Ace of Spades HQ

December 30, 2009

Most Jaw-Dropping Live Television Moments of the Decade
— Gabriel Malor

These are the things we saw on live television during the past decade that made us stop and stare. TheyÂ’re not all good things and theyÂ’re not all bad. TheyÂ’re mostly things that made everyone watching think a collective Â“WTF?Â” and everyone who missed them race to YouTube to catch up.

One caveat: there are no deaths on this list. We all know the single most jaw-dropping television of the decade (and itÂ’s a strong contender for most jaw-dropping television of all time), whether we consider the events of that morning to be one protracted Â“momentÂ” or fill a list of moments from that day. I donÂ’t want it on my list. Similar moments I am omitting include events from the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, the 2001 fatal crash of Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500, and Hurricane Katrina.

The magic of television is that many of us can experience the same thing at the same time. This feature is also the thing many Â“highbrowÂ” misanthropes curmudgeonly curse about the platform. But that shared connection is an indelible part of our culture and youÂ’d have to have lived under a rock for the past ten years to have missed the things on my list.

10. Super Bowl XXXVIII Wardrobe Malfunction (2004)
This was a stupid event in a stupid half-time show, but a million mothers had to lunge to cover the eyes of their impressionable babies at the same moment. Whatever that thing Janet Jackson had on her funbag was, it was not fit for the most-watched television programming of the year. FOX got slammed with a $550,000 fine and all the networks trod lightly for a few years, lest the FCC decide to use a heavier hand. And if you doubt the impact this event had on America, NY Times wanker Frank Rich eventually blamed Jackson and Timberlake for the re-election of President Bush. Really.

9. Ms. South Carolina Answers a Question (2007)
I know she was under a lot of pressure, but the Miss Teen USA was not her first pageant. The question was why she thought a fifth of Americans are unable to locate the United States on a world map. Her answer made even dumb blondes cringe.

8. Red Sox break the Curse of the Bambino (2004)
Eighty-six years after the team traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees, the Red Sox came back from three games down to win the American League Championship (against the Yankees!) and then to sweep the Cardinals in the 100th World Series. It made Boston the first city to win the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year since Pittsburgh in 1979.

7. Governor Mark Sanford and the Argentine Mistress (2009)
SanfordÂ’s June 24, 2009, press conference was his attempt to come clean after his FatherÂ’s Day abandonment of his wife and kids to see his South American honey. The problem is that he didnÂ’t just come clean, he decided to share his emotional journey from Â“innocent friendÂ” to Â“soul mate.Â” If you listened real hard you could hear every political consultant in the countryÂ—and every person with a healthy interest in their sanityÂ—yell Â“STOP TALKINGÂ” at their televisions. Slu memorialized SanfordÂ’s TMI moment here.

6. Phelps Wins and Wins (2008 )
Michael Phelps qualified to swim in three team and five individual races in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. He won gold in all eight events, breaking the world record for gold medals won in a single Olympics. In his seventh race, he beat Serbian swimmer Milorad Čavić by 1/100 of a second, when Čavić apparently failed to press the wall forcefully enough to trigger the clock. This was jump-out-of-your seat television, especially the final race, a medley relay in which Phelps pulled the team up from behind to give them a half-second edge in the final split.

5. Whoopi Goldberg Knows it WasnÂ’t Rape-Rape (2009)
Here is an FYI for any far-future alien archeologists who dig through the ruins of our civilization: with the exception of one very confused idiot we kept on television solely for the opportunity to laugh at her, Americans believed that having sex with a 14 year-old who has been drugged into unconsciousness is rape. We also believed that there is something seriously wrong with Whoopi GoldbergÂ’s mind-mind.

4. Giants Beat Patriots (2008 )
ItÂ’s funny, the names are the same: Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Bill Belichick, but I seemed to care more almost two years ago. The Pats were ahead 14-10 when Manning moved the Giants 83 yards in under two minutes. He threw the game-winning pass with 35 seconds left on the clock. After the Patriots got the ball back, Brady went for the Hail Mary with 20 seconds to go, but it fell short. Belichick left the field before the clock hit zero.

