commentary by sally jenkins published by the "washington post" called wallenda "the ultimate athlete, free of all law except gravity ... beyond criticism. committing a pointless act — yet praying." jenkins remarked "we thought daredevils were gone — too much science had reduced them to the predictable ... but along has come this new breed." comparing wallenda and baumgartner's record skydive that also aired on discovery, she speculated that the emergence of online media combined with "stale, stupid predictability" of television shows has led the re-emergence of interest in daredevil activity. she concluded "wallenda’s meaningless act restored the meaning of real." "the telegraph"'s ben fogle declared "i have never felt such fear for another person ... i have a new superhero: not a superman with a cape, but a slightly tubby dad in jeans and a t-shirt."