Insane amount of money viral 'Storm Area 51' stunt cost the US military
Netflix's Trainwreck series continues to be the gift that keeps on giving, and if you weren't already fascinated by 'poop' cruises and hoaxes about boys in giant helium balloons, the latest instalment gives tin foil hat conspiracists something to enjoy.
The mysteries surrounding Area 51 will always cause intrigue, and while the CIA downplays all the wild theories about little green men and flying saucers, others have become increasingly obsessed with this remote facility in the Nevada desert.
This is where Netflix comes in, with Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 covering the bizarre story of how one young man's internet meme turned into over 3,000,000 people claiming they'd storm the top-secret military base. This could be the wildest chapter of Trainwreck yet, and even if you don't get to know much more about Area 51, it's a fascinating insight into what happened in the town of Rachel, Nevada – somewhere with a typical population of around 50 people.
Advert
We're sure we don't need to tell you that the idea of storming Area 51 isn't the best, especially with the US military authorized to use lethal force to keep those within the base safe.
When Matty Roberts' 'Storm Area 51' Facebook event went viral, things quickly escalated. While most were just goofy internet wannabees ready to do a Naruto run, there were genuine concerns about some taking weapons in a genuine attempt to storm Area 51.
The second episode of the two-part documentary focuses on the fractured relationship between Roberts and Connie West, the co-owner of Rachel's Little A'Le'Inn restaurant and inn. Even though West was originally skeptical about millions of people descending on Rachel, she soon came around to the idea when they realized the rebranded Alienstock festival could make her a fortune.
This is where Las Vegas promoter Frank DiMaggio came into things. As DiMaggio and Roberts pulled out of Alienstock to host their own sponsored event in Las Vegas, West successfully sued, and the judge awarded her damages of $3.4 million.
Although DiMaggio says West will never get a cent out of her, she seems to be the only one potentially set to profit from Storm Area 51. The end of the documentary reveals what the stunt cost local authorities, with Lincoln County footing a $250,000 bill and the US military supposedly splashing out a whopping $11 million.
During Trainwreck, Colonel Craddock defends the $11 million price tag, saying that further manpower, vehicles, and weapons were needed to secure Area 51 against a potential storming. Calling it "by far the largest defense of the base that has ever happened on the installation," Craddock explained how the stunt hit the US military hard in the pocket: "You can easily say, well we shouldn't have done it. We should not have wasted those resources.
"My argument will be that there were too wide a range of possibilities with the worst-case scenario being a mass casualty event. And I will defend to the final day that we did not overspend in our preparation for it.”
As for Roberts, his fame was short-lived, and as well as landing on the radar of the FBI, it's said he only made $1,700 through the sale of Storm Area 51 t-shirts.