Time to pay tribute to one of the Real Life Super Villains of the past, The Max Headroom Hijacker. Although his time in the world was brief (about two minutes) the impact this individual made still echos through the annals of villain history.On November 22, 1987 two television broadcasts in the Chicago area (WGN-TV & WTTW) were interrupted to bring forth his message of evil. From political commentary, anti advertising propaganda, awareness of soiled garments, and having his behind smacked with a fly swatter this person truly was a pioneer of evil in his day.
I look back at this great individual with admiration and awe. He might have also been making a statement about local news coverage and British science fiction television as well, but that will never be known.
The Max Headroom Hijacker was never apprehended and remains at large to this day.
Poop Knife,
ReplyDeleteI remember Max Headroom, and his human origin Edison Carter. That hack into the television signal was the the greatest act of Operation Mayhem seen, and has not been surpassed to this day.
Awesome History Lesson - thank you,
-Lord Malignance
Really? The man and his accomplice decides to attack television stations on the anniversary of the assassination of JFK, jams a news broadcast to head bob, then Doctor Who to hum a badly animated children's show, rant with a voice scrambler that makes him barely intelligible and climaxing with his bare bottom being spanked with a woman's hand and flyswatter? You can get the equivalent on Creature Feature when Dreizehn calls in and threatens my nipples! You complain about the maturity level of past shows, but thrill at this person's exploits? THAT'S who you look up to as a 'super villain'? You can do better for the focus of your fandom than this, but I suppose there's no accounting for taste. Oh, I take your adoration of this hack as a reason never to complain about the quality of Creature Feature again. At least, if you're sincere about it.
ReplyDeleteUnlike Creature Feature, the pirates (including the red-nailed hand doing the whipping) were a completely unanticipated, completely unbidden guest in Chicago's living rooms: and it only happened once.
ReplyDeleteOnce.
In the whole history of mankind.
In just one city on the whole span of the globe.
On just one channel that could only be unscrambled via a television tuned to the right signal.
For what Max HeadPirate loses in societal impact (even in an age where "video never lies" and a television appearance was a big deal), it makes up for in a feeling of close-knit, claustrophobic mystery.
Can you imagine having been one of the thousand or so viewers? A child might only have been confused ("Wow! This is the most realistic-looking Dr. Who monster EVER!"), but an adult watching would have felt a bit of wonderment and a tinge of fear: "Did I just see that? Did anyone else see it? If no one else saw it, should I tell them I saw it? Won't I sound crazy?".
Because of it's uniqueness, even the technical quality is forgivable. Max HeadPirate's voice is easy to stomach because it only lasts a few minutes. Normally, I couldn't listen to anything with all that distortion-- and not because it's physically difficult. It's how a person with a masked voice tries to hide their true character-- and fails miserably. Villains (and heroes too!) like to assume that because they sound deeper, or crazier, or more sophisticated; their words will have a deeper impact, a more crazy rebellious edge, or will strike the listener as more sophisticated than they otherwise would be. It seems to boil down to the hope that people will be scared enough to take you seriously.
Sorry Krampus, Max HeadPirate made the world more wondrous and magical in a slightly disturbing way. Creature feature is disturbing, but not for the reasons you think it is.
Wait a minute, wouldn't the act of the Max Headroom Hijacker be considered a form of cyber/technological terrorism? How amusing Agent Beryllium that in a recent blog you state that you would never resort to cyber-terrorism, stalking, or using computer viruses against your foes and yet here you are celebrating the anniversary of this act with your ROACH brethren. Oh well, maybe Paul will take care of it.
ReplyDeleteHe was cyberstalking... who exactly?
ReplyDeleteChuck Swinsky the Chicago Bulls announcer?
The Max HeadPirate incident didn't really target anybody; it was more towards the "creative mayhem" side of the "stuff people do" spectrum.
Did you interpret the recent Worldwide No-Pants Subway Ride as personal terrorism too?
I bet you would have if I'd blogged about it.
Just imagine it: every single pantless rider, a direct threat to your own personal safety, an insult to your face, every glimpse of panty was a fracture of society's promise to keep your interests in mind, every brazen thigh as evidence that Mister Jingles has been unfairly put upon by madmen.
You give ROACH way too much power.
