This years Super Bowl halftime show was marred (or enlivened, depending on your particular point of view) by British singer M.I.A making that obscene gesture, traditionally favoured by those unsure exactly what point they’re trying to make, flipping the bird.
This threw up memories of Janet Jackson’s famous ‘wardrobe malfunction’ which occurred a few years prior, but it’s not just the Super Bowl where the risk of broadcasting live sometimes becomes all too obvious. Here are five truly terrible examples of things going wrong live on camera:
When the terrorist leader was finally killed, many news stations also had trouble with the similarity, accidentally announcing that Obama was dead, which, in some cases, was probably down to wishful thinking…
Chris Kamara made a name for himself when he was supposed to reporting on a game between Blackburn and Portsmouth. The studio cut to him, having heard that a player had been sent off in the game he was watching. However, Kamara had somehow failed to notice this minor detail and was eventually forced to admit “I don’t really know what’s going on!” before breaking into a carefree fit of laughter. What a pro!
This threw up memories of Janet Jackson’s famous ‘wardrobe malfunction’ which occurred a few years prior, but it’s not just the Super Bowl where the risk of broadcasting live sometimes becomes all too obvious. Here are five truly terrible examples of things going wrong live on camera:
Carl Lewis’ National Anthem Rendition
Carl didn’t make any sort of obscene gesture but, though the poor, deluded guy was clearly trying his best, that didn’t stop him causing a great deal of offense when he butchered the American national anthem at the opening of a 1993 basketball match between the Nets and the Bulls. When you apologize for your own singing- in the middle of the song- you know you probably should’ve stuck to athletics…Australia’s Next Top Model Mix Up
Sarah Murdoch, host of Australia’s Next Top Model, learnt firsthand about the dangers of live TV when, during the final of the series, it fell to her to announce the winner. Unfortunately, she was given the wrong name. Queue scenes of delighted hysteria, quickly to be replaced by equally hysterical scenes of dismay. Well, actually, they all took it disappointingly well…but still, it was some pretty cringe-worthy stuff.TV Producer Leaves Audio Link On
Ever wondered what producers are thinking behind the scenes whilst delivering a hectic live news broadcast? Well now you don’t have to. This potty-mouthed guy accidentally left on his microphone in the production booth, proceeding to foully abuse pretty much everyone involved in the show, who all, to their credit, stayed incredibly cool. This might put a few hopefuls off their dreams of journalism…Obama is Dead!
During his election campaign President Obama had to deal with many challenges. One of the most baffling obstacles in the way of his path to office was the problem some of his less intelligent compatriots had with his first name, thinking it a bit too much like Osama Bin Laden’s for their liking.When the terrorist leader was finally killed, many news stations also had trouble with the similarity, accidentally announcing that Obama was dead, which, in some cases, was probably down to wishful thinking…
Chris Kamara Misses the Action
In England soccer is a massive deal, with hundreds of games played around the country every weekend. Obviously, not all can be shown on TV, so it is common for sports channels to go live to reporters at various games to get updates.Chris Kamara made a name for himself when he was supposed to reporting on a game between Blackburn and Portsmouth. The studio cut to him, having heard that a player had been sent off in the game he was watching. However, Kamara had somehow failed to notice this minor detail and was eventually forced to admit “I don’t really know what’s going on!” before breaking into a carefree fit of laughter. What a pro!
Will Jones writes on all sorts of topics relating to the weird and wonderful world of broadcasting, scouring the TV guide each week to find juicy blogging topics.