The 25 Craziest Things That Have Happened On Live Television

Race riots, sieges, and wardrobe malfunctions all get the limelight here.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Live TV can either be a network’s best friend or its worst nightmare, but no matter which way it goes, the unpredictability makes on-the-spot entertainment great. Over the years, historical moments have been caught in real time, captivated the masses, shattered hearts worldwide, and, in some cases, have forever changed the course of history. Whether dealing with wars, natural disasters, or entertainment, it's a breeding ground for the sensational.

Tomorrow marks 49 years to the day since President John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was gunned down while being transferred to a Dallas jail in front of a live national TV audience watching. It’s a moment that shocked a nation and altered the way news is covered around the globe. Since then, live cameras have been a gateway into history-in-the-making, with some of the most shocking events ever taking place right in front of viewers' eyes.

As we reflect on what Oswald’s death meant to the world, let's take a look back at The 25 Craziest Things That Have Happened On Live Television.

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Written by Jason Serafino (serafinoj1)

 

25. Jordan F. Romero’s live suicide

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24. The Balloon Boy hoax

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23. The Casey Anthony verdict

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22. Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction

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21. Manila tourist bus hostage crisis

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20. JetBlue Airways Flight 292 emergency landing

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19. Christine Chubbuck's live on-air suicide

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18. Dale Earnhardt dies in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500

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17. The toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Firdos Square

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16. The Branch Dividian siege in Waco, Texas

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15. The fall of the Berlin Wall

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14. Shock and Awe

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13. The 2000 Presidential Election

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12. The massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich

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11. The Japanese tsunami hits live TV

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10. The 1989 San Francisco earthquake

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9. The Los Angeles Riots

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8. Live coverage of Hurricane Katrina

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7. Live footage of the Columbine High School massacre

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6. Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination

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5. O.J. Simpson’s low-speed car chase

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4. O.J. Simpson murder trial verdict

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3. The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger

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2. Man walking on the Moon

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1. United Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the World Trade Center

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