(Viewed 1,810 times)

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

ABC TV Show "Downfall" Destroys a Celestron SCT

A week ago, I was preparing dinner and had the tv on in the kitchen. Putting on anything, I had this insipid tv game show on called "Downfall" - where contestants try to answer questions in front of a conveyor belt which has valuable items...like motorcycles, jukeboxes and washers. If they don't answer quick enough...the items go crashing down ten stories to the pavement.

Such a waste.

Not really paying attention and an occasional glance, I thought I saw a Nexstar falling off a 10 story building and crashing into a million pieces.

"No way", I thought.

But with the wonder of the net and Hulu - I waited a week.....yes...it's true...

It looks like a 6/8 inch Celestron Nexstar SCT with Go-To and tubular tripod.

Dang!

Watching the dingy chick try to answer the questions was hard, knowing that the SCT will topple over the edge tof the building...

And meets an end that will make astronomers worldwide cringe...

A perfectly good telescope shot to hell...

I would scavenge for parts if they let me.

This is just wrong.

[John]

Joe, Dang!!! that's my new scope ... 5" version. Oh, the humanity!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

John,

Destroying a telescope is a crime.

I wonder if Celestron donated the scope or where it came from.

(At the start of the show, the host mentions that these are replicas that are being used. I doubt it, as I saw the primary mirror bounce around there for a bit when it hit the pavement.)

[RobbW]

Any gameshow that would intentionally destroy perfectly good hardware (scopes or otherwise) strictly for entertainment is frickin' idiotic!!! Isn't there enough waste in this world as it is?!?!

[Paulie pchris00]

Jul 6, 2010 18:05:51 GMT -6 RobbW said:

Any gameshow that would intentionally destroy perfectly good hardware (scopes or otherwise) strictly for entertainment is frickin' idiotic!!! Isn't there enough waste in this world as it is?!?!

This is wrong for so many reasons, but Robb said it best. The sad part is that it would have never been on TV to begin with if market research hadn't said that there is an audience for it. I'm sure a lot of astrononmica organizations would have gladly used that scope for public outreach programs, not to mention any schools or other educational institutions or worthy astronomers. this is just wrong.

[RobbW]

These days, it isn't enough for a contestant to answer a certain number of questions within an allotted amount of time to win a prize, a very nice telescope in this instance. NOOOOoooooo! Apparently, market research has shown that no one will watch this show unless they lob said telescope of the side of a 10-story building and gratuitously show is smashing to wee bits on the ground below if the contestant fails to correctly answer the questions before time runs out.

What kind of statement does that make about our society these days?!?! About the same kind of statement that says no one will buy and play a video game unless within said game you can solicit the services of a prostitute, have your carnal way with her, and then pull out a handgun and blow her grey matter all over the side of a building just so you can steal back the money you paid to the prostitute for her services.

With the kind of demographic these industries are pandering to, it is absolutely no wonder that people these couldn't give a flying rat's butt about LP and the loss of the night sky. Heaven help us all!!!!