I followed kreosan's videos for quite some time - it's two guys in a region that has been hit hard by some sort of military action. Basically, they've already been through enough that they're more or less desensitized to any "danger" from electricity.
If we're talking about the video I'm remembering, yes, they did short the mains, right off the meter, but using a considerable length of wire, which glowed red hot before finally melting. It is my suspicion that the wire was thin enough and long enough to have a resistance sufficient to keep the actual short current below the rating of whatever protective device may have been upstream of it.
Also, I know not all countries are the same as the US, and some have fuses or breakers before the meter -- but I was picturing there /not/ being one there, and the short being placed on the line side of the meter.
As to the lights going out -- I suspect the camera exposure as mentioned by someone else.
