Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction as this example from CBA National Magazine clearly illustrates:

“He said he was approached by two offenders.  One of the offenders struck him in the face and the other offender stole his Oprah Winfrey Show passes.”

Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak explains what led to Robert Spearing, of Hamilton, ON, to commit assault and battery on his own person.

Spearing had taken his wife to Chicago to attend Winfrey’s “Farewell Spectacular” during the final week of the her show.  Apparently his spouse remained blissfully unaware that he had yet to score tickets for this capper on a TV season of extravagant self-congratulation.  When Spearing failed to snag one of the 13,000 freebies, he cut his forehead with a rock, scraped his hands on the sidewalk, and called police, claiming a robbery of spectacularly Oprahretic proportions.

Investigating officers sent him to the hospital and dispatched patrols to find the assailants and tickets.  Soon thereafter, Spearing admitted he’d faked the attack so as not to disappoint his wife, and to avoid admitting he’d made a hash of their trip.  investigating officers charged him with disorderly conduct and making a false report.

(Link unavailable, July/August 2011 edition, article by Jeffry Miller, writer, translator, and lawyer who teaches law at the University of Western Ontario.)