3. The Â“I Have a ScreamÂ” Speech (2004)
It ended a presidential campaign and sent dogs racing to shield their abused ears. Howard Dean never was able to explain what possessed him to yell like a maniac while delivering his Iowa caucus concession speech on January 19, 2004. A third place finish shouldnÂ’t have ended his bid (McCain finished fourth in the Iowa caucuses in 2008 ), but the combination of the bulging vein in his forehead, his gritted teeth, and that scream snuffed his aspirations for the White House. YEEEAARGH!

2. Northeast Blackout (2003)
I realize that this selection suffers because a great many people actually involved in the event never got to see it on television. But I have never been as astounded at anything as I was by the sight of thousands of New Yorkers walking out of Manhattan. Many of those that stayed took part in what was probably the biggest block party ever. Indigo Girls went on to perform in Central Park, despite the power failure. As usual, most of the other affected areas were largely ignored on national television.

And the most jaw-dropping (non death-related) live television of the decade: 1. The Nets Call Florida for GoreÂ…then BushÂ…then Neither (2000)
We owe so many staples of contemporary election coverage to this event. Early in the evening of November 7, the networks called Florida for Al Gore. Democrats switched off their televisions thinking theyÂ’d won. But around 10pm, the networks put Florida back in the Â“too close to callÂ” category. Around 2am, Fox News called Florida for George Bush and proclaimed him the winner of the election. Like lemmings, the rest followedÂ…until around 4am when they switched it back to Â“too close to call.Â” You know how that one turned out, but letÂ’s all say another thankful prayer that Bush ultimately moved into the White House.

Honorable Mention: Israeli Tank Stuck in the Mud (2006)
We waited and waited for a glimpse of the Moron-in-Chief. Instead, we were treated to a distance shot of a tank that just sat there. It did nothing. And then it did some more nothing. And yet, some Fox News producer thought it would make better television than Ace. [And they were right. -- ace]

Honorable Mention: MacyÂ’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Rickrolls the Entire Country (2008 )
Sure, a lot of people said Â“huh?Â” But if you knew about the meme, Rick AstleyÂ’s surprise appearance in the 2008 parade probably left you laughing, crying, or twitching on your living-room floor. Good show, MacyÂ’s.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 07:56 AM | Comments (104)
Post contains 1240 words, total size 8 kb.

1 You left out Keith Olbermann's "The War Against Death" which is solely responsible for the passing of the Healthcare Bill.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:00 AM (wuv1c)

2 Next decade: Honorable mention: CBS Evening News ends, and is replaced by a video of tweets scrolling up on a computer monitor.

Posted by: ParisParamus at December 30, 2009 08:01 AM (bN5ZU)

3 the 2001 fatal crash of Dale Earnhardt in the first televised Daytona 500

The 1979 Daytona 500 called and would like to have a word with you.

Posted by: DrewM. at December 30, 2009 08:02 AM (AKRX5)

4 What about Palin's RNC speech?

Posted by: ParisParamus at December 30, 2009 08:02 AM (bN5ZU)

5 The media on their knees sucking off Barry around the clock didn't get a mention?

Posted by: TheQuietman at December 30, 2009 08:02 AM (1Jaio)

6 #5, that could be MSM c&%k around the clock.

Posted by: ParisParamus at December 30, 2009 08:05 AM (bN5ZU)

7 What about that slow-motion trainwreck titled "High School Musical 2" from 2007 for sheer jaw-dropping, incredulous amazement?

Posted by: FireHorse at December 30, 2009 08:05 AM (Vl5GH)

How about 9:03am on September 11, 2001?

Posted by: Pete at December 30, 2009 08:06 AM (d6XEI)

9 Even though you could see it coming a mile away, Barry winning the '08 election was still a WTF moment.

Posted by: Nighthawk at December 30, 2009 08:07 AM (OtQXp)

that was addressed in the first few paragraphs. if you're anything like me you skipped to the list itself. i asked myself the same quesiton, then i read the opening paragraphs.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:07 AM (wuv1c)

#7: Never mind. You said "live." I take it back ...

... and replace it with Baghdad Bob declaring victory while American tanks were a half-block behind him. (Too "death-related"?)

