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Hey.
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Everyone in New York
is going to die.
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But sometimes the city tries
to stop that from happening.
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00:00:26,244 --> 00:00:30,311
Many people worry about things
that can kill them at eye level.
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00:00:30,378 --> 00:00:32,812
But you're probably more likely
to be destroyed
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by something above you.
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This is why
the city has installed
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a sprawling network
of temporary sidewalk shelters
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00:00:40,912 --> 00:00:43,845
to protect pedestrians
from falling objects.
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This is called scaffolding,
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00:00:46,578 --> 00:00:48,945
and almost everywhere
you look in Manhattan,
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00:00:49,011 --> 00:00:51,712
you are guaranteed to see
some form of it.
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It's as common
as a fire hydrant...
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00:00:55,211 --> 00:00:57,378
or a honking horn,
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00:00:57,445 --> 00:00:59,111
but most New Yorkers
don't even seem to
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give it a second thought.
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So, do you have strong thoughts
about scaffolding?
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00:01:03,378 --> 00:01:04,578
No, not at the moment.
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I didn't understand why
there was so much of it
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in New York,
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so I went on an expedition
to figure out
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why anyone would wanna cover up
such a handsome city
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in so much scaffolding.
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There wasn't always this much
scaffolding in New York.
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The island of Manhattan
was a lush, green paradise.
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But ever since the Dutch
came across the sea
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and colonized
this unspoiled virgin island,
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New York has been a casualty
to man's ravenous appetite
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00:01:44,778 --> 00:01:46,278
for over-development.
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00:01:47,511 --> 00:01:51,044
Once the original settlers
tamed the bedrock,
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the only other direction
to build was upwards,
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towards the heavens.
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At this point,
New York has some of the oldest,
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00:02:00,211 --> 00:02:03,978
tallest, uh, most historic
buildings in the country.
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00:02:04,044 --> 00:02:06,445
But their toxic relationship
with gravity
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00:02:06,511 --> 00:02:09,244
has, uh, turned them
into a fatal liability.
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00:02:10,445 --> 00:02:13,645
In 1979, a young student
was hit by a brick
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00:02:13,712 --> 00:02:16,978
that fell off the facade
of a building and killed her.
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00:02:18,178 --> 00:02:21,278
This is the intersection
where it happened, right here.
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Her name was Grace Gold.
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00:02:24,311 --> 00:02:26,511
And they renamed the street
after her, uh,
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a few years later.
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After she died,
the city passed a local law
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which basically says that
every building in New York
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has to have their façade
inspected every five years,
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whether the building needs it
or not.
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00:02:40,845 --> 00:02:42,978
This turned
New York City scaffolding
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into an eight-billion-dollar-
a-year industry.
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00:02:46,111 --> 00:02:49,144
And it doesn't seem like
it's gonna be slowing down
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00:02:49,211 --> 00:02:50,478
anytime soon.
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00:03:27,678 --> 00:03:31,678
The average scaffold is
made of a few simple elements.
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Your main vertical pole
is called the standard,
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00:03:34,678 --> 00:03:36,678
or sometimes the upright.
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00:03:37,712 --> 00:03:40,345
These are usually made of steel
or aluminum.
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And, um...
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Uh...
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The people
that put up scaffolding
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00:03:47,478 --> 00:03:50,311
are affectionately known
as "scaffies."
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00:03:50,378 --> 00:03:52,778
And they may do more
to alter the landscape
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00:03:52,845 --> 00:03:55,111
than any other group of people
in New York.
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00:03:56,978 --> 00:03:59,345
They are a polarizing bunch.
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00:03:59,411 --> 00:04:05,011
Uh... they seem like
a vigorous and virile breed.
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00:04:05,078 --> 00:04:08,645
But there are also hierarchies,
uh, within the business
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00:04:08,712 --> 00:04:10,745
that most people
may be unaware of.
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00:04:12,311 --> 00:04:14,778
A scaffie is someone
that actually erects
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00:04:14,845 --> 00:04:16,144
most of the structure.
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00:04:17,578 --> 00:04:20,244
A "groundie" is someone
that yells at a scaffie
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00:04:20,311 --> 00:04:23,478
from the street to make sure
they're doing the right thing.
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00:04:23,545 --> 00:04:26,478
The "plankie" is in charge
of all the wood.
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00:04:27,578 --> 00:04:31,578
The "flagger" tells civilians
where to walk,
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00:04:31,645 --> 00:04:34,945
uh, while the "beam boys"
move the steel overhead.
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00:04:36,211 --> 00:04:39,078
The "foremen" make sure
that everything is done
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00:04:39,144 --> 00:04:42,378
according to
OSHA safety standards.
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00:04:43,778 --> 00:04:47,244
Every crew has a...
A "hammer guy," uh, just one.
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00:04:49,078 --> 00:04:52,345
Or sometimes two.
Two hammer guys.
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00:04:52,411 --> 00:04:55,878
Uh, the "roll-dog" drives
the crew between job sites.
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00:04:57,044 --> 00:04:59,611
The "bathroom attendant"
gives them a...
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00:05:00,211 --> 00:05:01,411
A pot to piss in.
