Man on TV shocked by grapes

(via Abroath)

[#1 posted by DSCN3879 , September 3, 2008 10:13 AM]

ow. I'm sho... astonished.

[#2 posted by GammaBlog , September 3, 2008 10:14 AM]

My guess is that his mike was not properly grounded. But I'm glad that sports is coming up next.

[#3 posted by Big Ed Dunkel , September 3, 2008 10:18 AM]

If only that could happen to Wolf Blitzer.

[#4 posted by dagfooyo , September 3, 2008 10:18 AM]

I know it's not nice to laugh at another person's misfortune, but I just can't help it. Holy shit that's funny.

[#5 posted by lofarabia , September 3, 2008 10:23 AM]

What with that viral video of the grape-stomping woman who falls flat on her face, and now this surreal attack, I am forced to conclude that the grapes are revolting. Grapes of wrath and whatnot.

[#6 posted by Iason , September 3, 2008 10:26 AM]

I vote that audio editors everywhere make his scream the new Wilhelm.

[#7 posted by Takuan , September 3, 2008 10:29 AM]

all humour is based on suffering

[#8 posted by Rant93 , September 3, 2008 10:43 AM]

>all humour is based on suffering
Comedy = Tragedy X Distance

Those grapes attacked him.

[#9 posted by Chorske , September 3, 2008 10:46 AM]

#2
The quality of the video is so-so, but as far as I can see, his mike is wireless, which rules out the "poorly-grounded mike" hypothesis.

Faulty wiring in the display case, perhaps?

[#10 posted by Profession , September 3, 2008 10:50 AM]

Too bad they can't make wine from those grapes...it would pack one hell of a kick.

[#11 posted by Jardine , September 3, 2008 10:53 AM]

I love the recovery of the anchor. She's got this real "wtf?" expression on her face and then quickly goes back to her professional expression and tells the audience that they'll be back with sports after the break.

[#12 posted by Daemon , September 3, 2008 10:57 AM]

Attack of the Killer Grapes?

Seriously though, if you look, there's a wire that seems to be what the grapes were hanging from. Chances are there was an exposed electrical wire or something inside the display. His hand touches the hanging-wire, and zzzot.

[#13 posted by KurtMac , September 3, 2008 11:00 AM]

#9 Its wired. At 0:20 (one second prior to calamity) you can see the wire against the black wall behind him.

Am I the only one who, upon reading the headline of this post in my feed reader, expected to see a video of a man who has never seen a grape in his life, and upon the sight of one is astonished and stupefied by their awesomeness?

[#14 posted by pauldrye , September 3, 2008 11:20 AM]

Am I the only one who, upon reading the headline of this post in my feed reader, expected to see a video of a man who has never seen a grape in his life, and upon the sight of one is astonished and stupefied by their awesomeness?

You are never alone. Me, I was downright disappointed that wasn't what it was.

[#15 posted by jpixl , September 3, 2008 11:22 AM]

Kurtmac, that's precisely what I expected, too. I'm still laughing at that expectation, as well as what actually happened.

[#16 posted by Alexandre Van de Sande , September 3, 2008 11:25 AM]

FUnny how old memes never die, just find a new place to spread. This is a classic brazilian viral (in the "video that spreads" way, it's a true incident). So famous in fact that someone was able to track him down, along with other local viral videos and have him on a video clip (for a cell company).

So good news is: he survived..

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=6abiH1xtaZI

[#17 posted by jimbuck , September 3, 2008 11:26 AM]

I also thought going to be a video of a man discovering the awesomeness of grapes. Someone needs to redo the video that way.

[#18 posted by Lauren O , September 3, 2008 11:33 AM]

Comedy = Tragedy X Distance

cf. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919.

[#19 posted by jimbuck , September 3, 2008 11:33 AM]

Alexandre, that was one disturbing youtube clip. I'm glad that grape guy was ok, but I didn't need to see that.

[#20 posted by angryhippo , September 3, 2008 11:34 AM]

Where is young Clooney when you need him?

