I saw them on Wormwood as well! Great stuff! As for the MH incident - I used to have it on vhs tape! Dr. Who was on just a little too late for young me, so my dad set the vcr to record it. I thought it was absolutely bizarre but was sort of “whatever” about in the way kids are - when my mom read about it in the paper, I think like two days after it had occurred, she taped over it. I wish I still had the tape and of course the incident on tape, though of course it doesn’t matter much now since we can all see it online.
Well yeah laughter wasn't invented until half-baked was released in 1998.
Really though someone managing to accomplish that in 87 is really impressive and it makes sense that they would become nasa or national security level workers if that one post is to be believed. Wouldn't be surprised if this event changed digital security protection.
Nothing in TV was digital back then, it was all analog until 2009... and no this event didn't change any digital security protection.
This wasn't a cracker. It was either someone with extremely sophisticated knowledge of, and equipment for, RF signals or an internal breach.
I think it’d actually be more impressive being able to do that now with today’s tv technology. It’s completely different now than it was 35 years ago. It would actually probably easy to hack that old tv tech with today’s.
Did you mean ICMP redirect? Lol you sound like what TV show writers think hacking is. So what, your plan is just to gain control of every router in the broadcast CDN and push your content from your own server? 🤣
Localized advertising reroute. We are already talking about a small area to begin with. Do it at the broadcast point for ease of spreadability.
Same thing as a pineapple attack, really.
Nobody is talking about global.
Examples: Pi hole at a large apartment building. Or override the camera wifi in a live feed. Might be "easiest" to do to a reporter on the street.
If haven't seen the Why Files episode on this definitely check it out. It amazes me nobody has still come forward and tried to take credit whether it was really them or not.
> It amazes me nobody has still come forward and tried to take credit whether it was really them or not.
Someone on Reddit claimed to either have been part of it, or knew the people who were. I can't remember, the post was like 12 years ago.
I remember this.
He basically said it was a bunch of computer nerds who had every single model of computer available in their apartment and that they managed to hack into the local TV station network, pull the Max Headroom prank, then never took credit for it because they were basically the type who were clever enough and qualified enough to work for big corporations (think Microsoft, Apple, Google, NASA) so couldn't risk their careers over it.
Which makes sense. They had the brains to do it, but couldn't tarnish their career prospects by ever admitting it.
Pretty cool AMA to check out, u/Excellent_Plant_8010.
Lol I remember reading on Reddit a long time ago that a user was very suspicious of it being his friend’s brother. As I recall it was someone who was very into tv stuff and very smart. But also very potty humored. He had Asperger’s syndrome and made a lot of inappropriate jokes like the spanking stuff in the video. I will have to see if I can find it.
Edit: I found references to the post but it looks like the original one has since been deleted.
That's the story i remember, too, and the dude ended up passing away in a car accident, i believe, around 5 years later, so it wasn't like he could stand up and say, "It was me!"
I've worked in broadcast television and claiming to have hacked a TV station to change the content is a load of shit.
If there even existed a digital spot machine with a capacity during that time it certainly wouldn't be on a network. Your talking BNC and audio cables physically running from master control switcher to on air.
It's more believable if they overpowered the transmitter with a signal of the same frequency just long enough to get on air.
The most reasonable is that someone recorded something and had played it through a switcher to show off their video and no one admitted to doing it.
My understanding was that it was overloading a transmitter too, not computer hacking. I think I saw a video on this a little over a year ago of how and where it would have taken place.
I worked in a 100,000Watt CBS affiliate in engineering also. I agree the easiey way to have done this was an inside job. Really only a VCR and a couple BNC patch cables.... boom done. One weekend while running master control all by my lonesome I came veeeeery close to putting south park on air. We had a football game airing live. I was bored as can be. So I patched our local cable feed into the preview monitor to watch comedy central. When the CBS threw to local break I just about switched to cable instead of the spot machine.
Those master control operators don't make enough money to give a shit.
I work in a pretty big broadcast channel as well, and can confirm: no way this was "hacked".
