Episode: Hollywood on Trial

Original Air Date: May 11, 2005

Myths: Bullet Sparks, Shoulder Door Break-In, Tin Man Paint Allergy, Plate Glass Miracle, Cigarette Ignites Gasoline (also includes clips from Hollywood Myths done on earlier episodes)

Note: Since the guys have already busted many Hollywood myths, there were lots of clips from previous episodes on this show. Clips were shown from these episodes:

Titanic, Alcatraz, Ice Bullet, Rear Axle, Goldfinger (the Jamie version), Radio Fillings, Killer Quicksand, Cement Truck, Car Myths, Buried Alive, Blown Away, and Bathtub Electrocution.

Also, before they busted any myths, they introduced Grant Imahara, the newest member of the build team. Grant said that his specialty is electronics, and Jamie says that he often consults with Grant about electronic devices.  Adam also says that Grant can grasp a concept quickly, and then use it right away.

And now, the myths:

The Myth: Can you make it look like a bullet sparks when it it hits something?

The Expert: Grant is the expert on this one.

Memorable/Quotable Moments:

Kari dumps a bunch of pop snaps into a bucket and they go off! Grant jumps back, then looks at her and says, "We got more of those, right?"

The Action/Results: This isn't really a myth, just a fun question. Can a person make it look like sparks are flying when a bullet hits something?  After all, we have all seen this in the movies.  Grant explains that they have special paint ball cases that they put "spark loads" in, and then they glue them shut. When these things are fired at a wall, they spark. But the team wants to see if they can make their own using paint balls and cheap fireworks.

After a bit of trial and error, they manage to make it work. Kari grabs a picture of Adam and Jamie to use as a target, and she pretends to shoot a gun at the picture, while Grant shoots the paint balls and Tory watches them spark.  Myth CONFIRMED - it can be done.

The Myth: Can someone really break through a door by ramming it with their shoulder?

The Experts: Jamie and Adam

Memorable/Quotable Moments:

Jamie: There are a lot of guys out there who are bigger and stronger than I am...

Adam: That's hard to believe!

Jamie: Bigger, maybe not stronger.

Action/Results:

The build team build a door with a frame, and then put four locks on it. Jamie rams it with his shoulder six times. The first time he splits the doorjamb. The second and third time he splits the framework of the door itself, and the door pops open. The screws in the hotel bar lock are starting to come out. After the fourth and fifth times, the hotel lock is completely off the doorjamb, and the sixth time he almost breaks the chain lock. It turns out that the build team used a stronger screw for that lock, and he can't quite force the head of the screw over the washer. Adam decides to take a run at it too, and he slips and falls on the doormat. (Be careful, Adam!)

In the end, the guys decide that this myth is PLAUSIBLE.

The Myth:  Did the first actor hired to play the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz have a bad reaction to the silver paint?

The Experts: none

Memorable/Quotable Moments:

Adam: (on seeing Kari in the silver paint): I didn't know we got slave girls!

Kari: So, how long do I have to be in this getup before we consider it a conclusive scientific experiment?

Action/Results: Kari explains that the first actor hired to play the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz became sick from inhaling the aluminum powder that they used to turn him silver.  So, Grant and Tory get to paint her silver and see if she survives. Paramedics are there to make sure that she will be OK.

Kari's heart rate does rise to 134, and the paramedics put her on oxygen to calm her down. Just then, Adam walks in to see what is going on.  After Kari has been on oxygen for a while, the experiment continues, with Adam helping to paint Kari's face. She spray paints her hair silver, and the transformation is complete. During her hour of silver time, she takes a short nap, and then gets a clean bill of health from the paramedics. End result: Myth BUSTED (for Kari, at least).

The Myth: Could a person be thrown through a plate-glass window and then just walk away unharmed?

The Experts: The Build Team

Memorable/Quotable Moments:

Tory: It's bigger than just small!

Action/Results: The build team make a ballistics gel dummy, and then dye it red. They give it a white latex skin, so that they will be able to see any cuts that it gets, and they hand blood bags (condoms with red food coloring and corn syrup) inside the dummy for some extra gore. Then they slide him down a table and through a plate glass window!

The first time, the window is one-eighth of an inch thick, and there are no marks on the dummy at all.  So, they take the latex skin off, and just put white powder over the dummy. Then they put up a pane of glass that is one-fourth of an inch thick.  This time, there are cuts and scrapes all over the dummy. Myth BUSTED!

The Myth: Can a cigarette light a pool of gas on fire?

The Experts: Adam and Jamie

Memorable/Quotable Moments:

Jamie puffing on the cigarette so that Adam can measure the temperature of it!

Action/Results: The end of a lit cigarette is between 450-500 degrees F. Gasoline ignites between 500-540 degrees F., according to Rob Lee.  But, even though they drop, put, and even roll the cigarette in the gasoline, they can't get the gas to ignite.

Myth PLAUSIBLE, but not doable.