The Max Headroom Incident // Television Sofa Club // New “Theories”! 35th Anniversary Special

The Max Headroom Incident has been increasing in notoriety year upon year.

Ever since pirates hijacked the signals of two Chicago television stations in November 1987, the Federal Communications Commission, and latterly the Internet, have been attempting to solve the mystery of who exactly was behind the stunt.

In this podcast, Dan and Carl posit some of their own unique ‘alternative theories’ regarding the Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion.

Music in this episode was provided by Mr Nissness: https://mrnissness.bandcamp.com/

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Selected timecodes
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0:00 Coming up on TV Sofa Club
1:02 Scary intro: contemporary news reports
3:11 Podcast begins, host intros
4:57 What is the Max Headroom Incident? Segment voiced by Patrick.
9:25 Canonical ending
14:59 Chuck Swirsky
18:59 Current consensus
23:03 FCC
27:12 Carl’s big conspiracy theory!
43:20 The incident was actually carefully planned
55:00 Max = best Doctor? And a new generation of chat show hosts
1:00:38 I’m going to have to tape over it!
1:07:26 Pre-meditation
1:12:44 ‘User Friendly’, the prototype Max
1:16:56 Did Max jump the shark?
1:26:50 Max Headroom Incident responsible for a comeback?
1:30:45 Matt Frewer is a r-r-robot
1:33:58 Dan’s (serious) theory
1:45:21 Max under attack & The Death of Max
1:49:28 A world without the Max Headroom Incident
1:54:15 TV Sofa Club will return
1:59:43 Outro theme: VHF (The Marauders) by Mr Nissness

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Links
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The Bizarre: Max Headroom documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVcRWOhXmh4

Fuzzy Memories – The First ‘Max Headroom’ Incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKnwhokvgxE

Frecklesam – (Second) Headroom Incident 25th Anniversary Remaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ToEP_a_leE

ZetaReticuli1 – Max Headroom Incident Second Broadcast restored by Notelu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V01Dv_TcxTI

Fuzzy Memories – WFLD Channel 32 – Pirate Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-CCLAN58u8

Fuzzy Memories – WLS Channel 7 – Pirate Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w2ToS66ChI

Fuzzy Memories – WMAQ Channel 5 – Pirate Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5VoF6_NDm4

WBUR Endless Thread: The Max Headroom Incident: https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2022/01/07/encore-max-headroom

“I believe I know who was behind the Max Headroom Incident” Reddit thread by bpoag: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eeb6e/i_believe_i_know_who_was_behind_the_max_headroom/

Amazon – Creative Computer Graphics by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Computer-Graphics-Annabel-Jankel/dp/0521262518

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Music by Mr Nissness: https://mrnissness.bandcamp.com/
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Voiceover by Patrick of Classic Game Night Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vgJod-AoioVERHiY4HIlQ