MacGyver meets his Waterloo

By David Menzies for MSN Autos Say it ain’t so...! Alas and alack, hardcore fans of the classic MacGyver TV series (1985-1992) are undoubtedly questioning their very faith in humanity after it was recently exposed that Richard Dean Anderson – the actor who played the ingenious uber-handyman – was spotted off to the side of the road, his car hood up and no repair forthcoming.

For a character that could make a lethal weapon out of a paperclip, a lighter and a coconut shell, Anderson’s real life inability to fix his ailing Audi made for a gasp-inducing reality check. Indeed, the very idea that the man who played Angus MacGyver was unable to do something so routine as getting his late-model car started was akin to watching Wolfgang Puck screw up preparing Kraft Dinner.

But it’s true. Anderson was spotted in Malibu along with his Audi off to the side of the road. The vehicle’s hood was open and Anderson’s mouth was agape. The man who played the ultimate Mr. Fix-It just couldn’t figure out how to get his ride back in gear.

The Daily Mail reports that at first it appeared as though Anderson, 61, was going to utilize the ol’ MacGyver magic and fix (or at least jerry-rig) the Audi. But the longer he peered into the engine compartment, it began to dawn on observers that Anderson would not be motoring off anytime soon.

Sure enough, Anderson eventually gave up, leaning against his grey-hued ride and apparently waiting for a tow truck to come to the rescue. Such a sad state of affairs would never have materialized on the TV show, of course. Angus MacGyver routinely employed a hodgepodge of household items, that, when combined with his scientific knowledge, would allow him to solve the near-impossible – and always in the nick of time. In fact, it was his character’s ability to pull off the improbable that made the show such a hit – especially among those interested in science and engineering.

But now it appears yet another emperor has no apparel. And gosh, somehow methinks those old MacGyver reruns aren’t going to be quite so believable anymore...

*MSN Autos