Posted by: FireHorse at December 30, 2009 08:08 AM (Vl5GH)

I think pretty much all MSNBC election coverage counts, especially when they made the terrible decision to let Olbermann and Matthews host during the primaries.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:08 AM (wuv1c)

13 @ 8 Dick Tracy? Didn't see the squad car, sorry. Re-read that second paragraph up there again then re-write your report.

Posted by: ATaLien at December 30, 2009 08:08 AM (SkRi5)

Opps, missed the "non-death" qualifier.

But clearly this is the most "Most Jaw-Dropping Live Television Moment of all time".

Posted by: Pete at December 30, 2009 08:10 AM (d6XEI)

15 Tuesday morning, 9/11 is the first thing I thought of...

Posted by: Nice Deb at December 30, 2009 08:11 AM (OCrgD)

and replace it with Baghdad Bob declaring victory while American tanks were a half-block behind him. (Too "death-related"?)

my favorite line of his when he was saying the united states troops were committing mass suicides on the other side of the Euphrates.

God that guy was priceless.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:11 AM (wuv1c)

Jessica Simpson's sister's failed lipsynching on SNL was a good one, too.

Posted by: FireHorse at December 30, 2009 08:12 AM (Vl5GH)

18 The 1979 Daytona 500 called and would like to have a word with you.

My bad. It was the first televised Daytona 500...on FOX.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 30, 2009 08:12 AM (mvfNc)

That was just so damn funny. Finally, finally...and no. Damn meddling tank.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 30, 2009 08:12 AM (Be4xl)

20 Oh, come on. Sara at RNC was the beginning of the end of Obama (or at least the signal of the cosmic shift); and the single most exciting political moment we may ever see; it was the FU Barry Moment.

Posted by: ParisParamus at December 30, 2009 08:13 AM (bN5ZU)

Opps, missed the "non-death" qualifier.

But clearly this is the most "Most Jaw-Dropping Live Television Moment of all time".

i think it is number 1 as well, maybe tied with the moon landing, but definatly ahead of the Oswald assassination on live tv, the columbia and challenger blowing up, and i wasn't alive at the time, but was the evacuation of the embassy at Saigon aired live? That would be on my list too.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:13 AM (wuv1c)

22 When that guy who wore lipstick and eyeshadow that lost on American Idol came out and admitted he was gay. Didn't see that one coming.

Posted by: FreakyBoy at December 30, 2009 08:13 AM (Q41Zh)

i don't remember this, do we have video?

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:14 AM (wuv1c)

and replace it with Baghdad Bob declaring victory while American tanks were a half-block behind him. (Too "death-related"?)

my favorite line of his when he was saying the united states troops were committing mass suicides on the other side of the Euphrates.

God that guy was priceless.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 12:11 PM (wuv1c)

Beltway Bob Gibbs is giving him a run for the money.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 30, 2009 08:14 AM (xxgag)

25 The media on their knees sucking off Barry around the clock didn't get a mention?

Posted by: TheQuietman at December 30, 2009 12:02 PM (1Jaio)

That's ongoing. These are one-off items.

Posted by: Tami at December 30, 2009 08:14 AM (VuLos)

26 St. pancake being cleared away with all the other rubble by an Israeli dozer.

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at December 30, 2009 08:14 AM (nmfvn)

27 My bad. It was the first televised Daytona 500...on FOX.

Yeah but it's mostly because you think the world began abound 1990 or so.

Posted by: DrewM. at December 30, 2009 08:14 AM (AKRX5)

28 i would replace sanford with spitzer

Posted by: JP at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (+hVrU)

29 I see my fifteen minutes of fame were not as memorable to you as to me.

Posted by: The Chicken at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (5aa4z)

30 Yeah but it's mostly because you think the world began abound 1990 or so.

True.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (mvfNc)

31 I, for one, wouldn't mind going back to the days before 24/7 "as it happens" news coverage. In fact, I wouldn't mind going back to when it took 2 or 3 weeks to hear anything. We'd probably have a lot less "crises" and "we gotta pass this porktastic legislation now" crap coming out of Washington DC.

