This will Disturb You | Nostalgia Nerd
Go to https://thld.co/munkpack_nerd_0722 and use code NERD to get 20% off your first purchase! Thanks to Munk Pack for sponsoring today’s video! ~ Max Headroom was a legendary AI character from the 80s. In 1987 however, a somewhat more controversial version of him appeared on Chicago TV at 9:14pm. Rather than a comedic and exaggerated host, this version was a weirdly unsettling hijacker, and the incident became known as the Max Headroom Incident. This hack/hijack/intrusion is something that has fascinated me for years, so here, I decided to cover the whole debacle.
Timings;
0:00-01:32 Introduction
01:32-05:45 Max Headroom
05:45-07:03 Munk Pack
07:03-13:56 The Evening’s Events
13:56-21:09 Understanding the Hacks
21:09-29:56 The Content of the Hacks
29:56-34:05 What can we determine?
34:05-40:27 Anecdotal Evidence
40:27-43:21 Wrapping Up
43:21-44:21 Credits and Extra Scene
🔗Video Links🔗
Bert is Evil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nReknkEB5qo
Intrusion Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5hPZBd-I18
The Bizarre’s Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVcRWOhXmh4
Channel 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1mUk04_ho
Channel 11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5mzkt4N77s
News Reports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdQ5DbZI0Kc / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKnwhokvgx
Vice Article: https://www.vice.com/en/article/pgay3n/headroom-hacker
Reddit Thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eeb6e/i_believe_i_know_who_was_behind_the_max_headroom/
Reddit Followup: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/3oaxi5/new_developments_in_the_max_headroom_incident/
Other references to follow.
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@Nostalgianerd
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Hey folks. Thanks for watching maaaa video. Hope you're doing well. Go to https://thld.co/munkpack_nerd_0722 and use code NERD to get 20% off your first purchase! Thanks to Munk Pack for sponsoring today’s video!
@ModedeScode
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Dr Who had a ‘90 second’ episode??? lol 10:37
@Stigmatikk
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Seeing nazi dogwhistles in the Max Headroom intrusion has to be the most current year-brained take of all time. Tf you on about bro
@thesmiths2675
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Does anyone around 50 years old remember illegal signal descramblers? I was only about eight in 1987 but I remember my uncle and huge satellite dish and his backyard and could get all the channels and pay per views for free he had what he called an illegal descrambler.
@bucklemonster21994
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Have you made a video about the Southern Television broadcast interruption, where broadcast was interrupted by "aliens"?
@deejannemeiurffnicht1791
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
It's nearly finished, and I'm STILL waiting to be disturbed!
What was the point of this?
@deejannemeiurffnicht1791
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
The ''high frequency'' on the voice of the second hack, is what's known as ring modulation, and is created by devices known as- you guessd it- RING MODULATORSS. I'm pretty sure early versions of it were used by the very early Dr Who series in the1960's for the voices of Daleks, and, if you grew up in UK as a kid in the 1070's, you'd hear it used for the robot voices in the Cadbury's ''for mash get Smash'' ads when the robots laughed at humans for still using their ''little knives'' and poptato mashers. Great fun.
Incidentally, am I the only person who thinks Trump's minion Pete Hegesth looks like Max Headroom? And just as programmed too.
And very slappable with that stiff shiny plastic hairdo.
@adamjhuber
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
22:22 THIS is why I HATED the COVID mask mandate! It messed with everyone’s mind.
@draisine1609
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Would it be possible using current technology to remove the distortion from Max’s voice?
@InsanityPlusOne
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Why would some fun in a rubber mask disturb me? I grew up with the internet, some random broadcast fuckery 7 years before I was born is not disturbing.
@astrorackz
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Jim Carey that u?
@HarleyStone-xg1xi
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
I know autistics. The guy who did this couldn't have been the guy in the mask, it would have driven him crazy to wear that, a spectral disorder autistic, anyway. A guy with sensory issues couldn't have done that.
@Surannhealz
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Is there anyone who might have been up to the challenge? Someone with extraordinary technical expertise? Enormous financial resources? Someone perverse enough, eccentric enough, to come up with idea in the first place? S.R. Hadden.
