The 'Punky Brewster' When The Challenger Space Shuttle Exploded

Remember the 'Punky Brewster' when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded? It was a very special episode.
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CREDITS:
Actor/ Writer/ Editor: Dashiell Driscoll
VFX: Joe Humpay
Post Supervisor: Kia Reghabi
#AVerySpecialEpisode
#PunkyBrewster
#ChallengerDisaster
#AVSE
#DashiellDriscoll
#NASA
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[@FunnyOrDie]

Previously on A Very Special Episode: The 'Diff'rent Strokes' with the Bicycle Man child molester kzbin.info/www/bejne/npWlm5-ia5eLftU

[@missbhavin4philly]

So sad that u guys made it funny. Those laugh tracks are real?

[@foxdie1001]

I saw 9/11 live and all i got was this lousy t-shirt.

[@rodrickwells2746]

@@foxdie1001 wow that's sad and funny

[@Iamrightyouarewrong]

That's fucked up, think we wouldn't catch that? that you'd just sneak it in......hmm..."He wants to be the future" Smh. sad because it's true.

[@yellowisacolor91]

"They were never seen again because they probably fucking killed themselves"

[@EvilPhantasm]

"Punky loves magic, she made her parents dissappear" LMFAO right out the gate with the good shit!

[@lumen8341]

I still can't get over that her mom just fucking left her in a grocery store. It doesn't get more brutal than that

[@SmrtPhonRtistCF]

Funny, the actress was in the final 3 seasons of "Sabrina: the teenage witch".

[@jeepybeepybop]

@@lumen8341 Stuff like that, and even worse, does actually happen in real life.

[@j92000n1]

I laughed out loud when I heard that 🤣🤣🤣

[@84bucco]

Almost spit out my coffee multiple times with these sick Burns

[@ItsThatRetro]

"Allen brought a gun to school. When he grows up, he wants to be the future."

[@SV-pp9ub]

Raymond Gallant I died laughing when he said that

[@DSmith-zn3qf]

Raymond Gallant, and that's why this series is winning the Internet

[@bryceflores864]

Raymond Gallant I finally got the joke. Ouch 😁

[@Canadagraphs]

my jaw dropped when I heard that. All my brain was thinking was "holy crap... did they go there?"

[@wellesradio]

Explain it to me. Flew right over my head.

[@xosilverwingxo]

“Punky loves magic, she made her parents disappear” 😂😂 No chill 🤣

[@lightknight876]

She wants to discover new planets where she also has no parents

[@bladesmith5927]

@@lightknight876 🤣🤣🤣

[@mikejorsch304]

Punky drove Henry to sleeping pill Addition and in reboot she drove Mother to the bottle lush

[@OshaGodTTV]

“The shuttle exploded??” “The F*** kinda question is that Henry?” 😂😂😂😂

[@itsjemmabond]

Give the man a break - he didn't watch the launch on TV, and there were no mobiles and social media in those days.

[@katymvt]

@@itsjemmabond And he may have been in the dark room developing film for a while.

[@itsjemmabond]

@@katymvt Probably.

[@jamesfowler5100]

He probably didn't know.

[@tyler45acp]

Are you sure??

[@miawallace2306]

I met Buzz about 10 years ago. It was extremely disappointing. He actually yelled at me about emergency equipment taking up some of the bin space in 1st class on the aircraft I was working on. Of all people, HE should be understanding about aviation safety equipment. He even barked at fellow passengers, including a young kid, for accidentally brushing against the side of his seat as they boarded. His wife was lovely and very polite though. I felt sorry for her because she kept having to pat his arm and ask him to calm down and be nice. He partook in all the services we provide on those longer flights and did not say “Please” or “Thank You” one time in 4hrs. As he deplaned, without warning, he literally shoved my entire body a foot and half to the side so he could pop his head into the flight deck and say “Thanks Guys.” You could tell he was so proud of himself for gracing those pilots with his presence. I get it, I’m a lowly female flight attendant but, Buzz was one of my childhood heroes. I now know the saying, “Never meet your heroes” definitely holds true.