Also, GET OFF MY LAWN!

Posted by: OregonMuse at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (89RxY)

St. pancake being cleared away with all the other rubble by an Israeli dozer.

i don't think that was on live tv. also i don't think there is video of that just pictures

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (wuv1c)

33 Here you are, best pic of teh decade!

Posted by: rightzilla at December 30, 2009 08:15 AM (rVJH4)

34 Here's one for the list of snarkenfreude live television moments.

Which is probably where I'd put Whoopi's "rape rape" rather than "jaw-dropping". That sort of bilge coming out of The View isn't really shocking.

Posted by: HeatherRadish at December 30, 2009 08:16 AM (NtiET)

35 Ewok sighting on FoxNews. Also Shep Smith dropping "blow job" on the Fox Report was pretty good too.

Posted by: brak at December 30, 2009 08:16 AM (W5NBA)

36 " ... Lidstrom shoots and a tremendous save by Fleury ... "

Posted by: FireHorse at December 30, 2009 08:16 AM (Vl5GH)

How about Jim McGreevy's "As it turns out I am a Gay-American" Speech, with his stupid wife standing next to him.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:17 AM (wuv1c)

38 32,

Ben, I remember seeing a link to video of that.

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at December 30, 2009 08:17 AM (nmfvn)

39 the 2000 election crap still gets to me, people actually think Bush stole that election though never has there been solid proof for it, in fact USA Today did a study to do the recount as Gore wanted, and they found Bush not would have just won the state still but won it by a larger margin then is found on paper, the real stolen election was 1960 and if there was anything stolen in an election involving a Bush, it was Wisconsin going blue in 2004

had Dean not done that yell and gotten the nomination, I guarantee you even w/ stupid Bush campaign mistakes that made it closer then it should have been w/ Kerry, that we win 2004's race much easier

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:17 AM (xNw7B)

40 I kinda liked that CNN news guy's response to Chicago's getting knocked out of the Olympic race....

"CHICAGO IS OUT? CHICAGO IS OUT? CHICAGO? CHICAGO? CHICAGO IS OUT?!" Repeat several times.

Posted by: Intrepid at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (92zkk)

" ... Lidstrom shoots and a tremendous save by Fleury ... "

I would put that up there, but most people here don't like hockey or my home city of pittsburgh.

That entire playoff run was a thing of beauty, minues the carolina series of course.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (wuv1c)

42 Sis-in-law says the Kanye West interruption at the VMAs was pretty jaw-dropping.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (mvfNc)

43 CSPAN, 1:00AM, Thursday, December 24, 2009.

Posted by: FreakyBoy at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (Q41Zh)

44 ...and here's Number 4, in case you want to relive the humiliation over and over and over again. You're welcome.

Posted by: HeatherRadish at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (NtiET)

45 My personal fave was the CNN anchor covering the Paris riots and referring to the participants as "African-American French youths".

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at December 30, 2009 08:18 AM (5aa4z)

46 Hanoi john the traitor in his Elmer Fudd outfit, the great white hunter.

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at December 30, 2009 08:19 AM (nmfvn)

My personal fave was the CNN anchor covering the Paris riots and referring to the participants as "African-American French youths".

video please. i need a good laugh

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2009 08:20 AM (wuv1c)

Re Miss SC:

Yes she gave a flustered and convoluted response

But she is the hawt so she can get away with it. Besides that, how can it be such a Â“jaw dropping moment when I never heard of it?

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2009 08:20 AM (QrA9E)

49 Yo Al Gore, IÂ’m really happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Kanye West had the best jaw dropping live television moment of all time! OF ALL TIME!

Twice in fact.

Posted by: 18-1 at December 30, 2009 08:21 AM (7BU4a)

50 This post is premature! The decade isn't over until midnight, 2010. We've got one more year of jaw-dropping entertainment / disasters.

