      
2. January 29, 2001 Torrington, CT: Teen
burned imitating MTV stunt
Two friends poured gasoline on the legs and feet of Jason
Lind, age 13, and set him afire trying to imitate a stunt seen on MTV.
The MTV program, "Jackass" features an array of exploitive
pranks and stunts. In a recent episode performer Johnny Knoxville donned a
fire-resistant suit hung with steaks. He then lay across a barbecue while others
sprayed lighter fluid onto the grill. Jason
underwent skin grafts for second and third degree burns at the
Shriner’s Hospital in Boston. The
family’s attorney also stated Jason was psychologically scarred.
After the incident, Senator Joseph Lieberman of CT contacted the
president of Viacom, MTV’s parent company asking for programming changes.
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CT
Family may sue MTV: RegisterCitizen.com
During the 2000 presidential campaign, Vice
Presidential candidate Lieberman, and his running mate Al Gore, broke records
for campaign contributions from the entertainment industry.
Gore and Lieberman were the guests of honor at an entertainment industry
fundraising gala on September 14 at Radio City Music Hall that raised over $6.5
million for the Democratic Party.
Viacom, parent company of MTV was the number 12
ranked campaign contributor in the entertainment / movie industry in the 2000
election cycle. Viacom contributed
more than $488,000 to Democratic candidates during this period. Why did Senator Lieberman wait until one of his
constituent’s children is severely injured to press for changes at MTV?
Then Vice Presidential Candidate, Dick Cheney, in
reference to the Radio City Music Hall fundraiser said, "I find it a little
hard to understand how on one hand, our opponents, Al Gore and Joe Lieberman,
can go out publicly and castigate Hollywood and the music industry for the kinds
of material they're producing, and on the other hand, go to their homes for
fund-raisers and schmooze with them as they collect millions of dollars in
campaign contributions,"
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Joe
Lieberman on Marketing Violence to Children: Senate.gov
Feb
3, 2001, Florida Boy injured imitating MTV Jackass Stunt
Update: As of 4-19-01, Another
CT boy, 11 year old Jose Serrano, was burned while he and friends were
imitating stunts seen on MTV's "Jackass". Jose was treated at Children's Medical Center in Hartford and released.
Since the January incident, involving Jason Lind, MTV moved "Jackass" from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A disclaimer on the show's Web site on the evening of 4-18-01 was only a partial
statement that read, "`Jackass' features stunts performed by professionals and/or total idiots. In either
case, MTV insists that neither you or any of your" then the warning ended abruptly.
Reference NY Times 4-19-01
As of 02-22-01, MTV, the cable network, which is
owned by Viacom refused to change either the format or the time slot of the stunt show,
"Jackass" despite a call by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) to do so
in response to this incident.
Your1voice will make a difference to persuade Viacom to
curb the broadcast of inappropriate programming by applying market
pressure. Let MTV's sponsors know you find this material offensive.
See A call to action to learn what you can do.
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