On my way to the super exclusive VIP pre-party for Newfest last night with Heidi when we came across ambulances, police cars, and crowds of people all over the place looking skyward. I SWEAR it was as if they were shooting a scene for Spider-Man or Batman where our hero was flying high trying to do what heroes do up there: save damsels, run misunderstood from the law, or fight crime.
It turns out some guy was up on top of the new Renzo Piano-designed New York Times building. I thought it was a suicide attempt being from Sunnybrook Farm and all. ("Oh my goodness, that poooooor man.") But no it was a stunt. Some guy/vigilante/man of the people had scaled the building. When he got safely to the top we, the crowd, CHEERED!! It was a whole thing. I could just see Commissioner Gordon blow a gasket when he found out his daughter was dating this nutter.
Anyway...it turns out this was the SECOND climb of the day. The first dude, the famous French stunt guy, Alain Robert, had climbed it in the morning to raise awareness on Global Warming. (I later found out he has a doc coming out on BBC America - publicity stunt much?) and I was late for being a VIP from some sloppy seconds follow-up, non-exotic Brooklyn wanna be dude who was chagrined when he found out that Alain had beat him to it? He was climbing to stamp out malaria. Global warming is so much sexier than malaria.
So two illegal climbs in one day on the New York Times building.
Renzo, all I have to say is that you didn't do such a great design job. I mean who would make a skyscraper a virtual ladder? Wonder what they will do to prevent further attempts? Maybe a "Please Do Not Climb" sign. Or they can coat the building in Pam?
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