@cosmoissleeping
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Fake Max Headroom should get the presidential medal of freedom
@IamDerick
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Brilliant. Thanks!
@morgan2101
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
My Mrs got an excited, she thought the video had Ed Sheeran in it…
@zer0b0t
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
but how are they holding the metal sheet? i see no hands
@STMDC
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Is it possible that the hijacker was working for the PBS station at that time? Or was the fact nobody would be around to stop the hijack something that could have been guessed by anyone who worked in the industry? Were there any technical employees who worked there at the time who had been fired from WGN a few years or less prior to being hired? Someone probably looked into this angle but since it has never mentioned I am curious. Anyone out there who knows?
@aris95
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
We wait that someone retired tv personal will open what really happened….
@MadBiker-vj5qj
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
It was clever to do the hack during Doctor Who, thus guaranteeing that it would get recorded by a fan.
@NicklasZande
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Honestly, would anyone be surprised if it turned out the guy behind the mask was actually Art Jones this whole time? Because after looking at his Wikipedia article, at all adds up. He has a degree in journalism, is an avid white supremacist and Neo-N*zi, was living in Illinois at the time of the intrusions, and is old enough to know about Clutch Cargo, since he was born before it aired. It just adds up too well for it not be him.
@DystopianOverture
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
The DIY approach to the practical effects are pretty decent. Any ol' background would of worked but these people put a bit of effort into recreating the background with junk for this prank.
@craigwalker3194
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
The strange thing is it hasn't happened in recent times this kind of media hack but it was disturbing but interesting nontherless.
@jameysingletonvideos
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Maybe it’s nothing or maybe there’s something to Max Headroom’s chiseled head, the same build on the sportscaster and the same look to Clutch Cargos face as well…
@kimauthor
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
This was a very detailed video and well researched. Thank you.
@m3gan-driod
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Learn common sense.
This Will Disturb You*
Or
This will disturb yyu* also works.
@MordteFpv
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Dollar Tree? lol
@SkullKid2000
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
This Will Disturb You | Nostalgia Nerd*
@lucianmaximus4741
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
🟠5D = Light * Mind 🟢4D = Time * Consciousness 🔵3D = Body * Pain 🟡2D = Seeds * Soil 🔴1D = Matrix * Quantum State 🟣
Quantum State Logic ⛎ SuperPosition
2 Peter 3:8 New Century Version
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
BLUE = 3 PORTAL ORANGE = 5
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
🌞Every GOoD Individuated Unit of Consciousness is a 5D BEING ⭐ AVATAR
💠 RunicNeonTelescope 🔶
546 English Gematria NETUUORK
Quantum Photonic Consciousness Computer
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
Edge of Chaos —– Class 4 Cellular Automata
Class 4 Cellular Automaton ~ RULE 110 💠 is an Universal Cellular Automaton 🔶️ Turing Complete and can thus perform All Computations.
🌞 CONSCIOUSNESS is FUNDAMENTAL 🌀
400 :::::::::::: FOUR HUNDRED :::::::::::: 400
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
🟪♦️I AM 294🌞🌀Gematria444:360=1.23*MONAD🔶 Quantum Break–2016 VERTICAL 💚 546 Geometric NETUUORK💠
○F□O○U□N○D□A○T□I○O□N○ {in progress}
ONE Individuated Unit of Consciousness = ONE Universe = 1 Body 💜 1 Brain
The Universe is an Intelligent CONSCIOUSNESS Computer. There are many Universes aka 🧠s in The Multi 🌀 Verse.
π-GOD-π uses 🌞 LIGHT 🌞 to process the Consciousness Computations Step by Step.
