Of the freedoms Americans hold dearest, the unimpeachable right to intentionally seek public humiliation seems to top the list. Well, if you've ever envisioned yourselfgalloping across gigantic balls or slip-sliding through an automatic car wash, your dreams will soon be realized: Wipeout Run, a 5K 12-obstacle challenge, hits the Ballpark at Arlington on March 21.
The wildly popular game show Wipeout - which, according to a copyright infringement lawsuit probably sort of isn't a blatant rip-off of a couple Japanese shows - proves distinctly palatable to our particular head-crashing tastes. Perhaps the only way it could be made more American involves adding remarks about contestants' physiques by a sneering Englishman.
In the past, viewers could apply to compete on the TV version, but that requires the luck of being chosen by casting directors and, for Dallasites, hefty travel expenses. This year's 16-city Wipeout Run tour, however, brings the adult-sized bouncy slides right to you. The whopping $60 registration fee - which increases on Jan. 23 - includes a tech or T-shirt (unspecified, but we're guessing depending on supplies), bag check, 2 silicone wristbands, a temporary tattoo, and access to the untimed course.
Sounds steep, but can you put a price on seeing your BFF crash into a foam wall while wearing a cow suit? Or, what if you claim a spot among the 10 percent who succeed unscathed across the famed Big Balls.
Organizers suggest bringing a GoPro if you've got one. While this version of Wipeout won't be televised, it'd be unpatriotic to let your spills go unrecorded for posterity ... and public consumption via YouTube.
