Johnny Knoxville

Episode notes

(Photo: Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

There’s an art to the perfect prank. This week, we’re joined by Johnny Knoxville, an expert prankster. 

He’s been at the center of the Jackass universe for more than two decades and has performed stunts in all its iterations including spin-offs like Bad Grandpa. 

Johnny has been putting his body on the line for years. A few years ago, the group put out Jackass Forever, their fourth feature length film. Knoxville almost died making that film.  A stunt involving a bull resulted in a broken wrist, broken ribs and a concussion that took him a year to recover from.

Now in his 50’s, Knoxville has found ways to keep working without risking death. In the coming weeks, he’ll host Fear Factor: House of Fear, a new reboot of the early 2000s reality competition show.

Knoxville reflects on his time making Jackass, and what it’s been like to age into (and out of) the dangerous world of stunt performing.

A version of this interview originally aired in August of 2023.