Then there's the now famous clip, "don't tase me bro, don't tase me, I didn't do anything!"
The man was shocked after disrupting a John Kerry forum at the University of Florida last September.
But these electro-shock weapons, better known by the brand name "Taser," are coming to a neighborhood party near you.
This looks just like a Tupperware or Avon party, complete with snacks and beverages, only the host is pushing Tasers. At this party in Phoenix, guests were invited to learn all about the latest product in personal safety; the new, civilian model Taser C2.
Taser Party Host Lynne Rigberg said, "Its light, its small, it comes in colors."
It was designed with women in mind. It comes in pink, metallic blue and silver.
The Taser C2 easily fits in your pocket or purse and can shoot as far as 15 feet. And while it looks nothing like the Tasers used by police, they are similar in one important way; they issue the same powerful, electrifying 50-thousand volts.
William Ayers with The Range Pistol Club explains, "When the general muscle groups are tightened up by the electricity and the muscle groups go into spasms, there is just no way to prepare for that, the pain they are going to feel... And the human body just can't function under that much stress."
The Taser C2 can deliver a shock for up to 30-seconds to give the person being attacked enough time to escape. But it took just a 5-second jolt to bring our 330-pound volunteer to the ground. "I tried to walk but I couldn't. You lose feel for you feet, your hands and the only thing is pain and you need to go down," said volunteer Alex Quiroa.
"The Range" in North Fresno has received several calls for the C2 since it went on the market last July. "Whether it's a woman or a man, it's one more options to use besides lethal force that will do a great job at stopping an attack and keeping you safe," said Ayers.
Valley law enforcement agencies we spoke with have no objections to civilians carrying Tasers. "If you have the right mindset to want to carry a weapon, you have the proper training, and you're carrying a legal weapon of course then I feel that is the public's right to protect themselves," said Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.
But, like with any weapon, they worry about Tasers falling in the wrong hands. "It goes hand in hand with firearms. You have to be responsible," said Allyn Wightman of the Visalia Police Department. "It can fall in the hands of children as guns fall in the hands of children and the device can be deployed."
The Taser C2 comes with some safeguards: A criminal background check and when the Taser is fired it releases tiny serialized confetti that identifies the owner of the Taser.
And as with anything "designer" the Taser C2 does not come cheap. Tasers range from $300 to $350 dollars. For some, its money well spent.
"If you know you are going to be in a certain situation, where you might be uncomfortable why not have it with you? It just makes you more confident," said one party attendee.
Users are liable for any misuse of the Tasers. The company will replace a C2 if a person fires it and leaves it at scene of crime, but only if they file a police report.
There are Taser parties scheduled in California. If you would like information about a Taser party near you, go visit:
