Tourist Guy: Most Famous Fake 9/11 Photo

Fake September 11 Photo: Who is 'Tourist Guy'?

Remember the infamous "tourist guy" photo that spread across the internet after 9/11? Countless people thought that the tourist guy photo was real, but it's pretty obviously a fake.

The Tourist Guy photo (aka "Tourist of Death") shows a smiling tourist atop the North Tower (1WTC) of the World Trade Center complex, oblivious to the approaching jetliner. The image triggered deep emotional responses, even though it was 'shopped.

Before dissecting the visual inconsistencies of the "tourist guy" photo, it could be debunked by pointing out that there was no observation deck on the North Tower, and that the existing observation deck atop 2WTC didn't open until 9:30am. The first plane struck at 8:49am.

Anyway, let's look at the factors that point out that the photo is bullshit:

• The tourist guy is dressed way too warmly. September 11, 2001 was a beautiful day, weatherwise.
• Both subject and photographer would have heard the approaching jetliner.
• The camera would not have survived the building collapse.
• Wrong type of airplane, coming from the wrong direction.
  

Meet Peter, the real 'Tourist Guy'

Brazilian businessman José Roberto Penteado stepped forward, not as the creator of the fake photo, but as its subject. He said that his face must have been superimposed onto a different body, and then used to create the Tourist Guy photo.

When Penteado's story spread, it caught the attention of the Hungarian media. Then the real Tourist Guy emerged: a Hungarian dude named Peter. He really posed for a pic atop the WTC, but on the real observation deck, and obviously at an earlier date.

Photos

Tourist Guy Hoax: Famous Fake 9/11 Photo

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