n overeager lion rescripted a commercial for Nintendo DS(TM) by jumping into a tree with Wildboyz star Steve-O, playfully pawing at his body and gnawing on his safari hat. Both the lioness and Steve-O emerged unscathed. The commercial, starring Steve-O and Chris Pontius and directed by Jeff Tremaine of the popular MTV show Wildboyz, highlights the unique features of Nintendo DS. In the spot, Pontius rides an elephant while using the touch screen of Nintendo DS to play a wireless multiplayer game with Steve-O, who has been treed by a trio of lions.
During the shoot, one female adult sprung into the tree and onto a branch with Steve-O. The lioness, possibly inspired by the "Touching is Good" slogan for Nintendo DS, wrapped its paws around Steve-O and nibbled at his hat. Steve-O remained calm, repeating "good kitty" over and over, but never once dropped his Nintendo DS.
The lioness' improvised move remains in the final cut of the commercial, which can be seen starting today on MTV networks as part of Nintendo's $40 million marketing campaign to launch Nintendo DS. A behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the commercial can be seen exclusively at Nintendo.com, where the Wildboyz say that the encounter with the lion was the wildest adventure they've ever had.