http://www.lukehadley.com Jackass is an American television series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, ridiculous, and self-injuring stunts and pranks. The show served as a launchpad for the television and acting careers of Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera. Since 2002, two Jackass theatrical films have been produced and released by MTV corporate sibling Paramount Pictures, continuing the franchise after its run on television. It is one of MTV's most popular shows ever and sparked several spin-offs including Viva La Bam, Wildboyz, Homewrecker, Dr. Steve-O, and Blastazoid.
The show developed from Big Brother Magazine, a skateboarding-related humor magazine that Jeff Tremaine, Dave Carnie, Rick Kosick and Chris Pontius all worked for, and featured regular contributions from Johnny Knoxville and Dave England, among others. The concept of Jackass dates back to 1999 when struggling-actor-turned-writer Johnny Knoxville birthed the idea to test different self defense devices on himself as the basis for an article. He pitched the idea to a couple of magazines and was turned down until meeting with Jeff Tremaine of Big Brother. Jeff hired him as a journalist and convinced Johnny to videotape this idea and other stunts for stories. The footage, which involved Knoxville being tasered, maced, and ultimately shot while wearing a bulletproof vest, appeared in the second Big Brother skateboarding movie Number Two (which is also the title of the second Jackass theatrical film) Johnny and the videos quickly became a hit. Future Jackass castmember Wee-Man made an appearance in the videos, and Florida clown Steve-O would send in submissions to be part of the videos. [1]
Big Brother would go on road trips, which is believed to be where Johnny met Bam Margera and they became good friends. In addition to skateboarding, Bam Margera had recently released a movie entitled Landspeed:CKY which consisted of himself and his friends, which he dubbed the "CKY Crew", in West Chester, Pennsylvania performing various skits and stunts. Among the Crew included the colorful cast of Ryan Dunn, Brandon Dicamillo, as well as Margera's family April, Phil, Don Vito, and Jess Margera. Jeff Tremaine saw the tapes and drafted Bam and his crew into what would become the cast of Jackass. Later, the Jackass crew would personally recruit Steve-O in a Florida Flea Market where he worked as a clown for part of the show. To round out the cast, Dave England brought in his friend Ehren McGhehey, a fellow Oregon resident and extreme stunt participator. [2]
Tremaine drafted his friend, director Spike Jonze to get involved with the show, and together, he, Jonze, and Johnny Knoxville served as executive producers. The idea show was pitched, and the cast was initially given an offer by Saturday Night Live to perform the stunts weekly for the show, though the offer was turned down. A bidding war eventually occurred between Comedy Central and MTV, which MTV eventually won. It was then that Jackass was born. [3]
Controversy
Since the first episode, Jackass frequently featured warnings and disclaimers noting that the stunts performed were dangerous and should not be imitated, and that recordings of any stunts would not be aired on MTV. Such warnings not only appeared before and after each program and after each commercial break, but also in a "crawl" that ran along the bottom of the screen during some especially risky stunts. Nevertheless, the program has been blamed for a number of deaths and injuries involving teens and children recreating the stunts.
On January 29, 2001, U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) publicly condemned MTV and Jackass in connection with a dangerous stunt that led to a copycat incident in which a 13-year-old Connecticut teenager was left in critical condition with severe burns.[4] Lieberman followed up with a February 7, 2001 letter to MTV's parent company Viacom urging the company to take greater responsibility for its programming and do more to help parents protect their children.[5] MTV responded to the criticism by canceling all airings of Jackass before 10:00 PM, but Lieberman's continual campaign against the show led to MTV refusing to air repeats of the later episodes, a move which angered the cast and production crew of the series who were furious with MTV's "caving into Lieberman's demands."
A man named Jack Ass sued MTV for $10 million, claiming the series was plagiarizing his name. Jack Ass, formerly known as Bob Craft, changed his name in 1997 to raise awareness for drunk driving, after his brother and friend were killed in a vehicle accident.[6]
Ending and farewell
In a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Johnny Knoxville announced that the show would end after its third season aired so as to allow the show to end on a high note. He also stated discontent at MTV and the censors, who, from the start of season two, began to hound the show's producers with notes regarding what the show could and could not depict. When the third season ended in 2002, MTV (who owns the rights to the name "Jackass") contemplated keeping the show going with a new cast of characters (even running a teaser for the show's return during the 2002 VMA Awards Show) before opting to let the show die. Because of problems with MTV's standards and practices department as well as the sudden departure of Bam Margera and the CKY Crew halfway through season three, the Jackass crew did not attempt to create a finale to bring the show to a close.
MTV released a DVD box set in December of 2005. The box set included the three Jackass DVD volumes (which were not composed of all 3 entire seasons, but just 1:30-2:00 highlights of each season), a bonus disc that included the crew's trip to Gumball 3000, a "Where Are They Now" documentary, MTV Cribs Jackass Edition, and TV spots, and 48-page book of photos and inside stories.
Jackass: The Movie
Main article: Jackass: The Movie
After the show went off the air, the cast reunited in 2002 to film what they believed would be the conclusion of Jackass: a full-length motion picture version of the show entitled Jackass: The Movie. The cast made it clear that the film was their "farewell" to the fans of the show, and with the franchise taking the movie format, the cast and crew were now allowed to circumvent the censors, showing more vulgar stunts than the ones featured on the TV show. [7] Interestingly, MTV Films assisted in the movie's distribution.
The movie, filmed on a budget of just $5 million, went on to gross over $60 million in the United States alone, and finished in the number 1 spot at the box office during its debut weekend.
Life after Jackass
With the hit show ended, each member of the cast found new work in movies and television, each gaining their own degree of success.
