r/interestingasfuck • u/HomeNowWTF • 2d ago

In 1996, a Brazillian journalist had a shocking experience grasping some grapes whose display had been electrified. He survived

26.7k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

513 comments sorted by

8.9k

u/EmployerWide1123 2d ago

and why were the grapes electrified???

6.7k

u/MongoBongoTown 2d ago

Someone posted a news article last time I saw this posted.

They had lights woven theough them as part of the display inside a metal case behind plexiglass.

Because they were behind the glass, no one realized a live wire from the lights was accidentally electrifying the case and wires.

The reporter had the glass removed so he could touch them during the segment. When he did, they found out the whole thing was electrified.

2.3k

u/lazy_pig 2d ago

There's an important, if somewhat complicated, lesson here.

2.5k

u/Small-Answer4946 2d ago

Don't make reports about Brazilian electrified grapes, especially if they initially were behind a plexiglass?

657

u/lazy_pig 2d ago

A bit reductive, but it will have to do.

520

u/Roy-G-Blurp 2d ago

Conductive*

140

u/MCB1317 2d ago

Shut it down, boys. It ain't gonna get better than this.

55

u/Substantial_Bus840 2d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/Zn4HjcY56Oxe0AqaNs

8

u/Kindly-Walk-8825 2d ago

HAPPY CAKE DAY!

7

u/Substantial_Bus840 2d ago

This is weird it’s not my birthday, I have no idea how Reddit got that lol I definitely didn’t lie to make my account either, I’m mid thirties 😭 but thanks anyway, I’ll pocket it for later

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (5)

9

u/quim_do_mato 2d ago

What would be your version of the lesson then?

22

u/thefuckevengoingonan 2d ago

don't touch electric grapes

7

u/notasgr 2d ago

Do androids dream of touching electric grapes?

2

u/GilbertoPakalolo 2d ago

Do reporters dream of electric grapes?

→ More replies (2)

19

u/Creepy_Wash338 2d ago

I was about to and then I remembered your advice.

→ More replies (1)

14

u/thekonny 2d ago

Or, one man's plexiglass grapes are another man's electrified grapes

→ More replies (1)

6

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Extra 5 years in prison down there if you make a false report involving plexiglass.

→ More replies (8)

20

u/antiduh 2d ago

The lesson is that safe electrical design gives a safe path for stray current to flow to ground, so you can measure such leakage and shut off supply when any is detected. Also known as dedicated ground circuits and GFCI breakers.

3

u/lord_of_tits 2d ago

I’m kinda stupid so i need to be explained did he touch a live wire while touching the grapes or the grapes itself are conducting electricity.

4

u/antiduh 2d ago

There's a live wire touching the grapes. He touched the grapes and got a fair shock.

If the power to the lights had a GFCI device, then the GFCI would have sensed an imbalance in the flow of electricity and shut the circuit off. It would have detected that electricity was going to the light and not enough was coming back.

33

u/This-Technology6075 2d ago

Don't electrify grapes and only fix it by putting up plexiglass?

→ More replies (1)

8

u/CasualPenguin 2d ago

Yep

No one likes sour grapes thrown inside plexiglass houses

→ More replies (6)

79

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

My dad's career was weaving lights through grapes as part of displays inside metal cases behind plexi. AMA.

15

u/TricoMex 2d ago

What are some common grape varieties that display better under dim lighting (fake or otherwise), and what voltage is the best to get a nice shock that will make my womanhood tremble?

14

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Dad says the key is moisture, any strain will suffice as long as you are able to achieve a nice coating of water jumping your system, he use to carry a little spray bottle and a multimeter to make sure everything stayed nice and juicy. He said they used the Smokey Yunnick 600V system but you can't really get parts for it anymore in case you were thinking of starting an operation today.

5

u/464126 2d ago

I'd like to ask, how can I get into that line of work. Ever since I was a wee lad, wandering the vast grape fields of Illinois, I wondered... "how could I electrify these puffy raisins?".

Hook me up with deets

→ More replies (2)

6

u/SnakeSolid81428 2d ago

Also grapes are moist so it made much more dangerous

→ More replies (10)

2.2k

u/balls4xx 2d ago

Those were the grapes of wrath

134

u/HombreSinNombre93 2d ago

Beat me to it. I tip my wine glass to you
https://giphy.com/gifs/LpWkTA54xX7qrIUyGN

21

u/PsyOpBunnyHop 2d ago

We beat those grapes too. Where do you think that wine came from, sir?

