//Blanks can be dangerous under some circumstances. For one thing, the exploding gunpowder produces a focused blast of air and gas that can leave the barrel of the weapon with great force–think of it as a small, directional bomb going off. Though the blast disperses quickly in the open air, at close range there can be a lot of destructive energy.
The unfortunate showbiz personality you’re thinking of is probably Jon-Erik Hexum, a star of the early 1980s series “Cover Up." For reasons that have never been made clear, on October 18, 1984, the 26-year-old Hexum took a .44 Magnum revolver loaded with blanks, pressed the barrel to his head, and fired a single shot. When Dirty Harry Callahan extolled the power of the .44 Magnum, he wasn’t exaggerating–as the owner of a .44 Magnum myself, I can attest that the recoil and concussion from firing it are impressive. In the case of Mr. Hexum, the force of the blast alone shattered his skull and badly injured his brain, killing him shortly thereafter.//