story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s … _spiderman
[quote]‘Spiderman’ Climbs Skyscraper in Taiwan
By STEPHAN GRAUWELS, Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan - A French urban climber who calls himself Spiderman climbed to the top of the world’s tallest building on Saturday
Climbed my ass. Half the time he was pulled up by a rope. Look at the TT photo. Wonder how much he was paid to do that?
More like dangling if you ask me
That was my impression. They showed it on TV “live” (in other words, showing a few seconds of live footage between news reports on other stories), but it looked like he was climbing up a rope! Now I call that cheating, unless he pulled a “Batman” by throwing up a grappling hook first.
He did admit in interviews, CHIna Post, Taiwan News, Taipei Times, that he did not really scale 101, but due to wind and rain, and safety fears of the organizers, he was basically pulled up most of the way,
BUT HE HOPES TO DO THE REAL THING, later. Maybe next spring.
Yes, it was a pure publicity stunt, a paid PR stunt one might add, I wonder how much he get for that live performance, as an appearance fee? I heard around NT$300,000 for the day’s work. Not bad.
Next stop: NIKE appearance fee and TV ads?
I saw a documentary on TV about this guy. He really does climb buildings all over the world with no saftey devices of any kind. This is the first time I’ve heard of him using a rope. And he is usually arrested when he gets to the top…in the past ALL of his climbs have been illegal. I guess because this time it was sanctioned, they couldn’t let him climb without a safety rope. If he was climbing it illegally and died they wouldn’t have any responsiblity, but because it was for publicity they couldn’t allow him to do it without the rope. That’s my guess anyway.
I think that you’re right on the money Mordeth. I remember seeing a documentary on the Sears Tower where the Chicago police were waiting on the roof to take the guy to jail as soon as he got to the top. When I first saw the headline for the 101 story I also assumed that he’d be spending some time enjoying the hospitality of the Taiwan jails until I discovered that the 101 folks were specifically looking for the publicity.
The ropes seem very sensible given that it was rainy and windy (presumably if he were going without harness he’d pick a nicer day) – but they do something away from the spectacle I think.
Having him not use a rope and go splat, would be very bad Karma in this culture I would imagine.
Yes I have seen the documentary too. Crazy fella really. The one I saw had him trying to scale the Grande Arche in Paris, but got most of the way before his fingers gave up (due to a miscalc in the size of the panel joins)
His musculature appears to have developed uniquely. 
My understanding is that next time he climbs Taipei 101, he will have lane119 slung over one shoulder.
What a tit.
Funny how that happens: in the US he’s rewarded with jail for performing such amazing feats, and in Taiwan they celebrate his feat (even if it is a publicity stunt in which he has to cheat a bit due to bad weather).
Long live Taiwan!!
the riskiest part of his whole visit here would have been using the roads to get to 101.
Notice that the AP article above, first post, was apparently written by the same person who wanted to hand deliver his Hollywood screenplay to visiting Jerry Bruckmimer during the Nick Cage “event.” Maybe he can write a screenplay about TP101, and the publicity would be great for Taiwan.
(by the way, did he ever get his screenplay into the producer’s hands? his website has not been updated since that famous day)
What other superheroes could we have have doing publicity for the 101 ?
Superman flying over it ?
The Hulk smashing it ?
Somone freezing/burning it ?
What could other superheroes do with it ?
The ‘Flash’ could ride the elevator to the top, instead of taking the stairs - quicker! 
OOC
[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”]What other superheroes could we have have doing publicity for the 101 ?
Superman flying over it ?
The Hulk smashing it ?
Somone freezing/burning it ?
What could other superheroes do with it ?[/quote]
How about Christo wrapping it? [Picture please]
Susan Storm could make it vanish.