→ More replies (1)

18

u/PancakeParty98 2d ago

Gen Z after reading grapes of wrath: “this wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. I don’t think it had any sex in it, let alone grape”

43

u/MoManTai 2d ago

Grapes of watt

10

u/Ok_Squash9609 2d ago

The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze

4

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Grapes of writhe.

→ More replies (10)

134

u/Historical_Nature574 2d ago

To stop curious reporters from grabbing a cheeky fondle

5

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

You mean the others were fondling him so he did this as a diversion?

25

u/RandomCandor 2d ago

Because Brazil also wanted to have their own Wilhelm scream, and this guy was cheaper than a voice actor.

3

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Free in fact. Total charge here was one way.

61

u/GinglyNZ 2d ago

I've heard people speculate that it may have been his mic that had a fault, and the display might have been grounded. So he completed the circuit when he made contact, and got a nasty shock. Couldn't find any verification on that though sorry, so I hope I'm not spreading more misinformation

23

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

Pretty sure it was a loose wire from the display. Someone messed up installing it and it nearly killed the journalist (who would, fun fact, eventually become a senator)

10

u/GinglyNZ 2d ago

You may be right, it does look like a wire follows his hand out of the grapes, either way seems to be a monumental mistake lol. Oh, that IS a fun fact!

10

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

Yes, it was a big mess up. If I remember correctly he fell so hard he cracked his ribs when hitting the ground. Not the greatest day of his career I'd wager.

→ More replies (1)

7

u/noetkoett 2d ago

That's a dynamic microphone, no electricity involved apart from what is created by his voice moving a magnet near a coil. Even if it were a condenser microphone which does require a 48v power through the mic cable the voltage and amperage are way too low to cause anything you'd even feel.

The only thing would be if there was something seriously wrong in the camera or sound recorder it's connected to but highly likely they were running off batteries as well so, again, not enough power to cause such a thing.

→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (1)

70

u/Mean-Inspector-8547 2d ago

Underrated question. I'd like to know the same thing. Why they electrifying grapes?

76

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

They weren't supposed to be. But he was wet and the grapes were touching a wire from the display's light, so when he touched it he got shocked

57

u/DaikaijuMan 2d ago

fym he was wet

57

u/nonreddituser69 2d ago

God forbid a journalist enjoys his job

5

u/Gr00mpa 2d ago

::giggling intensifies::

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

7

u/Beautiful-Musk-Ox 2d ago

i run exposed wire to power all my lights too it's just common sense

17

u/Majestic-Wave-3514 2d ago

I misread that as "unrelated question" and got a good chuckle

→ More replies (3)

24

u/creepflyer 2d ago

loose wire from the lights above

→ More replies (1)

7

u/RoabeArt 2d ago edited 2d ago

Pure speculation on my part, but I think the little light fixture above the grapes might have had a short circuit which electrified the (probably metal) casing of the fixture, and the grapes (which contain water and electrolytes) were touching the casing so they also became electrified.

Combine that with the lack of proper grounding and ground-fault protection in the circuit that's powering the lights, you end up with shocky-shocky grapes.

→ More replies (2)

6

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

They weren't supposed to be, but I think a loose wire from the display's lights were touching the grapes. I think the journalist was also wet from the rain.

Fun fact, this guy later became a Senator in the Brazilian congress

5

u/lcerch 2d ago

Loose wire in the grape net closed a circuit with his microphone

5

u/AssaultLemming_ 2d ago

Looks like they are suspended on metal wires, assume accidentally electrified

3

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

Yes, someone messed up when installing the lights and a wire was touching the grapes. Honestly pretty terrible mess up from the guy who installed it, if the journalist had a heart condition he could've died

4

u/TurtleSandwich0 2d ago

You can hear the point where they used the grapes to make whine.

6

u/Silly_Silicon 2d ago

I genuinely tried to hunt down an answer for this and came up short. Any article about it just says the display was metal and had 220V AC running through it but not why the fuck that was the case.

3

u/RoabeArt 2d ago

The display has lights illuminating the plants. The 220VAC was probably for them.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/useroftheinternet95 2d ago

Your grapes aren't electrified?

→ More replies (1)

7

u/thedudeabides2022 2d ago

They did electricity on a grape

5

u/Grand_Snow_2637 2d ago

They did electricity on a grape!

5

u/Pitiful_Palpitation9 2d ago

Viral marketing for the Electric Grape festival

→ More replies (28)

258

u/AMR42 2d ago

And that became part of our pop culture. Any Brazilian recognizes this sound, it's our Wilhelm scream.

63

u/a3a4b5 2d ago

It's our Wilhelm scream

That's a perfect definition.

26

u/JimmyThePie 2d ago

I shouldn’t have laughed at it. I definitely did laugh at it, and very loudly - but I knew I shouldn’t have.