Posted by: Old Sailor at December 30, 2009 08:21 AM (/Ft4q)

51
Surprised Sully ditching in the Hudson didn't make the list.

Posted by: bulwark at December 30, 2009 08:21 AM (YsFYg)

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at December 30, 2009 12:18 PM (5aa4z)

screw that, how about when Blitzer referred to Katrina victims as "So Poor, So Black"

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:22 AM (xNw7B)

My favorite moment was on Fox News during the Obama trip to Egypt when Wendell Goaller referred to the Great Pyramid as a wonderful example of Muslim arts and sciences. He was hard pressed to fit that in while licking ObamaÂ’s nether regions. An act that he has continued to do every time he is on the air.

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2009 08:22 AM (QrA9E)

Posted by: bulwark at December 30, 2009 12:21 PM (YsFYg)

that wasn't necessarily "Live"

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:23 AM (xNw7B)

55 Is it just me or did the blog break?

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at December 30, 2009 08:23 AM (5aa4z)

Ace on Fox.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 30, 2009 08:23 AM (Be4xl)

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2009 12:22 PM (QrA9E)

Wendell is black so i'm not surprised (sorry but 95-98% approval for Obama from blacks, come on...)

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:24 AM (xNw7B)

58 Never mind.

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at December 30, 2009 08:24 AM (5aa4z)

59 I know you said no Iraq War, but the live shot of Saddam's statue being pulled down will always be one of my favorites.

Posted by: wws at December 30, 2009 08:24 AM (T1boi)

60 This post is premature! The decade isn't over until midnight, 2010. We've got one more year of jaw-dropping entertainment / disasters.

No we don't.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 30, 2009 08:25 AM (mvfNc)

61

Here's a radio jaw-dropper (via NewsBusters):

NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd surprised Laura Ingraham on her radio show December 14 when she asked him which Cabinet official would leave next. He said it could be Tim Geithner, or it could be Janet Napolitano Â— so she can take the next vacancy on the Supreme Court!

That idea might have fizzled in the last few days, although Todd insisted Obama's "a big fan of hers." Here's how the conversation unfolded:

TODD: The other one I would bet on is Janet Napolitano Â–

INGRAHAM (with sarcasm): SheÂ’s been effective.

TODD: And not a negative. On a Â– at the next Supreme Court opening, I betcha she gets the call.

INGRAHAM: (Pause, then a low voice) Oh wait a sec. I just lost my breath. What did you say?

TODD: Sorry. I know. Sorry. IÂ’m just sayinÂ’ --

INGRAHAM: Janet Napolitano?

TODD: You asked me to bet. You asked me to bet. I would say this. SheÂ’ll get the next opening.

INGRAHAM (amazed): Why?
-------------

The Democrat party: Where failure is a resume enhancer.

Posted by: Tinian at December 30, 2009 08:25 AM (7+pP9)

62 the real stolen election was 1960 and if there was anything stolen in an election involving a Bush, it was Wisconsin going blue in 2004

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 12:17 PM (xNw7B)

Actually, the one that gets me is the governor's election in WA in 2004. The Democrat kept "finding" votes until she won and the media treated it as a perfectly normal way for an election to be decided. Especially after the media's treatment of Florida in 00, this was shocking.

Oh, and speaking of Florida in 00, does anyone else remember Irv Slosberg? They caught a Democrat activist with a stolen Vot-a-Matic. A Democrat activist previously accused of election fraud. And Therese LaPore refused to investigate him or how he managed to get a hold of the Vot-a-matic...

Posted by: 18-1 at December 30, 2009 08:26 AM (7BU4a)

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2009 12:22 PM (QrA9E)

He meant people who in the future would be Muslim. Of course, by that standard, the Eiffel Tower is also a wonderful example of Muslim arts and sciences.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 30, 2009 08:30 AM (xxgag)

64 Hey, what about me?

Posted by: Joe the Plumber at December 30, 2009 08:30 AM (92zkk)

65 Kanye tearing out his Hennessy IV drip and rushing the VMA stage to try and call next on Jay-Z's girl drunk-nice-guy style was better than at least nine of these.

It was crazy beta, crazy crazy, and Race War!, all at the same time. Full-spectrum madness.

Posted by: oblig. at December 30, 2009 08:31 AM (bnR46)

Wendell is black so i'm not surprised (sorry but 95-98% approval for Obama from blacks, come on...)

Yes but that doesn't excuse the 3rd grade time line error of pure stupid.

