Matt Whistler draws some attention with his latest challenge
Hundreds of ideas swirled around Matt’s mind when he heard his latest challenge set by Tony Jenkins in Brighton: “How to make 100 people gasp in horror? The possibilities are endless. I could run across a football pitch dressed as a rocket or drop from some chandeliers in a big restaurant.”
Then Matt realised he had the perfect setting: Brighton Marathon.
“With over 100,000 spekki-tators, you know potatoes with glasses, watching a 26.2 mile race unfold, I’ll have a ready-made captive audience,” Matt noted, before contemplating how best to use this setting.
Matt returned to the JAG Gallery, the scene of his ‘Supersonic Shed’ triumph, and waited for the crowds to amass on Madeira Drive. “The marathon was a sight to behold, particularly all the fancy dress runners,” he says. “My favourite was the man in a gorilla outfit; I knew it was a man because his daughter hurtled past me shouting, ‘That’s my Dad and he’s over 70’. Apparently one man set off as a stick of rock, but by the time I saw him he was covered in ferocious seagulls trying to lick him to death!”
Matt’s artist friend Toby ‘The Sheep Painter’ was taking on his own personal challenge. After downing 10 cupcakes in a minute, a sugar rush kicked in and his left leg suddenly flew back to knock 10 paintings off the wall, much to the hilarity of the crowds assembled outside the gallery.
Having seen the reaction, Matt realised the moment had arrived to attempt his challenge. He grabbed some ladders and climbed to the top of the gallery, before grasping on to the railings above as the ladders were removed.
Within seconds a group of kids arrived from behind the railings and began to chat to Matt while looking down to the pavement far below.
“Why are you doing this?” asked one. “I just like hanging around,” Matt replied. “And my wings are like a shield of steel,” Matt explained.
“But really, why are you doing this?” The children repeated.
Matt told them: “My life is in the hands of the people now– this is Tony Jenkins’ idea.”
At that point Matt counted to three, and dropped to the floor 20ft below. As he dropped, Matt remembers hearing two things: “The gasp of horror from 100 people, as officially verified by Stephan Treehorn. And one of the kids above me shouting, ‘Who’s Tony Jenkins?’”
Matt fell into a perfect gymnastic landing as the marathon onlookers waiting behind the barriers to see either the return of Matt, or an ambulance. Matt arose to another gasp from the now at least hundred-strong crowd. Another challenge was complete, and Matt reflected: “To make 100 people gasp in horror, what a feat. Dropping in is always good fun, but it’s a good job the winner didn’t arrive at the same time, it definitely would have been a challenge to talk my way out of that one.”
Set Matt’s next record-breaking challenge at: www.facebook.com/latest7
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