Out of the Cannon, "85% of people who attempt the feat are dead," says Howard Stern. Oh, Really?

By accident, I channel surfed onto an outdoor segment last night from America's Got Talent. The setting looked like Central Park.

Somebody was shot from a canon into the net, circus style.

One of the judges, over-the-hill shock jock Howard Stern, talking up the danger of the act, astounded me by claiming that, of all those mortals who attempt the feat, "Eighty five percent are dead!"

"That's a fact," he said.

Possibly, he was factoring in cannon flyers down through circus history who, by natural causes of aging, would now be deceased.

I think not.

My fuzzy impression would be more like 5-10% -- if that. Seems like maybe I've heard of death claiming a human projectile but once.

An incredible assertion from Judge Stern. If true, perhaps the deadly stat merits mentioning in ringmaster build-ups.

Have YOU ever been shot out of a cannon. If so, are you still alive?

I'm cannon-shy intrigued.