After nearly three decades of pushing the limits of physical comedy, Johnny Knoxville’s ‘Jackass’ franchise is coming to an end with the release of ‘Jackass: Best and Last’. The film marks the final installment of a series that has become a cultural phenomenon, known for its outrageous stunts and hilarious antics.
The Beginning of ‘Jackass’
The ‘Jackass’ franchise began nearly 30 years ago, when a teenager named Bam Margera and his friends started creating homemade skateboarder videos called ‘CKY’. The videos featured a mix of skateboarding tricks and outrageous stunts, which eventually caught the attention of Knoxville, director Spike Jonze, and editor Jeff Tremaine. The trio saw the potential for a TV show and met with Margera to develop the concept, which eventually became the hit MTV series ‘Jackass’.
The show, which ran from 2000 to 2002, introduced a cast of characters that included Knoxville, Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuña, and Preston Lacy. The group’s antics, which often involved putting themselves in harm’s way, quickly gained a massive following, particularly among adolescent boys.
The ‘Jackass’ Legacy
Over the years, the ‘Jackass’ franchise has expanded to include several films, including ‘Jackass: The Movie’, ‘Jackass Number Two’, and ‘Jackass Forever’. The films have featured an array of outrageous stunts, from jumping off buildings to getting hit by cars. Despite the dangers involved, the cast has always maintained that their antics are done in the spirit of friendship and fun.
‘It’s natural. You do dumb stuff with your friends and you laugh about it,’ said Jasper Dolphin, a newer member of the ‘Jackass’ crew. ‘Something as simple as pushing your friend into a bush. Like it’s not that crazy, but you’re gonna laugh and have a great time doing it.’
The ‘Jackass’ franchise has also spawned several spin-offs, including ‘Wildboyz’, which featured Pontius and Steve-O traveling the world and engaging in outrageous stunts. The franchise has become known for its light-hearted and playful humor, which has appealed to a wide range of audiences.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
