If you've ever watched television live, you have probably come across some unexpected moments that amazed both you and everyone else. The thing about live TV is that anything and everything can happen at any moment while the rest of the world is tuning in, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Keep reading to see some of the most intense and surprising moments to have ever been captured on camera while millions of people were watching.
A Bird Got Hit at a Baseball Game
This bird turned into nothing but feathers after someone named Randy Johson was throwing a pitch during a baseball game in the early 2000s. The ball happened to hit the bird as it was flying past them at the worst time possible. We're not sure if there was much left of the poor bird after this mess, but we can imagine that the audience and everyone else were pretty shocked to watch that happen in real time.
As you can tell, it basically looks like the bird in the picture simply combusted after it was accidentally hit by a baseball in the middle of a professional game. Only on live TV, folks.
The Delivery of Casey Anthony's Court Verdict
Casey Anthony's criminal case was quick to rattle the nation as she was accused of being involved in the disappearance and death of her young daughter. Many people were almost sure that she had played a role in the criminal case and expected that she was on her way to serving some prison time. Americans were sitting on the edge of their seats as the judge delivered the verdict, but the result was seriously surprising.
It was determined by the court that Casey Anthony was guilty of some counts, and guilty of others. The public wasn't convinced, however.
The Murder and Kidnapping of Israel's Olympic Team
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the world's most publicized and well-known political issues, but things became even more intense when a terrorist group kidnapped eleven members of Israel's Olympic team in 1972. An organization called Black September captured them with the goal of negotiating a prisoner release, and the media was heavily following the event as things were taking place. As the negotiation failed, the disaster became even worse.
Eleven innocent Israelis were murdered that day, and what was meant to be a gathering of Olympic games turned into a crime scene as millions of people were watching it all happen.
O. J. Simpson's Live Verdict Delivery
O.J. Simpson's criminal case was one of the most watched events in history, and we seriously understand why. The famous athlete was accused of killing his wife and another person, and much evidence was presented in front of the court. Cameras were inside the room and were there to document the tense trial as O.J. worked to claim his innocence to the judge and jury; eventually, he was proven successful.
It was determined that the famous athlete was not guilty of the accused crimes, and he eventually walked away as a free man. Although, many people are still skeptical of the court verdict.
The Mid-Air 1986 Challenger Explosion
Air and space exploration is a big thing in politics, which is why the United States has been ahead of the game in that department. Unfortunately, safety isn't always guaranteed when astronauts are sent into space, and anything can happen. In 1986, something went wrong, and seven astronauts were killed when the Challenger exploded mid-launch as millions of people watched. Those viewers even included friends and family of the people that were on board the spaceship.
Not many people could actually grasp what had happened when the aircraft combusted in the middle of its flight. Unfortunately, there were no survivors, and this disaster will be remembered forever.
This Robbery Happened During a Live Tournament
Robberies actually happen all the time, but they're not always captured on live cameras. Players were in the middle of a live poker tournament that was being broadcasted when criminals walked into the event and began robbing it. Clearly, this event didn't go to plan, and we're guessing that everyone in the room was terrified while also fearing for their lives. Money was stolen, but thankfully, nobody was injured.
It's not hard to imagine the shock that viewers felt when they came to watch a poker tournament and ended up being witnesses to the live robbery that happened.
The Televised 1992 Los Angeles Riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots left citizens of the city locked up in their homes for safety, but most of them were certainly watching the situation on their TV screens as it was happening. The riot created a major disaster where cars were burned to the ground, and independent businesses were destroyed. This was done by those who took to the streets to protest the death of a person killed by the police.
The Los Angeles Riots in 1992 are a big part of California's history as they left major damages in the big and popular city and were the result of citizens protesting injustice.
The Death of Protester Daniel V Jones
Many people have taken matters into their own hands when protesting against certain political and governmental policies in their countries. This is what Daniel V. Jones did when he wanted to stand firm against American bureaucracy and the healthcare system in the country. He was sick with a virus and wanted his healthcare struggles to be recognized by the public. Unforutentaly, during his protest, things took a scary turn for the worst.
