Who else was a teenage boy with this show happened? If so who wants to compare scars gained from emulating this show? I’m sorry I ignored your warning MTV, but you’re so easy to tune out. Luckily for my friends and me we didn’t get seriously injured and we made a sweet movie out of it! (Search: Best Day Ever Fat Lip. Thanks)
There were cases of getting into a confrontation with police after shooting off potato cannons, setting a stationary bike on fire, creating jousting equipment with PVC pipe and office chairs, trespassing and building a tree house on church property. I think building a vehicle out of garbage we found (a wagon, two chairs, old bike tires and tape) may have been the coolest/dumbest thing we could have done. Needless to say, “Jackass” made an impact on my impressionable years. Teenage boys are going to be idiots anyway, but this show was grounds for inspiration for my generation (whoops).
Despite how glowing that introduction sounded, I wasn’t that in to “Jackass”. My friends (the bad influences in my life) were super into it though. I watched the movies recently for the first time and I have the same feeling: I hate like 50% of this show. There are parts I find hysterical, but unlike most guys, when testicles, body fluids or excrement come into play, I didn’t find it funny anymore. Even as a child I never found farting funny, so I guess I’m just weird. So when the boys are being a little gross or throwing tennis balls at each other’s crotches, I’m tuning out.
Let’s stow the negative though and focus on the positive. This show made Bam Margera rich and famous. Wait that’s no good, look at this crap:
It also drove Steve-o into drug use so heavy that he tattooed his face on him. That’s bad too.
Well it did give MTV a bunch of money. Thank god because “Teen Mom” is really kicking in to high gear lately. They’re dumber and easier.
I was going to show "Teen Mom" stuff, but this is so much better.
Okay, on the surface that is all bad news. What they did though is make people laugh. If there is one thing I can appreciate, it is that. Consider them the Mick Foley’s of comedy (ignoring that Mick Foley actually does comedy now). Whereas most people can find ways of entertaining and not maiming themselves, these boys decided that getting laughs and notoriety was worth fighting alligators and life altering injuries. Jackass was one big KOTR 1998 Hell in a Cell.
Despite the warnings, of course “Jackass” had its share of controversy. The show only managed to air 25 episodes in a span of 3 seasons. Due to pressure from U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman MTV only aired the show after 10 p.m. and eventually wouldn’t show reruns at all. This of course made the cast a crew mad. Show creator, star, producer, Johnny Knoxville also voiced concern when the second season began shooting and MTV started to take a more hand on approach to the show and to alter the program. In season 3 Bam Margera took some of the cast and created his own “Viva La Bam” show on MTV. That was the final spike in the television series coffin. I liked Bam’s show more, because it had the pranks I liked and left Steve-O and his vomiting out of the equation. “Home Wreckers” and “Wild Boyz” also spun off from “Jackass” but none really captured the sheer mania attached to the original series.
"Family Guy" mention is the new Weird Al approval right?
Instead of talking about specific gags or the gigantic cast, I’ll end by saying that in the grand scheme of life, “Jackass” isn’t that important. If anything it was probably a negative thing. It really lowered the bar of entertainment and inspired a few deaths. Cast member Ryan Dunn died driving drunk about 2 years ago. There have been talks about another movie being made, but with Dunn gone and everyone older and rich, I wouldn’t see a point. Maybe the midget and fat guy could use another check but everyone else should be fine. Instead of words enjoy these images and understand why teenage boys tuned in and will never forget “Jackass”
Any why would we?