From the Buffalo News:
Remember all of those rooms Niagara Falls hotels expected to book for Nik Wallenda’s dramatic tightrope walk?
If they really want to protect the tourist attraction’s brand, they should offer full refunds to anyone who cancels after finding out the death-defying feat they thought they were coming to see will be nothing of the sort.
In fact, any marketing of Wallenda’s June 15 stroll that doesn’t include “tethered” before every mention of his name will constitute the biggest fraud since Anonymous.
For those who forget, the public was duped that time into believing the bestselling “Primary Colors” was written by a Clinton White House insider, instead of by a Newsweek columnist.
This time, the public was duped into believing Wallenda would risk all in his walk across the falls in a Friday night special that ABC will stretch into three hours of ads and promos.
Now it turns out that Wallenda will risk no such thing. Instead, he’ll wear a safety harness tethered to the wire so that he couldn’t fall if he wanted to.
Which means the stunt now should elicit a shrug and the obvious question: What’s the point?
Tags: abc, buffalo news, fraud, harness, Marketing, newsweek, niagara falls, Niagara Falls Accommodations, nik wallenda, safety harness, special, tethered, tourist attraction, wire
I hope he doesn’t make money since he is a scam and a disgrace to all that came before him or wanted to walk the wire across Niagara Falls but didn’t get permission.
Nik is the biggest joke.
I don’t think he is a scam, a disgrace, or a joke. I just think that the requirements put on him by ABC, and the planning surrounding the event on both sides of the border, are what’s causing the problem.
I agree Graham, however, he was the one who pursued this and kept at it like a spoiled kid until he got what he wanted. Now he’s got himself in a mess because of ABC’s demands, contracts that he signed by now wants to renege on, sponsors that didn’t materialize and now he’s asking for donations to help pay for it all. Sorry Nik, but YOU got yourself into this, so good luck.
I hadn’t heard about the donations until you mentioned it. I then read about it online. Weird! If he’s going to be $200,000 short, then why is he trying to raise $50,000? I just don’t understand what’s going on.
I think he is a scam, a disgrace, an embarrassment to anyone who ever wanted to walk a wire across Niagara Falls and to anyone that is a stunt man.
He doesn’t deserve to be up there especially after making such a big deal about things and now has to wear a harness as if he is some amateur but he isn’t and I guess he has no money to fund this and I guess Niagara Falls, NY and Niagara Falls, ON has no money to fund this.
So all we get is some guy who 100% walk across the Niagara Falls so where is the stunt? Where is the excitement?
This is the most dumbest thing people will ever see on tv.
As I’ve said it before I will not watch this on tv. I will watch something else and I’ve already emailed CTV my disgust in them allowing to show such a stupid act that really doesn’t do anything.
It goes to show Nik is a shame and he can’t do this on his own and needs a harness like he is some young rookie just starting out.
There is no reason for good luck but then again lets hope if he does fall off and i hope he does that the harness he is attached to holds his weight.
Jay Cochrane should be the one to walk the wire. Not this other guy.
It’s your loss, bro… just because he’s not Canadian doesn’t mean jack. Show me proof… show ANYBODY proof that he’s a “scam artist” of any sort. The guy is trying to make a living, and it’s been in his family’s legacy for generations. In fact, didn’t his grandfather die from doing a wire-walk?
He’s not out there for the money, he’s out there for the thrill. He’s already lost 1.2 million (and counting), and just trying to recuperate SOME of the loss, and (obviously) gain some in return. If you’re going to risk life & limb… on national TV, wouldn’t you want to get a little money in return?
He has to pay for everything from the security to the setup of the cables to overtime involved. ABC is paying him, which is where the sponsors come in, but he isn’t getting as much as he wanted.
The tethering isn’t his choice, and remember… he has an emergency release which he can let-go at anytime if he gets snagged or caught. There’s always a chance he could “play stuck” for the cameras and just release it for the added-thrill. This way, he already has the ABC deal, the sponsors, and now the added risk.
We’re not losing anything from one person who will boycott a internationally televised event just because Jay Cochrane didn’t get to cross first. It’s your own personal grudge if you want to hold it, man. Seriously, get over yourself… this is a once-in-a-lifetime event where Niagara Falls gets a full 3-hr spotlight with Nik as the feature attraction… but the Falls as the MAIN attraction.
Jay should be the only person to go across the Niagara Falls. But since he isn’t as famous as that scam artist and he doesn’t have all the money coming to him shows me that Jay is the better person for this.
Nik is doing this ALL FOR MONEY. This is why Niagara Falls wants him cause it will bring them money and him money. If he wasn’t in it for the money then he should fund this all himself.
I once again with whoever else won’t be watching this and i’ve already am working on people to sign the petition to allow the real wire walker to go across Niagara Falls.
I hope Nik falls cause he shouldn’t even be allowed to cross when Jay has asked way before Nik.
I won’t be watching it but I hope he does fall.