Flying Wallendas to cross Times Square on a high wire

[left-of-center2012]

Imagine crossing Times Square on a high wire between skyscrapers, 25 stories above the pavement.

If all goes well, that will be reality Sunday for two siblings from the famed Flying Wallendas (vah-LEN’-dahs) circus family. Their latest daredevil stunt will be streamed live Sunday at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Nik Wallenda is a seventh-generation acrobat, but this time, he’s nervous. His sister, Lijana (lee-WAH’-nah) Wallenda, plans to join him for the first time since her near-fatal accident in 2017, when she broke nearly every bone in her face.

The siblings will walk from opposite ends of the 1,300-foot wire (396-meter) suspended between the towers, crossing each other in the middle.

They’ll be wearing tethered safety harnesses required by the city in case they fall.

https://www.apnews.com/4714d844764742ef8bada8d37f477d76

[jberryhill]

1. I remember watching Karl Wallenda die live on TV

Great entertainment.

The Wallendas are not particularly good at this.

[Zambero]

2. The classic pyramid high wire stunt ended in tragedy

Karl survived that one to perform again, but not everyone in the Wallendas troupe was as fortunate.

[jberryhill]

4. Them and Evel Knieval seemed to bat .500

[left-of-center2012]

3. "Flying Wallendas"

How can they fly if they are "tethered to safety harnesses" ?

[Zambero]

6. Glad to hear they are wearing them

Since humans are indeed wingless and subject to the force of gravity.

[sl8]

5. That's great and all, but I feel bad for all the low wire walkers out there.

Seems like the flashy high walkers get all the attention.

[jberryhill]

7. They are doing s benefit show for second and third responders

[sl8]

8. But of course they are. And what do the fourth and fifth responders get?

I'll tell you what they get. Bupkis.

[jberryhill]

10. Screw the fifth responders

They should respond sooner.

[sl8]

13. Now you're talking.

I bet you're going to have to find someone with some serious self-esteem issues to screw a fifth responder, though.

[Iggo]

11. LOL.

[smirkymonkey]

9. I do not want to see this.

I am freaked out by heights to begin with, but to watch two people walk on a high wire 25 stories up would be just too much for me. Even with safety harnesses (good idea), it would still be too anxiety provoking.

[Zorro]

12. Meh

Not nearly as absolutely insane as Phillipe Petit's gut-wrenching, no-harness scampers between the World Trade Center's twin towers.

Check out "Man on Wire" and you'll see what I mean.