Believe it or not: The cat climbs, the copycats try and fail in Taipei
Times of India | 28 January 2026
After American climber Alex Honnold free-soloed Taipei 101 on Netflix (as part of the show Skyscraper Live) – no ropes, no harness, just nerves of steel – the internet did what it does best: tried to copy him. Within days, authorities flagged reports of amateur climbers attempting to scale parts of the iconic skyscraper, prompting concern over safety and copycat behaviour. One man’s jaw-dropping feat, it turns out, nearly became a public-safety headache.
No ropes, big warnings
Honnold’s climb came with clear on-screen warnings urging viewers not to attempt it. He used architectural ledges and decorative features (below) to scale the 1,667-foot tower – a precision stunt meant strictly for professionals.
Copycats meet the first floor
Needless to say, most copycats struggled to even get a hold. While a few managed to shimmy up window frames, no one appeared to make it past the first storey. Netizens were ruthless. “Alex is a professional… what kind of monkey are you again?” jeered one. Another cautioned: “This isn’t something you replicate solo.” Others, ever entrepreneurial, suggested Taipei 101 should charge for harnessed climbs.