Jackass star Steve-O was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in jail for climbing at least 30 metres up a crane in Hollywood in a protest against SeaWorld that drew dozens of emergency responders.
Steve-O, whose real name is Stephen Glover, received the sentence after pleading no contest to misdemeanour trespassing and illegal use of fireworks, Los Angeles City Attorney’s spokesman Frank Mateljan said.
Glover said in a statement that the sentence makes sense because “if your goal is to make a statement about captivity, you may as well get yourself locked up!”
Glover, 41, scrambled up the crane on August 9 at a construction site on Sunset Boulevard. Once at the top, he lit fireworks and inflated a large killer whale balloon emblazoned with “SeaWorld Sucks.”
The protest drew a large number of emergency responders who were unsure if Glover needed rescuing. He was charged with creating a false emergency, vandalism and several fireworks violations
He also was sentenced on Wednesday to three years of probation and ordered to reimburse the city nearly $14,000 (Dh51,421) for the police and fire response.
Glover, known for his outlandish stunts in the Jackass TV show and movies, wore a T-shirt from the anti-Sea World documentary Blackfish when he scaled the crane.
Under the terms of his probation, he’ll have to stay away from the neighbourhood where the incident took place, refrain from using fireworks and not perform any unpermitted stunts that are likely to draw police and fire responders in Los Angeles.
He’s scheduled to report to jail in December.
“I must say I’m ready to go to jail — not just because it will bring so much attention to the plight of orcas in captivity, but because it’s nice to let people know I haven’t lost my edge,” Glover’s statement said. “What can I say? I’m a [expletive].”
