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Science

Punkin Chunkin cancelled after explosion nearly kills producer

Punkin Chunkin, Science Channel, 2014, Team Yankee Siege
A team prepares to launch a 1,000 pound pumpkin during the 2014 Punkin Chunkin: Superchunk! special. (Photo by Science Channel)

by Andy Dehnart 21 Nov. 2016 | 9:28 am

Punkin Chunkin, a televised competition where teams from around the world fling pumpkins through the air with various contraptions, has been cancelled this year. While Science Channel sent a note to media yesterday saying that “due to scheduling changes, Punkin Chunkin will not premiere on Saturday, November 26,” it was actually due to a near-deadly accident that so severely injured a producer that first responders first reported that she’d been killed.

On Nov. 6, when the show was being filmed in Delaware, a cannon exploded and a metal door hit the producer in the head. The Cape Gazette’s detailed report explains what happened:

“It was about 2:45 p.m. as the team Punkin Reaper was preparing to launch a pumpkin from an air cannon. Police say the cannon malfunctioned, blowing off a trap door used to load the pumpkin into place. The door flew into the air before striking the woman in the head and face.

Muzzi said the woman was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A few seconds and the metal projectile would have hit the ground. “It hit her in the hard helmet, and she dropped,” he said.

… First responders at the scene—medics, troopers and other emergency responders—initially said the woman had died after a flying, object struck her in the head, but they stablized her and updated their original prognosis, said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier of the Delaware State Police.”

Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate has video of the explosion taken from a distance, so it does not show the impact.

The producer’s current condition is unknown, as is her name. She’s 39 and was in critical condition when she was airlifted to a hospital. She worked for Sharp Entertainment, which is based in New York and produces the television version of Punkin Chunkin, and which has refused to provide information to media outlets.

The Gazette reported that “event organizers” were not revealing information, and “told participants not to comment during the ongoing investigation.”

Discovery first aired footage of a competition in 2002; in 2008, it became a regular show on Science, which last aired it in 2013. Clip shows aired the past two years because the competition couldn’t secure insurance to cover it.

Science Channel said this in a statement:

“In light of the unfortunate incident at the Punkin Chunkin event on Nov. 6, Science Channel will not air Punkin Chunkin as originally planned. We are sending our hopes and prayers for a full recovery to the injured woman, her family and loved ones.”

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about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

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reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

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