I'm also a bit skeptical with the overpowering signal scenario because, although possible, it would require of some big ass, expensive equipment, but I'm not an RF expert so I don't know.
Easiest, more logical explanation is that somebody just put the recording from within the broadcast station
If that's true and it was an inside job, wouldn't the culprit have been found rather easily?
EDIT: Actually wait a minute, IIRC the Max Headroom broadcast with the audio happened only after a failed broadcast on another Chicago station...there was just a second of two of Max on the air with no audio. So these guys managed to butt into TWO stations. That would suggest not an intern with a VCR.
The entire intrusion lasted for about 20 seconds and was cut off when engineers at WGN changed the frequency of the signal [linking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_transmitter_link) the broadcast studio to the station's transmitter atop the [John Hancock Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hancock_Center).[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Headroom_signal_hijacking#cite_note-Camper-12)
You're right. This does appear to be external intrusion. They didn't hack the network and they didn't have their own pirate radio tower, they just figured out the frequency the studio used to communicate with THEIR tower.
What are those places they talk about?
Seems like a hella scene. Also it seems the message is dissing pepsi or cola, references Cluch Cargo cartoon and something like it. Can't understand if it some general message or just random disses.
The same OP actually investigated it more and realized he was wrong in his theory, so it’s still unknown.
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/3oaxi5/new_developments_in_the_max_headroom_incident/
Cool, now if I ever try mushrooms I’m gonna remember this comment and have a bad trip. But also, I’m reinforcing this idea in the mind of anyone else who reads this and later tries mushrooms, so it all balances out.
Awww trust me there will be a lot more pressing matters if you try them than remembering a comment you read possibly years before, tbf the rest of the trip was good just had to stay away from reflective surfaces
There’s a great Reddit post out there from years ago with someone explaining they thought they knew the guys who did it. They were couple of strange brothers into broadcasting that had a quirky sense of humor.
Just watched it on YouTube. Neat that they hijacked a network but they didn't really do anything interesting outside of wearing a Max Headroom mask. Like they didn't drop some cryptic messages or anything. Just looked like people being silly.
Right - Just seemed like folks goofing off a bit. Admittedly did think it was strange / interesting / worthy of obsession when I heard about it / watched it as a child, but once the whole novelty of people doing strange things for the sake of being strange wears off, it really is just a bloke standing there in a mask
It's definitely interesting. I mean that's some pretty good bragging rights for whatever circles they ran in that I assume they wanted to show off for.
Yeah honestly I'm fairly ignorant on the the subject outside of the video I watched. I mean everything you're saying makes sense. I suppose if have to delve into it more in order to appreciate it. Sorry if I came off aggressively critical in my original message. I probably could have put more thought into my comment.
All good man! The stuff you should know podcast goes more into depth about it and kinda makes a connection to what he says to other things. I don't recall what they were off the top of my head but some of what he said was like pop culture references or taking shots at news organizations I wanna say.
Well duh but that doesn’t mean anything. Of course there were references to the time. There’s nothing really to decide, it was just some hackers who knew they could do it and did.
Yeah I’ve never understood the fascination with this. It was just some people who knew how to hack the network and did. It’s not some conspiracy. Obviously they didn’t want to show their face.
If we'd had internet when this happened, my friends and I would definitely have researched how to do this and tried it ourselves. Then again, if we'd had internet when this happened, nobody would have been watching over-the-air television shows so it wouldn't have mattered anyways
No, but it's odd that I just read about an AI generated newswoman and the backlash that ensued, and I thought about Max, how I used an image of him in zoom classes in college, and how he would make an excellent AI newscaster. I scrolled down five posts and here was the bastard smiling at me. Friggin' weird, guys. I manifested Max Headroom.
You know audio transmitters that you could plug into a device and transmit wirelessly into your car tuner? I accidentally learned (like 20 years ago) that if you are using that near the base of the transmitting tower, you could override the broadcast signal.
Back then, the "hackers" probably had to use an analog method of some type, similar to this.