[@joshgellis3292]

Well, fuck!? I HOPE you're just exaggerating. It's BOTH hard to disagree with your nicely worded, well thought out loong comment, but, people DO exaggerate this day and age.

[@Beefer-e4j]

PLEASE tell me someone humbled him. His behavior, including touching you in any way, deserved some responses.

[@TheBuri00]

Years of having stupid ass “flat earthers” harass him and tell him his whole life isn’t true probably turned him bitter to the world lol

[@Wolf_3125]

So I shouldn't try to meet Clint Eastwood, Chris Pratt, or Tobey Maguire? 😂😂😂

[@adambomb1553]

@@Wolf_3125 Probably not

[@LenOnTheDoor0000]

“Watched her heroes burn to death in the sky on live tv” is the most hilarious and grim thing I’ve ever heard

[@cesarcueto1995]

I don't think that's a joke.

[@Onigirli]

@@cesarcueto1995 He wasn't implying it was. They're just something inherently funny about the baldness of such a grim statement concerning a character in a kids' TV show.

[@cesarcueto1995]

@@Onigirli there is? I don't see how that is at all funny kid show or not

[@Dipperbear]

Its a rather blunt wording of an experience thousands and thousands of kids across the US experienced that day in their school rooms or auditoriums. No one expected a tragedy, so schools everywhere were in full celebration and anticipating the 'lessons from space' that were scheduled for the next week that would be telecast into the classrooms as well. Parents everywhere had to find a way to help their kids deal with what they had seen. This was before the day of 'crisis counselors' coming in after a traumatic event.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@Crime_scoper-X The shuttle launched at 11:38 EDT. In AZ where I live, the time was 9:38. That's AM, in the morning. (Jan Griffiths).

[@MacTechG4]

For those of us that watched the disaster.. “Roger, Challenger, go at throttle up” Words that are seared into my memories...

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

Then Scobee said "Roger, go at throttle up". Then BOOM!!!! (Jan Griffiths).

[@NJGuy1973]

And here's something people may not know: there was an entertainment figure who had been in talks to go on the shuttle. His name? Carroll Spinney. Yes, as in "the man inside Big Bird."

[@jessicare5331]

The reason Big Bird didn't go to space was size considerations. The bird was too big.

[@Popcultureguy3000]

@@jessicare5331 Yep, and they couldn’t have Mr. Spinney do it in person without a suit with his Big Bird voice, because that would destroy the illusion. But can you imagine if they got another childrens show entertainer to do it like Mr. Rogers?! That course of action could have really *BEEN* the end of NASA!

[@BobPagani]

They should have sent Cookie Monster. That prick is selfish.

[@TenThumbsProductions]

A very special episode: Horsing around: Bojack tries a joint and loses his mind

[@agentorange8530]

I still remember going to school in the 3rd grade that morning and we watched that shuttle incident.

[@blondesense1708]

@Peter Gallagher's Eyebrows It really wasn’t wise for kids to be watching when there had been other problems with space missions before, but you know, hindsight and all. It must have been really upsetting.

[@wakcedout]

I was 5 when that happened so likely it wasnt playing where i was or i just dont remember if it had been.

[@ts214121]

I was in 4th grade when this happened. I have a memory of discussing this at lunch with some other students. I cannot remember if we saw it live. Wasn't Punky also in 4th grade here?

[@Ijusttrollalot]

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Those astronauts must be some really, really good people" hit me right in the feels 😥

[@amityislandchum]

This episode was literally named "Accidents Happen," which is inadvertently hilarious. Also, holy shit, Punky was taught by Nauls!

[@TheAnomaly330]

1:10 "that is not the appropriate response level when a MF'ing dog does MF'ing magic!" lmao!!!!!

