‘Jackass’ origin story traced to 1997 stunt filmed for skate magazine
8 reported
According to an interview on IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, the "Jackass" series began with a 1997 stunt pitched by Johnny Knoxville to "Big Brother" magazine editor Jeff Tremaine. Knoxville proposed testing self-defense equipment on himself, including pepper spray, a stun gun, taser darts, and shooting himself in the chest while wearing a bulletproof vest. Tremaine approved the idea and sent cameraman Dimitry Elyashkevich to film, but later told Elyashkevich not to film the gun stunt, instead giving Knoxville a camera to record it himself. The footage of Knoxville shooting himself, which included a moment where porn magazines fell out of his vest, convinced Tremaine there was potential for a larger project. Tremaine then contacted Spike Jonze, and together with Knoxville they pitched an eight-episode season to MTV, which became "Jackass." MTV never aired the original gunshot footage, but it is included in the film "Jackass: Best and Last" with an extra warning.
What’s reported
Jeff Tremaine first met Johnny Knoxville in 1995 on the set of Spike Jonze's music video "California" for the band Wax.
In 1997, Knoxville pitched Tremaine an article idea for "Big Brother" magazine involving testing self-defense equipment on himself.
Tremaine sent cameraman Dimitry Elyashkevich to film, but then told him not to film the gun stunt, giving Knoxville a camera instead.
Larry Flynt owned "Big Brother" magazine at the time; Tremaine gave Knoxville porn magazines to put in the vest as a bit.
The footage of Knoxville shooting himself convinced Tremaine there was "something bigger here."
Tremaine called Spike Jonze and said, "Hey, I think we can make a TV show."
Jonze, Tremaine, and Knoxville pitched "Jackass" as an eight-episode season to MTV.
MTV never allowed the original gunshot footage to air; it appears in "Jackass: Best and Last" with an extra warning.
Key figures
Jeff Tremaine: Director, co-originator of "Jackass," former editor of "Big Brother" magazine
Johnny Knoxville: Co-originator and ringleader of "Jackass"
Dimitry Elyashkevich: Cameraman, later "Jackass" producer and cinematographer
Spike Jonze: Director of music video "California," helped pitch "Jackass" to MTV
Larry Flynt: Publisher who owned "Big Brother" magazine
Sources: indiewire.com
