Voting Station

Jean Francois Gravelet

Please vote to return to collections.

Daredevil

The Resume

    (February 28, 1824-February 22, 1897)
    Niagara Falls, New York Tightrope Daredevil
    'Niagara Falls Tightrope Walking (1959)' and 'The Great Blondin'
    Appeared in an IMAX feature

Why he might be annoying:

    He risked his life for fame and attention.
    He repeated his foolish act several times.
    he was featured on 'Ripley's Believe It or Not.'
    He is easily confused with many other Canadian men with the names Jean or Francois.
    He rode a bicycle over the Falls blindfolded, cooked an omelet in the center, crossed with manacled hands and feet, pushed a wheelbarrow, did a somersault in the center and brought up a bottled water from a cord he stretched to the Maid of the Mist while on his tightrope.
    When he carried his manager across, they almost slipped many times.
    He described the piggyback adventure as a 'nightmare.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He survived.
    He was a professional tightrope walker, trained in a European circus.
    He carried his manager, Harry Colcord, across via piggyback while tightrope walking the Falls.
    He did a new trick with each stunt to make them different.
    Approximately 25,000 spectators witnessed his first stunt.
    He didn't actually plunge into the Falls, but still walked over them.

Credit: Skunk Butt


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 25 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 54 Votes: 81.48% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 17 Votes: 70.59% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 49 Votes: 73.47% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 29 Votes: 48.28% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 87 Votes: 59.77% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 88 Votes: 57.95% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 158 Votes: 54.43% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 225 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 127 Votes: 52.76% Annoying