Sunday, June 05, 2005

I've Been Meaning to Blog About Christine Chubbuck



For a long time. It's remained on my list of possible blog subjects, month after month. And I'm sick and tired of it so today I'm officially crossing it off the list. Actually, I don't really feel like writing much, so I'll just point you in the direction of some online sources and be done with it.

There's some info on actors and TV personalities who've died onstage at snopes.com. Specifically:

Chris Chubbuck (died 15 July 1974)
Some people will do anything for a scoop. When a technical problem interfered with the orderly presentation of a story on her morning news show, this 30-year-old news anchor announced, "In keeping with Channel 40's policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts and in living color, you are going to see another first -- attempted suicide." She then drew a revolver and shot herself in the head. Chubbuck expired 14 hours later in hospital.


However interesting it might be to see this, there's apparently no publicly available video clip. From an online discussion:

Keep in mind that this happened in 1974, before home video equipment was widely used and available. The copy from the television station was taken by the police for investigation. So, there is at least one copy out there, but it will probably never hit the public domain. I've been trying to find this one for years. I've found neither hide nor hair of this event. If there are copies of it available, they are few and far between.

There's a Wikipedia page with some info, and an MSN group dedicated to the subject. Most informative is probably this Washington Post article (PDF format).

Maybe I'll be the first person to kill himself while blogging! Except I'd probably be the twenty-thousand-four-hundred-and-second or something.

7 comments:

Uncle Sammy said...

No. You'll be the twenty-thousand-four-hundred-and-third because I will BEAT you.

Moocko said...

Now, I'm looking forward to this "death-blogging"!

Anonymous said...

I just heard about this watching E! I'm a little freaked out in that I was born 19 minutes after she pulled the trigger.

Anonymous said...

My maiden Name CHUBBUCK thought that a good speach would be about suicide, I started do some research at the local library. Wrote the speach, then stoodup in class started the speach..came to this name and fell apart...what effort..to this day..It haunts me. Will i do this in a different way!!

Anonymous said...

My yahoo group dedicated to Christine. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chubbuck

Anonymous said...

She was a selfish, cowardly MONSTER for doing that!!!!! Wasn't there some kind of live suicide on CNN? I recall an urban legend (??) that some guy jumps over the anchor desk and shoots himself on live TV. Is this true? I hope Bud Dwyer and her are toasting in Hell for a bit for doing such a monstrous act, inflicting it upon others. *shudders*

Anonymous said...

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globе evеrything іs presentеԁ on net?



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