist monster was really impossible.
17:25We could only fight against it by using its own weapons, because it pretended to be the people's
17:31system. The men were eventually apprehended, but due to their significant contributions to the
17:35Polish scientific community, they were only fined and given probation.
17:38Number 29. UFO Descends on London Football Match. In February 2019, the eighth edition of the FA
17:44Women's League Cup was underway. The second semi-finals match saw Arsenal go up against
17:48Manchester United, with the former winning by two goals to one. But it seems humans weren't the only
17:52ones interested in the league. During the aforementioned match, one eagle-eyed fan spotted a
17:56mysterious object hovering above the stadium.
17:58Where Melbourne Victory faced Perth Glory. That's at 2.45am on ESPN. And Brisbane Roar are up against
18:05Sydney. Upon closer inspection, the viewer noticed a strange red object emitting the light. Like many
18:10other sightings, it's hard to tell if this was some form of spacecraft or just a drone.
18:14That's at 2.45am on ESPN. And Brisbane Roar are up against Sydney live.
18:19If it was indeed a bunch of aliens watching, we can only hope they at least enjoyed the game.
18:22Number 28. The Ghostly Groundsman. In September 2016, football fans who tuned in to Sky Sports
18:28for Sunderland's match against Everton were in for a spooky surprise.
18:32Here's Lukaku, on for his hat-trick, to finish it!
18:37While the pundits discussed the game afterwards, observant viewers picked up an enigmatic figure on
18:41a screen in the background, which then mysteriously vanished. The individual appeared to be a groundsman
18:46tidying up the stadium after the game.
18:48Is the fact that last season, they were a bit of an unknown quantity. Nobody really set up to play
18:53to nullify their strengths this season. I think teams are ready for them.
18:56Moments later, a similar phenomenon occurred with another figure.
18:59Fans who spotted the Ghost Groundsman took to social media to voice out their perplexity.
19:03This could have been two Phantoms caught on camera, or just stock footage of the stadium
19:07being played on a loop. If only we knew which.
19:09Number 27. Flemish Secession Hoax. In 2006, the Belgian TV station RTBF orchestrated a hoax that
19:15caused quite the stir in the French-speaking parts of the country. On December 16th,
19:19they interrupted a broadcast on one of their channels with an urgent announcement that the
19:23Flemish parliament had declared independence from Belgium. The piece appeared genuine,
19:26including interviews with politicians and a fake evacuation of the Belgian royal family from their
19:31palace. To top it all off, they showed footage of crowds cheering and waving the Flanders flag.
19:35The result? More than 2,000 worried people flooded the station's hotline with calls,
19:39and their website eventually crashed. 30 minutes later, RTBF admitted that the report was a hoax.
19:44Number 26. Mystery Voice Interrupts Queen Elizabeth's Funeral The 2022 state funeral of
19:49Queen Elizabeth II was one of the most watched TV broadcasts in British history. With over 26
19:54million residents tuning in to catch the event, some of London's busiest routes closed, lined with people,
20:01throwing flowers, cheering, taking photos. Those who watched the funeral on ITV may have picked up a
20:07mysterious voice as the Queen's hearse made its way to West London. For a few seconds, a female voice can be
20:12heard whispering about death and being trapped. Soon after, social media erupted with speculation
20:20about where the sound could have come from. One notable theory surmised that it was possibly the
20:24voice of the late Princess Diana. However, according to certain sources, it was simply that of a guest
20:28being picked up by the presenter's microphone. Number 25. The Playboy Channel Religious Message
20:33The last place you may expect to find the gospel is on the Playboy Channel. So we can imagine how stunned
20:38Playboy audiences were on Sunday, September 6th, 1987, when a broadcast of the adult film Three
20:43Daughters was interrupted by religious texts. Listen, I'm a little flabbergasted about this
20:47whole thing. The message came from the Bible verses Exodus 28 and Matthew 4 17, which warned them to
20:53repent and keep the Sabbath day holy. Safe to say that someone wasn't pleased with all of the unholy
20:57viewing going on. A federal investigation later revealed that that someone was Thomas Haney,
21:09a technician at the Christian Broadcasting Network. Haney was found guilty of satellite
21:12piracy and sentenced to three years probation. Number 24. The Great Tantra Challenge
21:17In March of 2008, audiences in India bore witness to a bizarre showdown. Author and self-proclaimed
21:21rationalist Senal Itamaraku dared the Tantric guru, Surinder Sharma, to kill him live on television.
