With the livestream still hours away, Honnold posted the update that changes everything. Weather delay. Try again tomorrow
Netflix’s Taipei 101 special is the clearest appointment viewing experiment the platform has tried in a while. Reuters reported that cloud cover and intermittent rain obscured the building, pushing the attempt to Sunday morning in Taipei. For U.S. viewers, AP reported the broadcast was still slated for Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT. Safety first. Schedule second.
Sadly it’s raining in Taipei right now so I don’t get to go climbing today. But I’ve been really touched by all the support and well wishes from folks – hopefully the weather improves and I get an opportunity to climb the beautiful Taipei 101. Fingers crossed! Same time tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/vFZGjItM1r
— Alex Honnold (@AlexHonnold) January 24, 2026
Then came the replies. Not one vibe, but three.
First, the safety committee. The thread filled with people saying some version of “good call,” “stay safe,” and “you don’t have to do this.” It was unusually reasonable for a comment section gathered around a risky stunt. The internet loves danger. It also loves a responsible go-or-no-go decision because it proves the sky still gets a vote.
Second, the climbing nerds. One reply asked the exact question every viewer will wonder while watching from a couch. If it stops raining tomorrow, is it actually safe? Or does the building still have wet spots waiting to turn a confident grip into a problem?
Hypothetically, if it weren’t raining tomorrow, are you concerned that it could have some wet spots still? How does that work?
— C^4 (@KingChillHard) January 24, 2026
That question is the whole live TV problem in one sentence. The weather is not a switch. It is a condition. And Taipei 101 is not a rock. It is a man-made surface designed to repel water, not support hands. So a delay is not drama. It is competence.
Third, the meme department. Within a few scrolls, the thread became a comedy room. Someone suggested David Blaine would simply do it in the rain, on an iPhone, like the real challenge is not physics. It is resisting the urge to turn risk into content.
What if David Blane climbed it while it was raining and filmed it with an iPhone @davidblaine
— Mauricio Medina (@Malouco619) January 24, 2026
This is what Netflix is actually buying with live events. Not just the climb, but the chorus. The pregame. The group chat energy of people trying to be first, funniest, or most correct before anything even happens.
A weather delay is annoying. It is also the most honest proof that this is not a polished documentary with a guaranteed third act. It is a real attempt where “not today” is part of the story.
Now the only question left is the one the comments are dancing around. Are you watching live? Or are you waiting for the clips like a normal person?
