Fired Jackass 4 Star Is Now Suing The Studio Over “Psychological Torture”
The Jackass 4 producers are facing a large lawsuit trying to stop the movie's release, or earn money. Here's why.
This article is more than 2 years old
Things have not been great for Bam Margera. The former Jackass star was signed on for Jackass 4, the upcoming movie now titled Jackass Forever. He was then fired from the film. That was a surprise to many, since he’s one of the more well-known stars from the original MTV show and a big draw for the upcoming film. Original reports said that he was fired for “erratic behavior”, which could have been explained by his history with bipolar disorder. However, later reports have said that drug use was the real reason, and eventually it became known that there was a failed drug test. A few months later, Jeff Tremaine, the director of the film, filed a restraining order against Bam Margera. The restraining order came after Margera sent the director text messages threatening Tremaine’s children.
Now, Bam Margera is filing a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and others involved in the movie’s production. The former Jackass 4 star says that the Wellness Agreement the studio made him sign was both “legally unenforceable” and “psychological torture”. Margera has a history in rehab facilities. He was in one a rehab facility when he says that Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, and Spike Jonze “accosted” him in the facility and “coerced” him into the Wellness Agreement. Still, he says, he was following their rules. The rules in the agreement included requirements like having his hair follicles tested regularly, blowing into a breathalyzer three times a day, and taking his morning pills while on a Facetime call with a doctor hired by the studio.
In the lawsuit, Margera claims he followed these rules and didn’t mess up. Instead, he says, they made a mistake. He was taking Adderall. The star has a history of bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder. His Adderall was necessary to treat his attention deficit disorder. The suit says that the Defendants in the case knew that the Jackass 4 star was taking Adderall during filming and had been for several years. Despite this, the medication showed up in his drug tests and was used against him when he was fired. He says that Paramount never gave him an opportunity to explain or speak up for himself. They fired him without question.
In the lawsuit, he’s suing for many things. He says the producers on Jackass 4 were a violation of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, that they violated public policy and were a wrongful discharge. He claims that the upcoming movie is a violation of his intellectual property since many parts of the film will use ideas he shared with the producers and cast. As such, he wants some of the upcoming film’s profits. In the claims, Bam Margera takes responsibility for creating Jackass. He makes it clear that he feels nothing in the franchise would have been possible without him making it popular.
At this time, Bam Margera is seeking an injunction against the September 3, 2021 release for Jackass 4. Previously, he asked fans to boycott. He is also seeking monetary damages.
This isn’t the first time Bam Margera has publicly made allegations against those he has now filed a lawsuit against. In May 2021, Johnny Knoxville spoke up about the events, though he didn’t say much. “I don’t want to get into a public back-and-forth with Bam. I just want him to get better.”