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2009 08:31 AM (QrA9E)

67 The Democrat party: Where failure is a resume enhancer.

I read a qoute yesterday that exemplifies the problem w/ the 2 parties: Democrats want to be nice and fix your flat tire if they see you're in the middle of the road needing help, but they find a way to burn the car in the process. Republicans want to fix your tire and know how to, but are too busy trying to get to the country club in time

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:31 AM (xNw7B)

68 OK, no deaths, but surely funerals can be counted? I'd say Reagan's funeral - the lines and lines of people filing into the Capitol bldg to say goodbye, and standing by the side of the road as his cortege went by. It makes me a little tearful just to think of it. And Pope John Paul's funeral, too, followed by the election and enthronement of Benedict XVI. That all sort of counts as one event in my mind, even though the various events were separated by months. But it was really spellbinding.

Posted by: Dr Mabuse at December 30, 2009 08:32 AM (AVYqB)

This is why I love Gabe--he went with the Rickrolling. So many levels of awesomeness in that.....

I Â¢Â¾ Gabe for that reason alone.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at December 30, 2009 08:33 AM (pLTLS)

70 We waited and waited for a glimpse of the Moron-in-Chief. Instead, we were treated to a distance shot of a tank that just sat there. It did nothing. And then it did some more nothing. And yet, some Fox News producer thought it would make better television than Ace.

Oh man that was soooo funny. Seems like so long ago. Weird.

Posted by: pajama momma in san diego at December 30, 2009 08:34 AM (275r1)

71 Actually, the one that gets me is the governor's election in WA in 2004. The Democrat kept "finding" votes until she won and the media treated it as a perfectly normal way for an election to be decided. Especially after the media's treatment of Florida in 00, this was shocking.

my gf has family up there and though they stay out of politics, from what I hear people up there wonder how she won in 04 (though it's a small majority) and she barely won re-election last year

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:34 AM (xNw7B)

72 uh, Gabe, I watched an airplane hit a building on live television one sunny morning in 2001. I guess it was kind of a big deal; pretty much changed everything about how the world operated for the next nine years. I mean it's no political speech or wardrobe malfunction, but it'd seem to make the list, at least.

Posted by: mr-bitterness at December 30, 2009 08:34 AM (oCqLg)

73 I've seen none of these events, and know about all but three of them (sports? Isn't that, like, something guys do when they're not doing something interesting? <ducks> ). I kan haz inertubz conectshun naow?

Posted by: Cautiously Pessimistic at December 30, 2009 08:35 AM (pZEar)

74 Kanye tearing out his Hennessy IV drip and rushing the VMA stage to try and call next on Jay-Z's girl drunk-nice-guy style was better than at least nine of these.

It was crazy beta, crazy crazy, and Race War!, all at the same time. Full-spectrum madness.

Posted by: oblig. at December 30, 2009 12:31 PM (bnR46)

And who can forget his Katrina happened because Bush doesn't like white people?

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 30, 2009 08:35 AM (xxgag)

75 If you'll read the top of the list, you'll see why Gabe didn't include 9/11, or any other deaths.

Posted by: Intrepid at December 30, 2009 08:35 AM (92zkk)

Posted by: mr-bitterness at December 30, 2009 12:34 PM (oCqLg)

read the 1st paragraphs bud

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 08:36 AM (xNw7B)

77 re: 67

what party are those who see the problem and think that maybe it might be a good idea to get the car out of the middle of the road first?

Posted by: A.G. at December 30, 2009 08:38 AM (jBPzC)

Posted by: A.G. at December 30, 2009 12:38 PM (jBPzC)

the Tea Party of course!

Posted by: Glenn Beck at December 30, 2009 08:41 AM (xNw7B)

79 my gf has family up there and though they stay out of politics, from what I hear people up there wonder how she won in 04 (though it's a small majority) and she barely won re-election last year

Posted by: YRM at December 30, 2009 12:34 PM (xNw7B)

My analysis is that in Dem strongholds they remove some of the valid votes and replace them with fraudulent ones. If the election is not close, no one will notice the fraud since it will change the counts from say 90-10 to 95-5 for the Democrat. If the election is close, they can now "find" the votes they've set aside. And since those votes are genuine they cannot be determined to be fraudulent.

