Editorial: Bear down on license for ‘Bambi’ producer

Friday, July 18, 2003 | 10:12 a.m.

The city of Las Vegas has grounds to immediately suspend the business license of "Real Men Outdoor Productions," which it is now investigating. This is the company that sells videos of men armed with high-velocity paintball rifles hunting naked women. The company has gained overnight notoriety by claiming that it will set up a live "hunt" at its ranch in "wonderful, fun-filled Las Vegas" for anyone willing to pay $10,000.

A business license was issued to the company on the basis of its statement that it was selling videos "of a hunting nature." The name on the business license does not match the name of the person who is now giving interviews as the company's proprietor. Additionally, this person has refused to reveal where his purported hunts are being produced. The license should be revoked if the people behind Real Men are found to have misrepresented their intentions.

In our view, the license should be revoked anyway, on general principles, as the videos are in the same league as the ones taped here last year showing homeless people injuring themselves for the entertainment of viewers. This kind of morbid exploitation has resulted in negative publicity all over the world for Las Vegas. Our city offers a variety of entertainment, certainly. But intentionally hurting people for thrills is sick and the world should never have reason to believe that we tolerate it.