Johnny Knoxville pursued a career as an actor, appearing in such films as the 2004 remake of Walking Tall, The Dukes of Hazzard, Men in Black II, The Ringer, A Dirty Shame and Big Trouble.
Bam Margera and the CKY crew were given their own spin-off show Viva La Bam, which follows Margera and his family, who are often made the victim of the clique's practical jokes. Bam and the crew also have Radio Bam on Sirius radio. Margera has also been featured in Bam's Unholy Union, following him and his fiance Missy in the run-up to their wedding, while Brandon DiCamillo and Rake Yohn featured in Blastazoid, a short-lived show about video games.
When Viva La Bam finished its run, Ryan Dunn, who was part of Bam's crew on Viva La Bam, was given his own show Homewrecker, in which he finds revenge for helpless victims of practical jokes by renovating the prankster's room according to the original incident. The show only lasted one season.
Chris Pontius and Steve-O were also given their own spin-off show Wildboyz. Unlike Jackass and Viva La Bam, Wildboyz rejected the formula of practical jokes and instead features the two traveling the world in search of wild and exotic animals. Directed by Jackass director Jeff Tremaine, Wildboyz featured frequent guest appearances by fellow Jackasses Johnny Knoxville, Manny Puig, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuña.
Jackass Number Two
Main article: Jackass Number Two
With the release of Jackass: The Movie, director Jeff Tremaine and the rest of the Jackass cast believed that Jackass was finished and there would be no further projects under the franchise. However, during the final season of Wildboys, Johnny Knoxville joined his former castmates Chris Pontius and Steve-O on various expeditions around the world. It was said that Knoxville went so far out during the filming of the show that Tremaine pulled him aside and said "If you're willing to go this all out, why not get all the guys together and shoot another movie?" Knoxville agreed, and with both Viva La Bam and Wildboyz finishing their runs, the entire cast was available to reunite and film the sequel. [8]
Jackass Number Two was released on September 22, 2006, produced by MTV Films and distributed by Paramount Pictures. As was the case with its predecessor, Jackass Number Two topped the box office in its debut weekend, earning $29.01 million. Footage for several stunts featured Bam Margera's uncle Vincent "Don Vito" Margera, but the footage was removed from the theatrical release due to his arrest in August 2006 and the nature of the charges.
Possible return
On September 7, 2006, MTV featured a half hour documentary on the making of Jackass: Number Two. When asked if the film meant the end of Jackass, cast member Steve-O commented that the people who made money from the Jackass franchise still wanted money, hinting that the cast would still continue the franchise in one form or another. At the conclusion of the documentary, Johnny Knoxville reveals that he "had a hard time letting go" because he is "so hooked on doing stunts." Cameraman Dimitry Elyashkevich reveals that weeks after the film, Knoxville was so desperate to shoot that he would film himself running into street signs just for the sake of additional footage. Additionally, the other cast members talk of how Johnny was putting so much on the line for this movie. [9]
After the last day of filming, the documentary goes two weeks ahead where Johnny tells the camera that he made an agreement with director Jeff Tremaine that if he would stop shooting footage of himself for the time being, then Tremaine would let the Jackass crew film some newer material in November (presumably of 2006), as Knoxville "still had things he wanted to do". Also, as Knoxville is driving away in his car, he is heard exclaiming, "The show ain't over yet buddy!" which fans speculate could be hinting at the long-awaited return of Jackass to MTV. Bam Margera jokingly muttered during the credits of the film "Please, please, please God; Don't let there be a Jackass 3! I don't even like doing 2!"
On September 5, 2007, Bam Margera announced on The Howard Stern Show that Jackass 2.5 will be released. He said that Jackass 2.5 would be a compilation DVD of stunts that did not make it to Jackass Number 2. One example of a stunt that Bam gave was where he pulled Don Vito's teeth out with his Lamborghini.
On September 25, 2007, while on The Howard Stern Show Steve-O said "I was told to rest up for Jackass 3 which will start shooting in January." Not Jackass 2.5 which is set to be released around Christmas this year.
Jackass: The Game
Main article: Jackass: The Game
Jackass: The Game is being developed under license by Sidhe Interactive in Wellington, New Zealand for the PlayStation 2 and Playstation Portable. The game was first shown at the 2006 E3 behind closed doors[10]. The Nintendo DS version of the game is being developed by Sensory Sweep Studios, out of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is mentioned in the Jackass: Number Two commentary that the stunt where several members get punched in the face by a spring loaded boxing glove hidden behind a fake valentine on a wall had just come upstairs from shooting a promo for the video game. Johnny Knoxville and other members of the Jackass team also provided stunt ideas to the developer based on unused stunts from the show. [11] A trailer was released in June 2007 on the game's official website, along with the cover art.
Cast and Crew
Main Cast Members
Johnny Knoxville
Chris Pontius
Steve-O
Preston Lacy
Jason "Wee Man" Acuña
Bam Margera
Ryan Dunn
Brandon DiCamillo
Dave England
Ehren McGhehey
Recurring Cast Members
Stephanie Hodge
Rake Yohn
Raab Himself
Phil Margera
April Margera
Jess Margera
Vincent "Don Vito" Margera
Manny Puig
Loomis Fall
Crew
Jeff Tremaine - creator, director
Spike Jonze - creator
Dimitry Elyashkevich - main producer and cameraman
Lance Bangs - cameraman
Rick Kosick - main cameraman
Knate Gwaltney - cameraman
Greg "Guch" Iguchi - cameraman
Sean Cliver - one of the show's producers
Celebrity appearances
Tony Hawk - pro skateboarder; performed 'the loop' with Bam Margera
Mat Hoffman - professional bmx rider, participated in "The Loop" and also appeared in "Jackass The Movie" during the "Clipper Cam" scenes.