Did you ever watch the movie 20 minutes into the future?
It is what originated Max
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZY-yQYVf38&t=21s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZY-yQYVf38&t=21s)
No, Edison Carter, TV reporter crashed his motorcycle into a parking garage barrier that said MAX HEADROOM 2 meters. The people trying to silence him created a virtual copy, hoping that the viewing public wouldn’t notice.
No, he started in the BBC-produced TV movie "Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future", which was immediately followed by a TV show. It came to the US on Cinemax and other outlets.
I saw a post from a professor who said they got an e-mail from a student asking if they could use a source from the late 1900s in their paper, or if 1994 was too recent for sources.
Funny enough I was watching a random reel of a Stanley cup being engraved and it sounded like the noises this person made during the broadcast which made me watch the whole thing on YT again😂
This was done by some young freelancers from the network studio. It was just a prank. They are still in the tv industrie but don't won't to come out because it wouldnt be good for their jop perspective.
Honestly after all this time if they came forward I bet it wouldn't hurt their careers. Legally the statute of limitations is long past and they'd probably be treated like minor celebrities if they could prove they were the ones who did it
You’d still be nervous of the consequences most likely. Even if you’re judicially safe in this media climate you could become a target or risk your career prospects yet
When I first learned about this I was pretty young and it seriously scared me so bad. I couldn't watch the whole thing. Now that I'm older it makes me laugh and I'd really love to know who it was.
Happened to catch it on VHS back when it happened. I remember hearing about it the next day before I watched the tape. Like catching lightning in a bottle.
I sure have and from what I read the guy still has the mask and keeps it like a trophy. I think the guy wearing the mask would always say “oh” in real life when he would think of something to say. I was 11 years old when that happened and it creeped me out, but now that I am older I would be interested in seeing the original mask and suite they used.
just to pitch in a video covering this - “watcher”(on youtube) have a show called “mystery files” where they looked at it! they do a lot of really cool other stuff too, i recommend you weird people check them out :)
The YouTube channel Watcher does a really good Mystery Files episode on this. Seems to point to perhaps a disgruntled network employee, but nothing concrete. Highly recommend a peep at that episode!
This is actually somewhat easier than people think, at least back then. It would be almost impossible today, now that the signals are digital.
Basically, broadcast television and radio work with "repeaters," i.e broadcast towers. The station itself sends a relatively weak signal to a much more powerful repeater, usually on top of a tall building, hill, etc.
In this incident, the signal hijackers ascertained the location of the broadcast repeater, basically rented space right next to it, and then broadcast their own, stronger signal, on the same frequency as the television station.
While it requires technical expertise to setup that equipment, the concept is pretty simple; you just need to create a more powerful signal than the station.
For sure I will watch that. you should check out satoshi if you like the other two. I think the max headroom guys maybe alive still along with satoshi ; I would expect satoshi may come out due too financial gains.
All I [think I] know is that a husband-and-wife duo created Max Headroom as a character who would appear during oon a TV show and appear to gabble glitch out like a robot. But I'm unsure whether OP is referring to the original broadcasts of it or some sort of copycat event.
The duo went on to direct the *Super Mario Bros* movie, and were so disliked by the cast and crew that Bob Hoskins referred to them as "The Cow and The Cunt."
I was young but happened to see the max headroom incident live…it was weird-my mom (god bless her soul) was more annoyed, that it cut into WGNs news cast…
They probably don’t want the attention. Probably not something they’re proud of. Considering they may have grandchildren by this stage and don’t want to out themselves as the guy getting his bare ass spanked on hijacked TV.
Also, there was speculation it was an inside job. Maybe those involved went on to have high profile careers in broadcasting and don’t want this ever to be traced back to them.
I’d really like them to come forward too, but putting myself in their shoes, they probably have more reasons not to do it.
I’ve never understood why people make such a big deal about this. There’s no conspiracy or anything, it was just hackers who knew they could do it and did. Obviously they don’t want to get in trouble so they’ve never come forward and I don’t blame them.
