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'Impractical Jokers' #LivePunishment blog: on the tightrope
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on September 03, 2015 at 9:56 PM, updated September 04, 2015 at 1:26 PM
Murr walks the tightrope during the Impractical Jokers' 100th episode and Live Punishment Special. (Staten Island Advance/Lauren Steussy) This wasn't any old episode of the acclaimed hidden-camera comedy show, which features the best friends from their time at Monsignor Farrell High School Brian Quinn, Sal Vulcano, James Murray and Joe Gatto.
No, this one takes place on a thin wire, six stories high in Manhattan's South Street Seaport.
The 100th episode is a "Live Punishment," during which the Jokers will challenge one another to a tightrope walk.
"It reflects the spirit of the show, which is challenge each other to do things we don't want to do," Murray, known on the show as Murr, told the Advance before the special. "And trust me, none of us want to do this."
Starting at 10 p.m. ET tonight, the #LivePunishment will reveal which Joker will be the first to drop and who will hang on the longest to claim victory for their favorite charity.
But before, during and after the daring high-wire act, we'll be liveblogging the whole experience, with firsthand accounts from the set, interviews with the Jokers and photos documenting the process. So, keep checking back here.
11:30 A.M. INSTANT REPLAY
TruTV posted a video of Q's amazing victory this morning, and it's incredible. Yes, seeing it live was priceless, but watching it again, with the reaction from the rest of the Jokers is another brand of cool. My favorite part is Sal's face after Q makes it to the other side of the tightrope. It's just pure, unadulterated admiration and love.
11:15 P.M. STATEN ISLAND WINS
After Q's victorious tightrope walk, the guys took the stage one last time to thank fans. The sign off was obviously emotional for the Jokers, who really do seem like amazing friends. It's safe to say the show is a massive success, and their unique brand of comedy is a hit.
Here's the best part Staten Islanders — the charity Q was walking for was the Stephen Siller Foundation. So with his win, the charity gets a boost, Jokers style. The foundation supports our first responders and most catastrophically injured service members.
So here's to another 100 episodes, guys. I'm already nervous for what that 200th episode holds in store for you.
11:11 P.M. Q IS THE MAN
Leave it to a former member of NY's bravest (yes, he's a former firefighter) to get this thing done right.
He ran the entire wire, all the way through, crushing his fellow Jokers' distances. Congrats on running the wire, Q!
11:10 P.M. IT IS ALL UP TO Q
Q is the final Joker to walk the line: "My legs are shaking. Is that normal?"
11:09 P.M. IS THIS GERALDO ALL OVER AGAIN?
Is it just us or is this the biggest "Live" letdown since Geraldo Rivera tried to unearth the "Mysteries of Al Capone's Vaults." Remember, two hours of of empty debris?
11:05 P.M. JOE FAILS MISERABLY
Did these guys even practice? I think Joe just avoided the wire and stepped right into the air.
Murr is still in the lead. Fear is a beast, apparently.
11:01 P.M. MURR IS OFFICIALLY STILL IN THE LEAD
Murr got five inches further than Sal, according to mysterious judges or producers that somehow are measuring this. Now Joe (in his seemingly aerodynamic green superhero suit) is the next Joker to walk.
10:59 P.M. CRIPPLED BY FEAR
Our guy Sal was crippled by fear. He fell almost immediately and, unlike Murr, failed to grab the wire with his hands. The production team politely dropped him down to the airbag below.
Below is a video of the sad sight.
10:55 P.M. SAL, THIS IS DANGEROUS
Sal, former beloved bartender at bygone borough hangouts Cargo and Full Cup, is live and not at all ready to get tight.
"Sal, who I've been talking to, has the most fear," Mandel tells the crowd.
The crew clears the area below, in fear of vomit.
10:50 P.M. FANS LOVE JOE
Fans have been voting online: Joe (or as Howie calls him the "ridiculous looking guy in ladies underwear") is in the lead.
10:46 P.M. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Murr sadly fell just a few feet into his walk. But in a most cat-like manner, he grasped onto the wire and pulled himself to safety with his hands. From afar, he probably looked like he had the situation under control. Up close, he looked absolutely terrified.
Just a reminder, they're five stories high. So that fear on Murr's face? It's probably universal.
10:42 P.M. 100 EPISODES, FOUR JOKERS, FIVE STORIES, 50K FOR CHARITY
Murr is about to hit the platform. I hope you are ready, Sal & Q, because Howie is not! Crowd is chanting: "Murray." This is getting really real.
Below, Murr's fellow jokers commiserate.
"I am so scared FOR him," Sal quips.
10:40 P.M. COSTUME PARTY
The "Geico Save" — voted on by fans — goes to the ever-popular Q-bear, so he doesn't have to wear a crazy costume on the wire. He picked Joe to wear a "Captain Fatbelly" drag.