Posted by: 18-1 at December 30, 2009 08:43 AM (7BU4a)

Wolf Blitzer on Celebrity Jeopardy. "I'll take 'losers' for $1,000, Alex." "That's what Trebek's mother said!" "Mr Connery, Mr Connery, I'm going to have to remind you not to answer out of order."

Posted by: andycanuck at December 30, 2009 08:47 AM (2qU2d)

81 Bravo! This list is much better then yesterdays!

Posted by: Mjim at December 30, 2009 08:48 AM (V8B//)

82 It wasn't jaw-dropping, but I liked the announcement of the new Pope. I did a little dance in my cube. And yeah, I didn't get to watch the blackout. I have an amusing story with regards to that, but yes, I was one of the many people walking around Manhattan that day. I was in no mood to party as I was a breastfeeding mother away from her baby. Owie owie owie. I got my husband on the phone the next day and he came to pick me up; the weirdest part to me was all the traffic lights out and random people directing traffic [sure, there were cops, too, but sometimes just a random person would do it.]

Posted by: meep at December 30, 2009 08:51 AM (Jw4eT)

I'm gonna break all the rules.

Payne Stewart's ghost plane on auto pilot. Yes, it's death, but that was definitely a WTF moment.

You Lie! is politics. sorry.

The system worked. Oh wait. It DIDN'T work.

Rush hijacking the news networks for an hour and a half for his first address to the nation.

Posted by: pistolero at December 30, 2009 08:58 AM (QuCVu)

84 I'd add the discussion between Rose and Brokaw right after the election where they talk about how they actually dont know a damn thing about Obama.

Posted by: A.G. at December 30, 2009 08:58 AM (jBPzC)

85 #51, since the "landing" wasn't actually on tv...

Posted by: ParisParamus at December 30, 2009 09:03 AM (Hv1Cx)

86 42 Sis-in-law says the Kanye West interruption at the VMAs was pretty jaw-dropping.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor

Listen Gabriel...I'm real happy for you and Imma let you finish, but Adam Lambert losing American Idol was the most jaw dropping TV of all time. OF ALL TIME. *shrugs.

Posted by: KingShamus at December 30, 2009 09:07 AM (8n1j5)

Although the videos of the actual landing didn't come for a couple days, I'd have to say Captain Sully's landing in the river should be one of the top ten. Most people have no idea how difficult that feat was and the fact that absolutely no one was even hurt bad makes it even better.

Also, previous post be damned, the decade ends at the end of next year.

Posted by: Bill R. at December 30, 2009 09:14 AM (EhlQq)

88
This is a pretty good list! I would only add the "gotcha" interviews by Gibson and Couric to Palin.

Oh, and I have a suggestion for a couple top tens for you Gabe (and they would be easy, I think):
- Top 10 viewed AoSHQ posts
- Top 10 commented AoSHQ posts

Posted by: dan-O at December 30, 2009 09:15 AM (pP0yk)

89 Hanoi john the traitor in his Elmer Fudd outfit, the great white hunter.

I would add Hanoi John's DNC convention speech where he started out with a phony salute and declared himself "Ready for Duty".

It was jaw-dropping in that it was so contrived and ridiculous coming from a man that had one of his crew members video tape him while in Nam, his 3-scratches purple hearts, thrown medals, Ghengis Khan, Winter soldier, et. al. Embarrasing.

I guess jaw-dropping video would be Hussein's hanging.

Posted by: Cheri at December 30, 2009 09:27 AM (llSaz)

90 " You keep fucking that chicken" enough said.

Posted by: allswell at December 30, 2009 09:36 AM (Lb1gY)

91 Sis-in-law says the Kanye West interruption at the VMAs was pretty jaw-dropping.

She's just mad at you for giving her kids Kahlua last night.

Posted by: pajama momma in san diego at December 30, 2009 09:38 AM (275r1)

92 Can we have a dead list now topped with Sadamn?

Posted by: Mrs. Compton at December 30, 2009 09:47 AM (NaJ/S)

93 I would add Hanoi John's DNC convention speech where he started out with a phony salute and declared himself "Ready for Duty".