21:28Sharma had bragged during a prior panel that he could take a person's life within three minutes
21:32using his mystic powers. Itamaraku then decided to put him to the test, volunteering himself as
21:36tribute. For several hours, Sharma seemingly invoked supernatural forces to take Itamaraku's life to no
21:41avail. At one point, the Tantric claimed that his subjects served a more powerful god, to which
21:45Itamaraku reported that he was an atheist. The challenge was reportedly watched by hundreds of
21:49millions of viewers, all of whom witnessed Sharma's epic fail. Number 23. Captain Midnight
21:54For four and a half minutes on April 27th, 1986, HBO experienced a signal intrusion that was caught
22:00by viewers along the East Coast. While showing the 1985 film The Falcon and the Snowman, the feed
22:05abruptly cut to a blank screen with a strange text across it. The message appeared to have been sent
22:09by an individual named Captain Midnight, who didn't seem too pleased with HBO's subscription fees.
22:14An objection to the price HBO is charging dish owners for access to its recently scrambled
22:18programs. The signal got weaker then, after four minutes, the movie resumed. The incident was
22:23investigated by the FCC and FBI, resulting in the arrest of John R. McDougal. McDougal owned a
22:29satellite dish which was struggling due to the cable channel's high rates. His protest earned him a
22:33little infamy as well as a $5,000 fine. McDougal confessed to the FCC TV cops, and although the agency says his
22:40action, if it disrupted military or telephone communications, could be a very serious business.
22:45In this case, he'll get off with a $5,000 fine. Number 22. Samuel J. Seymour's Secret. The CBS
22:51game show I've Got a Secret featured a panel of celebrities trying to guess a contestant's secret.
22:56Most of these were funny or embarrassing, but on February 9th, 1956, 95-year-old Samuel J. Seymour
23:01strolled onto the set with a chilling account. Would this person have ever been president of the United
23:05States? Was he ever president, this man? I think he was once. Would it have been Abraham Lincoln?
23:13After being questioned by the celebrity panel, Seymour revealed that he was reportedly the
23:16last surviving witness of Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Seymour claimed that at the age
23:21of five, he sat across from the presidential box at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.,
23:25when John Wilkes Booth fired the fatal shot. When he saw Booth jump from the box to the stage,
23:31at which time he broke his leg. His only concern was not for the president,
23:35because he didn't realize that the president had been shot, but the poor man who fell out of the
23:39balcony. His haunting recollection of the event brought history to life and must have sent shivers
23:44down the spines of all who listened. Number 21. Dutch TV presenters eat each other. Yeah,
23:49you heard that right. In December 2011, Dennis Storm and Valerio Zeno, two presenters on the Dutch
23:53show Guinea Pigs, took a bite into the bizarre but seemingly devouring pieces of each other's flesh
23:58live on air. It was undoubtedly an unsettling sight, as Storm and Zeno underwent surgical
24:06procedures to remove small chunks of flesh from their buttocks and abdomen, respectively. These
24:10were then cooked by a chef in front of a live audience and presented to them. The brazen stunt
24:14certainly left a bad taste in many viewers' mouths. Nevertheless, it didn't cross the legal line,
24:26as cannibalism is permitted in the Netherlands, provided that it is not done with malicious intent.
24:31Number 20. Zombie Emergency Alert. Back in 2013, a handful of Americans were tricked into thinking
24:38that Armageddon was finally at the door by a prankster who seemed to have been taking notes from
24:42Orson Welles. The unnamed Joker found a way to hack into a Montana TV station's emergency
24:56broadcast system and sent out a newsflash detailing the rise of the undead from their graves,
25:02along with a warning not to engage. The hoax announcement played over airings of the Steve
25:07Wilco show, and despite its illegitimacy, the message sounded real enough to turn a few heads,
25:12stirring concern among viewers across parts of the United States.
25:15Do not attempt to approach or apprehend these bodies as they are considered extremely dangerous.
25:20Fortunately, it wasn't long before the truth was made known and the perpetrator was apprehended.