Even though authorities were in the local area, that didn't stop Daniel from taking his own life. The suicide was captured on camera while everyone was watching. Needless to say, it was shocking.
Jokesters Took Over This News Station
It was a very unusual day for Chicago's television stations when a strange feed took over all of the broadcasting channels. A man dressed in a mask showed up in front of the camera, but that wasn't even the weirdest part. The guy was wearing a Max Headroom mask and was making really strange movements before someone started hitting him with a fly swatter. We can imagine that people didn't really understand what was happening as they watched this.
This might have been one of the strangest things to ever happen on live tv, especially since there wasn't really any kind of profound explanation behind the very public prank.
Steve Harvey Made a Big Mistake on Stage
Getting up on stage and making an announcement, especially during a contest, is pretty anxiety-inducing, and that means that there is plenty of room for error. This is why lots of hosts tend to call out the wrong winners at times, even though most people expect them to get it right. This is what happened to Steve Harvey when he was hosting a Miss Universe beauty pageant back in 2015. He announced the winner was Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez, but it was actually Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
Everyone knows that Steve Harvey is a man of pure comedy, but that doesn't mean he's perfect while on stage. Of course, famous people make mistakes just like the rest of us.
Janet Jackson's Wardrobe Mistake
Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake during one of the Super Bowls in the early 2000s, and things didn't exactly go to plan. Performing is an art; of course, things do tend to go wrong sometimes, especially regarding wardrobe. Janet ended up accidentally being exposed after Timberlake grabbed a piece of her outfit, and the worst part about this moment was that it was broadcasted to all of America.
You can probably just imagine the horror that Janet was feeling without even having to look at this picture. Surely, this was an unforgettable Super Bowl halftime show for everyone.
Journalist and Cameraman Killed While Filming
Adam Ward and Alison Parker were part of a reporting crew and were on a scene when they were both tragically murdered as the cameras were filming live. The two were conducting an interview when they were hit with sudden gunfire. The cameraman and reporter's lives were both lost that day as they were in the middle of a broadcast, and there was certainly an audience that ended up witnessing the chaotic event.
According to reports, they were murdered by a man who was a former employee of the television channel. He was seeking revenge after being let go of his job and, unfortunately, turned to murder.
Siege and Fire Captured Live on Camera
This fire might part of this was certainly accidental, but whatever led up to it was part of an FBI raid and siege that happened in 1993. A cult, named Branch Davidians, was under investigation by authorities for quite some time before the government went in and decided to take action. One of their buildings caught fire, although the cause is still unknown. Cameras nearby were able to document the fire as it was happening.
A large majority of the cult members were killed during the event, and according to rumors at the time, the fire could have been started by one of them, but it isn't confirmed.
This Reporter Took Her Own Life
One of the most shocking moments in live tv history was when a reporter took her own life while she was hosting the news. The moment happened so suddenly that most people on set weren't able to comprehend what had just happened in front of their eyes. Christine Chubbuck actually hid a weapon on set and was reporting the news as usual before she reached under her desk and pulled out the firearm.
Nobody really knows why Christine Chubbuck did this, but one thing for sure is that this moment is stained in the memories of whoever was watching this channel in the 70s.
When Tom Cruise Jumped on Oprah's Couch
Many random things have happened in Hollywood, especially in front of cameras. Tom Cruise and Oprah are two of the world's most well-known people, but when Tom decided to express his love for new wife Katie Holmes by jumping on Oprah's couch, the world was taken aback. Based on the picture, it seems like he was having a great time while doing it, too, but could you blame him? It's nice to be a kid every once in a while.
The incident, left a permanent mark on the entertainment world, as well as Cruise's public image.
When Faye Dunaway Made a Mistake at the Oscars
One of the worst things any host can do while on a live award show would be accidentally announcing the wrong winner. That's exactly what happened at the 2017 Oscars, which almost certainly led to disappointment for many people in the audience. Somehow, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty were given the wrong envelope, which resulted in them naming the wrong winner for Best Picture.