79
00:05:02,645 --> 00:05:06,578
The "sweetman" cools them down
at the end of a long afternoon.
80
00:05:06,645 --> 00:05:09,845
And Spot here, uh,
grabs them the paper.
81
00:05:09,912 --> 00:05:11,978
Atta boy.
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00:05:12,044 --> 00:05:13,745
And when they all work together,
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00:05:13,812 --> 00:05:16,578
this glorious ballet
produces a majority
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00:05:16,645 --> 00:05:19,712
of New York's roughly
280 miles of scaffolding.
85
00:05:22,478 --> 00:05:25,011
Because scaffolding
is only meant to be temporary,
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00:05:25,078 --> 00:05:29,011
the people who put it up
usually don't care how it looks.
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00:05:29,078 --> 00:05:31,578
At best, the design
of most scaffolding
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00:05:31,645 --> 00:05:33,411
is aggressively neutral.
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00:05:33,478 --> 00:05:34,945
But a lot of people see this
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00:05:35,011 --> 00:05:37,912
as a divine opportunity
to personalize it
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00:05:37,978 --> 00:05:39,244
and make it their own.
92
00:05:40,611 --> 00:05:43,912
Outside of this building,
they covered it in fake vines,
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00:05:43,978 --> 00:05:46,244
which makes it feel
like you're waltzing
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00:05:46,311 --> 00:05:49,278
through some kind
of Italian villa.
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00:05:55,778 --> 00:05:58,845
Just about every culture
has made scaffolding its own.
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00:06:24,945 --> 00:06:27,425
Many residents of New York
have discovered practical ways
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00:06:27,478 --> 00:06:30,044
to make use of scaffolding.
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00:06:30,111 --> 00:06:33,378
This person turned it into
a... a public fitness center.
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00:06:34,378 --> 00:06:36,945
This person is using scaffolding
as an office.
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00:06:38,545 --> 00:06:42,678
This person, uh, turned it
into a ba... a bathroom.
101
00:06:42,745 --> 00:06:45,778
These people turned it
into a bedroom.
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00:06:45,845 --> 00:06:47,778
This person turned it
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00:06:47,845 --> 00:06:50,611
into their own personal
concert venue.
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00:06:50,678 --> 00:06:52,611
When I asked him
how to get to Carnegie Hall,
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00:06:52,678 --> 00:06:55,812
he said, uh, he didn't know.
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00:06:55,878 --> 00:06:57,645
I pass these guys every day,
107
00:06:57,712 --> 00:06:59,611
and they're always
playing backgammon
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00:06:59,678 --> 00:07:01,812
underneath the scaffolding...
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00:07:01,878 --> 00:07:04,545
day and night,
in every kind of weather.
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00:07:06,645 --> 00:07:09,044
I even met someone
who used scaffolding
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00:07:09,111 --> 00:07:10,945
on a romantic date.
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00:07:11,011 --> 00:07:13,578
He had scaffolding set up
on the side of his house.
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00:07:14,278 --> 00:07:15,978
It was in Hawaii.
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00:07:16,044 --> 00:07:17,778
He left me outside
when it rained.
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00:07:18,545 --> 00:07:20,278
That was interesting.
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00:07:20,345 --> 00:07:22,812
- Like this?
- Yep, yep.
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00:07:22,878 --> 00:07:25,078
But picture, um...
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00:07:25,144 --> 00:07:26,645
of course, without clothes.
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00:07:26,712 --> 00:07:29,345
Because, like I said,
he was a nudist.
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00:07:29,411 --> 00:07:32,445
And, uh, that's the time
he came in with the blindfold,
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00:07:32,511 --> 00:07:34,311
he used a whip on me.
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00:07:34,378 --> 00:07:38,611
And, um, he... he edged me
while I was blindfolded,
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00:07:38,678 --> 00:07:40,278
then he'd just walk away.
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00:07:40,345 --> 00:07:43,111
And, um, session lasted
about two hours.
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00:07:43,178 --> 00:07:44,745
And then he did finish me off,
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00:07:44,812 --> 00:07:46,978
and I squirted
all over the floor.
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00:07:51,044 --> 00:07:52,978
I went to a museum in Queens,
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00:07:53,044 --> 00:07:55,011
and they had an art installation
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00:07:55,078 --> 00:07:58,111
that was entirely made
out of scaffolding.
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00:07:58,178 --> 00:08:02,645
It was heavily decorated with,
uh, waterfalls and stuff...
131
00:08:02,712 --> 00:08:04,978
and even a bunch of hammocks
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00:08:05,044 --> 00:08:06,511
that people could relax on.
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00:08:07,511 --> 00:08:09,578
They even paid 22 dollars each
134
00:08:09,645 --> 00:08:12,978
for the chance to admire it
and interact with it.
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00:08:14,178 --> 00:08:16,111
I guess it doesn't take much
to transform
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00:08:16,178 --> 00:08:19,545
such a common object
into something extraordinary.
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00:08:19,611 --> 00:08:22,311
It's kind of like
when a superhero puts on a cape
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00:08:22,378 --> 00:08:26,478
and for some reason, no one
can recognize them anymore.
