Caleb McLaughlin’s “Stranger Things” character may have helped defeat the Mind Flayer, but it turns out that he’s no match for the HangTime roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm.
McLaughlin briefly lost consciousness while answering interview questions about the show’s upcoming fourth season while riding the new surfing-themed coaster.
In the video posted to Netflix’s Twitter, surfer and comedian Ivy Miller begins the ride by asking McLaughlin about his favorite part of the show so far.
“Hopefully I don’t choke on my gum,” the 20-year-old quips before they start to ascend the 150 foot vertical lift hill.
“My favorite part of the show?” McLaughlin repeats, nervously laughing. “Everything. Everything’s great.”
Miller ramps things up by having him spell “Demogorgon” (incorrectly, but who can blame him?) as they come to a grinding halt at the top. Once they reach the top, there are several terrifying seconds before they drop to the other side, during which Miller asks what makes Max (Sadie Sink) and his character Lucas such a great couple.
As he starts to answer “‘Cause they’re great!” they go sailing over the other side, and McLaughlin appears to pass out for a fraction of a second. As they round a steep curve, he goes limp again for a moment.
“What’s it like watching yourself grow up on screen?” Miller asks him when they get to a tamer part of the ride. “Oh man! I was a baby, I was a chunky little child,” he says. “It’s great, you know, it’s a blessing. I have live footage of a young version of me.”
It’s not exactly surprising that McLaughlin blacked out, considering the stats behind the monster roller coaster housed at the Buena Park, California, theme park, northwest of Anaheim. According to Knott’s Berry Farm’s official website, HangTime is the first dive roller coaster in California and features the steepest vertical drop in the entire state – not to mention “gravity-defying inversions,” “mid-air suspensions” a “Negative-G Stall Loop,” and a bunch of other frightening jargon.
HangTime clearly isn’t for the faint of heart, but neither is “Stranger Things 4.” Although lacking in corkscrews or cobra rolls, the teaser trailers promise a season of supernatural scares and new villains, with producer Shawn Levy describing it as “harrowing.”
“Stranger Things” Season 4 Volume One premieres May 27, followed by Volume Two on July 1.