Meanwhile, Howie's losing his cool.
"I got nothing on the prompter!" he barks at the production staff, on live television.
Aren't you a seasoned TV professional? Vamp a little, dude. Just relax and plug the truTV debut of "Billy on the Street" again. That's your go-to, right?
10:31 P.M. HOWIE MANDEL IS A DIVA
Howie is kind of grumpy. During breaks, he's heard yelling at the production staff and telling the crowd to stop blocking the teleprompter. Relax, Howie, the production assistants are wiping the sweat off your head as fast as they can.
10:12 P.M. SAL IS THE SAME GUY YOU LOVED AT CARGO
During the commercial break the guys came out to give a special thanks to the fans who showed up at the South Street Seaport.
"We couldn't have done all of this without you," Sal told the crowd.
10 P.M. HOWIE WELCOMES THE AT HOME AUDIENCE!
South Street Seaport — equal parts historic and picturesque — is the live location of the 100th episode of "Impractical Jokers" — and hundreds of fans turned out for the occasion.
"They are crazy — they really are," Howie says. "And for you at home, the Jokers are attempting the biggest dare they've ever done."
And then, he introduces our Fab Four.
"Five stories above my head is a high wire that all four Jokers will walk for the first ever live punishment."
"I'm gonna fail!" Murr says, followed by Sal's "I'm trying NOT to throw up."
Note: The "Joker" who walks the line farthest earns his charity of choice $50,000 (they all get a $10,000 donation just for being brave enough to step foot on it).
Note: The loser of a previously taped challenge has to wear a crazy costume (featured in one of the 99 episodes aired before this one, chosen by his castmates) while walking the high-wire.
9:59 P.M. MURR & Q SHARE GO BACK IN TIME
Just before the show started, there were more than 500 fans ready to see their jokers.
By a show of applause, it sounded like there were the most fans for Q, but only by a hair.
Howie Mandel is now taking the stage.
9 P.M. WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE JOKERS
Before the big punishment, I caught up with Murr and Q about the significance of the show, and why they chose to celebrate the milestone with this terrifying stunt, instead of say, a nice retrospective episode of their favorite moments.
Watch the video to the right to see what they said.
Oh, and also they have some ideas on how you pronounce the Staten Island Advance. You just have to watch.
7:45 P.M. HOWIE MANDEL ARRIVES
Veteran television personality Howie Mandel, the host of the televised event, has arrived to get the crowd excited. At this point there are about 400 fans throughout the South Street Seaport, waiting for the punishment.
7:25 P.M. FAN MAKES HER OWN MASKS
Gayle Canning is probably a super fan. "It's the funniest thing on TV and it's not even mean, she said. "I really do like all of them. There's no weak link for me."
Still she does pick favorites when it comes to tonight's punishment. When asked who she thought would go the furthest on the wire, she held up one particular homemade sign: Brian Quinn.
6:45 P.M. THE FANS AWAIT
It'll be another few hours before the show begins, so until then, fans are just hanging out.
I caught up with Staten Islanders Joe and his sister Jennifer Altobelli and Julianna Bartels, who came out to the filming because they're huge fans of the show.
"I love the show," Joe, a Prince's Bay resident, said. "And the fact that they're from Staten Island is great because it brings attention to the borough in a non-Jersey Shore way."
"It would be cool if they could do something like this on Staten Island, but I think they're too big for that now," Jennifer said.
"And there's not enough room for them," Bartels, a New Dorp resident, added.
6:15 P.M. MURR'S POINT OF VIEW
Murr shared a video of his perspective, being greeted by fans at the South Street Seaport. Check it out.
5:30 P.M. THE JOKERS MEET THE PRESS
Before the main event, the Jokers met with press to answer questions about the episode, the success of their show and the general feelings of fear they had surrounding the impending walk.
"I'm going to be crying," Murr told the Advance.
"Your body says walk, but your mind says 'F' you," Quinn said.
Still, it's a huge mark of success for the comedians, which wasn't lost on them as they prepared for the big walk.
"In retrospect, we could have just gone out for a nice dinner," Murr joked before turning to his buddy Quinn, asking if he ever thought they'd make it to 100 episodes.
"I didn't even think we'd make it past the first season," Q said.
5:45 P.M. SAFETY FIRST
Jay Miller, a fellow Staten Island comedian and producer of the show,joined the Jokers as they met a few fans. He briefed me on the safety for the night — which is probably important to mention here.
The Jokers will, in fact, be harnessed in. And there's a giant inflatable blob in case the harnesses fail for whatever reason.
Safety concerns aside, Miller took a moment to reflect on the important milestone too.
"I still feel like I'm just hanging out with my friends when I'm coming to work," Miller said. "I have to remind myself I've made 50 episodes with them."
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