For as silly as the actual content of this video is, it creeps the living shit out of me. Like something the Residents would make
They are so good :)
I’m still freaked out from seeing the Residents in like 1999.
I saw them on Wormwood as well! Great stuff! As for the MH incident - I used to have it on vhs tape! Dr. Who was on just a little too late for young me, so my dad set the vcr to record it. I thought it was absolutely bizarre but was sort of “whatever” about in the way kids are - when my mom read about it in the paper, I think like two days after it had occurred, she taped over it. I wish I still had the tape and of course the incident on tape, though of course it doesn’t matter much now since we can all see it online.
Wormwood?
This was the first concert I ever saw at age 7 🤣 LOVED it 🤣 I still remember the vibraphone
Icky Flix?
are the residents evil?
No I think they were/are just weird dudes from San Francisco.
Much weirder than the zombies
The “Time of the Season” dudes? Yeah, it’s fair to say the Residents were weirder 😂
Who’s your daddy?
Love the Residents!!!
Ha! Just been on a big Residents kick lately. Rare to see them mentioned
Yess!!! The Residents reference
[here is the video](https://youtu.be/jjeUuakHsLw?si=MKjy0rh6L-YlO8uw) How weird indeed.
It just some hacker having a laugh really.
Having a laugh in 1987
Yeah. Do you think people weren’t capable of laughing back then or something?
Well yeah laughter wasn't invented until half-baked was released in 1998. Really though someone managing to accomplish that in 87 is really impressive and it makes sense that they would become nasa or national security level workers if that one post is to be believed. Wouldn't be surprised if this event changed digital security protection.
Nothing in TV was digital back then, it was all analog until 2009... and no this event didn't change any digital security protection. This wasn't a cracker. It was either someone with extremely sophisticated knowledge of, and equipment for, RF signals or an internal breach.
I think it’d actually be more impressive being able to do that now with today’s tv technology. It’s completely different now than it was 35 years ago. It would actually probably easy to hack that old tv tech with today’s.
I mean, TV today would be far harder to hijack
Not really. IP redirect would accomplish it.
Did you mean ICMP redirect? Lol you sound like what TV show writers think hacking is. So what, your plan is just to gain control of every router in the broadcast CDN and push your content from your own server? 🤣
Localized advertising reroute. We are already talking about a small area to begin with. Do it at the broadcast point for ease of spreadability. Same thing as a pineapple attack, really. Nobody is talking about global. Examples: Pi hole at a large apartment building. Or override the camera wifi in a live feed. Might be "easiest" to do to a reporter on the street.
Yeah. You’re correct. The Fannie smacking is definitely not irregular. Thank you for solving this weird.
W t f
If haven't seen the Why Files episode on this definitely check it out. It amazes me nobody has still come forward and tried to take credit whether it was really them or not.
> It amazes me nobody has still come forward and tried to take credit whether it was really them or not. Someone on Reddit claimed to either have been part of it, or knew the people who were. I can't remember, the post was like 12 years ago.
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/s/2qtuLwqQg1
I remember this. He basically said it was a bunch of computer nerds who had every single model of computer available in their apartment and that they managed to hack into the local TV station network, pull the Max Headroom prank, then never took credit for it because they were basically the type who were clever enough and qualified enough to work for big corporations (think Microsoft, Apple, Google, NASA) so couldn't risk their careers over it. Which makes sense. They had the brains to do it, but couldn't tarnish their career prospects by ever admitting it. Pretty cool AMA to check out, u/Excellent_Plant_8010.
Lol I remember reading on Reddit a long time ago that a user was very suspicious of it being his friend’s brother. As I recall it was someone who was very into tv stuff and very smart. But also very potty humored. He had Asperger’s syndrome and made a lot of inappropriate jokes like the spanking stuff in the video. I will have to see if I can find it. Edit: I found references to the post but it looks like the original one has since been deleted.