Brad Pitt - participated in the "Abduction" and "Night Monkey 2" skits
Shaquille O'Neal - participated in one skit, in which he dry-humped Wee Man and Steve-O during the filming of a music video
CKY - Drummer Jess Margera appears in several episodes. Jess and Deron Miller wake Phil up in the "heavy metal alarm clock" segment.
Fatlip - slid down an escalator
Ruby Wax and Maximillion Cooper - Gumball Rally special
Diddy - slapped Bam and performed the "I'm Johnny Knoxville, welcome to Jackass" intro
Hilary Swank - appeared in the Jellyfish stunt with Steve-O, filming the stunt. Left though not credited, but is noticed.
Quinton Jackson - gave fighting tips to Ryan Dunn in a skit where Dunn eventually lost the fight after almost getting knocked out
Daewon Song - In the "carpet skating" segment.
Similar groups
Various groups have created shows based on or similar to Jackass. These include:
Extreme Duudsonit AKA The Dudesons
Dirty Sanchez AKA Team Sanchez
Tokyo Shock Boys
Crazy Monkey
Rad Girls
MTV: Jackass Backyard wrestling is a loose term used to describe the controversial practice of professional wrestling as performed by untrained fans in an unsanctioned, non-professional environment. Backyard wrestling is a title applied to home filmed and produced professional wrestling shows, videos, or events carried out by untrained athletes, mostly comprised of American males between the ages of 16 and 30. In the years since its formation, Backyard wrestling has developed into an underground scene, where federations often produce, trade and distribute their videos via Internet, and other wrestling publications. Though backyard wrestling was not unheard of prior to the 1990s, the modern backyard wrestling "craze" lasted from roughly 1996 to 2001, during a time when televised professional wrestling was enjoying a period of unparalleled popularity. Many of those who practice it embrace a style that emphasizes risky high spots (which can involve diving or taking bumps from rooftops or ladders) and the liberal use of weapons in matches. These may include thumbtacks, barbed wire, tables, plywood, fire, glass, and fluorescent lamps. Even among participants who shy away from this, there still is a considerable level of inherent risk involved. Many professional wrestling holds require extensive training to perform correctly and safely, which few backyard wrestlers have received. These and other concerns are at the heart of the controversy surrounding the practice.
Backyard wrestling is so-called because it is often literally performed in yards, though most any location can host a backyard wrestling match, including parks, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, barns, and school gyms. It is common for backyard professional wrestling promotions, or "feds," to construct their own homemade wrestling rings. Wrestling on trampolines is also common, which allows for visually impressive moves to be performed with a minimal risk of injury. Others opt to simply perform matches on the bare ground which, in most cases, is more dangerous than performing in home-made rings. Backyard wrestling promotions can be highly organized, and many tape their shows and maintain websites where media is available for download. The internet proved instrumental in popularizing backyard wrestling during its initial boom period. In its history, backyard wrestling has changed significantly in terms of its professionalism, safety provisions, popularity, and hardcore style. Backyard wrestling tends to follow the trends of professional wrestling and changes in accordance with what are the fads and trends in the major promotions such as World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Although backyard wrestling has been often associated with a Mick Foley home video in which Foley jumps off the roof of a house onto his opponent who is lying on a pile of mattresses, backyard wrestling most likely began in the 1950s emulating such stars as Gorgeous George, and later Bruno Sammartino, and Superstar Billy Graham [citation needed]. The earliest listed "official" backyarder is Shawn "Crusher" Crossen who wrestled from March 1984 until early 1990 in his own promotion known as NWF Kids Pro Wrestling.[1]Twin Cities based promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey actually co-promoted a sold-out wrestling event that featured matches from both Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and NWF Kids Pro Wrestling at the American Legion Hall in Champlin, MN back on November 1986. [2] . In August of 1997 the now defunct CWF a backyard promotion originating from Vallejo, California began filming the television show CWF Devastation. "Devastation" aired between 1997-2000 on California public access stations, and has often been cited as the inspiration for the legendary West Coast backyard movement of the late 1990's Backyard wrestling became infamous for its out-of-control and unregulated dangerous stunts. Many people, most commonly male teenagers, frequently risked their lives in attempted dives, jumps, falls, and bumps. Many others would use sharp and harmful weapons, performing matches with flaming tables, barbed wire, lighttubes, thumbtacks and sharp metal tools such as cheese graters. While these violent practices carry a more extensive legacy in Japanese wrestling promotions such as Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, many attribute their stateside popularity to the rise of Extreme Championship Wrestling and wrestlers like New Jack, Tommy Dreamer, and the Sandman.
These activities, which were also closely linked to the reckless nature of other teen-centered shows such as Jackass, were part of the "hardcore" phase of American professional wrestling, ushered in by the extreme style of promotions such as ECW, Xtreme Pro Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling. However, when these promotions closed and/or toned down their extreme nature, backyard wrestling followed suit, leading to less dangerous activity. Because of this, the heavy bleeding and use of dangerous weaponry in backyard wrestling has now faded from popularity.
The "backyard wrestling craze," as it was, began to slow down between 1999 and 2000 . Increased media attention[4] and reforms within the professional wrestling promotions themselves led to a generally unpopular view of wrestling and unprofessional stunts, leading to a decline in the popularity of backyard wrestling. This did not, however, lead to a total abolishment, as several popular internet wrestling communities still feature active message boards dedicated to the practice of backyard wrestling.
[edit] Independent circuit
After 2000, many individuals changed and realized that the dangerous stunts they were doing had grave consequences. The internet and television[5] was more supportive in that it led to the distribution of information on professional wrestling which helped many individuals discover the proper way to perform certain moves, for example. More professional wrestling schools and small independent wrestling promotions formed at this time as well, accepting particularly skilled backyard wrestlers.
