Legendary Jackass team member Steve-O doesn’t frequently run into stunts that he’ll refuse to do. If anyone needed a reminder of that fact, the lineup of 2022’s new movie releases delivered pretty early with the February debut of Jackass Forever. So when it comes to those moments that Steve is compelled to say no, one would assume it has to be something pretty big.
And yet, in a recent interview reflecting on the 2002 release of Jackass: The Movie, Steve-O admitted to Yahoo! that the stunt he rejected from that film actually amounted to something small. To be more specific, it was the size of a small toy car, which originally was meant to be placed straight up the man’s hindquarters. Recalling that memorable stunt, Steve admitted that the final stunt actually benefited from his reticence:
I got all this great footage backing out of it. And the way it played out for Ryan [Dunn], there was nothing that could be changed to make it any better. That was the most iconic, incredible thing we ever filmed.
It was a moment that made history for fans and newcomers alike. As Jackass: The Movie unfolded at the movies, debuting the MTV team as big screen contenders, Steve-O’s pass was the late Ryan Dunn’s gain. The resulting scene really needs to be seen to be believed, so take a look at this clip that shows Dunn taking one for the team:
Years of shenanigans and brutal injuries suffered by the Jackass crew have changed everyone, even Steve-O. After several films and series where he’s pushed the envelope further and further, Steve has overcome fears in the name of some beyond R-rated stunts. When it came time to make Jackass Forever, that newfound fearlessness inspired the legacy cast member to pay tribute to his late friend and comrade:
I thought about backing out of the stunt, and how Ryan wasn’t here to film the fourth movie. I spoke up saying that Ryan stepped in to put the toy car his butt when I backed out. And now that Ryan’s not here, I wanna step up and just take it to a whole other level — put something up my butt that’s just unbelievably epic.
Unfortunately for Steve-O, that eagerness sounds like it cancelled the stunt before it even began. Though there was still plenty of outrageous happenings with the entire Jackass Forever cast that made it to the screen or the stream, it’s kind of sad that this heartfelt tribute never happened. If Jackass 5 happens, maybe if Steve plays his cards right, he’ll be able to fulfill this tribute to an old friend.
For now, if you want to revel in the glory days of the Jackass franchise, it’s pretty easy. The original Jackass series, as well as most of feature films, are all available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription. Meanwhile, if you want more action from Jackass Forever, you’ll need to head to Netflix, the official home of Jackass 4.5.