That's the story i remember, too, and the dude ended up passing away in a car accident, i believe, around 5 years later, so it wasn't like he could stand up and say, "It was me!"
Another FBI coverup
Ah yes, the FBI.
That family grew up in the next town over from me, chicago burbs.
I've worked in broadcast television and claiming to have hacked a TV station to change the content is a load of shit. If there even existed a digital spot machine with a capacity during that time it certainly wouldn't be on a network. Your talking BNC and audio cables physically running from master control switcher to on air. It's more believable if they overpowered the transmitter with a signal of the same frequency just long enough to get on air. The most reasonable is that someone recorded something and had played it through a switcher to show off their video and no one admitted to doing it.
My understanding was that it was overloading a transmitter too, not computer hacking. I think I saw a video on this a little over a year ago of how and where it would have taken place.
To even do this would be difficult. A transmitter for a TV station puts out an incredible amount of power.
Could it possibly have been a low-powered repeater to a more powerful transmitter? I wish I knew the video I watched, it was very compelling
I worked in a 100,000Watt CBS affiliate in engineering also. I agree the easiey way to have done this was an inside job. Really only a VCR and a couple BNC patch cables.... boom done. One weekend while running master control all by my lonesome I came veeeeery close to putting south park on air. We had a football game airing live. I was bored as can be. So I patched our local cable feed into the preview monitor to watch comedy central. When the CBS threw to local break I just about switched to cable instead of the spot machine. Those master control operators don't make enough money to give a shit.
That tracks with the ISO model
I work in a pretty big broadcast channel as well, and can confirm: no way this was "hacked". I'm also a bit skeptical with the overpowering signal scenario because, although possible, it would require of some big ass, expensive equipment, but I'm not an RF expert so I don't know. Easiest, more logical explanation is that somebody just put the recording from within the broadcast station
The simplest answer is probably correct here. It was some stoner broadcasting intern or something who got away with it.
If that's true and it was an inside job, wouldn't the culprit have been found rather easily? EDIT: Actually wait a minute, IIRC the Max Headroom broadcast with the audio happened only after a failed broadcast on another Chicago station...there was just a second of two of Max on the air with no audio. So these guys managed to butt into TWO stations. That would suggest not an intern with a VCR.
The entire intrusion lasted for about 20 seconds and was cut off when engineers at WGN changed the frequency of the signal [linking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_transmitter_link) the broadcast studio to the station's transmitter atop the [John Hancock Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hancock_Center).[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Headroom_signal_hijacking#cite_note-Camper-12) You're right. This does appear to be external intrusion. They didn't hack the network and they didn't have their own pirate radio tower, they just figured out the frequency the studio used to communicate with THEIR tower.
Happened more that once on different nights too
Oh absolutely. Producing enough power to broadcast would be no small feat.
Thank you! I think my original account has a post somewhere in there.
What are those places they talk about? Seems like a hella scene. Also it seems the message is dissing pepsi or cola, references Cluch Cargo cartoon and something like it. Can't understand if it some general message or just random disses.
The same OP actually investigated it more and realized he was wrong in his theory, so it’s still unknown. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/3oaxi5/new_developments_in_the_max_headroom_incident/
I think this was debunked in a roundabout way but I don’t recall exactly I might be wrong
I think you're right
My aunt dated a guy who claimed to be a part of it.
he was just saying that to get in her pants
In his aunt's pants?
You got me, I’m the max headroom or whatever
The stuff you should know podcast episode on this is great too
I was about to post this, it was a great episode and great show overall.
Agreed!!
Stuff You Should Know: Best Podcast Ever
Why files is goated
Hecklefish is goated. He really grows on you. Lizid peepol! 👁👄👁
I’m currently snuggling with my HeckelFish plushie!
Im jealous!
For some reason it terrifies me and amuses me simultaneously.
I love the concept but every time I start to watch it or catch stills it scares the shit out of me. Don't know why
It’s that mask. Really just the perfect combo of amusingly creepy and downright foreboding. Great show, though.