As a result, more of the younger independent wrestlers admit to having backyard wrestling experience, some claiming it is a hobby that they pursue while performing professionally. This does not reflect the majority of professional wrestlers, however, as backyard wrestling is often drastically different from that shown on television. Nonetheless, some independent wrestlers claim they continue backyarding because, whereas wrestling professionally means being told how, who, and where to wrestle by a booker or promoter, backyarders are their own bookers and promoters and can enjoy the freedom of wrestling their friends however they like for their own recreation. However, training in a "backyard wrestling environment" is often frowned upon by professionals, and the sport has a strongly negative connotation.
[edit] Controversy
Many backyard wrestlers cite Mick Foley as their inspiration, as a video of Foley's backyard wrestling exploits with his friends in college gained widespread attention after portions of it were shown on WWF television which glorified it as his entrance into the company. However, Foley himself discourages the practice of backyard wrestling. While he made a career by distributing a video of himself doing dangerous stunts such as jumping off a rooftop onto a mattress, he downplays what he did and says it is too dangerous. In his book Foley Is Good, Mick Foley recalls an instance where he was interviewed for a television piece about the growing trend for backyard wrestling. He claims that comments he made having viewed footage of a legitimate professional hardcore match were deliberately misrepresented and applied by the production company to a backyard vignette.
Some professional wrestlers and most, if not all, professional wrestling promotions discourage backyard wrestling in public comments, because it involves legal risk to the promotions in the form of lawsuits by individuals. Several lawsuits have been brought against wrestling promotions, most prominently WWE, alleging that people have caused serious injury to others by imitating professional wrestling moves they saw on TV. As a result of this pressure, WWE now features prominent disclaimers during its programming which urges fans, "Don't try this at home."
Some professional wrestlers have admitted to practicing it themselves during their younger years. Those who have done so include the Hardy Boyz and Shannon Moore, among others. While many backyard wrestlers believe that backyard wrestling is good preparation for future exploits in professional wrestling given Mick Foley's career, prominent wrestling school operators have often stated their disdain for the practice. Harley Race, in particular, has said "I absolutely hate it" and "It's just absolute stupidity."[6]
One book that supports these matches is Backyard Empire, a backyard wrestling novel inspired by a true story. It argues that many of its backyard wrestlers used their local show as a springboard to become professionals.[7] Another book about backyard wrestling is Wrestling in the Backyard by "Maniac" Mike Elias.
Other backyard organizations attempted more impromptu or "real" formats. The A.W.F., The American Wrestling Federation, founded in 1987 by Anthony Tech and Tim Balderramos, reportedly did not have predetermined high spots or booked endings in their early years, even though they employed a standard professional wrestling format. The A.W.F. later attempted a style called "Freestyle-Professional" in the early 2000's, which used a scoring system and a five-minute period like what is seen in Olympic wrestling while allowing limited pro wrestling maneuvers like body slams (for takedown points) as well as submission holds. While decidedly safer and more challenging for the participant, it proved too boring for the spectator. The change in format is cited by some as the cause for the A.W.F. ceasing active operations in 2005.
[edit] Media attention
In the earliest recorded media coverage from 1984 and 1985 that covered Backyard wrestling, the message and stories being told were nothing short of "positive" from well respected news outlets such as the Minneapolis StarTibune and KSTP Eyewitness News.[8][9] Between the 1980s and 1990s, the style of Backyard wrestling evolved to a much more violent form, focussing more on the "high risk" maneuvers and "dangerous" stunts which triggered a much different view from the media.
Backyard wrestling, and its forefather, professional wrestling, both reached greater popularity during the late 1990s and were the subject of disdain from the media.[10][11] It was a frequent topic for documentaries and televised news programs, often serving as an indication that the MTV Generation, as it had been dubbed, was among the most reckless, least guided, and most immoral of all teen generations.
Although the implications of backyard wrestling on teen culture and on society as a whole compose a far more complicated debate, most media attention (and adults) in the United States feared that backyard wrestling was a degradation of society and of youth.
However, since the loss in mainstream popularity of professional wrestling, media interest surrounding backyard wrestling has calmed down.
[edit] Videos
Backyard wrestling videos are produced by the wrestlers of the federation. They are readily available on the internet at any website, and some federations have ordering information about VHS and DVD copies of their matches and exploits. These videos are commonly filmed on camcorders with the cameraman occasionally providing the commentary on the matches. On the internet, most times the matches are shown in montage clips with heavy metal music in the background. There is also a Documentary called The Backyard about backyard wrestling featuring Rob Van Dam. No-Rope Barbed Wire match with Terry Funk
One of Sabu's most infamous matches was the No-Rope Barbed-Wire match with Terry Funk at Born To Be Wired, a match which was promoted as being "too extreme even for ECW" - and with good reason: both men bled profusely. In one of the most memorable moments in ECW history, Sabu attempted the "Air Sabu" corner splash on Terry Funk. Funk moved and Sabu ended up colliding violently into the wire which tore open his biceps. He then asked his manager Bill Alfonso for some tape and after Alfonso went to get some Sabu began to tape the gash up, which was about twelve inches long. To this day, Terry Funk has stated that he has never seen anything like what Sabu did that night. The match ended with both men so badly tangled up together in the barbed wire that it took several ring technicians armed with wire cutters to free them from the predicament (on the DVD Bloodsport ECW: The Most Extreme Matches released by World Wrestling Entertainment, Paul Heyman said that the match was "so gruesome, I never ever dared to schedule another one like it", and that they never had another Barbed-Wire match in ECW because "no one could top that one -- and in good conscience, I never wanted anyone to try.").