[@theresaneely304]

Yet you're laughing

[@cheeriomartinez]

The Coachella comment made me laugh

[@Sassynbluntaf]

"...to streamline their locker shoving selection process." Lol

[@antman0719]

Lmao

[@taylorhensel4044]

“When he grows up, he wants to be the future.” Bruuuhhh....

[@Gravydog316]

(well... American future)

[@TokyoXtreme]

@@Gravydog316 Well, the story did take place in Chicago...

[@LornaSatchwell]

I need more "Very special episodes" it's life!

[@igga5428]

I remember our classroom was confused but then the teacher started to cry when the shuttle exploded...

[@richiebee1984]

I WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD WHEN THE CHALLENGER EXPLODED BUT I DEFINITELY REMEMBER WATCHING THE NEWS THE SATURDAY MORNING THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA EXPLODED IN 2003.

[@princessbell2530]

I was in high school that day. One class was watching it. There was chearing and clapping. Then suddenly loud gasps and crying. It was awful.

[@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549]

Yep

[@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549]

Rip

[@KatieVanHelsing]

HOW DID THEY GET BUZZ F---ING ALDRIN?!

[@SAPProd]

“Buzz was in town for a lecture.” Says it right there. 😄

[@Arella17]

Buzz was on a lot of kids shows when I was growing up

[@drudle]

The same way 30 Rock did. A paycheck.

[@exin7778]

Punky power I guess.😉

[@thehorseformerlywithoutana2522]

Gotta do something in between those nasa gigs.

[@pocketheart1450]

Gonna be honest, when I was a little girl, I also wanted to be an astronaut, and the Challenger explosion also really affected me. I was very upset.

[@jessicabell8838]

I did too and after that I never wanted too. I was in the third grade and my parents used this episode to tell us what happened. I didn't know about it until this episode.

[@nilawarriorprincess]

I thought this episode was handled well. The Challenger Explosion was definitely traumatic for many children, as it was the 1st real disaster many 70's & 80's children faced. I'd just turned 5, but I still remember. I was a bit too young to be interested in Punky Brewster, but I hope the episode helped other children.

[@wolfdreamer8113]

This episode was the first time I was ever interested in a news story. I remember hearing about it but not understanding it but when I saw this episode and Punky got so upset over it I remember starting to cry over it too. I think I was 5 at the time.

[@RabidDogEOCF]

I was about 5 too, we watched it live on tv in class, and we didnt really know what was happening, or why the teachers were crying. I never saw this pb episode.

[@laurenlong5784]

this actually looks kinda sweet.... but dang did they goof it up with that b-story

[@jenniferallain1]

welcome to the 80s ;)

[@annaadams9706]

why didn't henry already know about the shuttle exploding? did he not leave the house all day? did he not turn on the tv once??

[@cammy85]

That was also dangerous because this B plot came not long after Henry had an ulcer removed. That was supposed to be the season/series finale, but that ran for five weeks so they decided to throw this on at the end to help kids deal with the Challenger explosion. Anna: Henry could've been at the studio too. It's lucky thing he was home when Punky came home early. Another thing along with that is I wonder why the school never phoned him to tell him Punky was coming home?

[@swa7169]

"We want to be like Sally Ride, the first woman in space." Valentina Tereshkova: "Cука!"

[@travisc7722]

"Its not enough to see her heroes burn to death on live tv..now she has to be bullied for having dreams" oh man 🤣🤣🤣

[@mesousagaby740]

Compared to all the other special epiosdes, I actually thought this one was actually well done, so...riffing on it must have been HARD.

[@QuartuvLarry]

"Please! No! She hates reruns!" Dropped me!

[@tobysgamingworld1550]

Henry don’t watch the news lol. “I pity the fool that has to raise Allen “ lmao

[@seaberry11]

I remember watching the shuttle explode in class, my teacher knew the teacher on the ship, they sent all the kids home. That was a tragic moment when I was in kindergarten.