139
00:08:26,545 --> 00:08:29,545
And when I left, I noticed
that every single building
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00:08:29,611 --> 00:08:32,945
outside the museum had
scaffolding up in front of it.
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00:08:33,011 --> 00:08:36,178
But nobody seemed to want
to interact with this stuff.
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00:08:39,345 --> 00:08:40,645
Since the dawn of cinema,
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scaffolding has
offered a setting
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for some of our
wildest fantasies.
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00:08:45,845 --> 00:08:47,878
Countless action scenes
have taken place
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00:08:47,945 --> 00:08:49,745
on or around scaffolding.
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00:08:51,411 --> 00:08:53,745
This includes pretty much
every movie
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00:08:53,812 --> 00:08:55,645
that Jackie Chan
has ever been in.
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00:08:56,878 --> 00:08:59,645
It seems like the poor guy
just can't catch a break
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00:08:59,712 --> 00:09:01,611
whenever there's construction
going on.
151
00:09:04,545 --> 00:09:08,011
It's probably so popular
because it's a modular set piece
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00:09:08,078 --> 00:09:10,178
that is stable enough
to fight on
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00:09:10,244 --> 00:09:12,311
and makes sense in almost
any environment.
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00:09:13,511 --> 00:09:16,111
It often transmits that
whatever property they're on
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is not worthy of respect,
156
00:09:17,945 --> 00:09:20,044
and that any damage they do
to the structure
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00:09:20,111 --> 00:09:21,511
is of no significance.
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00:09:23,244 --> 00:09:24,945
It's a great place
for comedy too...
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00:09:27,278 --> 00:09:28,378
and drama.
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00:09:31,611 --> 00:09:33,611
It's industrial, yet romantic,
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00:09:33,678 --> 00:09:36,244
and its erotic qualities
cannot be denied.
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00:09:38,745 --> 00:09:40,278
There are a lot
of iconic buildings
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00:09:40,345 --> 00:09:43,945
that show up all the time
in movies about New York City.
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There's usually never anything
obstructing them
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00:09:46,044 --> 00:09:49,411
in the establishing shots,
but in reality,
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00:09:49,478 --> 00:09:51,545
all of these buildings
are usually covered
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00:09:51,611 --> 00:09:53,411
by a bunch of scaffolding.
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00:09:55,078 --> 00:09:58,345
Here's the Flatiron Building
in The Usual Suspects...
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00:09:59,278 --> 00:10:01,478
and here's what it usually
looks like.
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00:10:04,011 --> 00:10:05,411
Here's the Plaza Hotel
171
00:10:05,478 --> 00:10:07,712
in the background
of Midnight Cowboy...
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00:10:08,445 --> 00:10:11,111
and here it is in real life.
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00:10:13,211 --> 00:10:17,411
Here's Tiffany's in the movie
Breakfast at Tiffany's...
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00:10:17,478 --> 00:10:20,478
and here...
And there's scaffolding.
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00:10:21,678 --> 00:10:25,511
Here's 101 Park Avenue
in Gremlins 2,
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00:10:25,578 --> 00:10:27,978
and it seems like
it's one of the few buildings
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00:10:28,044 --> 00:10:30,011
that's untouched in real...
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00:10:30,078 --> 00:10:32,411
Nope, actually, there...
There's scaffolding there too.
179
00:10:34,645 --> 00:10:37,545
We cover ourselves
in scaffolding all the time.
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00:10:38,511 --> 00:10:41,345
Uh, braces are scaffolding
of the mouth.
181
00:10:42,311 --> 00:10:44,845
A cast can be a scaffold
for the limbs.
182
00:10:45,878 --> 00:10:49,411
A brassiere is scaffolding
for the breast.
183
00:10:49,478 --> 00:10:52,545
These things give us structure,
support, and protection.
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00:10:53,812 --> 00:10:56,345
We even have scaffolding
in our bodies,
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00:10:56,411 --> 00:10:58,011
inside every cell.
186
00:10:58,078 --> 00:11:00,578
Um, this is
the scaffolding protein
187
00:11:00,645 --> 00:11:01,978
- in pink here.
- Ah.
188
00:11:02,044 --> 00:11:04,020
And this is
the three different proteins
189
00:11:04,044 --> 00:11:06,478
you might have positioned on it
that need to work together.
190
00:11:06,545 --> 00:11:08,387
Could we live
without scaffolding proteins
191
00:11:08,411 --> 00:11:11,244
- in our bodies?
- No. No.
192
00:11:11,311 --> 00:11:13,745
But not everyone
likes scaffolding.
193
00:11:15,945 --> 00:11:17,011
Hit me in the head.
194
00:11:17,078 --> 00:11:18,645
'Cause these guys are up there,
195
00:11:18,712 --> 00:11:20,411
and they don't know
what they're doing.
196
00:11:20,478 --> 00:11:23,345
And they... they're
barely able to hold it up.
197
00:11:23,411 --> 00:11:24,745
And you're walking underneath...
198
00:11:24,812 --> 00:11:27,578
And one time,
a piece actually fell,
199
00:11:27,645 --> 00:11:29,611
and it was maybe
about eight feet away from me,
200
00:11:29,678 --> 00:11:30,878
but it was about that far away
201
00:11:30,912 --> 00:11:32,645
from the pregnant woman
in front of me.