[edit] Injuries
Sabu racked up an astounding catalogue of injuries during his ECW tenure, including broken ribs, broken jaw, and most infamously, breaking his neck twice (the first time was during a match with Chris Benoit on November 5, 1994 in which communication problems appeared to be to blame as Benoit lifted Sabu over for a flapjack, but Sabu assumed Benoit was going for a back body drop. This caused Sabu to land directly on his head; the other was during a match against Taz in December 1998, when Sabu took a Tazplex through a table and landed wrong). Sabu was able to recover from the neck injuries and return to wrestling, and he even wore a neck brace in his return match in the United States a month following the injury at Taz's hands; by Sabu's account, however, he started actively wrestling in Japan on a short tour a little over two weeks after that injury.
[edit] Mainstream exposure
In October 1993, Sabu contested in two WWF matches. He defeated Scott Taylor in a dark match before the October 18 Monday Night Raw tapings in Poughkeepsie, NY. The following night he was defeated by Owen Hart in Glens Falls, NY.
Sabu did get some more mainstream exposure in the year 1995. He debuted in World Championship Wrestling on September the 11th of that year for the WCW Monday Nitro program by picking up a victory over Alex Wright, only for it to be reversed by Referee Nick Patrick, following Sabu's behavior after the match (he put Alex Wright through a table outside the ring). He would then pick up two consecutive victories over Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn) on October 9 (on Nitro) and at WCW Halloween Havoc 1995. WCW did not like his violent style and unwillingness to lose a match, and thus did not offer Sabu a long-term contract. As a result, his last appearance in WCW was on the October 30 episode of Monday Nitro, defeating Disco Inferno in under two minutes. Following the match, Sabu threw a table at Inferno and was preparing to put Disco through it with a somersault over the top rope, but Disco moved off the table and Sabu landed on his back.
Sabu was the first wrestler to dive off the entrance sign during an episode of WWF RAW on February 24, 1997, while WWE and ECW were cross-promoting. He had actually lost his balance before diving off, but managed to reposition himself in mid-air to land on Team Taz. In addition, Sabu was featured in the Playstation Video game WCW vs. the World later on in the same year, under the pseudonym David Harley.
WCW signed Sabu to a contract in 2000, but legal action threatened by ECW precluded Sabu from ever making an appearance before WCW's demise. From 2000 to 2001, he had a successful run in California's XPW, which catapulted him back into the national spotlight after Paul Heyman had tried to prevent him from working outside of ECW by actually suing him in court for breach of contract, when---as it turned out---Heyman was actually the one who had breached Sabu's contract. He won the XPW World Heavyweight Championship during his stay, and was managed by former Danzig bassist Josh Lazie.
Sabu went on to wrestle on the independent circuit, appearing with promotions such as Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW), which is owned by the Insane Clown Posse.
[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002-2006)
Sabu debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17 2002, defeating Malice in a ladder match. The next week he faced Ken Shamrock in a ladder match which was declared a No Contest when Malice interfered. Sabu returned briefly in 2003, along other ECW alumni. In 2004, Sabu teamed with Raven to defeat Raven's former "Gathering" protégés, CM Punk and Julio Dinero. In March he began feuding with Monty Brown and Abyss, who outnumbered him on several occasions after Raven failed to "watch his back". Eventually Raven challenged Sabu to an empty arena match to be held on June 9, but Sabu refused to wrestle him, claiming that he had promised his uncle, The Sheik, that he would never fight Raven. Raven then waged a campaign against Sabu, disrespecting the memory of his uncle and assaulting Sabu's friend Sonjay Dutt, until Sabu finally broke and attacked him on July 23. Raven defeated Sabu on August 4, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was cancelled after Sabu (legit) suffered a serious back injury. While injured, Sabu contracted a virus and was hospitalized, sidelining him for ten months. On December 12 a benefit show, A Night of Appreciation for Sabu was held to raise funds for him. The show was considered a success, raising enough money for Sabu to cover the costs of his medical care and he was able to make a full recovery. In his first match back from the injury, he defeated N8 Mattson. Sabu then appeared at Hardcore Homecoming, where he defeated Terry Funk and Shane Douglas in a three-way no-ropes barbed wire match, and (two days later) at ECW One Night Stand, where he defeated Rhyno. Sabu returned to TNA on July 29 2005. At TNA Sacrifice Sabu teamed with his old enemy, and then NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Raven to face Jeff Jarrett and Rhino. Rhino and Jarrett won the match after Rhino gored Raven through a table and pinned him. The match saw Abyss interfering and attacking Sabu, starting a feud between the two of them. They went on to have a match at Unbreakable in September which Abyss won after performing his Black Hole Slam finisher on to a pile of tacks in the ring. Sabu once again found himself squaring off against Rhino and Abyss, as well as Jeff Hardy, during Bound for Glory in the Monster's Ball 2 match. Rhino won the match. On the same night, Sabu competed in a 10-Man Gauntlet Match to decide a number one contender, which he also lost, once again to Rhino. In late October of 2005, Sabu signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment to be a part of its Legends program. Sabu continued his feud with Abyss, once again losing to him at Genesis after taking a Black Hole Slam onto a barbed wire steel chair. They met up again, in the promotions first ever Barbed Wire Massacre at Turning Point. Sabu finally got the better of Abyss, but following the match wasn't seen on TNA TV for several months. He made his return at Lockdown on April 28th, 2006 in a match against Samoa Joe for Joe's X Division Title despite Sabu having a broken forearm. Sabu was defeated in what would turn out to be his final TNA match. Following the match Samoa Joe reported on his MySpace page that Sabu's injuries from Lockdown were more serious than reported. Joe stated that part of Sabu's fingertip was severed, he had a broken arm, and he had been partially scalped at an undisclosed Mexican independent