25:25Number 19. The Haunted Dolly. Here's one that'll rock the boat.
25:29On ITV's This Morning, a couple were being interviewed about alleged strange activity
25:33surrounding a china doll they'd gotten from a thrift store.
25:41This included scratches on the husband and sporadic fire alarm bursts.
25:45Whilst the hosts were rightly skeptical, viewers were more convinced. They observed the doll start
25:50to rock in its chair during the interview, seemingly of its own volition.
25:54Look at that chair's beginning to rock. Look at that.
25:57Who's doing that? Stop it. Who's doing that?
26:00The doll was on the show again just a few weeks later, but this time with a new owner.
26:04The lady who bought the doll in here, originally who bought it,
26:06she said her husband was scratched on his arms and legs.
26:09Yeah, she did, didn't she?
26:10So do you believe that this doll has done that?
26:12It's no surprise the toy changed hands so quickly. We've all seen enough movies to know that keeping
26:24possessed dolls around is a big no-no.
26:27Number 18. Wrestlemania Chokeout.
26:29It's well known that pro wrestling is a staged but nonetheless dangerous sport that can inflict some
26:35serious injury. Richard Belzer learned this when he was choked out by Hulk Hogan on his talk show in 1985.
26:41The Hulkster, who was on the show with Mr. T promoting the very first Wrestlemania,
26:46was asked by Belzer to demonstrate some wrestling moves in keeping with the promotion.
26:50Hogan responded with a headlock that sent him straight to sleep.
26:53Mr. T quickly tried to ease the shocked crowd during Belzer's blackout with a few reassuring quips.
26:58I was a sleeper-ho, he'd be alright.
27:01And Belzer fortunately regained consciousness,
27:03along with a few stitches and one heck of an anecdote some moments later.
27:08And now, we'll be right back after this word from you-know-who.
27:14Number 17. The Vietnam War Draft Lottery.
27:17Who wants to be a veteran? In 1969, at the peak of the war in Vietnam,
27:22CBS televised a draft lottery to determine individuals for military service,
27:27and aired live from Washington's Selective Service Headquarters.
27:30The Draft Lottery. A live report on tonight's picking of the birthdates for the draft.
27:36The lottery worked by drawing birthdates at random, followed by a second drawing of letters
27:41of the alphabet to decide which men would be sent overseas first. This controversial method had not
27:46been used since 1942 during World War II. Though we thankfully live in a time where such a lottery is
27:52neither necessary nor permitted, watching this broadcast today is a chilling reminder that the
27:57futures of hundreds of men were decided by a simple sheet of paper that they watched pulled at random on television.
28:03September 14th.
28:08September 14, 001.
28:14Number 16. San Francisco Earthquake News Flash. California is no stranger to the occasional rumble,
28:21but the cameras happened to be rolling during a big one in 1989. During the World Series that saw
28:26the San Francisco Giants take out the Oakland Athletics, an enormous earthquake struck the Bay Area and
28:32was caught live on television. With a magnitude of 6.9, the Loma Prieta quake was large enough to
28:39interrupt the broadcast of the game. Though it can easily be misinterpreted as crowd jubilation,
28:44screams can actually be heard just before the game feed is cut and the picture switches to the news.
28:49Candy Maldonado with the hesitation, allowing Jose Canseco to score, and he fails to get Dave Parker
28:57at second base, so the Oakland A's take... take...
29:01I'll tell you what, we're having a nerve.
29:05Though the stadium was able to withstand the tremors, the rest of the city was subjected to major power
29:10disruptions, blackouts, and property damage. The downtown section of Santa Cruz is basically gone.
29:16All the old brick, unreinforced buildings have collapsed. This is a department store called
29:21Ford's. It collapsed. The second store came down into the first floor, trapping several people inside.
29:28Number 15. Czech TV's Panorama prank. What a bombshell to drop. In 2007, as viewers of Czech
29:35television's program Panorama were treated to a beautiful shot of the mountain, the tranquility was
29:40soon ruined by a blinding white light and the unmistakable sight of a mushroom cloud.
29:52The bombing was quickly and fortunately revealed as a hoax, masterminded by the gorilla art pranksters
29:57known collectively as Zatovin. The group had apparently hacked the show's live camera feed,
30:02where they could then overwrite the footage with a CGI render they'd prepared. Zatovin explained that the
30:08prank illustrated how easy it can be for the media to manipulate and influence its consumers with
30:12false information. The lengths some artists will go to get their work shown on TV.
