Former Jackass star Bam Margera shared the details of what led to his firing from the upcoming fourth film in the franchise in a new interview with TMZ this week. Margera, 41, said he was not involved with Jackass 4 due to his struggles with substance abuse and legal issues. He also accused the Jackass 4 production crew forced him to take antidepressants and they influenced his decision to go back to rehab, which he called “f—ing torture.”
“Basically, it started off with…’Bam, you’ve been out there on TMZ being a jackass and you’re almost like a liability,” Margera said in an interview published Friday, reports Complex. “I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, you’re telling me I’m too jackass for Jackass?’ I went to rehab for Adderall and alcohol, and I went there thinking I was going to do 30 days but they insisted that I do 90 days. And I’m like, ‘All right, is this on my bill or yours?’ Well, it’s on mine.” Margera said he did not want to go to rehab, but he decided to because he is paid “$5 million” each time the Jackass crew makes a movie.
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After he left rehab, Megara claims he was prescribed more medication, including Zoloft, Vistaril, bupropion lithium” and other drugs. He said he was still using Adderall and Klonopin because of his ADHD. The former MTV star said his doctors told him he needed the medication.
“Then it led to suicidal tendencies on all 18 medications that I was on, I’m like, ‘Well what’s the point of a $5 million contract if you have to walk on eggshells and jump through your hoops, which is already impossible,’” Margera told TMZ. “What the f— is the point of having the money if I’m not here anymore, because I was gonna die of a pill overdose or suicidal thoughts?” The site asked him if he blamed producers. “It was the definition of f—ing torture,” he replied. “They tortured me.”
Margera, who said he has been using Adderall for 13 years, claimed he was considering legal action. “I have no choice,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a fucking reunion, getting the band back together, to pay our respects to Ryan Dunn. He’s rolling around in his f—ing grave saying, ‘Why [Jackass co-creator Jeff Tremaine], why?’”
In February, TMZ shared a video of Margera telling fans to boycott Jackass 4, which started filming in December 2020. “If anybody cares about me don’t go see their movie,” Margera said in a social media video. He claimed to be working on a competing project that will “blow them out of the water” Margera also claimed he was fired from the production and appeared to insinuate he considered suicide. A few days later, sources told TMZ Margera was fired from the production.
Margera has struggled with substance abuse for several years. In 2019, he went to rehab after a disturbing appearance on Dr. Phil, which inspired Jackass co-stars Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O to share their public support. However, in the February social media video, Margera claimed the Jackass producers had him take anti-depressant medication during filming. He claimed he was doing much better since he stopped taking the medication. In March, Margera was briefly hospitalized with a staph infection after he ignored tattoo aftercare instructions.
