When Publicity Stunts Go Bad

It was all in good fun, she says. But WNBA player Sue Bird canceled her wager with sports radio host Mitch Levy. If Bird lost the bet, Levy would spank her on his show. If she won, he'd have to buy season tickets. ESPN reports Bird made the wager "as a good-natured way to draw the radio talent and listeners to Storm games.''

Publicity stunts go bad all the time. Think of the infamous turkey episode from WKRP in Cincinnati.

Sometimes jokes become publicity stunts or lawsuits like Pizza Hut v. Papa John's give companies the kind of extra exposure you just couldn't buy. And let's not forget Nike's free air time since Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault.