‘Jackass 4’ Team Trying to Get Bam Margera Help After Meltdown
In several disturbing (and since deleted) videos posted to his Instagram last week that were then picked up by TMZ, “Jackass” star and skateboarder Bam Margera lashed out at the production of the latest installment of the franchise, saying he was being cut out of the movie and that they were stealing his ideas.
Margera, a “Jackass” star since its MTV inception in 2000, also claimed that during the production, he had to submit to breathalyzer and urine tests, and that his medications were being mandated by Paramount, the studio behind the movie. Margera appeared to be inebriated in the videos, the first of which began with him saying, “Who the fuck cares if I’m drunk as hell or not anymore? ‘Jackass’ has put me through fucking hell on fucking wheels for the past year and a half.”
The “Jackass” franchise began releasing stunt-comedy movies in 2002 with “Jackass: The Movie,” which grossed more than $64 million on a $5 million budget. There have been two sequels, and 2010’s “Jackass 3D” grossed more than $170 million worldwide. The MTV show, created by Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze, made breakout stars of Knoxville, Margera and Steve-O.
Throughout the videos, Margera cried, stopped to vomit at one point, asked the public to send him money on Venmo, and said his wife had caught him looking up how to tie a noose, prompting them to move to Oceanside, Calif. “‘Jackass’ does not care about me, ladies and gentlemen,” he said to the camera. Margera deleted the videos later, but TMZ posted them.
A representative from Paramount did not respond to a request for comment. A representative for “Jackass 4” director Tremaine did not respond to a request for comment. Margera was not available to comment.
The day after Margera attacked the movie and the studio, he reversed course, saying he realized he has “manic bipolar” disorder, and that he had gotten the answers to his questions about the movie. “It’s going to be fucking awesome, and it’s going to be in a way where everyone wins in the end. So I love everybody.” Margera also said in the Friday video that he was going to see a “bipolar specialist.”
A source close to the movie said that early in the filming of “Jackass 4,” Margera — who was being monitored by a wellness coach — went AWOL from the production. Those involved in the movie then found out that he had checked himself into a rehab facility in Florida (something Margera referenced in the first set of videos).
The source said, because of COVID, the new “Jackass” is still being assembled now, and may have more shooting to do. It’s set to be released on Sept. 3 of this year.
Margera, 41, is a core member of the “Jackass” cohort. He had his own stunt show on MTV called “Viva La Bam” from 2003 to 2005. On camera and off, he has had a history of drinking and trying to rehabilitate his drinking. Margera lives with his wife and son.
The source said there is currently an effort to get Margera help again.
variety.com
