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A comedian is facing up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine after violating national parks rules in a number of states while completing an online stunt.
Jake Adams, 29, set out to visit 50 states in 30 days, filming himself hitting a golf ball in each one and posting clips of him teeing off to Instagram, hoping to attract attention toward his comedy material.
He hit his first ball facing the Hollywood sign in California and drove his last into the sea off Hawaii, often choosing dramatic or well-known settings for his swings.
The videos went viral, attracting the attention not only of fellow golf enthusiasts, but also the National Park Service, which placed Adams under investigation.
Adams is suspected of violating regulations set to preserve the parks. Causing damage to National Parks Service property is prohibited and vandalism of national parks is a federal misdemeanor.
Comedian Jake Adams, 29, is facing up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine after violating national parks rules in a number of states while completing an online stunt
The Massachusetts native set out to visit 50 states in 30 days, filming himself hitting a golf ball in each one and posting clips of him teeing off to Instagram, hoping to attract attention towards his comedy material
On day 25 of his trip he drove into Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and whacked three golf balls
The Massachusetts native told The Wall Street Journal that he used a ‘little golf mat’ to avoid leaving a divot in the park.
But negative comments began coming in as Adams neared the end of his tour in Alaska, before finishing in Hawaii.
Instagram users were outraged that the comedian had teed off on protected park land, leaving comments including one that read: ‘I hope you rot in jail’.
The videos from Adams’ trip went viral, attracting the attention not only of fellow golf enthusiasts, but also the National Park Service, which placed Adams under investigation for potentially damaging the protected spots
Adams has apologized, insisting that he thought that he had taken all necessary steps to avoid causing any damage, such as using biodegradable balls
Adams is suspected of violating regulations set to preserve the parks. Causing damage to National Parks Service property is prohibited and vandalism of national parks is a federal misdemeanor
On April 30, the final day of Adams’ trip, Yellowstone released a statement regarding his video.
‘The individual who recently was captured on video hitting golf balls in Yellowstone National Park showed a lack of judgment and common sense. He violated regulations designed to preserve Yellowstone and protect the experience of other visitors. The National Park Service is investigating this illegal act.’
Four days later, his phone rang with a Wyoming number and he was told that a case had been opened against him and that he faced up to six months in prison and $5,000 in fines.
Adams apologized, insisting that he thought that he had taken all necessary steps to avoid causing any damage.
On day 25 of his trip he drove into Yellowstone National Park (pictured) in Wyoming and whacked three golf balls. He told The Wall Street Journal that he used a ‘little golf mat’ to avoid leaving a divot in the park [Stock image]
On April 30, the final day of Adams’ trip, Yellowstone released a statement regarding his video ‘The individual who recently was captured on video hitting golf balls in Yellowstone National Park showed a lack of judgment and common sense. He violated regulations designed to preserve Yellowstone and protect the experience of other visitors. The National Park Service is investigating this illegal act’ [Stock photo]
‘It was not my intent to litter at all,’ Adams told WBZ-TV. ‘These balls biodegrade in a matter of days. So I thought I was taking all the right precautions.
‘But I didn’t research the magnitude of any foreign substance in our national parks. The fact that it biodegrades doesn’t matter because it’s different from their natural ecosystem.’
He posted a video to his Instagram and has removed the clip of him at Yellowstone. ‘It was never my intention to mess with our environment throughout my journey. Moving forward I am fully committed to taking all the right precautions to protect our earth and leave it in a better place than before,’ he wrote alongside the apology video.
He has also retained a lawyer, at a cost of $2,500, telling the Wall Street Journal: ‘This turned out to be the most expensive golf outing ever’.
He told WBZ-TV that he now wants to ‘do everything I can to use my platform to enforce the message to do things the right way in our national parks and really respect that land, and don’t ever hit a golf ball there’.
Adams is now planning another trip, to Europe, where he hopes to hit a ball in every country in 30 days. This time he will pick each one up afterwards, he said.
Adams has said he hopes that others will not try to copy his teeing off in national parks and said he was ‘fully committed to taking all the right precautions to protect our earth and leave it in a better place than before’
Adams is now planning another trip, to Europe, where he hopes to hit a ball in every country in 30 days. This time he will pick each one up afterwards, he said