The cast of 'La La Land' had thought they had just been awarded an Oscar, but the real winner was Moonlight, so we can imagine that their producers weren't happy about the mix-up.
The Most Destructive Nascar Crash Ever
Nascar is known for its super-fast car racing, but that means that some kind of crash is bound to happen during a race. Of course, the severity of a collision depends on the situation, but in 2001, Dale Earnhart was in a pretty bad one. It was all caught on camera and still goes down in history as one of the worst Nascar incidents to happen on the race track.
Unfortunately, the accident was deadly, and Dale lost his life on that day in front of thousands of people. It's a moment in Nascar history that will never be forgotten.
This Chef Was Caught With Illegal Drugs
L'ubomír Herko is a very famous chef in Slovakia, so much so that he even made it onto a television show in the nation. Things were going pretty well, but everyone was shocked when it was discovered that there were illegal drugs in his kitchen on the broadcast. L'ubomír was actually handling them during the scene, and it seemed like he didn't realize that the cameras were on or capturing his every move.
Getting caught doing a crime or with illegal substances is bad enough in general, but trouble is almost guaranteed if you're a public figure and everything was caught on camera.
A Police Standoff That Lasted Ten Hours
A tragic and tense event was captured on camera in the Philippines, which involved the police and a hijacker of a passenger bus. After many anxiety-inducing hours, the situation ended very, very badly for everyone that was involved. An angry person, who was a former law enforcement officer, boarded a bus and held everyone hostage as police worked to mediate the situation. Their attempts didn't work, and the angry criminal murdered many innocent people on board.
Most people in the Philippines were glued to their tv screens where this police standoff lasted ten hours.
San Francisco Earthquake Captured Live
People watching the live broadcasting of sports events expect to see nothing more than the game itself, which is why this specific moment was way different from the rest. San Francisco is known for having a few major and devastating earthquakes, but on this particular day, one of the strongest ones happened during the world series in 1989. Since the event was being televised, the quake was also captured on camera
Many of the people, both on set and on the field, were very confused as to what had just happened after the earthquake struck the city, and we understand why.
This Plane Had to Make an Emergency Landing
Any abnormal incident on a plane is basically everyone's worst nightmare which means that this emergency landing was surely terrifying. To make things even scarier, the landing was being broadcasted live, and the passengers were able to watch it while they were going through it themselves. Thankfully, everything ended up okay, and there weren't any injuries, but it would be valid if the people on the plane went home with a permanent fear of flying.
There's no doubt that the passengers aboard this plane were extremely relieved when they landed safely on the ground in one piece, especially after this very scary and traumatic event.
Budd Dwyer's Death Happened on Live TV
Budd Dwyer was an American politician who was under scrutiny when there were rumors of various scandals that he might have been involved in. Things took a significant turn for the worst when he decided to end his life in front of cameras that were documenting his every move. This happened after a few court hearings, which didn't really result in his favor, so he thought he ultimately chose a better way out.
The footage of Budd Dwyer taking his on life created a variety of ethical dilemmas in the journalism where news channels had to debate whether or not the footage should go public.
The Collapse of the Berlin War
One of the most notorious things to have ever been caught on camera and film was the collapse of the Berlin wall. Of course, the fall changed history forever, and many people were eager to watch it happen on their television screens. As Germany finally became unified, tons of people around the world celebrated the moment as if they were German citizens while they were watching the whole thing live.
The falling of the Berlin Wall was definitely one of the biggest events in all of political history, as tensions had been rising between the two sides of Berlin for years.
A Brazilian Hostage Situation on Air
A crime show was reporting a hostage situation going on in Brazil, where a man took his family hostage, and they were sure to document every moment of the scary situation. Thankfully, everything ended up okay, and nobody was physically hurt, but that doesn't mean that his kidnapper's family isn't traumatized for life. People in Brazil were shocked at what was happening and could watch every moment of the hostage situation, including the negotiation.