[@marcykeeley7709]

I forgot that punky used to project her voice like she was in a school play

[@MrEmpoleon2010]

Wasn't the teacher on Good Morning Miss Bliss? AKA Zack Morris is Trash: The Early Years?

[@chrisbaca3997]

You're right. He was the maintenance supervisor. And yes, ZACK MORRIS IS TRASH!

[@SeeminglyOdd]

Later on, Punky Brewster starts gold-digging on Screech when Zack tries to sell his pasta sauce.

[@savannahharford9860]

Jokes on you, people still think that the earth is flat

[@CarynDPrescott]

It's a pizza.

[@Mordorer]

MR Esotericana where the fuck you get this info. Sounds legit.

[@MRiGOThim]

“Punky loves magic...she made her parents disappear”😂🤣

[@ATD1990]

"I pity the fool who has to raise allen" got me hahaha

[@Mac-po1sr]

So... I actually watched the shuttle explode while at school. I remember the teacher dragged a big POS tv in to class and we all sat and watched that tragedy happen in real time. My memory of this is pretty vague but I seem to think the kids were cheering and laughing as it blew up, till the teacher yelled at us. What little shits we were. On the other hand I don't think we were really old enough to understand.

[@Oliviagarry69420]

Holy shit!!! 😳 😆

[@KingCrazealmighty360]

Me too.. i was 12 or 11

[@MeneTekelUpharsin]

How old were you when this happened?

[@roeyjevels]

I think it is awesome that this show tackled this issue. There were ALOT of packed classrooms filled with terrified kids that day.

[@erinmefford8041]

roeyjevels punky Brewster tackled many issues like drugs and there was a episode in season 3 where pinky’s friend Joey who’s dad was a alcoholic

[@Konglomerant]

"The first dog to chew his ass on Mars!" Such great K-9 aspirations...

[@yeetusuwu2374]

FINNALY A PUNKY BREWSTER EPISODE YAAAAAAAAAAY

[@dangerusscurvs4709]

Wow.. that was 1986, I believe. I was in my 6th grade classroom watching that same live feed of the Challenger. I know exactly how Punky felt.

[@rollotomassi4768]

Forgot Punky's adopted father was the chief from Police Academy. Stay away from the podium Punky.

[@jeffburnham6611]

I can't imagine what it must have been like for the students of Christa McAuliffe to see the Challenger explode...or any child for that matter. I saw it first hand when I was stationed in Florida, and I still couldn't believe it. I remember how cold it was that morning for Florida but never imagined it would ultimately affect the shuttle as it did. Terrible day it was.

[@vxy357]

"it exploded? Are you sure?" The fuck kind of question is that, Henry? LMAO!!!

[@latinaliz]

I was 11 years old and in the 6th grade living in Orlando, Florida when we witnessed the Challenger explode at school. Punky was my childhood hero- loved her cheerful and carefree spirit and style! The 80s are filled with great memories and nostalgia ♥️

[@peterios1982]

I remember watching that launch on tv. They wheeled in a t.v. so we could watch the challenger take off. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in daycare only about 3 years old. After the explosion the person who brought in the tv quickly turned it off and said "oh god the kids just seen the challenger explosion!" The other adult was like "oh they'll never remember this. "

[@kevmendo]

"Nothing that can't be fixed with a free t-shirt." Truest words ever spoken *looks around at piles of debt from credit cards that gave me a t-shirt* sonuva....

[@trishlamour7030]

"Brandon wants to be a young astronaut too because he's not giving up his dream of zero gravity lipstick licks" LMAO *Dead*

[@0pregnantbellylover0]

This made me cry-laugh.