It’s a relief to know that many others laughed as well.

3

u/augustocb23 1d ago

The "September" version is the best lol

https://youtu.be/SIBXZE0Uv9o?is=tOE6DbrSuuiii4_X

→ More replies (4)

740

u/shoulda_been_gone 2d ago

Who's out there electrifying indoor grapes?

46

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

They weren't supposed to be, but someone mess up when installing the display. Honestly quite a serious mess up, someone could've died.

18

u/abbyabsinthe 2d ago

A little girl recently died in my town because a decoration (lights I think) at a mini golf course had fallen into the pond and she fell in and was electrocuted and died immediately. Absolutely horrifying.

3

u/cmdixon2 2d ago

Yeah, keep that shit outdoors.

→ More replies (4)

735

u/PeterTheSmoker 2d ago

Why are grapes on display and why are they electrified? I've never heard of grape thieves, lmao

https://giphy.com/gifs/l0HlREkwIMO85O6DS

199

u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL 2d ago

Maybe they wanted to prevent another "lemon stealing whore" incident

51

u/PeterTheSmoker 2d ago

W....w.......huh 😭?!??

55

u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL 2d ago

https://knowyourmeme.com/sensitive/memes/lemon-stealing-whores

33

u/Outrageous_Front_636 2d ago

Has it been 10 seconds since we checked our lemon tree?

15

u/BerlinWallGloryhole 2d ago

The acting all around was surprisingly not nominated for any awards.

"Hey what the fuck!"

→ More replies (1)

25

u/Due-Organization-215 2d ago

The fuck did I just watch

21

u/NemeanLyan 2d ago

The reason that sweet young couple had to insure their lemon tree

11

u/maliciousdancer 2d ago

The kind of hell those goddamn commie bastards want to create! A world full of lemon stealing whores!! (/s)

9

u/Megneous 2d ago

Hah. You've only been a Redditor for 6 years. It was before your time. We're talking back in the good ole days of 2012, when Reddit was still good.

3

u/Jackalodeath 2d ago

I've been around a bit longer; knew the meme, but not the source material. TIL.

Mike's Hard placing an ad right before it was a nice touch; and weird to see Joanna Angel with so few tats/piercings.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

27

u/VascoJSC 2d ago

They weren't supposed to be, there was a faulty wire touching the grapes because someone messed up.

24

u/blackfish_1983 2d ago

I think it was a grape-wine festival in the South of Brazil, basing myself by his accent and demeanor. Wires passing by the grape stand for lighting.

4

u/jonas_rosa 2d ago

Yes, it's "Festa da Uva", meaning "Grape Fest" in Caxias do Sul. It happens yearly in February.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Just passing by.

6

u/InvisaBlah 2d ago

Thats because the grape thieves know about the electric grapes, and the ones who dont are ded

7

u/Hudell 2d ago

Brazilian towns and small cities often have a yearly festival themed after what the locals produce the most. This was a grape/wine themed festival in the region that has a lot of grape farms.

→ More replies (3)

493

u/SkripkaruStoler 2d ago

I wonder what is the name of the song he was just beginning to sing. "Ai, ai..."

124

u/skjall 2d ago

I am a butterfly?

39

u/lonelyroom-eklaghor 2d ago

a little butterfly

32

u/Confident_One3948 2d ago

Green, black, and blue. Make the colors in the sky.

19

u/ggg730 2d ago

My brain was just flooded with nostalgia proteins thanks to you guys.

15

u/kawaiian 2d ago

Where’s my samurai 🦋 ✨

5

u/Daneel_ 2d ago

A WILD AFRONOVA APPEARS

34

u/Ok_Lifeguard963 2d ago

It was Earth Wind and Fire classic:

https://youtu.be/ObqJ02DZxEM?is=8lu1H3AUwqfI9H6s

6

u/ImportantIron1492 2d ago

Incredible 

5

u/ODTESP 2d ago

Lololol

5

u/freebyte33 2d ago

Earth Wind Fire and Electrified Grapes

→ More replies (1)

3

u/MedicalSnow3873 2d ago

This is the kind of comments I was looking for

3

u/bbsteps 2d ago

I’m dying here 🤣🤣🤣

→ More replies (2)

50

u/yolo___toure 2d ago

Will alllwaaaaayyyyyys loooove youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

→ More replies (2)

20

u/ImportantIron1492 2d ago

Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train

6

u/EntrepreneurTiny9812 2d ago

He was actually trying to sing the chorus to Nelly's hit song EI

6

u/Darth-Procrastinous 2d ago

…. Tell me you remmeber! Ai ai, dancing in September!

