The Night Ozzy Osbourne Bit the Head Off a Bat

On January 20, 1982, rock history took one of its most infamous turns.

During a concert in Des Moines, Iowa, Ozzy Osbourne noticed a bat thrown onto the stage by a fan. Assuming it was a rubber prop—something that wouldn’t have been unusual for his shock-filled performances—Ozzy picked it up and bit into it.

It wasn’t fake.

The realization came instantly, followed by chaos backstage. Ozzy was rushed to the hospital and treated with rabies shots, and the incident quickly became headline news around the world. What was meant to be theatrical shock became one of the most talked-about moments in live music history.

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