Today we are giving you an answer, in case you ever wondered how long were the 6 longest applauses of all time.
When talking about the origins of this widespread and socially acceptable way of showing approval, affirmation, and admiration, we must mention ancient Romans and their slightly different form of what is nowadays known as clapping. From snapping the finger and thumb, and clapping flat or hollow palm, to the use of the toga in the purpose of flapping, the expressions of encouragement and praise were various. The applause was a short fad in Christianity too. Moreover, there is something called ‘golf clap’ and it refers to the quiet clapping so golfers wouldn’t be disturbed while playing. Well known and traditional minute’s silence, used for showing respect to a recently deceased, is replaced with minute’s applause, at least in Britain.
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For what it’s worth, clapping can be really contagious – the audience doesn’t always have to be driven by their enjoyment after the show, some just go with the flow and clap in the rhythm. And once we are talking about reasons to start clapping, we might as well mention one interesting anecdote about the reason for not ending it. So, it was at a 1937 conference of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union. Once the applause in honor of the dictator Joseph Stalin started, no one had the nerve to stop it. Eventually, after 11 minutes of wild clapping, the director of the paper factory found the strength and brought it to an end. According to Solzhenitsyn, the famous Russian novelist, and historian, that man ended up in prison, just a few hours later. In this case, legitimate fear of retaliation really was a reason good enough not to interrupt the clapping. Luckily, speaking of applauses below, that’s not the case.
In our search for the longest ones, we witnessed and heard various applauses. Some were long, loud and worth mentioning and the others were more like good-manners-applauses done as a formality. However, few of them stand out from the crowd, and we felt the urge to write a few lines about them. We lined up the noteworthy ones according to their durance, starting with the shortest, although every each of those 6 longest happened due to a different but equally important reason. You are free to clap if you like after listening and reading about them.
If you ever wondered how it feels like to receive a standing ovation accompanied by clapping, but you don’t have an idea how to deserve it, we are recommending you to read our article about the 15 Most Popular TED Talks in 2014. While watching this inspirational videos you may get the idea that is worth spreading, and that will definitely bring you an applause.
As for us, the applauses, are best self-confidence boosters. Just imagine the rush of the endorphin while you are on the stage receiving one! So, without further ado, let’s see how it was, at least for these guys on the list of longest applauses of all time.
6.Charlie Chaplin – Hollywood Revisited
Applause duration: 12 minutes
For a fairly quiet guy, who thought that silence is golden, ‘The Dictator’ received thunderous applause back in 1972 at the 44th Annual Academy Awards. Possibly the best Oscar moment lasted no less than 12 minutes. The most famous tramp figure became a figure of an old man – while receiving the honorary Oscar, one couldn’t help but think that his effect in motion picture arts might have been much greater if he didn’t mess with the wrong guys. Thus, emotional and triumphant return to Hollywood is not a surprise, but it’s definitely a curiosity that deserves a place on our list of 6 longest applauses of all time.
5. Fahrenheit 9/11 – 2004 Cannes Film Festival
Applause duration: 20 minutes
It seems that Michael Moore and his film really heated up Cannes and didn’t let sleeping dogs lie, since critics were harsh, according to The Guardian. On the contrary, the audience rewarded Mike with the 20-minute long standing ovation. Where did this dichotomy come from? The one explanation is that Cannes’ long-lasting standing ovations are overrated and that they became a trend. On the other hand, sharp words from the critics haven’t been necessarily a bad thing. Moore’s view on the September, 11th aftermath and the affairs of Bush Administration considering wars in Afghanistan and Iraq raised a big cloud of dust, and that’s why strong reactions are not lacking whether or not they were justified.
4. Cal Ripken Jr. – The Basketball Iron Man
Applause duration: 22 minutes
Commitment, endurance, and persistence are the reasons why this basketball legend received the longest applause ever in the history of the sports. For 16 seasons straight he played more than 2,600 consecutive games. Maybe he was born under the lucky star, since he never missed a game, due to an injury or for any other reason. It was September 6th, 1995, the Baltimore Orioles were playing versus the California Angels, and one could feel the anticipation in the air at the Camden Yards when Cal surpassed Lou Gehrig’s 2130 streak record. The crowd had gone wild and applauded for a total of 22 minutes. The rest is history.
And now, let’s see the top three longest applauses of all time.
3. Luciano Pavarotti – Italian Tenor in Berlin
Applause duration: 67 minutes
As is standing ovation to a stadium, so is a curtain call to a theater – what makes the King Of High Cs one heck of a performer, thanks to an unbelievable 165 curtain calls received and 67 minutes of non-stop applause. The audience at the Deutsche Oper Berlin was overwhelmed with his performance of the Donizetti’s opera ‘L’elisir d’amore’. 28 years have passed since that memorable February night, and up to this day there is only one man who beat this incredible opera record, and he is next on our list of 6 longest applauses of all time.
2. Plácido Domingo – Spanish Tenor in Vienna
Applause duration: 80 minutes
You guessed it right, it’s Plácido, Pavarotti’s Spanish college – one more of ‘The Three Tenors’ who entered the hall of fame by setting a world record when it comes to the durance of an applause. It remained the longest, until our list’s number one overthrown it in 2014. Nevertheless, June 30th, 1991, was a day to remember, for the sake of the next generations who shouldn’t be unaware of this unforgettable performance of Verdi’s ‘Otello’. Plácido was a little caught up in the moment, we could say, since he went off and on the Wiener Staatsoper’s stage during the 80 minutes of claps, and bravos, and a total of 101 curtain calls.
1. Dustin Luke Nelson and The Applause
Applause duration: 120 minutes and 32 seconds
How many times should one clap during the applause that lasts 2 hours and 32 seconds? Too many? Well, for Dustin and his group, the answer is enough to set the Guinness World Record. It happened two years ago in June, 26th, at the Walker Art Center’s Open Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. A bunch of people clapped at each other for the purpose of connecting people. This performance, which aimed to be an action for strengthening community, was an unusual combination of entertainment and a good cause and therefore deserved first place on our list of 6 longest applauses of all time.
