Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Episode #5
First aired February 9, 2000 (Rated TV-PG)
Segments:
Neck Kabob
Neil Pearson returned home late one night and tripped in his mother's flower garden. He impaled himself on a stake that was used to support the plants. The stake passed through his armpit, into his body and out of his neck on the opposite side. Amazingly, Neil received no major injuries and there was hardly any blood. Believe it or not, the stake avoided every major organ in its path.
Lightning Stalker
In 1976, amateur photographer David Stilling, decided that he wanted to shoot one of nature's most difficult and impatient subjects - lightning. Armed with his 35mm Minolta, David started shooting and hasn't been able to stop some 23 years and 85,000 photos later. On call 24 hours a day, David waits for storms and tries to calculate where and when will lightning strike next. Rewards are satisfying, but few. For every 250 pictures that David shoots, typically only one photo is usable. Most people run for cover during a lightning strike, but not David - he douses himself with ammonia, wraps himself in tin foil and heads for the nearest muddy field, praying for lightning and risking his life for the sake of a great picture.
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant, a golden box that is believed to house the 10 Commandments, mysteriously disappeared over a thousand years ago. This holy relic has been shrouded in mystery for centuries. Legend has it that only the pure of heart can touch it – anyone else will be destroyed. For hundreds of years, archaeologists have searched for this treasure with no
success – until now. Meet archaeologist Bob Cornuke, who believe it or not, has discovered what historical experts are confirming is the secret location of the Ark in a remote Ethiopian village. With Bob as our guide, we’ll retrace the steps he feels were taken by those secreting the Ark to a hidden spot where a monk deemed pure of heart has been designated its sole guardian.
Nefertiti Obsession
Elizabeth Christensen has spent a quarter of a million dollars on plastic surgery to look like the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. Over the course of 12 years, this ordinary housewife has had over 25 plastic surgeries, including nose jobs, face lifts, chemical peels, chin enlargements, a lip lift and eye surgery – and she’s not stopping there. Elizabeth’s goal is to have her face reflect an Egyptian work of art, and she estimates that with 4 or 5 more surgeries, she will achieve this perfection.
Mini Tattoo Artist
Believe it or not, Anil Gupta can tattoo an exact replica of the painting Mona Lisa onto the human body. That’s because Anil’s masterpieces are no bigger than a quarter!
Matchstick Band
Jack Hall makes musical instruments out of matchsticks. The instruments are praised for their good sound and ornamentation. Country music star Glen Campbell is a huge fan of the instruments and will play them for Ripley's.
Parrot Prodigies
At the University of Arizona, parrots do more than just mimic human sounds and expressions, like "Polly wanna cracker?" Scientists at the University say their "parrot prodigies" actually communicate with humans and can understand many questions and requests. Dr. Irene Pepperberg has shown that parrots may be capable of complex communication. Her birds can identify over 50 objects and categorize things based on color, shape and material. Her star pupil, Alex, has a 100 word vocabulary and performs at the same level as a chimp or a small child. Join Ripley’s as we watch Dr. Pepperberg put her birdbrains to the test.
The Firetruck Pulling Priest
Reverend Kevin Fast is a devout Lutheran with an unusual hobby. Rev. Fast tests his strength and endurance by harnessing his body to 2 firetrucks and pulling them up to 50 feet! Don’t miss the Reverend performing this backbreaking feat on Ripley’s Believe It or Not! while his loyal congregation cheers him on.
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