Episode 492: Johnny Knoxville: Stuntman, Prankster, Jackass
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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the stunts, injuries, films, practical jokes, and television shows of the one and only Johnny Knoxville. Knoxville was inspired as a child by Evil Knievel, Jack Kerouac, and Hunter S. Thompson, and he went on to live a life they all would have been proud of. He was the a producer and main performer in the wildly successful Jackass television show, which went on to spawn several films (with yet more in pre-production all the time). He’s been nominated for an academy award and has injured just about every part of his body that exists.
Born Philip John Clapp in Knoxville, Tennessee, he was a very smart and sickly child. At one time he had the flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia all at once; on top of his asthma, it literally almost killed him. He got straight A’s in high school and earned a free ride to a drama school, but dropped out to do his own thing. He wanted to be an actor and stunt man, so he found a way. He started by writing articles for Big Brother, a skating magazine. One day, he wanted to write an article about him testing police devices such as pepper spray and tasers. His editor at the time was Jeff Tremaine (later a producer on Jackass). He told him if he was going to write the article, he may as well film it. The rest was history.
With a cadre of skateboarders who were all friends, they launched Jackass. Once the pilot was filmed (where Knoxville broke his ankle), they turned to a friend named Spike Jonze (the academy award winning director) to sell the idea. He got them a deal on MTV. After three seasons, they did several movies, each one more dangerous and ludicrous than the last one. Half of the cast became household names, from Steve-O to Pontius and Wee Man to Bam Margera. They stuff cars up their butts, almost died with crazy explosive rockets, and did things nobody could believe. And then they’d come back for more. And more. And more.
Eventually, Johnny Knoxville went on to star in regular movies like Walking Tall with The Rock and Men In Black II. He kept going as the head of his own production company, writes books, and is still doing stunts and getting hurt. What was his favorite prank of them all? What was his worst injury? How did he almost with an Oscar for Bad Grandpa? Who died and made the entire stunt crew slow down? Will there be a Jackass 4? Listen, laugh, learn.
Visit Our Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Knoxville
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsKXq8AQTZE
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a31114432/jackass-bam-margera-johnny-knoxville-steve-o/
https://glamourpath.com/johnny-knoxville
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/66347/13-dangerous-facts-about-jackass
Pageant Joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=W9x0034PyD0&feature=emb_logo
Terror Taxi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaYgv8likRs
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