202
00:11:32,712 --> 00:11:35,178
So we both got hysterical.
203
00:11:35,244 --> 00:11:38,345
A lot of people complain
that it interrupts foot traffic
204
00:11:38,411 --> 00:11:41,111
and obscures the signage of, uh,
205
00:11:41,178 --> 00:11:43,011
beloved businesses underneath.
206
00:11:44,445 --> 00:11:48,278
This lawyer had an amazing view,
but not anymore.
207
00:11:50,778 --> 00:11:53,611
A lot of trees don't receive
the light that they deserve
208
00:11:53,678 --> 00:11:55,011
underneath all this stuff.
209
00:11:56,411 --> 00:11:59,244
It decreases property value
sometimes,
210
00:11:59,311 --> 00:12:02,311
and also decreases
the quality of life
211
00:12:04,745 --> 00:12:07,878
This scaffolding
has been up for...
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00:12:07,945 --> 00:12:10,178
- ...for over a year now.
- Oh, really?
213
00:12:11,011 --> 00:12:13,144
Uh, it's...
214
00:12:17,044 --> 00:12:20,778
This, uh, it blocks
your view of the street.
215
00:12:20,845 --> 00:12:22,845
We have some
nice trees out here.
216
00:12:22,912 --> 00:12:24,645
You can't see the trees.
217
00:12:24,712 --> 00:12:27,745
We've had people drilling
outside.
218
00:12:27,812 --> 00:12:29,111
You know...
219
00:12:29,178 --> 00:12:32,511
It's... It's depressing.
It's just depressing.
220
00:12:34,278 --> 00:12:36,812
Sometimes people
even spontaneously snap
221
00:12:36,878 --> 00:12:38,878
and try to take it down
themselves.
222
00:12:39,678 --> 00:12:41,244
But if you really can't stand
223
00:12:41,311 --> 00:12:43,011
scaffolding outside
of your building,
224
00:12:43,078 --> 00:12:44,912
the most effective
removal method
225
00:12:44,978 --> 00:12:49,244
is to hop into a cab, uh,
put on your seat belt,
226
00:12:49,311 --> 00:12:53,111
and tell the driver
to plow strai... to... to...
227
00:12:53,178 --> 00:12:54,878
To drive directly into it.
228
00:12:54,945 --> 00:12:58,812
Um, then, they'll have to
take it all down.
229
00:12:58,878 --> 00:13:02,712
And everyone will thank you
for your service.
230
00:13:04,745 --> 00:13:06,745
Most New Yorkers
will put up with anything
231
00:13:06,812 --> 00:13:08,511
as long as they know
it's temporary.
232
00:13:10,411 --> 00:13:11,945
But for some people,
233
00:13:12,011 --> 00:13:15,244
the temporary nature
of something can be the problem.
234
00:13:15,311 --> 00:13:16,554
You won't know there's...
235
00:13:16,578 --> 00:13:18,498
There's a pole there
until you run right into it.
236
00:13:19,345 --> 00:13:20,912
Uh, the ones I really hate
237
00:13:20,978 --> 00:13:24,445
is when you got poles that are,
uh, elevated mostly,
238
00:13:24,511 --> 00:13:26,611
um, like chest level,
239
00:13:26,678 --> 00:13:28,845
uh, stomach level,
or even head level,
240
00:13:28,912 --> 00:13:31,011
where the cane can actually...
241
00:13:31,078 --> 00:13:33,712
glide under... under it
and it won't detect it.
242
00:13:33,778 --> 00:13:36,478
And you won't know there's
a pole there until you hit it.
243
00:13:36,545 --> 00:13:38,378
- You see how this one is lower?
- Yeah.
244
00:13:38,445 --> 00:13:40,678
So, immediately, I would, uh,
245
00:13:40,745 --> 00:13:43,078
immediately try to go
around this if I feel it.
246
00:13:44,244 --> 00:13:45,712
Goes right underneath.
247
00:13:45,778 --> 00:13:46,812
Uh, yeah, it'd be great
248
00:13:46,878 --> 00:13:48,578
to live in a city
without scaffolding.
249
00:13:49,478 --> 00:13:51,945
But, um, unfortunately, uh...
250
00:13:52,945 --> 00:13:55,111
you know,
you work with what you got.
251
00:14:00,611 --> 00:14:02,078
About a decade ago,
252
00:14:02,144 --> 00:14:04,745
I had this job where
I had to wake up at 4 a.m.
253
00:14:04,812 --> 00:14:08,011
and go film infomercials
that were broadcast live
254
00:14:08,078 --> 00:14:10,745
to local cable stations
around the country.
255
00:14:12,345 --> 00:14:15,545
It was right here
at 229 West 36th Street.
256
00:14:16,345 --> 00:14:19,044
I spent many, many cold mornings
257
00:14:19,111 --> 00:14:21,111
waiting for someone
to buzz me in
258
00:14:21,178 --> 00:14:24,011
so I could go
shoot some infomercials.
259
00:14:25,311 --> 00:14:27,845
This is one of the things
that I shot.