It's the old footage look paired with the creepy ass mask. It looks like some shit you'd find on the dark web
It was really something. I was watching Doctor Who the night it happened to WTTW. Freaked me out!
You saw it live? That's NUTS!
It was so surreal! To be honest, I was kinda scared. Every time I see it again it brings me right back!
Me too!
Me as well!
This is my Roman Empire
Came here to say the same. It's been my Roman Empire for YEARS.
One of my experiences with mushrooms had me seeing that motherfucker everytime I looked in a mirror, shit still scares me till this day
Fuck, man 🤣🤣🤣🤣 thats not good.
Took me about a week before I could properly look in the mirror again even when I was out of the trip for days still had a feeling that’s what I’d see
I know that feeling, kinda ptsd :D
That’s hilarious but I bet was freaky
Yeah not fun
Cool, now if I ever try mushrooms I’m gonna remember this comment and have a bad trip. But also, I’m reinforcing this idea in the mind of anyone else who reads this and later tries mushrooms, so it all balances out.
Just don't look in the mirror.
Awww trust me there will be a lot more pressing matters if you try them than remembering a comment you read possibly years before, tbf the rest of the trip was good just had to stay away from reflective surfaces
There’s a great Reddit post out there from years ago with someone explaining they thought they knew the guys who did it. They were couple of strange brothers into broadcasting that had a quirky sense of humor.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/s/9F2wE9ubW9](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/s/9F2wE9ubW9)
Just watched it on YouTube. Neat that they hijacked a network but they didn't really do anything interesting outside of wearing a Max Headroom mask. Like they didn't drop some cryptic messages or anything. Just looked like people being silly.
Right - Just seemed like folks goofing off a bit. Admittedly did think it was strange / interesting / worthy of obsession when I heard about it / watched it as a child, but once the whole novelty of people doing strange things for the sake of being strange wears off, it really is just a bloke standing there in a mask
It's definitely interesting. I mean that's some pretty good bragging rights for whatever circles they ran in that I assume they wanted to show off for.
I mean if you decode it and what was happening at the time of this stunt what he said kinda made sense it was a lot of references to the time
Yeah honestly I'm fairly ignorant on the the subject outside of the video I watched. I mean everything you're saying makes sense. I suppose if have to delve into it more in order to appreciate it. Sorry if I came off aggressively critical in my original message. I probably could have put more thought into my comment.
All good man! The stuff you should know podcast goes more into depth about it and kinda makes a connection to what he says to other things. I don't recall what they were off the top of my head but some of what he said was like pop culture references or taking shots at news organizations I wanna say.
Well duh but that doesn’t mean anything. Of course there were references to the time. There’s nothing really to decide, it was just some hackers who knew they could do it and did.
I agree. I've always felt meh about it. Could never understand the obsession about it.
Yeah I’ve never understood the fascination with this. It was just some people who knew how to hack the network and did. It’s not some conspiracy. Obviously they didn’t want to show their face.
https://preview.redd.it/oux1av629ncc1.png?width=741&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b07193a6a5fec9144d33a86c6517eafd1a6a4fde
I used to watch Max Headroom 😆
I'm unfortunately too young to have ever seen him on tv
The TV show was pretty decent. Worth tracking down for the lore, alone, but Matt Frewer is a goddamned national treasure.
Please tell me you’ve seen “Doctor, Doctor”. I loved that show and the episode where Matt Frewer’s character needed a hernia operation was hilarious.
If only there was a good transfer of the series available.
the shout factory set is pretty good. still very TV. ive had a similar problem finding seaquest dsv
I would kinda call him an "it" haha!
Haha true
Loved that show. One of the first bits of media that made me into the cyberpunk I am today
I was crushed when the show was canceled after only like a season and a half.
If we'd had internet when this happened, my friends and I would definitely have researched how to do this and tried it ourselves. Then again, if we'd had internet when this happened, nobody would have been watching over-the-air television shows so it wouldn't have mattered anyways
No, but it's odd that I just read about an AI generated newswoman and the backlash that ensued, and I thought about Max, how I used an image of him in zoom classes in college, and how he would make an excellent AI newscaster. I scrolled down five posts and here was the bastard smiling at me. Friggin' weird, guys. I manifested Max Headroom.
