Johnny Knoxville Sued Over Alleged Bizarre Dead Pony Prank
Johnny Knoxville is no stranger to pranks and the fallout that can follow, especially when it comes to his own health. But a recent prank may have a different effect on the Jackass star, according to TMZ.
Knoxville is facing a lawsuit stemming from a person who claims he's dealing with "emotional distress" after becoming part of a prank. According to TMZ, legal docs say Khalil Khan was hired to do a "routine repair job" through the app Taskrabbit, only to enter a home being used for the joke.
Khan went from repairing a faulty dimmer switch to dealing with a distressed 10-year-old girl who claimed he killed her pony. The dimmer switch kicked the power, leading to the pony succumbing to death after its life support cut off.
Things reportedly escalated from there, where he was led into a room where there appeared to be a real pony. This was only the opening salvo of the prank, which escalated with his car being towed. An attempted call to the police was stopped after one of the men pulled out a bag that seemed to have cocaine inside, adding that the police wouldn't look kindly on it.
The entire mess came to a halt after this, with Knoxville and others revealing it was all just a joke. Khalil was reportedly not laughing, claimed emotional distress, and filed the lawsuit. Knoxville tried to share that it was in "good fun" and offered money, but Khalil declined.
It is the latest in a wild year for Knoxville, including the release of Jackass Forever and news that he'll be leading a new prank reality show. If the horse prank was part of this series, you have to worry about the longevity a bit. Then again, most people would balk at the idea of a sick horse on life support spending time in a residential home.
Knoxville isn't a stranger to courtroom drama either, with the star deciding to divorce his wife of 11 years earlier in 2022. She is seeking primary custody of their two children and spousal support as part of the divorce.