260
00:14:27,912 --> 00:14:31,545
I was instructed to film
the beef exactly like this,
261
00:14:31,611 --> 00:14:33,144
for ten hours straight.
262
00:14:33,211 --> 00:14:35,778
So, they're just wonderful.
They're all the buzz right now.
263
00:14:35,845 --> 00:14:38,278
Sweet and savory,
just delicious.
264
00:14:38,345 --> 00:14:39,945
Your guests will love them,
265
00:14:40,011 --> 00:14:43,878
and you will totally take them
to Roast-Beef-atopia.
266
00:14:43,945 --> 00:14:46,211
I remember
after the first one I did,
267
00:14:46,278 --> 00:14:47,978
I told myself that
I would never return
268
00:14:48,044 --> 00:14:49,745
under any circumstances.
269
00:14:50,545 --> 00:14:52,611
But five years later,
270
00:14:52,678 --> 00:14:55,878
I was still somehow standing
behind the same camera,
271
00:14:55,945 --> 00:14:58,678
filming the same beef
the same way.
272
00:14:58,745 --> 00:15:00,354
Look at all that great food,
273
00:15:00,378 --> 00:15:03,545
hand-trimmed to exacting
specifications...
274
00:15:03,611 --> 00:15:05,211
I was afraid
I wouldn't be able to
275
00:15:05,278 --> 00:15:07,244
support myself
without steady work,
276
00:15:07,311 --> 00:15:10,211
even though I knew in my heart
that I was helping to create
277
00:15:10,278 --> 00:15:13,745
some of the most grotesque
content on the planet.
278
00:15:17,978 --> 00:15:20,978
It's really easy to settle for
something that you don't like.
279
00:15:22,178 --> 00:15:23,845
Because if you never admit
280
00:15:23,912 --> 00:15:26,178
you're unhappy with something...
281
00:15:26,244 --> 00:15:28,712
then you never have
to change anything.
282
00:15:30,478 --> 00:15:33,878
Most of us don't speak up
when we're dissatisfied...
283
00:15:35,445 --> 00:15:38,244
and then things just
begin to accumulate
284
00:15:38,311 --> 00:15:42,445
until you can't really
imagine an alternative.
285
00:15:44,678 --> 00:15:47,678
You could end a relationship
that offers you nothing,
286
00:15:47,745 --> 00:15:51,011
or you could just
stay in it indefinitely
287
00:15:51,078 --> 00:15:54,278
because it's too hard
to move on.
288
00:15:57,345 --> 00:16:00,411
This scaffolding has been up
for over 20 years.
289
00:16:01,411 --> 00:16:04,111
It's at 409 Edgecombe Avenue
290
00:16:04,178 --> 00:16:07,378
in the Sugar Hill area
of Harlem.
291
00:16:07,445 --> 00:16:09,712
Yeah, it's been here
my entire life.
292
00:16:09,778 --> 00:16:12,311
I don't know when it was put up,
293
00:16:12,378 --> 00:16:14,878
when they plan on
bringing it down. It's...
294
00:16:14,945 --> 00:16:16,220
It's just something
that's been here.
295
00:16:16,244 --> 00:16:19,345
Like, I... I know we used it
for, like, sports and games.
296
00:16:19,411 --> 00:16:20,912
I know I used to play,
like, manhunt,
297
00:16:20,978 --> 00:16:23,244
and we used to climb up this
and just run it.
298
00:16:23,311 --> 00:16:24,511
You know, to me, I...
299
00:16:24,578 --> 00:16:27,912
I've known it my whole life,
so, to me, it is a landmark.
300
00:16:27,978 --> 00:16:31,511
But despite whatever
emotional attachment you have...
301
00:16:31,578 --> 00:16:34,278
scaffolding was never designed
to be up for this long.
302
00:16:37,478 --> 00:16:39,678
I was walking down
Fifth Avenue recently,
303
00:16:39,745 --> 00:16:43,645
and I saw that a bunch of
scaffolding had just collapsed.
304
00:16:43,712 --> 00:16:46,211
There were broken planks
and bricks everywhere,
305
00:16:46,278 --> 00:16:48,011
but thankfully, nobody was hurt.
306
00:16:49,778 --> 00:16:51,411
It seemed like
all this old scaffolding
307
00:16:51,478 --> 00:16:53,611
was a ticking time bomb.
308
00:16:53,678 --> 00:16:56,978
But instead of figuring out
a way to get it down sooner,
309
00:16:57,044 --> 00:16:58,611
the only noticeable innovation
310
00:16:58,678 --> 00:17:01,244
has been to make it
more stylish.
311
00:17:02,478 --> 00:17:06,211
In 2009, they held a
scaffolding design competition,
312
00:17:06,278 --> 00:17:08,578
and this thing won.
313
00:17:10,745 --> 00:17:12,044
Not long after,
314
00:17:12,111 --> 00:17:15,211
its creamy, pearly-white pillars
315
00:17:15,278 --> 00:17:19,078
started to pop up on some of the
city's more genteel buildings.
316
00:17:20,578 --> 00:17:23,445
Although it may be brighter
and less cave-like,
317
00:17:23,511 --> 00:17:26,578
this new scaffold seems
a lot less customizable.
