Only in America

Richard Vega, 24, competed in September 2005 to win a Nissan pickup, the prize going to the contestant who endured standing beside the truck with a hand on it longer than any other. After standing for 48 hours, he walked away, broke into a Kmart across the street and, with a shotgun taken from the store, shot himself in the head.

In their petition his family alleged that the stress of the contest caused Vega “to become “temporarily insane and to take his own life” and Patterson was negligent in not providing psychiatric or medical monitoring to contestants.


Do not let any sweet-talking woman beguile your good sense with fascinations of her shape. It's your barn she's after. -- Hesiod