Nik Wallenda is going to tightrope walk between two Chicago skyscrapers on live TV
Jerry Markland/Getty Images
One death-defying stunt wasn't enough for daredevil Nik Wallenda. Discovery is banking on recapturing the ratings magic of his tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon this fall with an urban-themed stunt. This time, Wallenda will tightrope-walk between two Chicago skyscrapers in a live special called Skywire Live With Nik Wallenda.
Wallenda originally wanted to walk between two buildings without a harness in New York, but the city nixed his plans. Since Discovery is still in the permit application process, it's so far unclear where Wallenda will cross, though it should be noted that Chicago is home to the 1,451-foot-tall Willis Tower.
Judging by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's reaction, it doesn't sound like Wallenda is going to have any trouble receiving the permits. "Chicago is home to the first skyscraper and has played host to countless world events, and this will be one for the history books," he said.
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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.
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