Promoted from diaries - and, on a personal note: the fact that Mancow couldn’t find anybody to shop this to that was better than Olbermann probably should have been a tell. - Moe Lane

Thanks to Allahpundit for tweeting this.

So did he fake it? That’s my assertion, based on Gawker getting some emails that seem to corroborate this premise:

There’s a lot more at Gawker, including more emails, so make sure you read all of it. But I’d like to highlight a couple of things.

First, the technique used for Hitchens was COMPLETELY different than the technique for Mancow. It’s so different that it honestly looks like they are just pouring water on Mancow’s face. That’s it. If you listen to Hitchens describe his endeavor, he talks about a smothering feeling that you get from the towel and the mask when he tried to hold his breath. I dare say that Mancow got much more than water up his nose.

Second, notice how they pour the water in Hitchens’ vs Mancow’s. Again, very different.

Lastly, it looks like Mancow is holding his breath. And no, you don’t need to breathe in first to hold your breath. Just try it. Now watch his neck when they start pouring the water. His veins in his neck pop out a little, which suggests he is holding his breath, which would mean he is shutting off the passage way to his lungs. Even I hold my breath when I swin underwater. Water goes up my nose but I never drown or even feel like it.

Gawker also points out other differences in which both waterboardings were carried out. Hitchen’s looks scary as hell, while Mancow’s looks like something we might all try.

Either way, the more I look at it in combo with the emails that Gawker provides, the more I believe it’s a fake. Here’s the 2 videos for you to decide. What do you think?