Comedian Pleads Innocent to Setting Fire on TV Show

Stand-up comedian Bobcat Goldthwait pleaded innocent Thursday to misdemeanor charges of unlawfully setting his chair on fire during a May 6 taping of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

The New York-born entertainer, who appeared in some of the “Police Academy” movies, waived his right to appear for an arraignment at Burbank Municipal Court.

Instead, Goldthwait’s lawyer, Peter Laird, entered the plea on his client’s behalf.

Laird and Goldthwait’s managers Tim Anctil and Ron Stone were unavailable for comment after the arraignment.

An NBC spokesperson said the network believes that the comedian is the first guest of “The Tonight Show” ever charged with committing a crime on the air.

In a skit that aired Wednesday on the late-night program, Goldthwait appeared buried in a sandbox at a make-believe NBC day-care center. He cried, “Jay, let me out! I promise I’ll be good,” as a child poured sand over his head.

Goldthwait was a guest on “The Tonight Show” in May, when he suddenly stood up during an interview with Leno and set his chair afire using lighter fluid and a long-handled lighter.

A startled Leno and guest Lauren Hutton, a model, doused the fire with cups of water. The unscripted stunt aired the same night.

Burbank fire officials--worried that Leno, Hutton and the studio audience might have been injured--said Goldthwait pulled the stunt without a proper permit or a firefighter nearby in case of an emergency.

“Squirting that fluid the way he did, it’s a wonder it didn’t come back up in the can and cause an explosion, which would have seriously burned him and anyone nearby,” Fire Capt. Richard Fischer said.

The Fire Department has “tried and not been able to have any contact with him or his attorney,” Fischer said.

Goldthwait was charged with unlawfully causing a fire and possessing a flammable device with the intent to burn. The misdemeanors are punishable by up to six months in jail, a maximum fine of $1,000, or both.

“The charges are not the most serious charges in (all) of criminal history, but they are valid and that’s all that’s required,” said Deputy City Atty. Robert W. Walters.

A pretrial hearing for the comedian has been set for July 22.