Fact or Fiction: The Vrillon Incident – proof of alien contact?
In November of 1977, Southern Television’s broadcast of the news in the UK was interrupted by what appeared to be a transmission from an alien named Vrillon. Is this real or just a hoax perpetrated by a clever techie?
“Be still now and listen, for your chance may not come again.” – Vrillon
The WOW Signal
1977 was a banner year for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence otherwise known as SETI. For a full seventy-two seconds, Ohio University’s Big Ear telescope captured and recorded a signal from the constellation Sagittarius.
The transmission was nicknamed the “Wow” signal. To this day it is still mentioned whenever the possibility of life existing on another planet rears its head. This event might be the best candidate to prove that aliens may be out there and listening to us.
While this is the more well-known example of potential contact, another one exists. According to Creepypasta Wiki, in that same year, Southern Television was broadcasting the news when an interruption from an “outside” source took over their programming.
Klaatu, Barada, Nikto
It seemed like an ordinary evening news program, nothing amiss. Until half-way through it, the signal was hijacked and then viewers heard a voice from another world speaking to them.
Tune into the ITN News feed:
Now, while I find this freaky, I do have reservations about it being an actual message from an alien race. One question that springs readily to mind is, “How did they manage to find a teleprompter so that we could see their dialogue?”
Believers could argue that they have the technology, I mean they do come from another star system so they are pretty advanced. Ok, that’s a plausible explanation but it seems to me that it would have had more impact if Vrillon would have just talked instead of making a production out of it.
Breaking Down the Aliens
Something seems too “Hollywood” about this cautionary dialogue, in my mind. However, if the aliens really wanted us to understand their message then why not enter our atmosphere and go to Washington, DC? It worked in the Day the Earth Stood Still.
That way, people know what is happening is real and not a hoax. The impact would be significant. After all, visual confirmation would prove that the aliens exist and aren’t a bunch of B movie actors. It would impart the fact Vrillon and his crew are serious about their message.
Another point to consider. You are a being from another world. If you have the ability to bend space and time to travel faster than the speed of light, surely you could have picked a more prominent television station. Think about it.
How to Get Ratings
Southern Television won’t give you a mass audience. Why not interrupt the BBC? Better yet, why not come to the United States and cut into Happy Days or a huge show like that (remember it is 1977 we are talking about)? Trust me, if you come between Americans and their favorite primetime shows, there is hell to be paid.
The impassioned plea sounds way too scripted. In my opinion, it would have been highly convincing if Vrillon would have cut to the chase. Brevity works, trust me.
What he could have said was something to the effect of, “We have been watching you for centuries. You are on a path to annihilation. Consider the consequences of your actions or we will destroy the planet.” That is a “WOW” statement.
I imagine that would-be water cooler conversation for quite some time. A think tank of our greatest minds from around the world would probably be convened to decipher the message. Maybe even a United Nations task force might be assembled.
Much like Fox Mulder, “I want to believe,” but in this case, I am skeptical.
Next: The X-Files: Chris Carter gives his take on the secret UFO program
Is the Vrillon message a hoax? Do you believe it is real? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. We want to hear from you!