Posted on 05/27/2004 6:08:05 PM PDT by wagglebee
Michael Burdick admitted in Las Vegas Municipal Court on Tuesday what all but the most gullible already knew: Paintball hunts of nude women were never really for sale in the Nevada desert.
The entrepreneur who earned money and grew infamous last year making that false claim in order to promote his "Hunting for Bambi" video pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors: doing business without a license and providing false information to a public official.
Judge Bert Brown fined Burdick $1,105 and gave him a six-month suspended sentence.
As part of his plea, Burdick acknowledged claims of paintball hunts were part of an advertising strategy for the videos, which portrayed staged hunts of nude women in the Southern Nevada desert. As part of his plea, Burdick apologized for "any embarrassment to the city of Las Vegas caused by such false or misleading promotional activity."
Burdick was silent during his court appearance except when he uttered the words "guilty, your honor." He didn't stick around to explain himself after the hearing. He exited the courtroom at a brisk pace and didn't slow to answer reporters' questions.
It was an abrupt end to a bizarre episode that began in July when KLAS-TV, Channel 8 ran a feature story about "Hunting for Bambi" that appeared to show a local man shooting a paintball gun at nude women. Burdick claimed he was selling the hunts for between $5,000 and $10,000 to men from as far away as Germany.
Television outlets across the country took the story at face value, and a storm of media coverage followed.
Women's groups weighed in, criticizing the recreation for sale in Sin City and worrying it would encourage violence against women. Paintball equipment makers issued statements condemning the hunts as unsafe.
City officials launched an investigation. They said Burdick had come clean and admitted the hunts were fabricated to draw media attention, which drove up sales of the videotapes.
Burdick explained he had created the film using actors. When women were shown being hit by a paintball, Burdick explained, it was him standing off camera, throwing paintballs coated in paint at the nude women.
Burdick told officials he had offered the hunts at exorbitant prices to scare off anyone interested.
The city was ready to drop the matter, but Burdick continued to appear in the national media and falsely claim the hunts were real and for sale.
"He indicated this was a fraud and a scam and he was just attempting to get publicity to sell videotapes," Mayor Oscar Goodman said at the time. "Thereafter, we heard he was going to go on national TV once again and say, in fact, hunts are taking place. ... You can't have it both ways. You're a liar in one of the two ways."
The city found Burdick, who ran the operation, wasn't listed on the business license. His claims that the hunts were for sale prompted the citation for doing business without a license.
In October, Burdick moved Real Men Outdoor Productions, the company that produced and sold the video, to St. Petersburg, Fla.
Burdick's attorney, Craig Mueller, who had criticized the city's prosecution as disproportionate for the charges against Burdick, said Tuesday that no longer was the case.
"When it got to be a fair deal, we took it," he said.
Gosh. What a surprise.
This guy should have a TV show. I like the creative concept- "want a date?, aim well.." LOL.
So basically he got hammered for claiming a fantasy video was a documentary.
Yep, fatass Michael Moore better stay away from Vegas.
Neither of these "crimes" are legitimate in a theoretically-free society.
And false information is the main product of "public officials".
I loved when 20/20 (ABC) claimed they found Buckwheat working as a grocery store bagger.
Excellent comment.
Sources could not confirm whether or not Burdick was laughing hysterically on the inside as he said that.
"You can't have it both ways."
Why not, Kerry the Traitor does!!
A graduate of the Michael Moore school of filmmaking.
Milli Vanilli says that's quite alright.
I agree with the idea that doing business without a license is a bogus charge and you are absolutely correct that false information is what public officials do, but isn't the guy guilty of fraud (or something similar)? I'll bet there are rich pervs who would pay $10 grand to shoot paintballs at naked chicks. As near as I can tell there would be nothing illegal about it, what would have happened if someone would have contacted this guy wanted a "hunting license"? He should have just put a disclaimer on his films and left it at that.
If the fine for public officials providing false information to the public was $1,000 per occurrence federal, state and local governments would all be in the black.
Bet video sales see a bump from the story.
How much do you think he netted in the end?
Nude paintball hunts were reported as fact on the internet.
Does this mean that what's on the internet is not always true?
That's a nasty suprise in Vegas - thinking you've found a doe, only to discover he's a buck.
And the media wonders why they rate below used car salesmen in the public trust.
Doing their job and actually getting out and investigating stories is beyond them.
They have become as reliable as back fence gossip but less truthful.
A furious Quentin Tarrantino defended giving "Hunting for Bambi" top honors at the cannes film festival..even though the filmmaker admitted in court that it was a fabrication.."Look at the film man..it's cool man..we don't get into politics."
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