Creative mayhem to some people out there perhaps but I'm sure to the television stations & their respective owners did not think of it that way. It's about perspective. I just find it amusing seeing the following comments on your blog:
ReplyDelete"Nobody likes a hijacked website."
Or this one:
"Hackers lack the panache and dignity that we demand of our members, and such childish scriptkiddie antics are unbecoming. ROACH will not have such individuals in our ranks."
And yet here you are celebrating a television signal hijack which is along the vein of a computer virus insertion.
And thank you for ruining any future eating experience I will have at Subways. I don't think I can ever look at a meatball or sausage-ladden sandwich the same way ever again.
But wait, could I be serious or is this merely satire? Wouldn't you like to know.
Wouldn't even wish to care. I fully support his terrorism, without challenge people will degrade even more. Their worth is already little.
ReplyDelete-Black Sun
What a witty comeback Black Dung!! But I expect nothing less than a guy who said children with cancer should be exterminated in order to prevent them from reproducing and contaminating the gene pool. I guess that's just another example of ROACH satire.
ReplyDeleteHah, so you still haven't got that one correct yet have you? Well I suppose it would figure so, too much work to stay objective and actually have facts strait. Never you mind little mouse and keep scurrying along
ReplyDelete-Black Sun
"too much work to stay objective and actually have facts strait. "
ReplyDeleteTHIS^
You might stay technically true to facts in comments, Jingles, but dayumn is your blog a bunch of lies and bullshit.
It just makes you look like Krampus' muckraker. No one believes a word of it. Even your own posse, I suspect, think to themselves "heh, he sure made them look bad", which is NOT the same as exposing the truth.
(Oh noes! I'm saying mean things to you! There is only one conclusion: I MUST BE A TERRORIST!)
This quote taken out of context and put on trial in 3...2...1...
Quote from Black Dung:
ReplyDelete"If you cure the disease there will still be lingering traces of whatever it is that caused it in their blood to be passed on and infect future populace. Their habits will be passed on to the coming generation and just perpetuate it. This is something I can not stand for it allows the weak to persist where they do not deserve to."
Another quote from Black Dung:
"Tell me what need have I to stare at a weak pathetic 4 yr old? There's no reason for me to go look upon one and produces no beneficial effect upon my life. But even if were to look at it I'd just feel sickened. It is obviously something that nature has not intended to survive, it hasn't been givin the popular faculties to be brought up healthy, probably at the fault of it's own parent's actions."
Agent Beryllium, I have alot of negative titles for you but rest assured if terrorist is on the list it's near the bottom. Your OPINION is that no one believes a word of it but you would be mistaken...again. And seriously you should not even talk about truth - ROACH is general is an organization that seems allergic to the truth.
By the way, it's "straight", not "strait", unless it's a discussion about geography. Enjoy being a gimmick - it's a hobby skilled at.
Oh you quote me, good good. Now you can go forth to explain where it was that I've said they should all be exterminated foolish little thing. That's all fine if it's where you mind goes to when reading anything of the sort, but I don't claim to be the one to judge who should live and who should die; that is nature's own decision as I've stated.
ReplyDeleteBut go on and continue your misguided game. Try an comprehend things you obviously can't. Force things to fit to your bais, some day you might actually make a point.
-Black Sun
*cheering for Black Sun*
ReplyDelete2 things.
ReplyDeleteNumber one: "What you don't understand you can make mean anything." A lot of you guys aren't even reading each others posts. It's apparent in your responses.
Number 2: If you did, you'd realize just how much your viewpoints have in common.
And Agent B, you need to decide what you believe in, if anything. You contradict your beliefs simply to appear to dominate conversations a hell of a lot.
I'll have to settle with "if anything".
ReplyDeleteYou boys with your unshakable convictions, your eternal struggles for righteousness and truth; What would I know of such things?
I'm just a player on the stage.
Yup, always something to come back with, rather than just shutting the fuck up and thinking about it for two seconds.
ReplyDelete:D
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know who the points were made at Z, if I'm missing who I'm most like; I might as well get informed, though I doubt I've made many points in the same line that others here have presented. Go on though, I'd like to know. No reason to be vague.
ReplyDelete-Black Sun
I greatly admire these Television Hijackers. I think that their work is genius, and only serves for greater art and subversion. Thank you for bringing the spotlight to such skilled villains.
ReplyDelete-NERO