It was jaw-dropping in that it was so contrived and ridiculous coming from a man that had one of his crew members video tape him while in Nam, his 3-scratches purple hearts, thrown medals, Ghengis Khan, Winter soldier, et. al. Embarrasing.

I guess jaw-dropping video would be Hussein's hanging.

Posted by: Cheri at December 30, 2009 01:27 PM (llSaz)

How about that lip lock Al gave Tipper under similar circumstances in 2000?

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 30, 2009 10:20 AM (xxgag)

94 The wardrobe malfunction was on CBS, not FOX, thus they were hit with the fine.

Posted by: INCITEmarsh at December 30, 2009 10:23 AM (FCn6Y)

95 #36, 41 I'm going to disagree with you two. Game 4 was a much better game. There was a lot of intensity in game 7, hoping that the Pens would hang on to win, but game 4 was beautifully majestic. I don't think I've ever seen hockey played more perfectly than way the Penguins played in the second period of that game. Jordan Staal shorthanded goal was almost ballet, as he danced around Brian Rafalski, and Tyler Kennedy's goal was a perfect example of teamwork and knowing exactly where everybody is on the ice. Three Penguins touched the puck in the space of about a second on the latter goal.

Posted by: Wikitorix at December 30, 2009 10:35 AM (5xX9Y)

96 I'm glad I wasn't the only geek twitching on my living room floor when Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends did that!

Posted by: BlackOrchid at December 30, 2009 11:10 AM (HKfde)

97 Aren't you guys forgetting Naomi Judd flashing her bush at the audience at the Grammies, HELLO?!!!

Posted by: CoolCzech at December 30, 2009 11:14 AM (QECjC)

98 "One caveat: there are no deaths on this list."

Whew. Glad to see that my show is off limits.

Posted by: David Letterman at December 30, 2009 12:22 PM (09ntO)

99 With all due respect for the work someone put into the list, it just shows that this site should do something that you are actually good at, and that isn't stupid lists.

How does anyone leave 9/11 off the list? The financial market crash of 2008?

Posted by: Onlooker at December 30, 2009 01:19 PM (M3hG/)

100 #6- I think the lady morons preferred Phelps out of the water accepting this medals so they could get the full frontal speedo. #1-Loved it! I would doze off and wake up to them calling it for Gore, Bush, Gore, Bush. Seeing all those news anchors crying was priceless. Israeli Tank Stuck In the Mud is an all time classic! "How does anyone leave 9/11 off the list? Posted by: Onlooker" It belongs in a category all it's own. It was less about jaw dropping and mostly about sadness and sorrow and pride in our heroes.

Posted by: moi at December 30, 2009 01:52 PM (6k7X2)

101

First, your failure to recognize Kanye West calls the integrity of the whole awards show into question.

Second, given the caveats in the first few paragraphs, and the resulting absence of 9/11, the invasion of Afghanistan (on horseback), and the invasion of Iraq, you might want to consider retitling the list. Maybe "Most Jaw-Dropping Live Television Moments of the Decade, Except for Icky Stuff I Don't Like Like Death and War and Icky Stuff." 9/11 takes the cake for jaw dropping TV. Sports events don't belong on the same list. So make it a different list.

Posted by: Penultimatum at December 30, 2009 06:08 PM (CIKgX)

102

No Iraq war stuff, huh? But I vividly remember the morning I woke up and turned the TV to see Saddam Hussein, who had just been dragged out of his spider hole, in custody and looking like an pathetic old drunk. I did the happy dance in my living room.

Posted by: Donna V. at December 30, 2009 06:35 PM (zDLlU)

103 I know it wast live but the vice president shooting that guy and then the guy appolagises to him. Was priceless

Posted by: Snailmailman at December 30, 2009 11:07 PM (m05wV)

104 Don't understand how you left off watching the second tower fall while everyone was glued to the their televisions trying to figure out what happened to the first tower. Easily the most important event on television this decade and among the most important since its advent.

Posted by: FCS at December 31, 2009 10:40 AM (EYAWG)

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