[@davidnetterwald1846]

I remember watching the Challenger blow up in school. Before the launch my teacher let me and my class watch she rolled out the TV and turned on ABC and we watched it take off but something was off I couldn't at the age of 7 figure it out then and I still can't figure it out nearly 35 years later at 42. All I know is that was a moment in my life that I will never forget I wasn't scared and I wasn't crying or anything but I was stunned and my teacher after we watched that unfortunate tragedy unfold tried with all of her might to comfort us and make sense of it all but I learned a very valuable lesson that day. That lesson was life can end in the blink of an eye and without us even knowing it so don't take it for granted and enjoy it while you have it. I'm sad for the people who died that day but their unfortunate deaths gave me an appreciation of life that I didn't have up to that point. I was just a kid what did I know but the Challenger disaster gave me a life lesson that I will take to my grave.

[@Djarra]

Well at least Buzz didn't punch Punky. Although that video of him knocking out the nut job is worth a watch.

[@FrancisR420]

That guy was harassing him and you know the first astronaut didn't get into the job because they're very quiet and passive It was just whoever was brazen and crazy enough to get on the thing and ride it to the Moon

[@Djarra]

Yep the guy calls him a coward, Buzz flew 70+ combat missions over Korea. He's no coward. Actually Buzz was quite restrained. The guy he hit later tried to bring charges of assault against the Pawn Stars people (before the series) after he was removed from the shop for trying to sell stolen items he then ended up in prison for trying to sell stolen items in a pawn shop.

[@FrancisR420]

@@Djarra damn I kind of want to read that guy's autobiography and his biography to see the differences

[@CarynDPrescott]

Wow. I gotta see that.

[@HenryBloggit]

“She hates reruns.” 😂

[@gnamp]

"For a professional photographer...". That was a 'zinger', my man!

[@Gildedbutterfly1976]

We watched the Challenger in fourth grade. That is something that stays with you forever. 😢

[@MCO18]

“she hates re-runs” BUHAHAHAHA! 😂

[@andrewrodriguez4463]

"Punky loves magic, she made her parents disappear"

[@sheilamccullough2616]

Lol

[@AQGOAT24]

This series is so good that I watch the episodes for shows (like this) that I have never heard of or seen

[@NewYork975]

I remember this in school. Damn sad day.

[@ticketyblue3080]

This episode really stuck with me throughout the years. A bit traumatizing.

[@pagingdrbitchcraft]

Same. The Halloween episode shook me a little too.

[@tskmaster3837]

As these "very special episode" go, this is one of the better ones since it's written for Punky's POV rather than at people her age and for adults to fill in the gaps. That came out wrong... so very wrong....

[@Kattywagon29]

"And there is nothing, I mean nothing, that can't be fixed with a free T-shirt"

[@NatS3703]

2:44 😂😂😂😂 i love this youtube series 😂

[@butcherboy2008]

Somebody once walked up to Buzz Aldrin and told him we faked the moon landing and Buzz took him out with one punch.

[@jeffzimmerman3106]

"The further you get from the ground, the more likely it is that you're gonna explode." Classic!

[@michellep4296]

Bless you. This is the kind of quality content we need right now.

[@X-Gen-001]

I remember watching the Challenger launch live, I was in the 6th grade. Being obsessed with everything space I had seen many launches before so I knew immediately that it was a disaster and they all died. I was so upset I cried.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

I cried too. I was home with the flu that day, and CNN had it live as well. I taped it. When the explosion happened, I said"F*ck, me, that's way too soon for SRB separation. That thing blew up. OMG, the poor astronauts and teacher." I didn't shut off the VCR for almost 4 hours afterward. Still have the tape and the VCR it was taped on. Tape plays well, and the VCR still works . (Jan Griffiths).

[@davidalbergo2]

I watched this episode too..and the shuttle too. Very sad RIP Christine McCalliff

[@JackMensahBonsu]

Cherry wants to be Pee Wee Herman?😂😁😅😆

[@JamesCooperAdams]

"She wants to discover new planets where she also has no parents" lmao

[@JenX_1973]

Try bringing a toy gun to school today! You will get suspended!

