Stern Show Hypes Vile Video

New York Post ^ | May 14, 2002 | Richard Johnson with Paula Froelich and Chris Wilson

[Timesink]

STERN SHOW HYPES
VILE VIDEO

By RICHARD JOHNSON
with Paula Froelich and Chris Wilson

---

Howard Stern
- Photo by: Jim Alcorn

A SHOCKING video that shows homeless people breaking each other's bones, pulling their own teeth out with pliers and drinking urine-laced booze is selling like crazy since Howard Stern started playing the audio portion on his radio show.

The makers of "Bumfights: Cause for Concern, Volume 1," claim to have sold over 100,000 copies at $19.95 since Stern featured the disturbing amateur flick last week.

"Bumfights" lowlights include footage of a derelict being pushed down cement stairs in a shopping cart and another one Dumpster-diving from a parking garage.

In the most chilling segment, a man impersonating Aussie zoologist Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin attacks sleeping homeless men, duct-tapes their wrists, spray paints them and measures their limbs while shouting things like, "Crikey! This one's a young buck!"

In another scene, a street person is rewarded with a sex act after having the words "Bum Fight" tattooed onto his knuckles and written on his forehead.

Ray Laticia, 23, and Ty Beeson, 24, former UCLA and USC film students, began shooting in Nevada and Southern California three years ago.

"We compensate [the homeless participants] but it's more of a gift than paying them to do specific things," Laticia tells freelance journo Michael Rovner. "Usually it's a hundred bucks, clean 'em up, maybe put them in a hotel or buy dinner." The producers claim that everyone in the video signed release forms.

Three production companies, including a Sony Television partner, have expressed interest in a softer version for general broadcast, the filmmakers say. Two more installments are on the way this summer, including footage from New York.

Though the videotape showcases serial assaults, public sex acts, vandalism and crack smoking, Nevada cops say they're powerless to do anything unless a victim comes forward to press charges.

"It's disgusting," says Las Vegas police Sgt. Chris Darcy. "But we don't have any victims. I've had no one come in to file a complaint. Evidently they're being paid to do it."

When a woman in the video phones cops to report "inciting a riot between homeless people," laughter can be heard, but no arrests are made.

"New York has experienced some recent crimes against the homeless but is relieved to not be Las Vegas," says Patrick Markee, senior policy analyst at the Coalition for the Homeless here. "It's disgusting, but at least New Yorkers aren't marketing a videotape."

[Timesink]

Well! It certainly sounds ... interesting ...

[Byron_the_Aussie]

What's your take on this, PJ?

[L.N. Smithee]

Definitely Politically Incorrect, Howard is good on some things.

This video -- even the concept of it -- is "Politically Incorrect"? That's all you can manage to say about it? How about wrong?

This says everything there is to be said about Howard's lack of character. But, in his defense, he is only the pimp and not the perpetrator.

[Sonny M]

Stern, he is, what he is. I just don't have the words.

[PJ-Comix]

In the most chilling segment, a man impersonating Aussie zoologist Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin attacks sleeping homeless men, duct-tapes their wrists, spray paints them and measures their limbs while shouting things like, "Crikey! This one's a young buck!"

I heard this segment on the radio yesterday. It was hilarious. The guy sounded exactly like the Crocodile Hunter. In fact, I wasn't paying much attention at first and I thought it was a clip from the Crocodile Hunter show until I heard more of it.

They can call it a vile video but it is definitely funny even if it is very Un-PC.

A few years ago a homeless advocacy group began a program to hand out free videos to homeless people so they would know what type of food is best to grab out of dumpsters in back of restaurants. But, as Howard pointed out, where were the homeless people going to play the videos? In an old shoe? Nobody gave any thought as to where the homeless people (bums) would play the videos and that idea was quickly dropped because of Howard pointing this out.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Considering a great many homeless people are seriously mentally ill, I can't find much funny in videos documenting their abuse. This would be as much of a laugh riot as encouraging Down's Syndrome folks to play in traffic.

[mikhailovich]

Nailed it.

[KantianBurke]

Bit of a change from having homeless people attack regular citizens, violently panhandle or push helpless women in front of subway trains.

[WellsFargo94]

This is disgusting beyond description. Whether or not they are homeless, mentally ill, or drug addicts this is an atrocity. It would be funny only if the participants were actors playing homeless people. Politically incorrect? No, exploitive and most important against Christ's teachings.

[philetus]

"It's disgusting, but at least New Yorkers aren't marketing a videotape."

Not yet anyway.

[StriperSniper]

"But we don't have any victims.

Oh come on now, just call a lawyer, they can create 'victims' out of thin air!

[PJ-Comix]

What about the "Bum Hunter" guy? Isn't he worried about catching fleas and other stuff from the homeless people? I've seen lots of homeless folks, and the last thing I would want is physical contact with them. Even cops use gloves when handling homeless people and yet here we have the Bum Hunter tackling and grabbing those folks.

[billbears]

Just another example of why Howard Stern is quickly losing market share (especially down here in the South) and hopefully will one day be off the air FOR GOOD!!

As for these two students, as much as I dislike the court system in general, I would suggest a copy of this video be turned over to a local DA(if there's a decent one left) to prosecute these two people for taking advantage of those a lot less fortunate than themselves

[PJ-Comix]

I'm still wondering if the bums were authentically tackled and tagged by the Bum Hunter. I have a suspicion that, although these are real bums on the video, they were paid in ADVANCE to be captured by the Bum Hunter. I am having my doubts that the Bums were taken by surprise. If they were, then the Bum Hunter could be facing some serious legal charges.

[AppyPappy]

"Look at the head on this Down's Syndrome kid. He's a regular slobbering monster."

Stern has a special place in Hell waiting for him.

[PJ-Comix]

I once knew a bum called Beercan Bob. When you hear the expression, "Dumpster Diving," then think of Beercan Bob because he actually did go diving in dumpsters. He would put on a bathing suit, jump into a dumpster, and then "swim" around in the muck while tossing aluminum cans out of the dumpster. Beercan Bob had the unique ability to toss just the right amount cans out of dumpsters that he was diving in until he had the EXACT amount in can deposits to buy himself a case of Old Milwaukee beer..... Not a nickle more and not a nickle less.

It would have been intersting to have seen the Bum Hunter diving into a dumpster in an attempt to capture Beercan Bob.

[RichInOC]

You expected anything less from Howard Stern?

[PJ-Comix]

I used to go into the wholesale district in Los Angeles quite a bit. The problem was that there lots of homeless folks in that area. One day, I figured I would do a good deed and make sure my car was secure at the same time. When I parked my car (on Winston Street) I called over a homeless person (bum) and gave him $5 if he would watch my car while I went shopping for an hour. After an hour I returned to find that same homeless guy peeing on my car. When I yelled at him because he wasn't doing his job, he insisted (while continuing to pee and watch my car) that he was watching my car. I couldn't really argue with him because nothing in my instructions said he couldn't pee on my car.....And he was watching it (while peeing on it).

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

It's not nearly as bad as the NY Post makes it sound. (No surprise --The worse it sounds, the more papers they sell)

http://www2.bumfights.com

dan