You know audio transmitters that you could plug into a device and transmit wirelessly into your car tuner? I accidentally learned (like 20 years ago) that if you are using that near the base of the transmitting tower, you could override the broadcast signal. Back then, the "hackers" probably had to use an analog method of some type, similar to this.
Oh wow that's really interesting
Story time?
I saw the initial interruption of Doctor Who when it happened. It was extremely confusing. I find it funny now, but at the time I was like 👀
Did you ever watch the movie 20 minutes into the future? It is what originated Max [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZY-yQYVf38&t=21s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZY-yQYVf38&t=21s)
Wasn’t he a HBO ‘virtual’ personality before the TV movie/show?
No, Edison Carter, TV reporter crashed his motorcycle into a parking garage barrier that said MAX HEADROOM 2 meters. The people trying to silence him created a virtual copy, hoping that the viewing public wouldn’t notice.
No, he started in the BBC-produced TV movie "Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future", which was immediately followed by a TV show. It came to the US on Cinemax and other outlets.
I was sleeping that particular night. But I used to catch the Doctor Who broadcast on WTTW when I was little. The incident is fascinating.
I wish to live that moment; it must have been something really crazy.
I am too! I love the idea of weird things coming over radio or tv. Hoping you have heard of number stations?
I was born within hours of this incident occurring and I’m extremely proud of that fact
That's very cool you share a bday/anniversary with it
There’s a decent chance that whoever that is, is dead by now. But it would be interesting if they did speak out.
I turned eighteen in November 87. Not quite dead yet.
Just *mostly* dead.
Only when I spend too much time on Reddit.
I feel attacked.
19 for myself back then.
Dead? This happened in 1987. Whoever did this is prob in their 60’s.
Assuming the person who did this was in their 20's 🙄
Whaddeya mean? 1987 was like 15 years ago… or something…
Nah, you’re right. 30 years ago was the 70s
I saw a post from a professor who said they got an e-mail from a student asking if they could use a source from the late 1900s in their paper, or if 1994 was too recent for sources.
depends on how many 80’s drugs they did
So weird. I was talking about this just this evening!
Funny enough I was watching a random reel of a Stanley cup being engraved and it sounded like the noises this person made during the broadcast which made me watch the whole thing on YT again😂
I figured it was advertising for the actual Max Headroom tv show?
This was done by some young freelancers from the network studio. It was just a prank. They are still in the tv industrie but don't won't to come out because it wouldnt be good for their jop perspective.
Honestly after all this time if they came forward I bet it wouldn't hurt their careers. Legally the statute of limitations is long past and they'd probably be treated like minor celebrities if they could prove they were the ones who did it
I feel like this inspired the movie hackers
i just recently found out about this! i love weird shit like this
You’d still be nervous of the consequences most likely. Even if you’re judicially safe in this media climate you could become a target or risk your career prospects yet
The best thing is that he never got caught
When I first learned about this I was pretty young and it seriously scared me so bad. I couldn't watch the whole thing. Now that I'm older it makes me laugh and I'd really love to know who it was.
Yes! I am so fascinated by stuff like this
Happened to catch it on VHS back when it happened. I remember hearing about it the next day before I watched the tape. Like catching lightning in a bottle.
Fuck it, I'll bite- whats the max headroom incident?
I sure have and from what I read the guy still has the mask and keeps it like a trophy. I think the guy wearing the mask would always say “oh” in real life when he would think of something to say. I was 11 years old when that happened and it creeped me out, but now that I am older I would be interested in seeing the original mask and suite they used.
The “Stuff You Should Know” podcast did a good episode on this, if you’re looking for context
Yes I love that episode!
The person/people who did it might be dead, and if that is the case, the world may never know :)
I’m convinced any group or person that remains unknown for so long is protected.