"Aiiyeyaaii!!!" (I have my new ringtone)

[#21 posted by BSD , September 3, 2008 11:43 AM]

@16: To clarify, that video is sort of if, say, AllTel got the Star Wars Kid, the Impossible is Nothing Guy, Ted Stevens, and a bunch of cats to sing All Your Base, right?

[#22 posted by Mojave , September 3, 2008 11:45 AM]

BTW, It's spelled "M-I-C"...MIC MIC MIC

Mike is a boys name.

[#23 posted by Antinous , September 3, 2008 11:56 AM]

It's spelled "M-I-C"

Even if it's made out of Legos?

[#24 posted by OLAF9000 , September 3, 2008 11:59 AM]

i for one welcome our freshly ripe grape overlords

[#25 posted by Jordan , September 3, 2008 12:13 PM]

@Mojave: Not so fast. You might spell it M-I-C, but there are a lot of solid arguments, and a lot of historical precedent, for M-I-K-E. Linguist-musician Samuel Bayer breaks it down.

[#26 posted by Sekino , September 3, 2008 12:19 PM]

I had funny expectations from the title as well: More along the lines of a big spider hiding within the grapes...

I agree that the reaction and professional, quick recovery of the anchorwoman is terrific! The look on her face for a second is priceless!

But I am also very glad that the reporter is ok.

[#27 posted by hipdadiddy , September 3, 2008 12:46 PM]

Still the best definition of the difference between comedy and tragedy ever made; courtesy Mel Brooks:

Tragedy is when I cut my finger.

Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.

[#28 posted by Baldhead , September 3, 2008 12:47 PM]

looks like a wire in the case. And the mic didn't look like a wireless. they tend to be a lot bulkier.

[#29 posted by VICTOR JIMENEZ , September 3, 2008 12:52 PM]

That cry just killed me! Aiyaiiii!

[#30 posted by Bitgod , September 3, 2008 2:03 PM]

The more I watch it, the funnier it gets.

[#31 posted by Takuan , September 3, 2008 2:11 PM]

@18
somethings never change
'In spite of the company's attempts to claim that the tank had been blown up by anarchists"

[#32 posted by Piers W , September 3, 2008 2:31 PM]

@23 ANTINOUS

It has to be "miked up" though surely, not "miced up"

[#33 posted by Piers W , September 3, 2008 3:06 PM]

@32 PIERS W

For @23ANTINOUS read @22MOJAVE

[#34 posted by william , September 3, 2008 3:21 PM]

Just for the record, suffering isn't necessary or sufficient for comedy. Suffering can provide the emotional power, but surprise is the root. That's why bad timing can screw up a joke, as can telling it in the wrong order; those don't decrease the suffering, but they do ruin the surprise.

[#35 posted by anthony , September 3, 2008 3:23 PM]

It's not funny, and that looked like a serious shock. Hope he's okay.

[#36 posted by Bazilisk , September 3, 2008 4:05 PM]

Man, you got me conflicted. I don't usually laugh at real-life people's real-pain, opting for comedy fiction people's pain instead. But this ... just the sheer weirdness of that happening is funny. LOL

[#37 posted by buddy66 , September 3, 2008 4:51 PM]

Bazilisk,

I know what you mean by "conflicted." When I read the Putnam translation of Don Quixote and got to a part where the Don and Sancho are recovering from being beaten up (I saw Laurel & Hardy in my mind's eye) and are comparing their pain and misery, I rolled around the floor laughing my ass off. A few minutes later I was questioning myself for laughing at another's pain, fictional or not. So I re-read it . . . Damn, that's a great translation!

[#38 posted by anthony , September 3, 2008 5:36 PM]

I'm not feeling it.
Fictional pain is funny, and it provides distance from particular. When the pain is particular, specific, and real, I'd hope the response would be concern.
Now, if a character in a novel was accidentally tased by some hanging grapes, I think I would laugh like a fool.

[#39 posted by minTphresh , September 3, 2008 5:50 PM]

anthony, c'mpn... you never laughed at one of those 'funniest home videos' "groinshots" medley?