318
00:17:27,511 --> 00:17:30,044
There are fewer places
to hang things.
319
00:17:30,111 --> 00:17:32,311
And I can't imagine
an action scene
320
00:17:32,378 --> 00:17:33,578
working the same way.
321
00:17:34,812 --> 00:17:37,978
It's almost as if it wants
New York to be a different city,
322
00:17:38,044 --> 00:17:40,111
where it looks like
every building
323
00:17:40,178 --> 00:17:41,645
shops at the same store.
324
00:17:42,645 --> 00:17:44,611
And I'm not sure that
turning scaffolding
325
00:17:44,678 --> 00:17:47,978
into a status symbol
is really making us any safer.
326
00:17:49,978 --> 00:17:52,678
Fortunately, there was
a scaffolding convention
327
00:17:52,745 --> 00:17:54,912
happening, uh,
down in New Orleans.
328
00:17:54,978 --> 00:17:56,311
So I went down there
329
00:17:56,378 --> 00:17:58,478
to see if there was
a solution on the horizon
330
00:17:58,545 --> 00:18:00,078
that could work for everyone.
331
00:18:03,445 --> 00:18:05,078
When I checked in
to the Sheraton,
332
00:18:05,144 --> 00:18:06,278
I could already see signs
333
00:18:06,345 --> 00:18:09,378
that the scaffolding industry
had invaded.
334
00:18:09,445 --> 00:18:10,821
This was supposed to be
the cutting edge
335
00:18:10,845 --> 00:18:12,478
of scaffold technology,
336
00:18:12,545 --> 00:18:15,445
and I was, uh,
I was very excited.
337
00:18:31,778 --> 00:18:34,078
- Did you invent this?
- Yeah.
338
00:18:34,144 --> 00:18:36,011
Uh, why did you invent this?
339
00:18:36,078 --> 00:18:38,812
Because I had a window cleaner
fall off a building and die.
340
00:18:39,411 --> 00:18:40,778
Oh.
341
00:18:43,712 --> 00:18:45,921
And we can make it 13 feet long.
342
00:18:45,945 --> 00:18:47,311
It's an eight-footer now,
but we...
343
00:18:47,378 --> 00:18:48,938
That's a small side brush,
so we can add
344
00:18:48,978 --> 00:18:50,778
two side brushes
and it'll clean...
345
00:18:50,845 --> 00:18:53,078
It'll clean almost
twice as much.
346
00:18:54,978 --> 00:18:56,011
Wow.
347
00:18:57,378 --> 00:18:59,178
I only talked
to a couple of people
348
00:18:59,244 --> 00:19:02,111
before the organizers
of the convention approached me
349
00:19:02,178 --> 00:19:04,178
and told me that I needed
to stop filming.
350
00:19:04,244 --> 00:19:05,411
Uh, why is that?
351
00:19:08,011 --> 00:19:09,378
Yes.
352
00:19:09,445 --> 00:19:11,587
They said that there were
too many industry secrets here,
353
00:19:11,611 --> 00:19:13,945
and I couldn't be trusted
not to steal them.
354
00:19:14,011 --> 00:19:15,478
So I can't go around...
355
00:19:17,078 --> 00:19:18,111
All right.
356
00:19:18,745 --> 00:19:20,445
I was crushed.
357
00:19:20,511 --> 00:19:22,278
But thankfully,
there were a bunch of
358
00:19:22,345 --> 00:19:24,511
scaffolding people
hanging around outside,
359
00:19:24,578 --> 00:19:27,345
and they were fine telling me
all their secrets.
360
00:19:27,411 --> 00:19:30,445
Business is good,
business is booming, uh,
361
00:19:30,511 --> 00:19:33,445
our s... our sales
are increasing year over year.
362
00:19:33,511 --> 00:19:34,954
If you're in New York City,
you will...
363
00:19:34,978 --> 00:19:36,354
You will never
get away from scaffolding,
364
00:19:36,378 --> 00:19:37,788
I can promise you that.
365
00:19:37,812 --> 00:19:40,912
Do you worry
about stuff falling on you, uh,
366
00:19:40,978 --> 00:19:42,678
when you walk around cities?
367
00:19:42,745 --> 00:19:44,845
- Oh, yes. Yes.
- Sometimes, yes.
368
00:19:44,912 --> 00:19:47,078
Unless my husband has done
the scaffolding,
369
00:19:47,144 --> 00:19:48,345
I don't worry about it.
370
00:19:48,411 --> 00:19:50,251
When you see
a well-done scaffolding job,
371
00:19:50,311 --> 00:19:51,511
do you see beauty?
372
00:19:51,578 --> 00:19:52,778
- Yes.
- Yes.
373
00:19:52,845 --> 00:19:54,812
- And safety.
- Yes.
374
00:19:54,878 --> 00:19:56,345
Can scaffolding be art?
375
00:19:56,411 --> 00:19:58,211
- Yes, it can. It is art.
- It is. Yes.
376
00:19:58,278 --> 00:19:59,311
- It is art.
- It is art.
377
00:20:00,511 --> 00:20:02,078
Walking around downtown,
378
00:20:02,144 --> 00:20:04,678
I actually didn't even see
any scaffolding.
