LOS
ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Johnny Knoxville, star of MTV's
controversial stunt show "Jackass," decided to
put an end to his daredevil antics in order to pursue another
form of madness -- a career in movies. The star, whose real name
is P.J. Clapp, announced that the last original episode of "Jackass"
aired Sunday (Aug. 12) night.
"We told [MTV] we would do specials down
the road," Knoxville told the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
"But this is enough. We have done enough."
Co-created by Knoxville, Spike Jonze ("Being
John Malkovich" ) and Jeff Tremaine, "Jackass"
featured Knoxville and a group of his friends attempting
dangerous stunts such as setting themselves on fire, getting
shot with crossbows, Mace or a tazer gun and swimming in raw
sewage.
The cable music network will continue to air
repeats of the 24 episodes of the series that were made, but
will edit out the questionable content, according to Knoxville.
"The most objectionable things will be
taken out," he says. "All the funny things will be
gone."
During its peak, MTV aired "Jackass"
as often as 10 times per week and was the highest-rated show
of the network, drawing the ire of former Vice Presidential
candidate Sen. Joseph Lieberman and other politicians who asked
MTV to take the show off the air or air it at a later time after
several teens were injured when trying to copy the show's
stunts.
One Connecticut teen suffered serious burns
after trying to copy a stunt in which Knoxville attempted to
barbecued himself. Unlike Knoxville, the boy was not wearing a
heat-resistant suit. Another boy broke his leg when he was hit
by a car driven by friends in an attempt to videotape the bit
and get on "Jackass" (although the show refuses
to view viewers submissions).
As a result, MTV canceled several spin-off
projects, including a book and a soundtrack. Knoxville says the
lack of promotion irritated the show's cast and crew.
"It was frustrating for us on one
hand," he says. "But, in MTV's defense, it was an
extraordinary case of events, and no one really knew what the
right move was."
As late as Thursday night, MTV asked Knoxville
for another 22 episodes, but he wasn't interested. Knoxville
says he wanted to quit the show before people got too used to
it.
"With this kind of comedy, people become
inured to the shock value."
Knoxville has a couple of movies already in
the works, including "Big Trouble," a comedy
directed by Barry Sonnenfeld ("Men In Black,"
"The Tick" ), "Life Without Dick" with
Sarah Jessica Parker, and "Men In Black 2," in
which he plays a two-headed alien. Knoxville credits include a
small role in the film "Coyote Ugly" and "Desert
Blues."
