Liquid Death Releases 'Real' Voodoo Dolls of Steve-O For Latest Stunt

Daredevil Steve-O has faced some dangerous situations and stunts that most of us wouldn’t even dare tempt fate trying. Most famous for his performances as part of the Jackass crew, there’s little man or nature can throw at Steve-O that can top some of the “highlights” of his career, like snorting wasabi, being catapulted into the air inside a portapotty, or walking a tightrope over alligators while wearing a jock strap filled with raw chicken.

It’s little surprise that Steve-O has decided to challenge forces beyond nature in his latest stunt, in partnership with water brand Liquid Death. The prank consists of Steve-O’s head shaved and hair sent to a purportedly genuine voodoo practitioner to help make and activate each of the 300 dolls.

The dolls’ packaging is reminiscent of toys, in a box with a clear window showing off a cute, handmade effigy of Steve-O. The pink, white, and purple color palette, typography choice, and starburst callout have a Barbie vibe that fits the times, though perhaps unintentionally.

While Liquid Death’s VP of creative, Andy Pearson, told AdWeek that the dolls are “100% real” and that some influencers declined a gift doll, there’s little to fear from poking the Steve-O doll with a pin. The Voodoo doll is more a work of Hollywood fiction and a part of attempts to squash the practice among enslaved Black people.

Popular depictions of voodoo, or vodou in Haiti, focus on customs and rituals like spells and witch doctors casting incantations onto inanimate objects like dolls designed to hurt someone. The practice is more nuanced, as voodoo is a combination developed by African slaves of their traditional spiritual rituals and elements of Christianity introduced to them.

Unfortunately, Liquid Death and Steve-O may have just added to the enduring negative stereotypes and mischaracterizations of the Africa-derived voodoo spiritual practice with this latest promotion.