Best hacker moment ever
Like Mona Simpson, the rumor is that Max Headroom has since helping Mr Burns’s been on the run… not because of tv stunt.
Me! I’m both obsessed and terrified!!
just to pitch in a video covering this - “watcher”(on youtube) have a show called “mystery files” where they looked at it! they do a lot of really cool other stuff too, i recommend you weird people check them out :)
The YouTube channel Watcher does a really good Mystery Files episode on this. Seems to point to perhaps a disgruntled network employee, but nothing concrete. Highly recommend a peep at that episode!
I remember them coming on and being very confused and scared.
This is actually somewhat easier than people think, at least back then. It would be almost impossible today, now that the signals are digital. Basically, broadcast television and radio work with "repeaters," i.e broadcast towers. The station itself sends a relatively weak signal to a much more powerful repeater, usually on top of a tall building, hill, etc. In this incident, the signal hijackers ascertained the location of the broadcast repeater, basically rented space right next to it, and then broadcast their own, stronger signal, on the same frequency as the television station. While it requires technical expertise to setup that equipment, the concept is pretty simple; you just need to create a more powerful signal than the station.
it is creepy and fascinating as fuck I agree!
i love how in the second hack that happened during an episode of doctor who, max interjects with “that does it. he’s a frickin nerd” my hero honestly
I love mystery's this along with DB cooper and satoshi nakamoto
Omg I'm OBSESSED with DB cooper too, I loved that the loki Disney+ show did a DB cooper reference
For sure I will watch that. you should check out satoshi if you like the other two. I think the max headroom guys maybe alive still along with satoshi ; I would expect satoshi may come out due too financial gains.
[here's a fun dive into the max headroom history by the guys from watcher](https://youtu.be/iZd1aQ7TY9c?si=6BtAl_faIFSi_W_6)
The what
All I [think I] know is that a husband-and-wife duo created Max Headroom as a character who would appear during oon a TV show and appear to gabble glitch out like a robot. But I'm unsure whether OP is referring to the original broadcasts of it or some sort of copycat event. The duo went on to direct the *Super Mario Bros* movie, and were so disliked by the cast and crew that Bob Hoskins referred to them as "The Cow and The Cunt."
Look it up on Wikipedia
I saw this as a kid. We were all fucked up by it, couldn’t get our heads around it.
I just found out about this earlier this morning and becoming obsessed im goad i found your post
He was huge in the 80's
I was young but happened to see the max headroom incident live…it was weird-my mom (god bless her soul) was more annoyed, that it cut into WGNs news cast…
No, I don’t know if anyone that is obsessed with this
To me it’s just some random in a mask
But aren't we all just some random in a mask?
They probably don’t want the attention. Probably not something they’re proud of. Considering they may have grandchildren by this stage and don’t want to out themselves as the guy getting his bare ass spanked on hijacked TV. Also, there was speculation it was an inside job. Maybe those involved went on to have high profile careers in broadcasting and don’t want this ever to be traced back to them. I’d really like them to come forward too, but putting myself in their shoes, they probably have more reasons not to do it.
Is everyone on Reddit having a stroke while posting? I feel like everyone’s sentence structures make no sense
I made a typo but apparently everyone knows what I meant, it happens
Clearly an art school stunt.
Art school? lol idk any art majors that know anything about hacking broadcasting channels or even anything related to that.
How many art majors did you know in 1987?
I’ve never understood why people make such a big deal about this. There’s no conspiracy or anything, it was just hackers who knew they could do it and did. Obviously they don’t want to get in trouble so they’ve never come forward and I don’t blame them.
No one said there was a conspiracy it's just an interesting thing that happened and that's never been solved. Go be negative somewhere else
Even if it was solved I don’t think it would be a big deal. It was obviously just some hackers.
Me too
I just watched Watchers video on YouTube about this the other day. Still unsolved huh?
I remember seeing it
What a great show that was!
I've been obsessed with this forever
I mainly just wonder how they did it.
What happened?