‘Mythbusters’ host Adam Savage: Did he sexually assault his sister?

Through the 2000s, Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters was a staple on TV. Whether you wondered if you could really die if you peed on an electric fence, or if Mentos and Diet Coke would make your stomach explode, this show had the answers. The scientific method showed us real results, and the hosts were awesome, including Adam Savage. 

While Adam Savage seems like a friendly, decent person on the show, Adam Savage’s sister is suing him for sexual assault. Savage’s sister, Miranda Pacchina filed a lawsuit in New York Superior Court on June 30, seeking damages for irreparable harm. 

We don’t want to dismiss Adam Savage’s sister’s claims outright. Believing the survivor and hearing their story is often denied to victims through the legal system and the way our culture views rape. That said, here’s a deep dive into what we know about the allegations against Adam Savage. 

The NY Child Victims Act

The New York Child Victims Act was passed in 2019, allowing victims of child sexual abuse to come forward years after the abuse took place. The law acknowledges that child victims like Adam Savage’s sister may not have had to recourse to go to the law or the means to understand what happened to them. 

New York law allows a one-year “look back” period for claims of sexual assault filed after the statute of limitations expires, like the case against Adam Savage. The law went into effect in August 2019. In May 2020, NY governor Andrew Cuomo extended the look-back window by five months, giving claimants until January to file. 

Since these claims against Adam Savage are over forty years old, they are well beyond the statute of limitations. However, the NY law, passed because of the #MeToo movement, will allow victims of sexual assault with older cases another window to seek justice and closure. 

Irreparable harm

Adam Savage’s sister, Miranda Pacchina, is a social worker living in Newtown, CT. She runs a website called “The Second Wound,” offering support to sex abuse and assault survivors. She blogged about coming out to her family some time ago. Expecting to find support and closure, instead, Pacchina was silenced and alienated from her family. 

The timeline

The lawsuit filed by Miranda Pacchina,  alleges that Adam Savage raped her in the 1970s when they were children. She claims that Savage would come into her bedroom pretending to be “the raping blob” and anally rape her. She also claims he forced her to have oral sex. 

When Pacchina was in her mid-20s, she sought help for the anxiety, depression, and lack of self-confidence her experience left her with. When she went to her family for closure about her brother Adam Savage, she claimed that they believed her, but told her to let it go and tried to sweep it under the rug. 

She outlined six claims against Savage when she filed suit on June 30, in Westchester County, New York. Since these events were reported to take place when Adam Savage and his sister lived in Sleepy Hollow, NY, that’s where the case will be tried or settled. 

Adam Savage denies the allegations

According to a statement from Adam Savage, this isn’t the first time his sister has made claims against him or members of his family. Through his attorney, Savage claimed in a statement that “for many years, she has relentlessly and falsely attacked me and other members of my family to anyone who will listen.” 

Adam Savage further claims that Miranda Pacchina is suing him for money in his statement. He called her lawsuit a pursuit for a “financial bonanza” which would only tear their family apart further. 

Adam Savage’s family stands by him

Despite Miranda Pacchiana’s claims, Adam Savage’s family stands by him. His mother, Karen Savage, released a statement standing by her son and alleging that Pacchina has “mental health issues” that need to be addressed. 

However, according to other sources, including Adam Savage’s own statement, Pacchina’s claim divided the family. While Savage and Pacchina’s mother has come out on Savage’s side, we have yet to hear from anyone in the family defending Pacchina. 

Pacchina’s attorneys claim that her mother’s statement about her daughter’s mental health could be a violation of HIPAA. However, they also noted that her mental health was potentially caused by the irreparable harm Adam Savage’s actions caused her.