nickel
11-12-2002, 06:32 PM
SEATTLE, Washington (Reuters) -- A 15-year-old Washington state boy suffered serious burns when he set himself on fire trying to re-enact a stunt similar to those from MTV's controversial show "Jackass," though an MTV spokesperson noted the stunt the boy tried had never appeared on the show or in the recent movie based on the show.
The boy from the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington, soaked his shirt in rubbing alcohol late on Friday and ignited it while his friends stood by with a video camera shooting footage they planned to sell, police and local media reported.
After suffering first-degree burns over his face and upper body, the teen-ager initially told police that someone had set his clothes on fire while he walked on a trail after attending a high school football game in Issaquah, Washington, police said.
But police later recovered a backpack containing an alcohol-soaked T-shirt, lighter fluid and a video camera.
"The stunt obviously went very wrong," Issaquah police said in a statement, adding that the boy could face obstruction of justice charges for lying about the incident, requiring extra police work.
The "Jackass" show depicting outrageous and dangerous stunts by paid actors aired on Viacom Inc.'s youth-oriented MTV in 2000 and 2001 and then was canceled. However, a movie version opened in theaters three weeks ago and has raked in $53.3 million at the box office.
The movie includes the following disclaimer: "The stunts in this movie were performed by professionals, so, neither you nor your dumb buddies should attempt anything from this movie."
"We're sorry when anybody gets hurt; however, nothing like this incident described ever aired on the show or in the movie," said an MTV spokeswoman.
In 2001, "Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville donned a fireproof suit covered in steaks and was set on fire to become a human barbecue. A teen-ager who tried to duplicate the stunt was hospitalized with severe burns.
Injuries allegedly tied to "Jackass" or young imitators have sparked several lawsuits against MTV and Viacom.
Last month, a California woman sued claiming she suffered spine and knee injuries when a "Jackass" cast member knocked her over after slamming himself into a lectern on a stage in a stunt filmed for a similar pilot program that never aired.
link (http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/12/life.jackass.reut/index.html)
The boy from the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington, soaked his shirt in rubbing alcohol late on Friday and ignited it while his friends stood by with a video camera shooting footage they planned to sell, police and local media reported.
After suffering first-degree burns over his face and upper body, the teen-ager initially told police that someone had set his clothes on fire while he walked on a trail after attending a high school football game in Issaquah, Washington, police said.
But police later recovered a backpack containing an alcohol-soaked T-shirt, lighter fluid and a video camera.
"The stunt obviously went very wrong," Issaquah police said in a statement, adding that the boy could face obstruction of justice charges for lying about the incident, requiring extra police work.
The "Jackass" show depicting outrageous and dangerous stunts by paid actors aired on Viacom Inc.'s youth-oriented MTV in 2000 and 2001 and then was canceled. However, a movie version opened in theaters three weeks ago and has raked in $53.3 million at the box office.
The movie includes the following disclaimer: "The stunts in this movie were performed by professionals, so, neither you nor your dumb buddies should attempt anything from this movie."
"We're sorry when anybody gets hurt; however, nothing like this incident described ever aired on the show or in the movie," said an MTV spokeswoman.
In 2001, "Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville donned a fireproof suit covered in steaks and was set on fire to become a human barbecue. A teen-ager who tried to duplicate the stunt was hospitalized with severe burns.
Injuries allegedly tied to "Jackass" or young imitators have sparked several lawsuits against MTV and Viacom.
Last month, a California woman sued claiming she suffered spine and knee injuries when a "Jackass" cast member knocked her over after slamming himself into a lectern on a stage in a stunt filmed for a similar pilot program that never aired.
link (http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/12/life.jackass.reut/index.html)