event. [edit] World Wrestling Entertainment (2006-2007) On April 24, 2006, Sabu's official website reported that he signed a one-year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. This was soon confirmed by WWE.com, which stated that Sabu would become a part of WWE's ECW brand. At the One Night Stand pay-per-view, Sabu faced Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship. At the end of the pay-per-view matchup, Mysterio found himself standing on a ringside table with Sabu flying at him. Sabu caught the champ in a front facelock and nailed him with a DDT which caused both men to crash through the table. At this point, the WWE medical staff rushed to the injured men and declared neither man could continue and ordered the match stopped, resulting in a No Contest in which Mysterio kept his title. On the June 13 premiere of ECW on Sci-Fi, Sabu won a 10 man Extreme Battle Royal (legalized weapons) with the stipulation that the winner face John Cena at Vengeance. Sabu further fueled the feud during the next week's RAW when he interfered in a Cena match and performed a Triple Jump Leg Drop on him, diving onto Cena and putting him through the announcers' table. Cena defeated Sabu in their "Extreme Lumberjack match" at Vengeance. On July 2 2006, Sabu, traveling with fellow ECW wrestler Rob Van Dam, was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and nine Vicodin tablets following a traffic stop in Hanging Rock, Ohio.[1] On July 5 2006, WWE.com announced that Brunk was to be fined $1,000 based on the guidelines of WWE's Wellness Policy.[2] Meanwhile, he defeated Stevie Richards in an Extreme Rules match at Saturday Night's Main Event. Towards the end of July, Sabu began to talk on camera for himself - instead of using a go between - and demanded a shot at The Big Show's ECW World Championship which Paul Heyman refused to grant him in order to "protect" his champion. Instead he forced him into a match against the returning Kurt Angle to determine a #1 contender. When that match was interrupted by the returning Rob Van Dam another match was signed, Angle vs RVD vs. Sabu, for the number one contendership (Angle then became too injured to compete and was pulled from the match). Sabu beat Rob Van Dam in their ladder match to win a shot at Big Show at SummerSlam, a match which he ended up losing. On August 31, 2006 Sabu and Rob Van Dam appeared in court. Sabu was found guilty of possession of prescription medication nine tablets of testolactone (a steroid) not prescribed to him and was fined $500.[3] At Survivor Series 2006, Sabu teamed up with John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Rob Van Dam and Kane to face the team of The Big Show, Test, Montel Vontavious Porter, Finlay and Umaga. Sabu eliminated Test following a Tornado DDT, but he was later eliminated by Big Show via pinfall after receiving a chokeslam. In the end, Team Cena gained victory. At December to Dismember Sabu was originally to appear in the main event, an extreme elimination chamber match against The Big Show, Test, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk and Bobby Lashley, but was "taken out" and replaced by Hardcore Holly. Sabu made his Royal Rumble debut in the 2007 Royal Rumble where he was eliminated by Kane after receiving a chokeslam over the top rope and through a table. Sabu joined the ECW Originals along with Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman. The ECW Originals began a feud with the New Breed (Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn, Marcus Cor Von and Matt Striker). The two teams faced off in a match at WrestleMania 23 in which the ECW Originals won. On March 31, 2007 Sabu and Rob Van Dam inducted The Sheik into the WWE Hall of Fame. On May 16, 2007 WWE.com reported that Sabu had been released. [4] He was released with a 90-day no compete clause in his contract. Sabu is now confirmed playable character in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 after his release. Independent Circuit (2007) (AAA)
On July 13, 2007, it was announced that Sabu would be working in Mexico's AAA promotion in Mexico for their Triplemania 15 Event. Sabu came out during the main event and put La Parka (AAA version) through a table joining forces with the heels X-Pac, Ron "the Truth" Killings, and Konnan. Sabu wrestling CW Anderson at the ECW Arena in June 2006.Sabu's wrestling style is unorthodox, consisting mainly of aerial moves performed with the aid of tables (which he is famous for smashing opponents through) and chairs, which he uses as weapons and as launching pads for some of his more death-defying moves. He is also famous for the invention of his triple-jump techniques, which involve jumping from a set-up chair onto the ring ropes and then springing off onto an opponent with a flying attack of some sort. Sabu is also notorious for continuing to wrestle matches even though he has suffered serious injuries that require medical attention. An example of this was during the Stairway to Hell match with The Sandman where Sabu's jawbone was broken when he landed face-first on the steel guardrail outside the ring. Rather than ending the match early, Sabu actually duct-taped his jaw shut and continued to wrestle the match to its scheduled conclusion. During the aforementioned "Born To Be Wired" match with Terry Funk, Sabu legitimately tore open his biceps on the barbed wire. He taped it up on the spot and continued the match. Afterwards, he super-glued himself together to drive to the hospital where it took more than 100 stitches to close the wound. He refused to miss any matches because of that injury. Sabu's famous signature gesture, Magician of Arabia, is pointing to the sky while looking upwards, especially when entering or exiting the ring, or before performing an especially dangerous move (the gesture is often referred to as Sabu pointing to the heavens in tribute to his uncle The Sheik, even though he had been using the gesture while the Sheik was still alive)http://www.lukehadley.com Jackass is an American television series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing v...all »http://www.lukehadley.com Jackass is an American television series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, ridiculous, and self-injuring stunts and pranks. The show served as a launchpad for the television and acting careers of Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera. Since 2002, two Jackass theatrical films have been produced and released by MTV corporate sibling Paramount Pictures, continuing the franchise after its run on television. It is one of MTV's most popular shows ever and sparked several spin-offs including Viva La Bam, Wildboyz, Homewrecker, Dr. Steve-O, and Blastazoid.
