See Johnny Knoxville Give A Sobering Health Update After Jackass Forever Stunt
Filming Jackass Forever came with a cost and Johnny Knoxville game a health update for himself after a stunt went way wrong.
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Johnny Knoxville’s name has become synonymous with high octane action and amazing feats that no one should ever try at home. Though 20 years after the creation of the MTV franchise Jackass, Knoxville has shown no signs of slowing down. The writer-actor returns to the 4th film in the series, Jackass Forever. But the new stunts have come at a cost. While recently promoting the film, Knoxville appeared on The Howard Stern Show and detailed a particularly brutal stunt.
The stunt entailed Johnny Knoxville being run down by a live bull. The Jackass brand is known to consist of many resulting injuries but the incident had additional consequences for the actor. Knoxville told Stern that the impact caused him to have a brain hemorrhage. The Jackass creator not only shows a great sense of professionalism at the admission, but a sense of humor. Humor is required to survive the lifestyle of getting hit for a living. Laughing, Knoxville states that his “cognitive abilities were in deep decline” after the encounter. Check out what Johnny Knoxville had to say:
His brain trauma required Johnny Knoxville three months to get back on his feet. At the time the injury was so severe that the actor required extensive treatment to revitalize his ability to pay attention. He was required to have several treatments involving magnets that helped rejuvenate his cognitive function.
Even though Johnny Knoxville tries to look on the brighter side, there is no doubt that this has affected him as well as his family. He has made a living off of high-stakes stunts for years, but Knoxville stated that his wife has well-placed concern for his line of work. This was a wake-up call of sorts. Jackass Forever has since been completed and Knoxville has recovered. But he has also admitted that this film has caused a significant change. No longer in his twenties, the stuntman cannot put his life on the line in such a way anymore. He even admitted about seeking therapy after a bout of depression due to the incident.
While this was a struggle for him at the time, Johnny Knoxville states that he is in full recovery. He has had treatment for his depression and his health is on the rise. Unfortunately for Jackass fans, however, his doctor has told him “no more hits to the head.” This is a visual that has been a common occurrence in past films. Knoxville acknowledges that this is for the best. He no longer feels the need to tempt fate with his dangerous acts.
In a way, this is the end of an era. Not only has Johnny Knoxville and his Jackass team created four films, but the MTV series was a definitive moment of the early aughts. Created by Knoxville as well as acclaimed director Spike Jonze, the initial television series ran for 2 seasons with a myriad of terrifying feats (via The Guardian). As Joel Golby from The Guardian states, a culture was obsessed with watching amateurs hurt themselves, himself included. The show is the height of hilarity and still holds nostalgic value for many people.
Now 50 years old, it may be time for Knoxville to throw in the towel. But Jackass Forever proves there is at the very least one last ride when it is released on February 4th.
