The Art of Self-Destruction

Okay, so there's this dancer/performance artist in the UK who is planning to purposefully induce in herself an epilectic seizure in front of a paying audience. Not only that, the Arts Council of England has apparently endorsed this seemingly insane bit of art to the tune of £14,000. (If you happen to have been looking for a good shock-and-awe way of describing to a friend the difference between federal arts funding in Europe and America, you're welcome.)

Now, I don't know a whole lot about epilepsy beyond the fact that, back in seventh grade, my friend Joe Holland got hauled off to the principal's office, for bonking me over the head with a Life Sciences textbook, by a teacher who was claiming loudly that he'd probably just given me said condition. But I do have the general impression that it is one of those things that, once you Have It, you pretty much need to Medicate It. Forever. So this particular bit of performance art would seem to be ill-advised, no matter how many write-ups it gets you in advance of said performance.

Still, there are a lot of performers out there willing to put themselves at some degree of risk for the sake of art, or fame, or whatever. I can't say as I've personally ever been a part of such a show - I did once play a piece of music in which the composer strongly suggested that the conductor have a heart attack and die during the performance, though I'm fairly certain he was kidding - but I know that they're out there.

So my question to you is, what's the nuttiest/bravest/most self-destructive thing you've ever seen an artist, musician, or other performer do in the name of entertaining you? If anyone can top Epilepsy Girl, I'll be mightily impressed...