The show developed from Big Brother Magazine, a skateboarding-related humor magazine that Jeff Tremaine, Dave Carnie, Rick Kosick and Chris Pontius all worked for, and featured regular contributions from Johnny Knoxville and Dave England, among others. The concept of Jackass dates back to 1999 when struggling-actor-turned-writer Johnny Knoxville birthed the idea to test different self defense devices on himself as the basis for an article. He pitched the idea to a couple of magazines and was turned down until meeting with Jeff Tremaine of Big Brother. Jeff hired him as a journalist and convinced Johnny to videotape this idea and other stunts for stories. The footage, which involved Knoxville being tasered, maced, and ultimately shot while wearing a bulletproof vest, appeared in the second Big Brother skateboarding movie Number Two (which is also the title of the second Jackass theatrical film) Johnny and the videos quickly became a hit. Future Jackass castmember Wee-Man made an appearance in the videos, and Florida clown Steve-O would send in submissions to be part of the videos. [1]
Big Brother would go on road trips, which is believed to be where Johnny met Bam Margera and they became good friends. In addition to skateboarding, Bam Margera had recently released a movie entitled Landspeed:CKY which consisted of himself and his friends, which he dubbed the "CKY Crew", in West Chester, Pennsylvania performing various skits and stunts. Among the Crew included the colorful cast of Ryan Dunn, Brandon Dicamillo, as well as Margera's family April, Phil, Don Vito, and Jess Margera. Jeff Tremaine saw the tapes and drafted Bam and his crew into what would become the cast of Jackass. Later, the Jackass crew would personally recruit Steve-O in a Florida Flea Market where he worked as a clown for part of the show. To round out the cast, Dave England brought in his friend Ehren McGhehey, a fellow Oregon resident and extreme stunt participator. [2]
Tremaine drafted his friend, director Spike Jonze to get involved with the show, and together, he, Jonze, and Johnny Knoxville served as executive producers. The idea show was pitched, and the cast was initially given an offer by Saturday Night Live to perform the stunts weekly for the show, though the offer was turned down. A bidding war eventually occurred between Comedy Central and MTV, which MTV eventually won. It was then that Jackass was born. [3]
Controversy
Since the first episode, Jackass frequently featured warnings and disclaimers noting that the stunts performed were dangerous and should not be imitated, and that recordings of any stunts would not be aired on MTV. Such warnings not only appeared before and after each program and after each commercial break, but also in a "crawl" that ran along the bottom of the screen during some especially risky stunts. Nevertheless, the program has been blamed for a number of deaths and injuries involving teens and children recreating the stunts.
On January 29, 2001, U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) publicly condemned MTV and Jackass in connection with a dangerous stunt that led to a copycat incident in which a 13-year-old Connecticut teenager was left in critical condition with severe burns.[4] Lieberman followed up with a February 7, 2001 letter to MTV's parent company Viacom urging the company to take greater responsibility for its programming and do more to help parents protect their children.[5] MTV responded to the criticism by canceling all airings of Jackass before 10:00 PM, but Lieberman's continual campaign against the show led to MTV refusing to air repeats of the later episodes, a move which angered the cast and production crew of the series who were furious with MTV's "caving into Lieberman's demands."
A man named Jack Ass sued MTV for $10 million, claiming the series was plagiarizing his name. Jack Ass, formerly known as Bob Craft, changed his name in 1997 to raise awareness for drunk driving, after his brother and friend were killed in a vehicle accident.[6]
Ending and farewell
In a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Johnny Knoxville announced that the show would end after its third season aired so as to allow the show to end on a high note. He also stated discontent at MTV and the censors, who, from the start of season two, began to hound the show's producers with notes regarding what the show could and could not depict. When the third season ended in 2002, MTV (who owns the rights to the name "Jackass") contemplated keeping the show going with a new cast of characters (even running a teaser for the show's return during the 2002 VMA Awards Show) before opting to let the show die. Because of problems with MTV's standards and practices department as well as the sudden departure of Bam Margera and the CKY Crew halfway through season three, the Jackass crew did not attempt to create a finale to bring the show to a close.
MTV released a DVD box set in December of 2005. The box set included the three Jackass DVD volumes (which were not composed of all 3 entire seasons, but just 1:30-2:00 highlights of each season), a bonus disc that included the crew's trip to Gumball 3000, a "Where Are They Now" documentary, MTV Cribs Jackass Edition, and TV spots, and 48-page book of photos and inside stories.
Jackass: The Movie
Main article: Jackass: The Movie
After the show went off the air, the cast reunited in 2002 to film what they believed would be the conclusion of Jackass: a full-length motion picture version of the show entitled Jackass: The Movie. The cast made it clear that the film was their "farewell" to the fans of the show, and with the franchise taking the movie format, the cast and crew were now allowed to circumvent the censors, showing more vulgar stunts than the ones featured on the TV show. [7] Interestingly, MTV Films assisted in the movie's distribution.
The movie, filmed on a budget of just $5 million, went on to gross over $60 million in the United States alone, and finished in the number 1 spot at the box office during its debut weekend.
Life after Jackass
With the hit show ended, each member of the cast found new work in movies and television, each gaining their own degree of success.
Johnny Knoxville pursued a career as an actor, appearing in such films as the 2004 remake of Walking Tall, The Dukes of Hazzard, Men in Black II, The Ringer, A Dirty Shame and Big Trouble.
Bam Margera and the CKY crew were given their own spin-off show Viva La Bam, which follows Margera and his family, who are often made the victim of the clique's practical jokes. Bam and the crew also have Radio Bam on Sirius radio. Margera has also been featured in Bam's Unholy Union, following him and his fiance Missy in the run-up to their wedding, while Brandon DiCamillo and Rake Yohn featured in Blastazoid, a short-lived show about video games.
