So a 12-year-old sets himself on fire while emulating a stunt he saw on MTV’s “Jackass.” Then he’s interviewed by Entertainment Weekly:
‘ “I don’t blame myself, I kind of blame the show,” says Hitz, whose family has decided not to sue MTV. ‘
While a show that prides itself on stunts like jumping on a barbecue grill while wearing a flame-retardant suit covered in raw steaks has little to recommend it, this kind of comment is infuriating. A 12-year-old apparently doesn’t have the presence of mind to understand why setting yourself on fire might not be the best idea, and his parents are magnanimous enough not to sue. Well bully for them. Maybe they should concentrate on their kid, who obviously has more problems than what he watches on cable TV.