# Wow. What. An. Idiot. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838 "2008-11-21T15:41:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/1 "2008-11-21T15:41:30Z")
I was looking up the story behind the whole Grizzly Man documentary in [Wikipedia.com](http://Wikipedia.com), and found a link to “unusual deaths”. The one concerning Brandon Vedas, in Arizona, was probably the most idiotic death I have ever heard about. I think once you read the transcript of his final few minutes, you´ll see why this is in the Pitt. Brandon Vedas Website: [http://brandonvedas.com/index.html](http://brandonvedas.com/index.html) The ICQ Chat Log in which Brandon starts OD´ing, and is bragging about it! Log 1: [http://brandonvedas.com/ripperlog.txt](http://brandonvedas.com/ripperlog.txt) Log 2: [http://brandonvedas.com/post-ripperlog.txt](http://brandonvedas.com/post-ripperlog.txt) Oh, and just in case, Brandon´s nickname in the Log is ripper. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/2 "2008-11-21T15:58:44Z")
“i told u i was hardcore” became a bit of an internet meme for a few months back when this happened. I just feel sorry for the kid, having to get fucked up with complete strangers on the internet to feel good about himself. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/3 "2008-11-21T16:19:30Z")
I’m mildly entertained from reading about these “Unusual Deaths.” One of my favorites, which I remember appearing on on Darwin Awards, is the case of [Garry Hoy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Hoy). > [@](#): > > Hoy became famous for an accident in 1993, where he threw himself through a glass wall on the 24th story of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in an attempt to prove that the glass was “unbreakable.” He had apparently attempted this stunt many times in the past, having previously bounced off the glass, harmlessly. On July 9, 1993, he attempted his trick for a group of summer interns when the glass broke and he fell to his death. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/4 "2008-11-21T16:39:28Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Quote: Hoy became famous for an accident in 1993, where he threw himself through a glass wall on the 24th story of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in an attempt to prove that the glass was “unbreakable.” He had apparently attempted this stunt many times in the past, having previously bounced off the glass, harmlessly. On July 9, 1993, he attempted his trick for a group of summer interns when the glass broke and he fell to his death. That sucks!.. I’ll never forget this one. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/5 "2008-11-21T16:42:48Z")
I made the mistake of making fun of Brandon Vedas on a board where a person who claimed to be one of his RL friends posted. Got ripped a new one, I did. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Beginning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@New\_Beginning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Beginning)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/6 "2008-11-21T16:44:24Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Hoy became famous for an accident in 1993, where he threw himself through a glass wall on the 24th story of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in an attempt to prove that the glass was “unbreakable.” He had apparently attempted this stunt many times in the past, having previously bounced off the glass, harmlessly. On July 9, 1993, he attempted his trick for a group of summer interns when the glass broke and he fell to his death. I’m reminded of the scene with the plexiglass in The Hudsucker Proxy. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Beginning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@New\_Beginning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Beginning)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/7 "2008-11-21T16:49:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I made the mistake of making fun of Brandon Vedas on a board where a person who claimed to be one of his RL friends posted. Got ripped a new one, I did. And although I don’t find anything wrong with making fun of dead people who died because they were idiots, I would at least keep in mind when mocking them that even really _great_ people can do _really stupid_ things at some point in their life, only sometimes with fatal repercussions. These people clearly crossed some critical stupid line at that point, hence the valid amusement, but it’s nice to keep in mind that some of them may have actually been good people who had gone temporarily insane. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/8 "2008-11-21T16:59:53Z")
You really are a party pooper, **New Beginning**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/9 "2008-11-21T17:02:52Z")
> [@New\_Beginning](#): > > I’m reminded of the scene with the plexiglass in The Hudsucker Proxy. I love this movie. “Plexiglas. Had it installed last week.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/10 "2008-11-21T17:46:27Z")
> [@New\_Beginning](#): > > I’m reminded of the scene with the plexiglass in The Hudsucker Proxy. I was thinking of _Permanent Midnight_. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/11 "2008-11-21T18:36:39Z")
You’re Pitting something that happened nearly six years ago and was discussed to death (edit: ha!) at the time? ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/12 "2008-11-21T18:44:08Z")
I’ve read that same wiki page. It’s a fun list. My favorite one\* was the ancient Greek who got killed by an eagle dropping a turtle on his bald head, having mistaken it for a stone to break his lunch on. \*possibly untrue ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/13 "2008-11-21T18:57:42Z")
[This one](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/203137.stm) I find VERY hard to believe. Really? The entire team? But none from the other team? No credible cites, so I doubt it. But maybe… ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/14 "2008-11-21T19:02:45Z")
2003 called. It wants its thread back. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/15 "2008-11-21T19:08:50Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > 2003 called. It wants its thread back. [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=158648) you go. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/16 "2008-11-21T19:10:20Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > I’m mildly entertained from reading about these “Unusual Deaths.” One of my favorites, which I remember appearing on on Darwin Awards, is the case of [Garry Hoy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Hoy). Nitpick: (as the article notes further down) > [@](#): > > Note the quote itself is slightly inaccurate since it wasn’t the glass he crashed through so much as it was the entire window set itself when its frame succumbed to Hoy’s repeated impacts. I think he would have hated to think that people would be saying “Hah, he was wrong, the glass _did_ break!” It didn’t. Though I can’t imagine he got much satisfaction out of it before he succumbed to the gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/17 "2008-11-21T19:10:30Z")
[05:02] \ Hey [05:02] \ If ripper dies [05:02] \ i got tabs [05:02] \ on hsi drugs That’s class. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/18 "2008-11-21T19:33:43Z")
WTF? Why would someone take Inderal recreationally? I was on that for my arrhythmia for a while, there isn’t anything exciting about it. I was on IRC with a friend of mine when he overdosed and died on Fentanyl. He was having serious knee pain. He’d been a Morphine addict, which he quit for like three weeks so his tolerance was way down, and he did multiple of the highest dosage Fentanyl time release patches, the kind they only give to cancer patients and such who have a huge tolerance. It killed him. The even sadder part about this was it was right after the Russian theater where the Fentanyl gas killed some of the patrons. We came to the conclusion that he killed himself on purpose. I even tried to talk him out of it thinking it was dangerous. But well, he’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/19 "2008-11-21T19:39:36Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > [05:02] \ Hey > [05:02] \ If ripper dies > [05:02] \ i got tabs > [05:02] \ on hsi drugs > > That’s class. What people tend to forget is that the others in the chat room only spent a scant few minutes joking. Once it sunk in that this was for real, they were frantic, trying to figure a way to contact his parents or get an ambulance sent to him. One guy kept telling him to eat bread in the hopes it would absorb whatever he’d taken and sustain him until he could get help. I guess it just sounds better to claim that a kid was dying and was mocked until his dying breath. “Teen dies while chat room cheers him on” makes a good headline. “Teen dies while chat room initially scoffs, then offers help, but it’s too late and no one could have done anything anyway” does not. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838/20 "2008-11-21T19:43:59Z")
What’s also fucked up is they had his real contact info and didn’t call the police. When this happened to me everyone in our chatroom was script kiddies so all of our personal info was protected to keep other members of our chatroom from harassing us. This one kid used to call and harass me early in the morning. I reverse looked up his phone number and told him if he called me again I was going to give his address out on the chatroom. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-what-an-idiot/473838.md?page=2)