[#40 posted by anthony , September 3, 2008 6:00 PM]

Shall I take a moment to unfold and examine the delicate layers and fine qualities of my preferences in physical comedy?

Is this an aesthetic issue? Hmm.

[#41 posted by Flypaper , September 3, 2008 6:00 PM]

The reporter's attitude at the end?

[#42 posted by Takuan , September 3, 2008 6:15 PM]

I've taken enough hits to find it more winceworthy than funny. But if I knew the guy was a jerk I'd laugh.

[#43 posted by OLAF9000 , September 3, 2008 6:42 PM]

oh dear... the ethics of laughing at someone else comedic misfortune... i guess ill have to retire my ye old banana peel routine as it could be un-PC in this day and age...

[#44 posted by diluded000 , September 3, 2008 6:45 PM]

The electrolytes in the grapes had a current induced in them from the overhead lights. Didn't any of you see Food Myths, or whatever it is? Put a grape in the microwave and check it out if you don't think this is what happened. I've been shocked by an unconnected cable that was run across a fluorescent light ballast, so I can see how this could happen with any conductive material like the somewhat conductive grape guts.

[#45 posted by kastner , September 3, 2008 6:57 PM]

I was concerned after the first viewing, but after seeing him in the "We are the Memes" video, I find it a lot funnier.

After watching the shock over and over about 30 times, a few observations:

1) it is a wired mike (mic?)
2) why does he switch hands?!
3) the mic (mike?) JUMPS UP and hits his face
4) to that end, it looks like the circuit is mic (mic?) to face to other hand on grapes

[#46 posted by buddy66 , September 3, 2008 6:59 PM]

OLAF9000,

Empathy is a few millenia older than PC.

[#47 posted by Ugly Canuck , September 3, 2008 7:03 PM]

The grapes did not want him touching them in that way, it appears.

[#48 posted by Takuan , September 3, 2008 7:07 PM]

induced current? no way. Skin conductivity maybe, if they were wet.

[#49 posted by Ugly Canuck , September 3, 2008 7:30 PM]

Think this resulted in any sour grapes on the part of the shocked?
It is/was a very impressive display of grapes, IMHO.

[#50 posted by OLAF9000 , September 3, 2008 7:49 PM]

lol @ #46 you prove my point exactly :D

[#51 posted by OLAF9000 , September 3, 2008 7:53 PM]

but has anybody considered how the grapes might be feeling about now? i would say this undignified assualt must have left them quite drained! :D

[#52 posted by querent , September 3, 2008 9:51 PM]

@ #8 if we let tragedy -> infty as distance->0 we get incredible tragedies arbitrarily near to us that remain funny at any constant level. dudn't work.

[#53 posted by Chorske , September 3, 2008 10:39 PM]

#22

Sorry bud, have to disagree with you there. The word 'microphone' is often abbreviated to 'mic' for many technical applications (such as the mic input label on a mixer) but the use of 'mike' is perfectly acceptable in conversation.

[#54 posted by mbdrake , September 4, 2008 4:27 AM]

I'm surprised none of you came up with the tagline:

The Grapes of Wrath!

[#55 posted by Giler , September 4, 2008 4:51 AM]

Sorry, MDBRAKE -

#5 got there first...

[#56 posted by a_user , September 4, 2008 8:34 AM]

@Olaf9000
the grapes didn't say anything - they just gave a little wine.

Seriously though his survival may have depended on using his right hand, had he taken the current along his left arm his heart might have stopped.

[#57 posted by SuperSumoYakuza , September 4, 2008 11:03 AM]

Up next, OW....My Balls!

Welcome to idiocracy....

[#58 posted by anthony , September 4, 2008 2:53 PM]

How do we know he survived?

[#59 posted by raisinlove , September 4, 2008 3:15 PM]

When I read "shocked", I was expecting the man to scream in horror, eyes bulging and running out of the room with his arms flailing, once the woman had finished describing the grapes. That would have been good...

[#60 posted by anthony , September 4, 2008 3:20 PM]

Raisinlove, cartoon violence isn't the real thing. If you haven't had to discern between the two by now, a hard rain is surely going to fall.