379
00:20:06,078 --> 00:20:08,912
Maybe this is because all
the scaffolding in New Orleans
380
00:20:08,978 --> 00:20:12,878
was actually built into
the architecture down here.
381
00:20:13,745 --> 00:20:16,445
It was a beautiful alternative.
382
00:20:16,511 --> 00:20:19,511
Would New York be better off
if we had something permanent
383
00:20:19,578 --> 00:20:22,244
instead of this temporary stuff
being erected
384
00:20:22,311 --> 00:20:23,912
and dismantled all the time?
385
00:20:25,278 --> 00:20:26,445
Is this what it looks like
386
00:20:26,511 --> 00:20:28,712
when you finally commit
to something?
387
00:20:30,645 --> 00:20:33,211
The locals here were lucky
to live in a state of bliss
388
00:20:33,278 --> 00:20:36,345
enjoyed only by those
ignorant of scaffolding.
389
00:20:36,411 --> 00:20:38,211
What are your thoughts
on scaffolding?
390
00:20:38,278 --> 00:20:40,978
I don't even know what that is,
I'm gonna be honest with you.
391
00:20:41,044 --> 00:20:43,144
Do you ever worry about,
uh, things falling
392
00:20:43,211 --> 00:20:44,778
and hitting you on the head?
393
00:20:44,845 --> 00:20:46,712
All the time.
They got balconies up here,
394
00:20:46,778 --> 00:20:48,578
they got people
who would throw shit at you.
395
00:20:48,645 --> 00:20:49,778
I've had it happen to me.
396
00:20:49,845 --> 00:20:52,845
They'll see the big gold
glasses, a nice juicy buff guy.
397
00:20:52,912 --> 00:20:54,678
"Hey, that's a target.
Let's get him."
398
00:20:54,745 --> 00:20:56,545
All the time, it happens,
believe me.
399
00:20:56,611 --> 00:20:57,945
Can you do a trick for me?
400
00:20:58,011 --> 00:21:00,111
Sure. You wanna hold the mic?
401
00:21:05,378 --> 00:21:07,258
The only scaffolding
I could find anywhere
402
00:21:07,311 --> 00:21:09,511
was at the new Hard Rock Hotel,
403
00:21:09,578 --> 00:21:12,778
which was being built on
Canal and North Rampart Street.
404
00:21:14,445 --> 00:21:16,878
Compared to what I was used
to seeing in New York,
405
00:21:16,945 --> 00:21:20,878
this scaffolding looked cheap
and haphazardly assembled.
406
00:21:20,945 --> 00:21:22,678
And for the size
of the building,
407
00:21:22,745 --> 00:21:25,011
I couldn't imagine that
it would offer much protection
408
00:21:25,078 --> 00:21:27,411
if something were to fall
from way up above.
409
00:21:28,978 --> 00:21:31,611
I was stunned to see that
the entire side of the building
410
00:21:31,678 --> 00:21:35,144
that faced North Rampart had
no scaffolding set up at all.
411
00:21:35,211 --> 00:21:36,978
And for the first time
in my life,
412
00:21:37,044 --> 00:21:40,011
I found myself wishing for
a little more scaffolding.
413
00:21:43,078 --> 00:21:44,854
I'd heard there was a place
in the French Quarter
414
00:21:44,878 --> 00:21:47,411
that made a cocktail served
in a fishbowl.
415
00:21:47,478 --> 00:21:49,244
So I went looking around for it.
416
00:21:50,345 --> 00:21:52,111
And I ran into a guy
from the convention
417
00:21:52,178 --> 00:21:55,578
who actually bought and sold
scaffolding companies.
418
00:21:55,645 --> 00:21:57,044
And he wanted to talk.
419
00:21:57,111 --> 00:21:59,392
Do you think there's such
a thing as too much scaffolding?
420
00:21:59,445 --> 00:22:00,778
No.
421
00:22:04,445 --> 00:22:05,478
Why not?
422
00:22:06,111 --> 00:22:07,411
It's where I make my living.
423
00:22:07,478 --> 00:22:09,211
There can never be too much
scaffolding.
424
00:22:10,278 --> 00:22:11,712
Roll it out.
425
00:22:14,144 --> 00:22:16,144
The whole industry
seemed pretty confident
426
00:22:16,211 --> 00:22:18,178
that scaffolding
was here to stay
427
00:22:18,244 --> 00:22:20,712
and it would continue to grow
like a fungus,
428
00:22:20,778 --> 00:22:23,745
but I couldn't help but think
that it posed its own danger.
429
00:22:25,278 --> 00:22:26,478
I tried going to a bar
430
00:22:26,545 --> 00:22:28,945
to get away from the industry
for a minute,
431
00:22:29,011 --> 00:22:30,745
but even the movie
they had on at the pub
432
00:22:30,812 --> 00:22:33,778
was filled
with cartoon scaffolding.
433
00:22:35,778 --> 00:22:37,945
I even read
a terrifying statistic
434
00:22:38,011 --> 00:22:39,511
that scaffolding failure
435
00:22:39,578 --> 00:22:43,044
was responsible for 80 deaths
annually across the country.
