Did Ozzy Osbourne eat a bat? The wild story behind rock's most notorious moment
Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, is not new to controversy, but one story that has remained the most sensationalised in rock history is the bat story. Did Ozzy Osbourne eat a bat?
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Ozzy Osbourne's bat story tells of a shocking moment that reinforced his wild image. Read on to discover more about the bat story's circumstances and impact on the persona of one of the most enigmatic musicians of the 20th century.
Did Ozzy Osbourne eat a bat?
The English singer and songwriter bit off the head of a bat while on stage. The event happened on 20 January 1982 at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. Assuming it was a fake rubber prop, the singer was surprised when he realised it was a real bat.
A 17-year-old fan, Mark Neal, threw the bat on the stage, though the rock star claimed it was dead. But Ozzy Osbourne's bat incident is not just some quirky side story to his career but a key moment. In his 2002 Diary of a Madman reissue, Osbourne recalled the moment as shocking and surreal. In an interview with Paula Yates in 1982, he said:
It must have been stunned by the lights or something because it just froze. I thought it was a toy until I bit into it and realised it was real. It tasted horrible.
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Did Ozzy get rabies shots?
Osbourne admitted that the bat bit him in the process, and he got a rabies shot. While the legendary rock star claimed the bat was alive, the young fan who threw it on stage claimed he brought a dead bat to the show. The 1982 show sealed Osbourne's position as rock's most outrageous character.
While celebrating his 37th anniversary in 2019, As Loud Wire published, Osbourne jokingly embraced the myth, selling a plush bat toy with a removable head on his online store. People rushed to buy this collectable demonstrating that this outrageous rock legend remains popular today.
What is the truth behind Ozzy Osbourne's dove story?
The bat-biting incident was not the first time he had bitten an animal. In 1981, after inking his first solo record deal, Ozzy Osbourne stunned the music world with an odd and outrageous stunt during a lunch with CBS Records bigwigs in Los Angeles.
Osbourne had intended to perform a symbolic act of nonviolence. After giving a speech of thanks to his audience, he wanted to set free pigeons in the air as a symbol of peace, but the plan went awry when he bit the head off. But sharing the experience three months after the March 1981 event, as Mojo 4 Music published, he said:
I wanted to make a real impression. The bird was dead. We were planning to release it there, but it died beforehand. So rather than waste it I bit its head off. You should have seen their faces. They all went white. They were speechless.
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Ozzy Osbourne's other controversies
Since the beginning of black metal music, religious parties have continuously condemned Osbourne. As The New York Times published, they cite his music efforts as encouraging and promoting teenage delinquency and Satanism.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he claimed that Satan must have fortified him against the killer virus. As published on Louder Sound, he reportedly said:
My wife had the virus; my daughter had the virus, and I never got it. Being a devil worshipper does have its good points!
A post on Movie Guide claims that Ozzy Osbourne is not a Satanist but a Christian. The singer claims to be a Christian, though he does not study the Bible. There are reports that he is a member of the Church of England and kneels in prayer before each performance.
In 1984, California teenager John McCollum decided to end his life while listening to Osbourne's Suicide Solution.
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Frequently asked questions
Although it happened decades ago, fans still ask questions concerning Ozzy Osbourne's bat story. Below are the questions and the best answers:
- Did Ozzy bite the bat? The singer and songwriter bit a bat thrown onto the stage at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa.
- What happened when Ozzy Osbourne bit the bat? He claimed that the bat was alive and bit him in the process, infecting him with rabies.
- What animal did Ozzy Osbourne eat? The Prince of Darkness has bit a dove and a bat.
- What did Ozzy Osbourne eat on stage in 1982? While performing onstage, he bit a bat.
- Is Ozzy Osbourne alive? The singer and songwriter is alive.
Did Ozzy Osbourne eat a bat? He did, and Ozzy Osbourne confirmed it on numerous occasions. The singer, whose outrageous antics and controversies are unforgettable, has cemented his name as one of the greatest rockers the world has ever seen.
READ ALSO: Who is Elliot Kingsley, Thelma Riley's and Ozzy Osbourne’s son?
As published on Briefly.co.za, Elliot Kingsley is an emerging English actor who is making a name for himself in the theatrical scene. He is well-known as the adopted son of British musician Ozzy Osbourne from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.
Initially starting as a Speech and Drama teacher in Wirral and Chester drama schools, Elliot's early passion for performing arts led him to abandon teaching for a full-fledged acting career.
Source: Briefly News