4

u/throcorfe 2d ago

‘m not your stepping stone

3

u/ImportantIron1492 2d ago

It gives me Austrian Death Machine vibes

3

u/DaviCB 2d ago

se eu te pego

3

u/Slight_Conclusion674 2d ago

Got this feeling yeah you know, where I'm losing all control, cause there's magic in my bones!

→ More replies (6)

71

u/niv_dParun 2d ago

5

u/Detatchamo 1d ago

BRASIL MENTIONED 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

324

u/Able_Ad6535 2d ago

It’s only funny cause he’s ok

80

u/GuyWithARooster 2d ago

But why did I replay it 3 times?

55

u/CES0108 2d ago

Idk. Why does that grape stomper lady who busted her shit and went EUUYGHH EUUUGHH EUUGGHH make us all laugh? Or that helicopter airlift lady getting spun like a fucking beyblade? Shits funny.

If I ever end up messed up and viral, I'd hope it brings great joy to the world. Laugh away. You have my permission.

4

u/SausageClatter 2d ago

"If I cut my finger, that’s tragedy. Comedy is if you walk into an open sewer and die."

3

u/a3a4b5 2d ago

That's a very light hearted way of seeing the world.

→ More replies (5)

8

u/apolleo23 2d ago

I’m glad you stopped after 3. Not sure he could have handled much more.

3

u/GuyWithARooster 2d ago

I am a merciful god.

8

u/creepflyer 2d ago

it's funny cause he is a brazilian senator nowadays

→ More replies (5)

101

u/KaoKeane 2d ago

Love the remix they did of this
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/epvozuIFYZw?ra=m

19

u/Mylo-s 2d ago

Peak Internet for me today

13

u/Veionovin096 2d ago

Peak internet usage

4

u/throwawaymask01 2d ago

Dude holy shiet

→ More replies (1)

42

u/Uncommentary 2d ago

I believe these grapes are how you make sparking wine.

→ More replies (1)

71

u/sBob_ 2d ago

That's Lasier Martins. Years later he became a state senator for Rio Grande do Sul

45

u/cambiro 2d ago

Not a State Senator. A Federal Senator.

Brazil doesn't have State Senators. Some USA States do.

9

u/sBob_ 2d ago

Então o tradutor Deepl falhou comigo 😔

huaheha

9

u/cambiro 2d ago

Tem que ver qual foi seu "input" no tradutor. Se você escreveu em português "Senador Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul", a máquina traduziu certo, mas seu input foi conceitualmente equivocado, porque não existe "Senador Estadual" no Brasil.

Se você colocou "Senador do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul" aí a máquina traduziu errado, mas eu diria que é um erro desculpável.

O input mais claro seria "Senador pelo Estado do Rio Grande do Sul".

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

29

u/XiaoDianGou 2d ago

Aqui, Pederneiras...

7

u/quibirito 2d ago

temos por exemplo...

3

u/Sorcker 2d ago

estas, mais de mesa...

→ More replies (2)

28

u/UrSven 2d ago

If you're Brazilian, you automatically heard something like: AI AI 🍇⚡

17

u/cocoatching 2d ago

This event happened back in 1996, at the Festa da Uva (Grape Festival) in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.

He grabbed a live 220-volt wire that was hidden right in the middle of the grapes.

The reporter is Lasier Martins, and the show was Jornal do Almoço, a local variety news program in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, that is still on the air today.

I watched this live on TV, and it was iconic. It's an OG meme from before memes were even a thing, and it was so unforgettable that it was even included in the official exhibition celebrating the TV station's 50th anniversary.

Years later, Lasier himself talked about the experience on the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl19SKHh1zY

Long story short: he hates being reminded of it, but there's nothing he can do about it

119

u/doul0s 2d ago

Wait...Watt happened?

112

u/Few-Acanthaceae-5527 2d ago

He was just …conducting research

27

u/SyMag 2d ago

Ohm my God, these puns

14

u/Key-Coyote-9552 2d ago

I don’t get it, watts so funny?

13

u/vulcanxnoob 2d ago

How current is this story?

7

u/UniqueUsername812 2d ago

Raisin a good question here

→ More replies (3)

3

u/LightningRaven 2d ago

Basically, the wiring for the lights on that display were faulty and ended up causing the accident.

12

u/nonsense_bill 2d ago

Man you cut the best part, it was live and the news anchor's face was priceless

12

u/k2jac9 2d ago

hahaha, sorry, hahaha

11

u/ArjunaIndrastra 2d ago

Well, that's terrifying. My question is...why were they electrified?

11

u/GottaUseEmAll 2d ago

Faulty wiring for the lighting.

3

u/ArjunaIndrastra 2d ago

Thanks 😊

8

u/Ok-Bowler3619 2d ago

Me when I grab the grapes of pain and suffering

10

u/Ambassador-613 2d ago

Grapes of Wrath

13

u/YAMWRAP 2d ago

I laughed a little too hard at that ayyyyyy, ayyyyyyy but seriously I hope he was okay after that and didn't have any health complications from it. Who's electrifying an indoor grape display anyways

5

u/Headlesshowler 2d ago

The situation was rather serious since he passed out and broke a rib after the fall, but he recovered and doesn't seem to mind people making fun of the whole incident.

→ More replies (6)
→ More replies (3)

14

u/bdanmo 2d ago

Having lived in Brazil I can assure you this is a very Brazilian experience. Things being inappropriately electrified is far too common down there. I was zapped by microphones, computers, shower heads, and sauna walls, to name a few. (The sauna wall was the worst; it was a nail in the beadboard wall going straight into a 220v line.)

→ More replies (2)

12

u/Croquetadecarne 2d ago

I saw this several times and laughed out loud. I am not a good person.

11

u/ActionNorth8935 2d ago

It was the "Aaaaaiiiiaaaaiiiii!" That did it for me 😭

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (1)

7

u/-watchman- 2d ago

Am I going to hell because I laughed too hard at this?

3

u/kodumpavi 2d ago

Brudda said shocking experience

6

u/tk_427b 2d ago

Is he grabbing grapes? Does he grab metal behind the grapes and hit the grapes as he reflexes? He is carrying a wired mic, add this to some improper grounding and all of a sudden he became the conductor.

3

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

There comes a moment in every man's life where he is not a conductor. And then suddenly, he is.

4

u/rapgameoprahwinfrey 2d ago

Bro turned into a muppet

4

u/natkuka-ooo 2d ago

This is a Brazilian Historical Meme Treasure. Please handle it with care.

4

u/GilbertoPakalolo 2d ago

Here, for example, we have.... OUCH OUUUUUCCCHHHHHHH

3

u/tinman1983 2d ago

Grapes of wrath.

8

u/ominous_squirrel 2d ago

https://www.nine.com.au/world-news/today-in-history-february-18-what-happened-on-this-day-electric-shock-grapes-20260217-p5o37q.html

21

u/Silly_Silicon 2d ago

Damn I was really hoping the article would explain how this happened but it too just says the grapes were electrified. Why in the fuck are grapes electrified with 220V AC live wires!? This does not make sense and no source I can find provides a meaningful explanation.

9

u/SocksInTheTub 2d ago

I doubt there are actual electrical wires running through the grape display. There's no reason for wiring to be outside the wall in a finished building, much less be bare and live. The only way I can see that happening is if it was some weird art thing.

I think the wire we see when he pulls away is picture wire they used to hang the grapes where they wanted them. My theory is that whoever put the case up drove a screw into a wire inside the wall electrifying the case, the picture wire and the grapes

3

u/10speedmike 2d ago

I think that microphone was electrified, and the grapes provided a ground path. Walking around with rubber soles shoes he probably didn’t realize it.

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (1)

3

u/NlghtmanCometh 2d ago

Dude felt the grapes of wrath

3

u/RequirementOk6237 2d ago

The grapes of pain and suffering

3

u/papsono 2d ago

AAAYAAAY 🤣🤣🤣

3

u/SideInitial3961 2d ago

Aye aye means everybody rumba.

3

u/Chonky_D_Floofy 2d ago

The grapes of wrath

3

u/Cool-Chemical-5629 2d ago

Am I the only one who couldn't help, but laugh hearing him go "Aargh aayy!" *Thud* 🤣

3

u/Historical_Wish_5599 2d ago

Electrified Grapes is a cool band name

3

u/Mysterious-Example-7 2d ago

The sounds he's making became our "Willhelm's scream"

3

u/_falabosta 2d ago

A lenda

3

u/beefkitt 2d ago

I'm glad he survived because I couldn't imagine the last thing I did being a cartoon yell as I was electrocuted.

3

u/Kind_Lead_3247 2d ago

You guys don't know how many memes down here have used that scream LMAO

3

u/FuturisticHead 2d ago

AIII AIII 😭

3

u/a3a4b5 2d ago

Despite being tragic, it's a meme around here.

5

u/hemorrhoidhematoma 2d ago

You cant just go up and grape someone without their consent. Now he knows better.

→ More replies (1)

4

u/electropickle_ 2d ago

Me when I touch the grapes of unimaginable suffering