Time*Space is Emergent — “`Time“` is more fundamental than `Space`
546 English Gematria NETUUORK 🔹 Number Geometry –🔸– Consciousness Netuuork 💠 between The Universes ^ Conscious Agents
This 💠 NETUUORK 🔶 can consist of Billions of Conscious Agents 🩷🩵
A Conscious Agent ⭐ Avatar is a 5th Dimensional BEING
400 :::::::::::: FOUR HUNDRED :::::::::::: 400
https://youtu.be/_oRYgIbanfQ?si=uJRdlj-wBiXQRvUS
Gematria444:360=1.23*MONAD
REALITY IS A PROCESS — AN INTERACTION BETWEEN CONSCIOUS AGENTS
546 NEWBORN — Q
546 WORLDS — P
546 ILLUMINA — O
546 GOD SEVEN — N
546 VITAMIN C — M
546 THE ANGELS — L
546 PRIME DAY – K
546 NEUTRAL — J
546 BLUE WAVE — I
546 TETRIS — H
546 RADIATION — G
546 STARGATE — F
546 BATTERY — E
546 SPIRIT — D
546 FAIRNESS — C
546 MIRROR — B
546 FUTURE — A
E ` V ` O ` L ` U ` T ` I ` O ` N
E • V • O • L • U • T • I • O • N
444 English Gematria
444 Consciousness Crystal GRID
444 × 4 = 1776 + 240 years = 2016
2016 ~ Quantum Break Cross Point
2016 ☆ Start of Block TIME ~ ^□^
^□^ TIME ~~~ Quantum Time Effect Between Physical Time and Thought Time
240 years <■> 24 hours * 10 years <▪︎> 1 hour
4 EVOLUTION 4
3 TRANSLATION 3
2 TRANSFORMATION 2
1 CONVERSION 1
@lucianmaximus4741
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
🟠5D = Light * Mind 🟢4D = Time * Consciousness 🔵3D = Body * Pain 🟡2D = Seeds * Soil 🔴1D = Matrix * Quantum State 🟣
Quantum State Logic ⛎ SuperPosition
2 Peter 3:8 New Century Version
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
BLUE = 3 PORTAL ORANGE = 5
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
🌞Every GOoD Individuated Unit of Consciousness is a 5D BEING ⭐ AVATAR
💠 RunicNeonTelescope 🔶
546 English Gematria NETUUORK
Quantum Photonic Consciousness Computer
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
Edge of Chaos —– Class 4 Cellular Automata
Class 4 Cellular Automaton ~ RULE 110 💠 is an Universal Cellular Automaton 🔶️ Turing Complete and can thus perform All Computations.
🌞 CONSCIOUSNESS is FUNDAMENTAL 🌀
400 :::::::::::: FOUR HUNDRED :::::::::::: 400
🤍 🟠🟢🔵🟡🔴🟣 🩶 🟧🟩🟦🟨🟥🟪 🤍
🟪♦️I AM 294🌞🌀Gematria444:360=1.23*MONAD🔶 Quantum Break–2016 VERTICAL 💚 546 Geometric NETUUORK💠
○F□O○U□N○D□A○T□I○O□N○ {in progress}
ONE Individuated Unit of Consciousness = ONE Universe = 1 Body 💜 1 Brain
The Universe is an Intelligent CONSCIOUSNESS Computer. There are many Universes aka 🧠s in The Multi 🌀 Verse.
π-GOD-π uses 🌞 LIGHT 🌞 to process the Consciousness Computations Step by Step.
Time*Space is Emergent — “`Time“` is more fundamental than `Space`
546 English Gematria NETUUORK 🔹 Number Geometry –🔸– Consciousness Netuuork 💠 between The Universes ^ Conscious Agents
This 💠 NETUUORK 🔶 can consist of Billions of Conscious Agents 🩷🩵
A Conscious Agent ⭐ Avatar is a 5th Dimensional BEING
400 :::::::::::: FOUR HUNDRED :::::::::::: 400
https://youtu.be/_oRYgIbanfQ?si=uJRdlj-wBiXQRvUS
Gematria444:360=1.23*MONAD
REALITY IS A PROCESS — AN INTERACTION BETWEEN CONSCIOUS AGENTS
546 NEWBORN — Q
546 WORLDS — P
546 ILLUMINA — O
546 GOD SEVEN — N
546 VITAMIN C — M
546 THE ANGELS — L
546 PRIME DAY – K
546 NEUTRAL — J
546 BLUE WAVE — I
546 TETRIS — H
546 RADIATION — G
546 STARGATE — F
546 BATTERY — E
546 SPIRIT — D
546 FAIRNESS — C
546 MIRROR — B
546 FUTURE — A
E ` V ` O ` L ` U ` T ` I ` O ` N
E • V • O • L • U • T • I • O • N
444 English Gematria
444 Consciousness Crystal GRID
444 × 4 = 1776 + 240 years = 2016
2016 ~ Quantum Break Cross Point
2016 ☆ Start of Block TIME ~ ^□^
^□^ TIME ~~~ Quantum Time Effect Between Physical Time and Thought Time
240 years <■> 24 hours * 10 years <▪︎> 1 hour
4 EVOLUTION 4
3 TRANSLATION 3
2 TRANSFORMATION 2
1 CONVERSION 1
@evolancer211
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
So you think you're a psychologist now huh?