30:17Number 14. The Disappearing Airport Lady.
30:20Luggage goes missing all the time at terminals, but human beings? Not so much. Yet that's what
30:25appeared to happen during an interview for Danish Network's TV2 SportsCenter. At an airport baggage claim,
30:31just behind the gentleman on camera, a blonde woman seemed to vanish into thin air,
30:36as another traveler passed in front of her. Freaky stuff for viewers who saw it live,
30:40but a logical explanation does exist. The ghost lady was identified as Danish handball player Trina
30:46Jensen. Under close analysis, she can be assumed to have walked in tandem with the passing woman,
30:51creating an optical illusion. In the moment, however, it seemed like a paranormal phenomena
30:56right out of the X-Files. Number 13. Talk Show Possession.
31:06There's certainly more to this girl than meets the eye. On a talk show in 2016,
31:11Thai model Tipawa Cha Phu Poong made an appearance and claimed to have been possessed by an evil bloodthirsty
31:16ghost while holidaying. This entity, known as Pop, was said to hunger for animal blood and human flesh.
31:22The confused hosts then watched as Cha Phu Poong began to exhibit strange behavior, muttering to
31:28herself and screaming. Most viewers were disturbed by her behavior, but not so much sold on it. Many
31:40called it suspiciously convenient that Pop took hold on live television. Regardless, it hardly made for
31:46comfortable viewing. Number 12. Prayer Phone-in Possession. Cha Phu Poong's live actions may have
31:52been uneasy to the eyes, but this next example of on-air possession proved to be an assault on the ears.
32:08This religious live show encourages viewers to call in and receive advice and guidance
32:12from a holy sheik. One such phone call was made by a woman in 2011, claiming to have been
32:18overtaken by a demonic entity known colloquially as a jinn.
32:35The woman then supposedly underwent a sudden change in personality while staying on the line,
32:40laughing sinisterly as she mocked the Islamic host.
32:47The sheik proceeded to banish the demon with an impromptu exorcism, and the bizarre episode was
32:52done. Whether it was fake or genuine, it was certainly creepy.
32:5611. Los Angeles EBS 1992 was the year Los Angeles descended into chaos as riots erupted
33:03following the acquittal of the officers behind Rodney King's heavily publicized abuse.
33:07We saw what we saw, and what we saw was a crime.
33:11You got another white jury saying that it's okay for white cops to beat up black people,
33:16and that's racism in American style, and it's been that way from the get.
33:20King's ruthless assault at the hands of the LAPD was videotaped and broadcast a year earlier to
33:26massive outcry. During the riots, as angered citizens looted stores and destroyed public property,
33:32an emergency broadcast was sent out across all of LA County's biggest TV stations to inform
33:37the public of the carnage. In the message, an emergency curfew was announced to be in effect
33:42from 6.45pm onward.
33:44This is the activation of the emergency broadcast system for LA County. Effective at 6.45pm this date,
33:52the Los Angeles County Emergency Operations Center has announced expanded boundaries for
33:58the emergency curfew.
33:59This chilling yet formal announcement heralded a rise in tension for the citizens of Los Angeles,
34:04as they watched the collapse of their social order unfold on screen.
34:0810. Alien Lights Over Milwaukee
34:11It was only a matter of time until aliens came up. During a live Fox 6 news broadcast,
34:16a group of mysterious lights were seen floating above the Milwaukee night sky.
34:20The news team was understandably alarmed and quickly began to speculate as to the cause,
34:25with explanations ranging from fireworks to shooting stars and finally, aliens.
34:30It's a strange sight at first glance, certainly enough to cause some confusion and maybe even a
34:35little concern, but it only took about a half an hour to shoot down ET expectations.
34:40Mystery solved, about 30 minutes later we're sitting in our truck here outside the Milwaukee
34:44County Courthouse and we heard them.
34:46An alternative angle closer to the activity shows it to be nothing more than a flock of seagulls
34:51reflecting the bright lights of the city. That's right, close encounters of the bird kind.