436
00:22:44,311 --> 00:22:46,087
Maybe these people
in the construction industry
437
00:22:46,111 --> 00:22:48,178
weren't as careful
as we thought.
438
00:22:50,244 --> 00:22:52,244
And when I went back
to Bourbon Street,
439
00:22:52,311 --> 00:22:55,411
I saw the same guy from before
wandering around,
440
00:22:55,478 --> 00:22:59,311
half drunk,
without a care in the world...
441
00:22:59,378 --> 00:23:02,211
trying to find the right
strip club to go into, like...
442
00:23:02,278 --> 00:23:06,011
uh, Goldilocks tasting porridge.
443
00:23:21,845 --> 00:23:23,788
The next morning,
I walked down to the levee
444
00:23:23,812 --> 00:23:25,044
to clear my head.
445
00:23:26,778 --> 00:23:29,378
I guess a levee is kind of
like scaffolding too...
446
00:23:29,445 --> 00:23:32,545
and sometimes its failure
could be extremely dangerous
447
00:23:32,611 --> 00:23:34,645
for the people
it's designed to protect.
448
00:23:36,411 --> 00:23:38,111
There was a fisherman
down there,
449
00:23:38,178 --> 00:23:40,611
and I wondered how he felt
about living in a city
450
00:23:40,678 --> 00:23:43,011
that's constantly trying
to kill you.
451
00:24:02,645 --> 00:24:04,778
I guess sometimes
the beauty of a city
452
00:24:04,845 --> 00:24:06,111
is in its danger.
453
00:24:07,478 --> 00:24:09,945
But you do always have a choice
454
00:24:10,011 --> 00:24:13,111
in how much risk
you wanna take on.
455
00:24:13,178 --> 00:24:15,945
And no one is really forcing you
to live on the edge.
456
00:24:18,411 --> 00:24:22,311
So, I headed home
and it was great to...
457
00:24:22,378 --> 00:24:25,044
finally, uh,
be back in New York.
458
00:24:28,378 --> 00:24:32,678
But shortly after I arrived,
I saw some terrible news.
459
00:24:32,745 --> 00:24:34,878
The Hard Rock Hotel that
I had just been filming
460
00:24:34,945 --> 00:24:37,011
down in New Orleans
had just collapsed
461
00:24:37,078 --> 00:24:38,878
and killed three people.
462
00:24:39,778 --> 00:24:41,378
Oh, my God!
463
00:24:41,445 --> 00:24:43,178
Panic and mass confusion
464
00:24:43,244 --> 00:24:45,812
in the heart of New Orleans.
465
00:24:45,878 --> 00:24:48,745
This morning, the upper floors
of the Hard Rock Hotel,
466
00:24:48,812 --> 00:24:51,912
currently under construction,
suddenly began to crumble.
467
00:24:52,678 --> 00:24:54,978
The video was horrifying.
468
00:24:55,044 --> 00:24:57,478
And I couldn't believe
that I had just been standing
469
00:24:57,545 --> 00:25:00,812
right underneath it
just a... a few days before.
470
00:25:02,044 --> 00:25:04,745
They had to keep everyone out
of the area for a while,
471
00:25:04,812 --> 00:25:08,011
because the only way to make
the construction site safe again
472
00:25:08,078 --> 00:25:10,211
would be to blow up
the cranes that were dangling
473
00:25:10,278 --> 00:25:12,545
precariously above the street.
474
00:25:13,912 --> 00:25:16,311
But they weren't even sure
how to do that safely.
475
00:25:17,645 --> 00:25:19,478
And the more
I watched the video,
476
00:25:19,545 --> 00:25:22,311
the more I suspected that
no amount of scaffolding
477
00:25:22,378 --> 00:25:24,478
could have prevented
something like this.
478
00:25:28,778 --> 00:25:31,712
You can waste your entire life
playing it safe.
479
00:25:31,778 --> 00:25:35,745
But the real danger is never
what you expect it to be.
480
00:25:35,812 --> 00:25:39,211
And if you put up too much
scaffolding to protect yourself,
481
00:25:39,278 --> 00:25:41,645
you might just end up
buried underneath it.
482
00:25:43,845 --> 00:25:46,311
But if we try real hard
to take it down,
483
00:25:46,812 --> 00:25:48,778
piece by piece...
484
00:25:48,845 --> 00:25:51,278
eventually, one day,
it'll all be gone.
485
00:25:52,645 --> 00:25:55,244
And only then will we know
if it was all for show.
486
00:25:57,611 --> 00:25:59,878
It could be kind of scary
at first...
487
00:25:59,945 --> 00:26:03,078
but we may be better off
finding new ways
488
00:26:03,144 --> 00:26:07,244
to protect ourselves from
all the uncertainty in the sky.
489
00:26:29,678 --> 00:26:32,645
This is John Wilson.
Thanks for watching.
490
00:27:42,445 --> 00:27:43,678
A good memory is
491
00:27:43,745 --> 00:27:46,278
one of the most attractive
qualities a person can have.
492
00:27:47,345 --> 00:27:48,611
My memory's not very good,
493
00:27:49,078 --> 00:27:51,478
and it's always
made me feel insecure.
494
00:27:56,469 --> 00:27:58,469
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