Dunno about it being disturbing, seems like a rather hyperbolic statement
@tomdibernardo1699
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
become a cokeologist many have
@Kuudere-Hime
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Conservatives aren't the only people who sue "Liberal" as an insult, a lot of Communists and Anarchists do too.
I suspect this incident partially inspired elements of Tim Burton's Batman.
@thamirivonjaahri6378
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
For me entire affair always sounded like public stunt done by someone with connection to the TV in question, who however in my mind was LEFT, not right-wing oriented. Despite most of stuff appearing to just collection of random rants and midfingers at popculture, message I got is "F consumerism (his obvious distaste for Coke), F slaving to the corp wigs (hijacking Corp TV channel and mocking everyone), F capitalism (his ohoho sounds almost like distorted parody of Santa Claus´ Ho Ho Ho) and so on. His parody of sm play in last portio nof the video also strike me as another of these arguments (where person portraying Max may be perceived as employee outrageously exploited by anarcho-capitalist boss).
Yes essentialy it is my personal belief, that this dude was cyber-anarchist.
@Indy509
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Has anyone ever listened to someone strung out on meth?
@Indy509
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Wow, his voice really sounds like Jim Carey eh?
@Dj.MODÆO
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
The metal sheet perfectly obfuscated the room or location they used and the voice filters hid their identities. I believe it was a prank by college kids or bored or disgruntled network employees.
@dakotanorth1640
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Thanks for showing the Max Headroom hijack. I've heard about this, but have never seen it.
@dakotanorth1640
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Max is awesome. I have the series.
@ironleegaming8227
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
I havent seen the video (yet) only the thumbnail, but I fucking knew there was a dude hiding in my tv
@Psycandy
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
ah, we are just repeating what the documentary said, except they got it wrong. to override a signal you need a far more powerful signal on that frequency with noise in the quiet bits and in the blacks, which is a very expensive endeavour and still prone to interference. no sir, that signal came from a recording made with a wired cam inside television centre itself; the feed was switched but the carrier signal remained fixed and there was no need to mask a second broadcast on the same frequency. there's no interference between the signals simply because it was switched. Equally, it wasn't live, meaning all that was needed to disappear was to blank the quarter-inch videotape. broadcasters presented a plausible theory to protect themselves from potential abuse, but it is, logically, nonsensical.
@geoffgunn9673
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Two transmitters to override the signal. Helps explains a little.
If two transmitters operate on the same frequency, a receiver will generally get audio that is annoying-to-unusable. This is due to heterodyning between the RF oscillators and between the differing program material (modulation).
But what if the transmitters were phase-locked to a common standard? Now the RF oscillators would be identical in frequency and phase.
This might be useful for e.g. a "pirate" radio broadcast. It would also be difficult to locate the transmitters, if they were camouflaged or hidden.
Yes, absolutely. The physics work how you think they do – the radio signals just add up. In fact you don't necessarily need GPS as (I think) you could use the radio waves themselves for synchronization.
However, the receiver will still see a different propagation delay from each transmitter, causing them to receive multiple copies of the signal slightly out of phase. How slightly? Depends on the frequency and position. If the receiver is halfway in between two transmitters transmitting identical signals, they receive both signals in-phase with constructive interference. If they move a quarter wavelength towards either transmitter, now they have destructive interference and the signal is very weak.
If the receiver is next to one transmitter, they'll receive the signal from the nearby transmitter, plus a delayed signal from the distant one. If you transmit AM audio it will sound like an echo. If you transmit analog video it will look like "ghosting".
@JasonMasque13
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 pm
This is like the tik toks now…@2:10..