34:56Now that the sun's up, you can see no aliens here in Milwaukee, just a lot of seagulls.
35:029. The Australian Mayday Incident
35:05While not technically a live event, these issues with broadcasting happened in real time.
35:10During the airing of an episode of the documentary series Mayday,
35:13the audio from a previous news broadcast somehow replaced some of the original show's audio.
35:18This eerie new soundtrack was a looping soundbite of a Halliburton truck driver
35:23reacting to his convoy being ambushed in Iraq. For six freaky minutes, everyone at home watching was
35:28subjected to the driver repeating, Jesus Christ, help us all Lord, over and over.
35:43The fact that this was coinciding with footage relating to a passenger train crash made a
35:48deeply unsettling end result. The creepiest part is, nobody knows exactly how it happened. Mayday indeed.
35:548. Jamaican Ghost Attack
35:57In 2010, a Jamaican news crew investigated reports of an alleged poltergeist attack on a young boy in
36:02Spanish town. The boy claimed he was being pestered by a poltergeist known in Jamaican folklore as a
36:08duppy, and that this specter was recently deceased friend who was now haunting him post-mortem.
36:16The news crew were astonished during the interview, when he was seemingly grabbed and dragged around
36:21like a rag doll, whilst onlookers desperately attempted to intervene. Unsettling as it seems,
36:27the case should be taken with a grain of salt. Most cases involving children who report being bothered
36:32by spirits are usually attributed to a neglected or traumatized child lashing out.
36:37In this case, lashing out is putting it lightly.
36:567. The Running Shadow
36:58So, we've gone through aliens. Now, how about moving shadows? During the broadcast of a soccer
37:03game at the Hernando Siles Stadium in 2014, cameras caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a moving,
37:09dark figure. Although it was running at full speed, people in the crowd didn't seem to notice.
37:13What made this incident all the more creepy was the fact that the figure can be seen moving through
37:18fans and even a barrier. While some theorize that the figure was in fact a soccer player double
37:23exposed on camera, to this day, the cause of this mysterious apparition remains unknown.
37:286. The UFO Summoner
37:30Is seeing really believing?
37:32He's a Las Vegas man who claims he can summon UFOs on command.
37:36Pretty wild. So we sent Action News reporter Mike Delostrito to get the real story,
37:41but what he found shocked everyone.
37:43In 2005, Ramon Watkins, a man from Las Vegas who called himself Yahweh,
37:48claimed to have learned from the Old Testament how to summon UFOs. In a news report meant to expose him
37:53as a fraud, an ABC News reporter was left baffled when Watkins proceeded to seemingly
37:59manifest mysterious orbs of light floating in the sky.
38:03I can see it clear as day. In fact, it's bright.
38:05I can't believe this.
38:07It's moving pretty fast.
38:08It's going to Nellis Air Force Base. It wants to be seen.
38:12The orange lights danced above their heads momentarily before disappearing.
38:16Many who saw this demonstration hailed it as evidence of the almighty,
38:20referring to the fact that it had been the news team who had picked the location,
38:23day, and time to conduct the interview,
38:26leaving practically no room for Watkins to have feasibly staged the summoning.
38:30Divine power or complex misdirection?
38:33How's that for a magic trick?
38:355. The Vrillon Hoax
38:37Across the pond in 1977, something even more bizarre occurred.
38:41The UK's southern television had their evening news interrupted
38:44by a six-minute audio message of apparent extraterrestrial origin.
38:48The unsettling, booming voice coming through
38:51claimed to represent the Ashtar Galactic Command.
38:55In Australia, Mr. Kelly Packer's cricketers are still
38:58pleased to be by yesterday's nightclub decision.
39:00It's different now than playing in test management.
39:03And now, this is the voice of the command,
39:07representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, speaking to you.
39:12These aliens offered humanity a peaceful alliance if they renounced their corrupt ways
39:17and weapons of war, speaking cultishly of new ages and promises of transcendence.
39:32The channel apologized for the Outlander's signal intrusion, chalking it up to a hoax.
39:37It would indeed be strange if aliens broadcast a message to just one channel.
39:41Those responsible have never come forward.
39:43Dare we look up to the sky and wonder?
39:544. Justin from Big Brother 2
39:57Slimeball Justin Sebek was frequently overly confrontational
40:00with other contestants during his tenure on Big Brother.
