Looking back, it is amazing that Jackass was able to make the impact that it did. From October 2000 until February 2002, MTV aired the Johnny Knoxville-led series and drew in ratings records on Sunday nights.
The show couldn’t last too long, but its legacy certainly has grown far beyond the half-hour series that introduced the general population to names like Steve-O, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Weeman, Chris Pontius, and more. All led by Knoxville in his role as the modern Evel Knievel.
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They followed the series with a trio of movies, including a rumored fourth that could come sometime in the near future. But the cast didn’t stop at the box office. Jackass has spawned a number of spin-offs on television over the years.
None have captured the spirit of the original show or its CKY predecessor but they did offer fans a different look at the names they’d come to know from the stunts and sketches on the television series.
Scroll down and see the many different spawn of Jackass and its cousins from around the globe.
Viva La Bam
Bam Margera and the CKY crew were doing crazy stunts on video shortly before Jackass became a thing. Some of their footage actually made it into the early episodes before they came on board officially.
So with that in mind, it really isn’t a surprise that Margera and his group of friends got their own show that featured a more reality TV focus with crazy antics tossed in for good measure. Bam’s daily life, his relationship with his parents, his uncle Don Vito, and a bevy of guest stars highlight the 40 episodes of mostly scripted television.
Wildboyz
Around the same time as Viva La Bam, Steve-O and Chris Pontius premiered their wildlife show Wildboyz with MTV. This series likely bumped up the danger aspect presented in Jackass by having the boys interact with wild animals.
This includes dressing up like fake zebras in a lion’s den, getting purposefully stung by an emperor scorpion, swimming with a great white while dressed as a seal, and taking part in the bullet ant ceremony that left both men in agony.
It lasted 32 episodes and ended reportedly due to the death of Steve Irwin, though Steve-O attributed the end to the show turning back into Jackass in his memoir.
Bam’s Unholy Union
A follow-up of sorts to Viva La Bam, Unholy Union dropped in 2007 and followed Margera planning his wedding with Missy Margera, the skateboarder’s now ex-wife. Don Vito was missing from the series due to his legal issues related to sexual assault in Colorado.
There was allegedly supposed to be a second season focusing on a manufactured pregnancy but that never happened, marking this as Margera’s last television appearance.
Bad Grandpa
The first film carrying the Jackass moniker that wasn’t actually a Jackass film. Bad Grandpa takes the concept seen in Jackass The Movie where Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze dress in elaborate elderly costumes and then bumps it up to a full film with a loose story.
Knoxville stars as Irving Zisman, an elderly man charged with watching over his grandson. They hit the road together and end up involved in different situations featuring stunts that usually put Knoxville through the wringer.
The interesting part is that this is the first and only Jackass film to be nominated for an Academy Award. It competed in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category back in 2014.
Homewrecker
A take on shows like Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover, Homewrecker lasted one season on MTV and was hosted by the late Ryan Dunn. The big difference here is that instead of the room being renovated, Dunn and his team trashed the rooms.
They would sift through entrants who had been treated poorly or bullied by a friend, using that information and some spying on the friend to get ideas on how to trash the offending person’s room.
It aired from Oct. 30 until Dec. 18, 2005.
Dr. Steve O
A late-night reality show where Steve-O, Real World alum Trishelle Cannatella and Reggie Pace worked together to help “wussies” turn into real men by putting them through a series of challenges to over a fear.
The trio would go to a subject’s home after they sent in a video outlining their fear. Steve-O would then follow a checklist, giving the “wuss” a chance to give up if they were too embarrassed by the task in front of them. These fears included public speaking, heights, being overweight, stranger danger and many more.
It lasted only 7 episodes on USA Network, sitting in the post-WWE Monday Night Raw spot.
Blastazoid
Bam Margera’s friends Brandon DiCamillo and Rake Yohn starred in this short-lived series focusing on video games and video game culture. The pair would construct real-life recreations of Donkey Kong levels and show off online viral clips.
It ended up just being an MTV2 special put together by DiCamillo, Yohn, and filmmaker Joe Frantz.
The Dudesons
While not officially a Jackass production, The Dudesons have Jackass DNA running throughout their numerous appearances on television. They had a memorable appearance in Jackass 3, appeared numerous times on Viva La Bam and had their own series in Finland before coming to the United States.
The Dudesons in America was the eventual result of their hard work in 2010, striking a deal with MTV to produce a Jackass-style show with Knoxville and director Jeff Tremaine producing. That series only lasted for one season in 2010, but the Dudesons are still putting out stunts and maintaining their wild lifestyle.ย
Nitro Circus
Finally, we come to Nitro Circus. While not a Jackass creation by itself, an MTV series based on the “action sport collective” led by Travis Pastrana was produced by Jeff Tremaine and Knoxville.
It also led to a documentary film featuring Knoxville that was released in 2012. A look at the trailer and you can definitely see the influence.
Everything Else
Knoxville, of course, has a pretty successful film career under his belt. He’s appeared in Men in Black 2, Walking Tall, and The Last Stand with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He’s also still doing Jackass-related stuff, starring recently alongside Chris Pontius in Action Point. He was once again doing his own stunts despite a horrible accident in 2008 while filming the Jackass special tribute for Evel Knievel.
Margera has been up and down in life, with a recent string of troubling posts giving fans cause for alarm. He has battled alcoholism and several legal issues since the end of his MTV series. This includes a period dealing with the loss of Dunn and his own personal issues. He was working on a documentary in recent years. ย
Steve-O has been sober for 10 years and recently said he’d step in to fight Justin Bieber instead of Tom Cruise. He’s also a YouTube star of sorts and performs stand-up from time to time.
