Anyone who has watched MTV, plays video games or goes to the movies knows the name Bam Margera. From his time on MTV’s juggernaut Jackass to his inclusion in Tony Hawk’s landmark skateboarding video game series to his transition to movie star thanks to Jackass’ explosion onto the big screen, the light-hearted skateboarding prankster has been at the centre of pop culture’s zeitgeist for over two decades.

My first exposure to Margera was through his influential Camp Kill Yourself (CKY) VHS/DVD skateboard video series in the late 1990s. Spread through word-of-mouth at local skate shops and between friends, CKY (1999-2003) blended lo-fi skating footage with a blitzkrieg soundtrack (which includes Bam’s brother Jessie’s band CKY), insane pranks and daredevil skits that allowed the videos to go beyond the insular world of skateboarding.

It was the DIY spread of CKY that put Margera and his band of weirdos on the radar of Jeff Tremaine of Big Brother magazine. Running from 1992 to 2004, the magazine and later video series was an edgy mix of skateboard content and irreverent articles that blurred the lines of the subculture and would celebrate the outlaw and anti-authoritarian nature of the sport. Jackass alumni Johnny Knoxville and Tremaine both worked at the influential magazine and it was Knoxville’s immersive gonzo journalism style that would inspire Tremaine to introduce Johnny to Bam and work with director/photographer/filmmaker/actor Spike Jonze to create Jackass for MTV out of the anything-goes vibe of CKY and ethos of Big Brother magazine and videos.

The potent mix of reckless, stubborn, irreverent, mischievous and funny would become the foundation of the Jackass series as it took over MTV and would later dominate the big screen with its off-the-wall stunts, pranks and over-the-top gags.

Running only from October 1, 2000, and to February 3, 2002, on paper, it looks like a short run for the Jackass crew on MTV, but thanks to the cable network’s liberal replay policy, the show would seem to be on a seemingly endless loop creating a pop culture wave that would sweep across the TV and web.

How Jackass Revolutionized Reality TV

Breaking the Mold

Before Jackass, reality TV was largely confined to social experiments, game shows, and docu-soaps. Shows like Big Brother and Survivor were gaining traction, but they were fundamentally different in tone and content from what Jackass would introduce. Jackass broke this mould by bringing a raw, unfiltered look at pranks, stunts, and gross-out comedy. It was a departure from the polished, often scripted nature of other reality shows, offering something completely new.

(Sort of) Real People, Real Stunts

One of the most significant ways Jackass revolutionized reality TV was by focusing on people performing real, often dangerous or disgusting, stunts. There were no actors, no scripts, stuntmen and often no safety nets. This authenticity resonated with audiences, especially younger viewers, tired of the contrived drama in other reality shows. The stunts were not just for shock value; they were a form of expression for the cast, who were often the butt of their own jokes.

The Friendship Factor

Reality TV often thrives on conflict, but Jackass was different. The show was built on the foundation of friendship among its cast members. This camaraderie was infectious and added a layer of relatability. Viewers felt like they were part of the gang, sharing in their laughs, grimaces and occasional pain. This friendship element was a significant departure from other reality shows, which often pitted contestants or participants against each other. The authenticity of the relationships were not just for the camera, many of the cast and crew had starred in CKY videos together, grew up together, skated together, partied together or worked at Big Brother.

CKY Crew

Impact on Subsequent Shows

The success of Jackass led to a wave of imitators and inspired a new genre of reality TV that focused on extreme stunts and pranks. Shows like The Dudesons, Punk’d, Dirty Sanchez, Ridiculousness and Impractical Jokers owe a huge debt to Jackass for breaking the ground. However, none have quite captured the same spirit, often feeling more staged and less authentic.

Cultural Shift

Jackass also tapped into a cultural shift that was happening at the turn of the millennium. It was a time when people were beginning to question traditional forms of entertainment and were hungry for something new and edgy. Jackass filled that void and, in doing so, changed the landscape of reality TV forever. This momentum carried over to the web in 2005 with the launch of YouTube.

Jackass didn't just entertain; it revolutionized the concept of what reality TV could be. By focusing on authentic stunts performed by a close-knit group of friends, it offered something that was missing from the reality TV landscape: raw, irreverent unfiltered authenticity. It's a legacy that continues to influence the genre today, even if the original show's unique blend of friendship and chaos has yet to be replicated.

The MTV Era

For Margera, the network would spin off five seasons of Viva La Bam and a single season of Bam's Unholy Union. Especially with Viva la Bam, the budget was too big and the concept so loose, that if Bam or his buddies could dream it up, the network would break open the bank and do it. This just fed into Bam’s quickly over-inflated ego and brought him further away from skateboard culture and into his own self-constructed and ultimately self-destructive world. By the time BUU was filming, many of his closest friends had already distanced themselves from the troubled skateboarder turned reality TV star.

The network would also spin off four seasons of Wildboyz for Jackass alum Chris Pontius and Steve-O which saw the duo travel the world engaging with exotic animals and dangerous, but usually funny encounters.

The 2011 death of Margera’s friend and co-star Ryan Dunn in an alcohol-fueled high-speed car crash only exasperated an already deteriorating situation, considering Bam had already been through a stint in rehab in 2009 for alcohol abuse. He would appear in various TV spots, including hanging out in Europe with the Dudesons and when they made it to the USA, but someone only lasted one episode with the crazy crew. His TV run would come to an unceremonious end with a failed game show on TBS, where Margera seemed wasted or bored during the filming of the 6 short episodes. He would appear in Vice’s Epicly Later in 2018 documenting his return to the skateboard while living in Europe trying to get his mojo back. His last ditch attempt to save his family was by Dr. Pjil in 2019.