Niagara Falls tightroper lets us down by using lame tether

Tomorrow, Nik Wallenda hopes to become the first person to walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls, though viewers shouldn't let their knuckles get too white during the stunt: The modern-day maverick will be tethered to the wire, as required by event broadcasters. The daredevil is a seventh-generation member of the Flying Wallenda family, famous for high-wire stunts performed without a net or harness, sometimes with fatal results. Wallenda says he would prefer an untethered walk, but he needed a big-money sponsor to help cover the costs. ABC is devoting a whopping three hours of airtime to the feat and insisted the broadcast be comfortable for parents to watch with their kids.