One of the most terrifying events in Brazil's history was broadcasted at the kidnapper's request since he wanted the whole country to see exactly what he was doing and why.
This Police Helicopter Crash Happened Live
Police often deploy helicopters when it comes to chasing down a criminal on the run in order to track their every move. The pilots are usually skilled and trained, which is what made this disaster so rare. During this police chase, two helicopters that were monitoring the situation suddenly crashed into each other, killing everyone on board.
The person on the run was a police situation in itself, but the major helicopter crash became another crime scene that was much more serious than finding the wanted criminal.
Reactions to the Deadly Columbine Shooting
In 1999, students walked into Columbine high school only to never return home when two people walked into the Colorado school with murder on their minds, where thirteen students were killed. The aftermath of the massacre was devastating, and cameras were outside of the scene to capture every single moment. Reactions of devastation and emotion flooded the entire country as everyone watched the chaos that was happening outside of the high school following the shooting.
The Columbine High School shooting is one of the worst murder massacres to ever occur in all of American history, and unfortunately, school shootings are becoming all too common today.
The Devastation of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was one of the most deadly hurricanes to hit the coasts of America and cameras were there to capture every minute of it. Homeowners went to bed thinking that everything would be okay but woke up to major flooding and almost total destruction of basically their homes and everything around them. The hurricane was so serious that remnants of its aftermath can still be found and seen to this very day.
Hurricanes often hit the United States and specifically in Louisiana. Still, they don't also cause as much damage as Hurricane Katrina, which was initially expected to lose strength as it reached landfall.
Olympic Runner's Position Was Ruined
This Olympic runner was ahead of everyone and was so close to winning a gold medal until someone dressed in a costume jumped onto the track and ruined everything. It's not hard to imagine the disappointment that everyone felt at this moment. Runner Vanderlei Cordeiro De Lima also looks like he was in physical pain from running so much, and the last thing anyone expected or needed was for this to happen.
The whole point of the Olympic games and any sport, in general, is winning. That almost happened for this Brazillian runner before he was forcefully pushed out of his position.
O. J. Simpson's Live Police Chase
A police car chase probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of O.J. Simpson, and everyone knows why. But one thing that isn't well known is that police officers had to chase him down when he didn't show up at the police station when he was supposed to. That resulted in a car chase which didn't last very long since he was ultimately and quickly caught by the police.
It would have been better if he turned himself in, but the police were able to catch O.J. quickly because he wasn't driving a sports car or anything too fast.
John F. Kennedy's Assassination
One of the saddest moments to sweep America was when John. F Kennedy was assassinated while riding with his wife, Jackie Kennedy, in a limo. A camera was filming at the exact same time as the shooting, which means that every single second of the tragedy has been captured on film. Kennedy was a beloved leader by many Americans, which is why many were devastated to hear about his murder back in 1963.
President John F. Kennedy's assassination shook the nation, and the captured video of the very tragic moment is still out there on the internet and is viewable to the public.
The Death of JFK's Convicted Assassin
Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the murder of president John F. Kennedy just a few days after he was shot and killed in Texas. According to the police, Oswald shot the president while he was standing outside of a window in a nearby building. The president wasn't actually the only one murdered, as a few other people in the area were also killed by gunshots before JFK was rushed to the hospital but didn't survive his massive injuries.
There are still theories out there saying that Lee Harvey Oswald didn't actually murder Kennedy or that he was arrested in order to for the government to provide an explanation.
This Car Chase Was Worse Than It Seemed
In 2012, the news was showing a typical live car chase in Arizona, but it captured certain parts that were more television worthy than anyone initially intended. The news was deep into the scene and caught every minute of Jordan Romero being chased by police. At some point, the videos showed that he went to face the police and ended up shooting himself before any officers could get to him.
Car chases are often televised since citizens in any given county usually want to know if something serious is going on near them. This network just managed to get the intense parts.
