Having people perform stunts on live TV is one of those things that sounds like it’s a great idea until someone is taking a flaming arrow to the chest. Thanks to proliferation of reality programming and variety shows in general, live tv injuries are fairly commonplace in the modern entertainment landscape. So much so that live television injuries aren’t just happening on variety shows. If you’re lucky, you can catch people getting hurt on local news broadcasts, and your favorite shopping channel. Cover your face with your hands and get ready to check out these things that happened on live TV.
People get hurt all the time in sports, but those aren’t the kind of injuries on live TV that we’re talking about. Most of the people that we’re covering who were hurt on live TV didn’t sign up to be punched by a stranger or set on fire by an overeager talk show host, they just wanted to peddle their wares and go home. If anything, this cavalcade of people getting hurt on TV should serve as a warning to any of you daredevils that want to take your act to the small screen. Don’t let someone shoot you with a flaming arrow or throw an axe at you unless you’re sure that you can make it out alive. Keep reading to find out about the folks who were injured on TV.
Photo: NBC Universal
The Guy Who Got Shot by a Flaming Arrow on Live TV
On an episode of America's Got Talent that aired on August 2nd, 2016, Ryan Stock and his fiancé were all set to perform a death defying flaming arrow trick when everything went wrong. Instead of shooting a target that Stock was holding in his mouth, his fiancé accidentally shot him in the neck. The camera cut away to the stunned hosts, but not before giving the home audience a glimpse at the terror that keeps illusionists and stuntmen awake at night. Stock later went on Twitter to let everyone know that everything was cool.
You know that really funny prank where you set your friends on fire? Well that happened to magician Wayne Houchin when Dominican television presenter Franklin Barazarte set Houchin on fire apropos of nothing. Houchin survived the incident and immediately filed charges against Barazarte.
While demonstrating to viewers at home how to use a ladder, a QVC presenter fell from the top of one of their products. This happened as a caller was explaining how everyone in her apartment was jealous of her for owning one of these finished nickel death machines. Almost as soon as the presenter hits the floor the cameras cut to a beauty shot of the product. Well played QVC.
For some reason, it was totally fine for karate men to bring their pet bears onto talk shows in the 80s even though bears are prone to eating people and stealing their picnic baskets. A Polish woman (who was also a guest on the show) was attacked by the bear before the karate man managed to wrestle it to the ground. The camera captured the entire attack, and even though the bear was declawed and muzzled it's still a gruesome sight to behold. The bear was put down after the incident.
Is there a more dangerous job than that of a morning news reporter? This reporter for Fox 5 News learned the hard way not to goof around when you're stomping grapes. Thankfully the camera didn't stop rolling when she fell or we'd never know the dulcet tones of a woman choking on pure embarrassment.
On an episode of the Polish talk show Question for Breakfast in 2016 a magician was showing the hosts how to perform that classic trick where you slam your hand down onto a bag that might have a nail in it. When the magician became "confused" one of the presenters, Marzena Rogalska, ended up shoving a nail through her hand when she popped the wrong bag.