40:03No! No!
40:04No!
40:05Justin, no!
40:07Don't do it!
40:08But the act that finally got him kicked off
40:10the series went way beyond typical reality show conflicts.
40:13Justin famously, and quite rightly, got evicted for disturbing behavior
40:18involving fellow housemate Krista.
40:20After some drinks, the two began kissing and flirting,
40:24when Justin suddenly held up a knife and threatened her.
40:27Would you get mad if I killed you?
40:28The drama didn't end there.
40:30A year after being kicked out of the house, Justin was arrested and charged
40:33with assaulting his girlfriend.
40:35To say Krista and the other housemates dodged a bullet is a massive understatement.
40:39She feels real sorry for Justin.
40:41I really don't.
40:42I'm sorry he did it to himself.
40:44You know, he got warned and warned and warned and warned.
40:473. A Criminal on The Dating Game
40:50Not quite your Mr. Right
40:51On a 1978 episode of The Dating Game,
40:54Bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw chose contestant Rodney Alcala as her man.
40:58Well, let's see, back to number one as a successful photographer who got his start
41:02when his father found him in the dark room at the age of 13, fully developed.
41:08Though he was a successful photographer,
41:10Alcala was later turned down by Bradshaw for his creepy behavior.
41:14Why do you say that?
41:15Because that's the only time there is.
41:17The only time? What's wrong with morning, afternoon?
41:20Well, they're okay, but night time's when it really gets good.
41:23Bradshaw may have escaped with their life.
41:26It turns out that Alcala was a repeated offender of serious crimes,
41:30including a string of killings he committed throughout the 70s,
41:33and his rejection on the show may have been a contributing factor
41:36in the murder of a further three women.
41:39Alcala is serving life in prison to this day,
41:41and his final kill count remains ambiguous.
41:44We're gonna have a great time together, Cheryl.
41:46Serial killers are tremendous actors.
41:472. Gary Stolman
41:50In the middle of a 1987 broadcast, Gary Stolman walked onto the KNBC set behind
42:03TV reporter David Horowitz and pointed a gun at his back, ordering him to read a statement
42:08concerning paranoid theories that the CIA cloned Stolman's father. The blindsided presenters were
42:14clearly horrified, but Horowitz was able to keep his cool throughout. The statement ended with the
42:19admission that the firearm was a BB-firing replica, before Stolman calmly placed the toy on the desk,
42:25apparently having never intended to harm anyone.
42:27The gunman placed the gun on the desk, and anchorman John Beard grabbed it.
42:32Burbank police wrestled a man to the floor. He has been identified as Gary Stolman, and he said
42:37he never intended to harm anyone. Indeed, the gun proved a fake.
42:41This incident resulted in Horowitz spearheading a campaign to ban realistic toy firearms.
42:47Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
42:52about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
42:57If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
43:031. The Max Headroom Hijack
43:06In 1987, two television stations in Chicago were hijacked in perhaps the most surreal
43:11act of video piracy ever recorded.
43:13Take some pretty significant equipment, technical equipment, and some knowledge of broadcast frequencies.
43:20Both instances featured an unidentified man, dressed as obscure TV personality Max Headroom,
43:26dancing to distorted audio. The second video, significantly longer,
43:31saw the man rambling incoherently in a distorted voice.
43:34Oh, and being swatted on the behind by an off-screen accomplice.
43:37You're trying. That is the only way to learn.
43:40I'll get you a hot drink, miss.
43:42Why could you even try it close?
43:43Because he's a freaking nerd.
43:46He's trying to get that bird in the chest.
43:48Responses to the rubber-grinned menace ranged from bemused to horrified,
43:52and the perpetrators of this seemingly random act were never identified.
43:56The segments lasted no more than a couple of minutes,
43:59but have gone down as among the most notorious incidents in television history.
44:03That face is not an easy one to forget.
44:05My brother is like the other one, but it's dirty.
44:11Did you watch any of these creepy occurrences live?
44:13How do they make you feel in real time? Let us know in the comments below.
44:17Time to call 9-1-1 to prevent permanent brain damage.
44:21Thankfully, Julie Chen's colleagues acted in time.
44:24Check out these other clips from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified
44:29about our latest videos.
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