LOS ANGELES — Johnny Knoxville is not any stranger to go accidents. In the many years since he rose to fame because the daredevil ringleader of “Jackass,” he has had greater than a dozen concussions – that he is aware of of. But his most up-to-date one was totally different.
Now, by physician’s orders, he has to get inventive to chase that adrenaline repair by safer means. His newest try is together with his “Jackass Forever” co-star Eric Andre and Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe on their new collection, “The Prank Panel,” which premieres Sunday on ABC.
Doing work tame sufficient to be on community tv has been a significant, however vital, way of life adjustment for the 52-year-old thrill-seeking stuntman.
He suffered severe mind accidents after getting rammed by a bull for the fourth and ultimate “Jackass” movie, which was launched in 2022. That led to almost a 12 months of melancholy and psychological well being struggles – a flip of occasions that made him completely swear off these sorts of stunts regardless of his love of doing them.
“I think I got a little addicted to it, to the point where, you know, I scrambled my brains,” he mentioned. “I can do little stunts where if I, you know, break a hand or an ankle or whatever, no one cares about that. I just can’t – no more concussions for me.”
Knoxville isn’t fairly certain what it’s about stunts that’s so gratifying – is it the eye individuals give him or the fun of pulling it off?
“It’s complicated,” he mentioned, pensively. “Being with everyone, all my friends around and, you know, it’s just a real moment. But don’t make me start romanticizing it.”
So, for now, “The Prank Panel” must suffice. It’s a sort of spoof on actuality competitors exhibits, the place individuals come on and pitch concepts for pranks to the three hosts. If both Knoxville, Andre or Sidibe – billed on the collection because the “world’s greatest pranksters” – is satisfied of the concept’s deserves, the hopeful prankster will get cash, sources and assist from their sponsor to execute the caper on an unsuspecting sufferer.
Knoxville, proven within the trailer hitting Andre between the legs, mentioned he was pleasantly stunned when his makes an attempt to push boundaries on the community present have been met with purportedly little resistance.
“I didn’t worry about me being more buttoned up. They can beep my words and cut around when I’m really naughty. But I was just more concerned about what we could get away with on ABC,” he recalled. “In hindsight, we got away with a lot more than I thought we were able to.”
The present even signed off on a prank that resulted in Knoxville being sued by a handyman who mentioned he was subjected to a “terrifying ordeal” after being employed for a job listed on TaskRabbit. Knoxville’s publicist interjected when he was requested to elaborate however not earlier than he jokingly requested, “Which lawsuit?”
The artwork of the prank can tackle many varieties and goals. There are some who’ve garnered recognition for his or her social or political commentary – à la Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat” – or there are pranks that are supposed to make the sufferer its champion: Think the latest cult collection “Jury Duty,” which sought to assemble a hero’s journey for the one being tricked.
But as Knoxville refined his concept of pranking over time – a significant element of the “Jackass” franchise – his intentions crystalized right into a easy aspiration: He simply needs to be surprising.
“I like to confuse more than anything else. I don’t want to make someone look stupid,” he defined. “I just want to create a really bizarre situation where they’re like, ‘What is happening?’”
That strategy has made him and the remainder of the “Jackass” stars immune, in a whole lot of methods, to the complaints that some comedians have expressed about political correctness or cancel tradition.
“Some might find it distasteful, and some may find it over the line, but it’s not like anything that is going to truly upset anyone,” he mentioned. “But I know in other areas of comedy it’s a little dicier these days.”
In addition to realizing he has to restrain himself with stunts and bodily comedy, Knoxville mentioned his expertise with having a long-term mind damage has additionally made him conscious of the significance of psychological well being extra broadly, one thing he’s candid about with the hopes that it’s going to assist others.
“Having gone through it, it opens your eyes,” he mentioned. “For anyone out there suffering from depression or intrusive thoughts, just know that your brain is literally playing tricks on you. And if you seek the help of a psychiatrist, doctors, you can turn it around.”
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