jackassworld

I think Tremaine summed up the 24-hour takeover best when he texted me, “Wow, that was fun, let’s never do that again.” Holy f-in’ crap it was a lot of work. It’s tough to stay up for 24-hours, and to “entertain” for 24-hours takes a lot of, um, focus. Yeah, let’s go with that. Anyway, I am not complaining or saying it wasn’t fun, I’m just saying, “Wa-hoooooo, it’s over!”

Derek Freda, the grand POO-bah of jackassworld.com, asked me to write my favorite recollections of the 24-hour takeover and to make sure I had them to him three days ago. Whoops, sorry Derek, let me get those to you now. I’m not going to think deeply about my favorite recollections, I’m just going to write them quickly and honestly and hope there is really good accompanying pictures.

1) THE KIDS FROM THE SPELLING BEE
These kids were awesome. Great, great spirits. One of the kids was named Ishmaelpeter for cryin’ out loud. How cool is that?

2) SPIRIT AMONGST THE CAST AND CREW
Everyone was going for it in the pre-tapes that week and on the day of the takeover. Dave’s busted knee, Bam’s broke hand, Preston’s tattoo, Steve-O’s beer turban, Pontius being goddamn hilarious and everything he did and said, Wee Man cattle-prodding back and forth with Mike Cook, Ehren getting Naired and then shocked in the spelling bee. Hell, Tremaine even dizzy boxed Kosick—and lost—and then got rat-trapped later during the “Box of Stuff That Sucks.”

3) NAUGHTY THINGS ON THE JUMBOTRON
During the broadcast we had control of the jumbotron in Times Square and could write whatever naughty things we wanted on it. “Fart” and “poop” were my favorite.

4) MANNY HITTING ON GIRLS ON BROADWAY
Manny spotted some hot girls on Broadway and showed his affection by clawing and scratching at the window like a grizzly in heat. This had to turn them on!

5) DAVE ENGLAND’S CAGE
For reasons I can’t disclose, Dave England was ordered by the higher-ups at MTV to be locked in a cage for the entire 24-hour takeover. Whether he was headbanging or doing a little light reading, it all added up to funny behind those bars.

6) BAM MAKING PHIL TRY ON T-SHIRT
I made Bam a T-shirt that said “It’s better in Chester” and it was size medium. Luckily Bam made his father try it on. Heh-heh…

7) KOSICK’S HAPPINESS OVER DEFEATING JEFF IN DIZZY BOXING
Kosick put a halt to a five fight losing streak to Jeff and looked like he was on top of the world afterwards.

MAT HOFFMAN’S TRIBUTE TO EVEL KNIEVEL
Getting to do that for Evel and Mat meant more to me than I could say, and having Mat hang out the entire 24-hour takeover was pretty special. If there is a cooler cat on the planet than Mat Hoffman I have never met him.

Get your own copy of Mat Hoffman’s Tribute to Evel Knievel

9) VAN TOFFLER’S MURAL
Jeff and I wanted to pay back Van for all the times he has put his job on the line for us, so we had sexy Seth draw a pretty picture on his office wall.

10) BIG BROTHER REUNION
Having everyone on stage for the Big Brother clips. It’s amazing we are even employed at all these days, much less programming MTV for 24 hours. What a bunch of shit-asses.

11) PLAYING THE BEGINNING OF THE LAKAI VIDEO
Getting to air the beginning of the Lakai video on MTV and having it play on the jumbotron felt really good. Also having Mike Carroll, Rick Howard, and…goddamn I can’t think of the other guy’s name for the life of me [Ed. note: Cairo Foster]. Fuck, anyway…ah shit, I just lost my train of thought.

12) DALE WATSON
Having Dale play two songs in the studio meant a helluva lot. He is one of the very few great modern country singers and it was a pleasure having him on our takeover.

13) CEAVIS AND BLACKHEAD
Mike Judge gave us and the world the first viewing of the black Beavis and Butthead, Ceavis and Blackhead. They completely killed Steve-O’s video, “Poke the Puss” on Yo, MTV Raps and Steve-O couldn’t have been any happier. Hilarious. Thanks Mike.

14) ZACH GALIFIANAKIS
His interviews with our cast were pretty funny, and the look on his face while Steve-O was “rapping” was absolute perfection.

Anyway, there was a lot of other stuff, but that’s all I can think of at the moment. Okay then, thanks for watching and wa-hoo!!!

- Johnny Knoxville

(photos by Naomi Nelson)