Hoverboards In The News

Hoverboards, those two-wheeled Segway-like devices (think skateboard going sideways), were on the fast track to become this year's must-have Christmas present.

Then a funny thing happened. They started bursting into flames.

The chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says his agency is working "non-stop" to figure out what's causing "hoverboards" to burst into flames.

"Every consumer who is riding a hoverboard, who purchased one to give as a gift during the holidays, or who is thinking about buying one deserves to know if there is a safety defect," said Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the U.S. CPSC, in a statement.

The situation became so serious that Amazon stopped selling them before Christmas, and practically all major airlines have banned them from their flights. That didn't sit well with one spoiled celebrity.

Earlier this month, many major airlines including Delta, United and Virgin affiliates announced a blanket ban on hoverboards—the motorized, two-wheeled, skateboard-sized scooters that have quickly become this season’s must-have toy.

But apparently Russell Crowe didn’t get the memo.

On Monday, the actor was scheduled to travel on Virgin Australia but was shocked to learn that  his children's hoverboards were not permitted in the plane's cargo hold.

Crowe immediately Tweeted at the airline, expressing his frustration.

The airline swiftly replied to the actor, letting him know that the information was already available upon ticket confirmation and in pre-flight correspondence.

The full series of Tweets read: "Hi Russell, this information is outlined in the Dangerous Goods section in the booking confirmation and check in reminder emails you will have received.

"We have also communicated this on Facebook and Twitter, as well as through the media."

"We understand your frustration, however please appreciate that safety is our number one priority."

I guess big movie stars don't think they have to follow - or even be aware of - the rules that the rest of us must abide by.

Crowe isn't the only celeb having problems with a hoverboard. Mike Tyson was KO'ed by one. But give him credit. He posted a video of his fall.

It took only 91 seconds for Mike Tyson to knock out Michael Spinks in June 1988, making him the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion.

But it took even less time recently for a hoverboard to put the champ down for the count.

Tyson posted a short video on Instagram of his trial and perhaps painful error Tuesday afternoon. In the video, after executing multiple 360-degree turns smoothly, he slows down and appears to be fine. But then he suddenly skids forward — and falls flat on his back.

The video, which collected almost 90,000 likes as of early Tuesday evening, begins with an ominous warning off-camera: "Daddy," the voice says, "I don't want you to fall."

No video is available of the inevitable little-kid voice saying "Daddy, I told you so."

But my favorite hoverboard fail story is the one of the priest who was suspended by the Catholic church for riding a hoverboard during Christmas Eve Mass.

The Diocese of San Pablo on Tuesday, December 29, criticized one of its priests for using a hoverboard in a Christmas Eve Mass as seen in a video that has gone viral.

“That was wrong,” the Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna, said in a statement Tuesday.

Maybe it was wrong, but it was also funny. I'm not going to offer an opinion on whether or not God has a sense of humor, but I would like to think that He is a little more forgiving than the Catholic church higher-ups.