Advertisement
Entertainment & Arts

TV stunts: Were you duped?

The stunt: On June 11, 2007 the World Wrestling Entertainment program "Raw" showed the organization's chairman, Vince McMahon, get into a limo a few minutes before exploding. The show and its website proclaimed his death soon after the telecast and announced a three-hour tribute scheduled to take place 14 days later. Did it work: The egg was on McMahon's face when WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead the day before the three-hour tribute was set to air. The memorial became a tribute to Benoit and McMahon confessed his death was only part of a story line. McMahon explained that August that he only faked his death to see what people really thought of him.

The stunt: On June 11, 2007 the World Wrestling Entertainment program “Raw” showed the organization’s chairman, Vince McMahon, get into a limo a few minutes before exploding. The show and its website proclaimed his death soon after the telecast and announced a three-hour tribute scheduled to take place 14 days later.

Did it work: The egg was on McMahon’s face when WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead the day before the three-hour tribute was set to air. The memorial became a tribute to Benoit and McMahon confessed his death was only part of a story line. McMahon explained that August that he only faked his death to see what people really thought of him.  (Will Ragozzino / Getty Images)

Soy Bomb explodes

The stunt: While performing his song “Love Sick” on the 1998 Grammy Awards telecast, Bob Dylan was joined by backup dancer Michael Portnoy, who ripped his shirt off to reveal the words “Soy Bomb” and started contorting wildly. Not everyone realized it wasn’t supposed to be part of the act until security helped him off stage.

Did it work? Yes. Instead of people talking about Bob Dylan’s famous performance of “Love Sick,” they talk about “the Soy Bomb incident.” And the multimedia artist, choreographer and musician soon became the inspiration for “SNL” sketches, songs and numerous late-night monologues.  (Mark Lennihan / AP)

Entertainment & Arts

More From the Los Angeles Times

Most Read in Entertainment & Arts

Advertisement