[@hippiefreak66]

I love how sarcastic the narrator is.

[@Mr.Majestic77]

"Prehistoric Instagram" . Lol

[@maddymiller4146]

Punky so happens to be my nickname that my mom had given me because my dad used to dress me up in colorful clothing and that’s how I earned my nickname of “Punky”

[@crimsonclover9871]

*knock knock* "Houston, we have a cameo," 🤣🤣

[@mattman8436]

You know the first person to milk a cow caught heat for that. hahahaha!!!

[@mhoran21]

Matt Man that had me thinking all weekend

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

In reality though, Christa McAuliffe's backup Barbara Morgan became a real astronaut, and was aboard STS-118. She did all of Christa's lessons from space, and was the first Educator in Space. She did see the explosion from a rooftop at the Kennedy Space Center, and was led away, crying. (Jan Griffiths).

[@kingslayer1070]

“Zero gravity lipstick licks” 😂

[@ELITESrBAMOFOS945]

"Punky loves magic- she made her parents disappear!" XD fucking savage

[@cajunbyblood]

This episode is so serious but the narration has me laughing so hard

[@chloeevans2569]

I wish you’d do more like these like the punky Brewster episode with refrigerator safety

[@jtompkins1277]

"Job Halloween" has me giggling.

[@Gravydog316]

oh god just reading you guys quote the lines is killing me omg haha i have never laughed harder

[@willis2920]

Man, there are so many great jokes in here that are coming so fast I can barely keep up. This is great humor. Oh Punky, oh Punky, you have a dog named Brandon

[@cowtippingrocks]

I remember this episode. Total flashback when the kid said he was hoping Mr T would save them.

[@ghariiscool]

punky : "the shuttle exploded" henry : "are you sure?" narrator: "the f*ck kind of question is that henry" hahahaha

[@rorycalhoun6484]

thanks for keeping us ABREAST of the Punky Boobster situation! 😉

[@maddisonlangdon1526]

Holy shit I’m early

[@bjornjoseph]

This guys needs an award

[@adampsyreal]

That old man was in everything.

[@sunshineholmes3487]

Even though it isn't a special episode per se, you should do the Punky Brewster where she tutors a boy played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Just to bring everything full circle.

[@mkaplan1383]

I was three years old when the shuttle exploded. I was watching the launch with my brother and my mom that morning when we watched in horror as the shuttle was destroyed during launch.

[@AlmighTee]

Being that the Challenger had the "first teacher in space", most school aged kids had the A/V tv in class and saw it live. One of my first "where were you" moments.

[@CRocketSlim]

Yeah, Challenger exploding really messed with a lot of kids... that said I do appreciate Funny or Die finding humor in this event that really messed with some kids. Glad we can laugh at this now

[@chriscox3709]

I was in 4th grade and we were watching the Challenger launch on live t.v. None of my class cried like Punky that I can remember but I will never forget seeing that on live t.v. I respect the hell out of astronauts to this day.

[@AngelCintiaRockgirl]

Well, it reached its target. I laughed my ASS off at this segment.

[@EmilyFisherTheELF]

This is my favorite very special episode to date.

[@LoopayLu]

National Puppy Radio!!!! :D

[@myenemysenemy1043]

'Because lately, it seems like the further you get from the ground the more likely it is you'll explode' is the greatest line ever

[@Princess-im3wm]

"I pity the fool who has to raise Alan" lmfao

[@JoeyLamontagne]

“Alan brought a gun to school. When he grows up, he wants to be the future.” Hilarious and sad at the same time

[@kristinwood8884]

Many of us that lived in Florida and were close enough to see watched live outside, I was 8 years old and it affected me deeply.

[@mikelroa8719]

Its so funny to think they sat on the floor just to not explode 😂

[@noctoskanan5716]

these are funny i have watched them for years keep making them