A Tense Bank Robbery Stand-Off
One of the most intense bank robberies happened in the late nineties, and the entirety of it was caught on camera. Robbers decided to take over a local neighborhood Bank of America, where a heavy amount of law enforcement had to stand their ground outside the building. Hostages were trapped inside as thousands of bullets were exchanged just inches away from their bodies. There were injuries on both sides, but the only death involved the lives of the criminals.
Bank robberies and crimes usually go public since most people are eager to know what's happening, especially when the stand-off between the police and robbers lasts for quite a few hours.
The Exposing of the Balloon Boy Scam
In Colorado, news broke out that there was a missing child, but according to his parents, they knew exactly where he was. Apparently, the family claimed that the kid was attached to a gas-powered balloon, and it was taken by the wind. They said it was drifting in the distance and that their son was nowhere to be found on the ground. It was soon discovered that their claims weren't even close to being true.
It turned out that the boy was hiding somewhere in the house, and he even admitted to the authorities that the whole thing was a publicity stunt and an organized scam.
America's First Moon Landing
Space exploration has been a significant part of the political world for decades, to the point that countries raced to land on the moon first. America may not have been the first country to make its way beyond our atmosphere, but it was still a very significant event for the entire world. The moon landing had Americans gathered in crowds and glued to their screens, and the whole thing was being publicly televised.
One thing that everyone knows is that the moon landing was being broadcasted live as millions of Americans were tuning in to the major event. Regardless of the evidence, people are still skeptical.
Kanye Stole Taylor's Moment on Stage
Tons of musicians have been called up to speak on stage during the Video Music Awards, especially after winning. It was Taylor Swift's time to shine back in 2009, but Kanye decided he would take advantage of the moment by stealing the microphone and speaking his mind. It was super awkward, which is pretty apparent based on Taylor's face, so we can imagine that the audience was also feeling the same exact way.
Understandably, this cringe-worthy moment kind of went viral on the internet as it made its way through memes and gifs on basically every single social media platform in the world.
The Wrong Place to Drive an Army Tank
A former plumber felt quite rebellious one day and wanted to commit the perfect crime. So, he decided to look for an army tank and steal it before hitting the roads. In reality, the act wasn't smart, and police were on the move as they worked to protect other people on the highway. The whole crime was caught on camera, including the perpetrator's death, after law enforcement could catch up to him.
Stealing an army tank isn't necessarily a good idea but taking it onto a very public and crowded highway is pretty dangerous and illegal, which is why the police were concerned.
Britney and Madonna's On-Stage Kiss
Britany Spears and Madona were the staples of the early 2000s, and the decade wouldn't really have been the same without them. Their music basically flooded every radio station, and there wasn't a single household that didn't have at least one of their CDs. The two even shred a kiss when they performed together at the MTV Video Music Awards, and the pictures and videos still live to this very day.
Britney Spears and Madonna's kiss at the VMAs is a moment that most kids growing up in the early 2000s will never forget since almost nobody really saw it coming.
Japan's Political Leader Assassinated by Sword
The 1960s were a hotspot for political turmoil and the assassination of Inejiro Asauma took place during that period. He was the leader of a socialist party at the time, and while he was in the middle of a heated debate on stage, someone ran up to him with a weapon. The perpetrator was holding a sword and stabbed Asauma with it before he fell to his death in front of an audience and a camera.
Plenty of assassinations have unfortunately been caught on camera exactly as it was happening, but not all of them involved both a major and dramatic storming or a real-life sword.
Reporter Quits Her Job to Support Medical Cannabis
This reporter was talking about a story on medical cannabis at work and thought it would be the perfect time to claim her support by quitting her job as the cameras were rolling. Charlo Greene was pretty passionate about her stance on medical cannabis, which is why she moved on to work in the field after publicly quitting her job in front of thousands of people who were watching her.
Many supporters of medical cannabis are super public about advocating for what they believe in, which is why this reporter decided to make her support known while in front of a camera.