When Viva La Bam finished its run, Ryan Dunn, who was part of Bam's crew on Viva La Bam, was given his own show Homewrecker, in which he finds revenge for helpless victims of practical jokes by renovating the prankster's room according to the original incident. The show only lasted one season.
Chris Pontius and Steve-O were also given their own spin-off show Wildboyz. Unlike Jackass and Viva La Bam, Wildboyz rejected the formula of practical jokes and instead features the two traveling the world in search of wild and exotic animals. Directed by Jackass director Jeff Tremaine, Wildboyz featured frequent guest appearances by fellow Jackasses Johnny Knoxville, Manny Puig, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuña.
Jackass Number Two
Main article: Jackass Number Two
With the release of Jackass: The Movie, director Jeff Tremaine and the rest of the Jackass cast believed that Jackass was finished and there would be no further projects under the franchise. However, during the final season of Wildboys, Johnny Knoxville joined his former castmates Chris Pontius and Steve-O on various expeditions around the world. It was said that Knoxville went so far out during the filming of the show that Tremaine pulled him aside and said "If you're willing to go this all out, why not get all the guys together and shoot another movie?" Knoxville agreed, and with both Viva La Bam and Wildboyz finishing their runs, the entire cast was available to reunite and film the sequel. [8]
Jackass Number Two was released on September 22, 2006, produced by MTV Films and distributed by Paramount Pictures. As was the case with its predecessor, Jackass Number Two topped the box office in its debut weekend, earning $29.01 million. Footage for several stunts featured Bam Margera's uncle Vincent "Don Vito" Margera, but the footage was removed from the theatrical release due to his arrest in August 2006 and the nature of the charges.
Possible return
On September 7, 2006, MTV featured a half hour documentary on the making of Jackass: Number Two. When asked if the film meant the end of Jackass, cast member Steve-O commented that the people who made money from the Jackass franchise still wanted money, hinting that the cast would still continue the franchise in one form or another. At the conclusion of the documentary, Johnny Knoxville reveals that he "had a hard time letting go" because he is "so hooked on doing stunts." Cameraman Dimitry Elyashkevich reveals that weeks after the film, Knoxville was so desperate to shoot that he would film himself running into street signs just for the sake of additional footage. Additionally, the other cast members talk of how Johnny was putting so much on the line for this movie. [9]
After the last day of filming, the documentary goes two weeks ahead where Johnny tells the camera that he made an agreement with director Jeff Tremaine that if he would stop shooting footage of himself for the time being, then Tremaine would let the Jackass crew film some newer material in November (presumably of 2006), as Knoxville "still had things he wanted to do". Also, as Knoxville is driving away in his car, he is heard exclaiming, "The show ain't over yet buddy!" which fans speculate could be hinting at the long-awaited return of Jackass to MTV. Bam Margera jokingly muttered during the credits of the film "Please, please, please God; Don't let there be a Jackass 3! I don't even like doing 2!"
On September 5, 2007, Bam Margera announced on The Howard Stern Show that Jackass 2.5 will be released. He said that Jackass 2.5 would be a compilation DVD of stunts that did not make it to Jackass Number 2. One example of a stunt that Bam gave was where he pulled Don Vito's teeth out with his Lamborghini.
On September 25, 2007, while on The Howard Stern Show Steve-O said "I was told to rest up for Jackass 3 which will start shooting in January." Not Jackass 2.5 which is set to be released around Christmas this year.
Jackass: The Game
Main article: Jackass: The Game
Jackass: The Game is being developed under license by Sidhe Interactive in Wellington, New Zealand for the PlayStation 2 and Playstation Portable. The game was first shown at the 2006 E3 behind closed doors[10]. The Nintendo DS version of the game is being developed by Sensory Sweep Studios, out of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is mentioned in the Jackass: Number Two commentary that the stunt where several members get punched in the face by a spring loaded boxing glove hidden behind a fake valentine on a wall had just come upstairs from shooting a promo for the video game. Johnny Knoxville and other members of the Jackass team also provided stunt ideas to the developer based on unused stunts from the show. [11] A trailer was released in June 2007 on the game's official website, along with the cover art.
Cast and Crew
Main Cast Members
Johnny Knoxville
Chris Pontius
Steve-O
Preston Lacy
Jason "Wee Man" Acuña
Bam Margera
Ryan Dunn
Brandon DiCamillo
Dave England
Ehren McGhehey
Recurring Cast Members
Stephanie Hodge
Rake Yohn
Raab Himself
Phil Margera
April Margera
Jess Margera
Vincent "Don Vito" Margera
Manny Puig
Loomis Fall
Crew
Jeff Tremaine - creator, director
Spike Jonze - creator
Dimitry Elyashkevich - main producer and cameraman
Lance Bangs - cameraman
Rick Kosick - main cameraman
Knate Gwaltney - cameraman
Greg "Guch" Iguchi - cameraman
Sean Cliver - one of the show's producers
Celebrity appearances
Tony Hawk - pro skateboarder; performed 'the loop' with Bam Margera
Mat Hoffman - professional bmx rider, participated in "The Loop" and also appeared in "Jackass The Movie" during the "Clipper Cam" scenes.
Brad Pitt - participated in the "Abduction" and "Night Monkey 2" skits
Shaquille O'Neal - participated in one skit, in which he dry-humped Wee Man and Steve-O during the filming of a music video
CKY - Drummer Jess Margera appears in several episodes. Jess and Deron Miller wake Phil up in the "heavy metal alarm clock" segment.
Fatlip - slid down an escalator
Ruby Wax and Maximillion Cooper - Gumball Rally special
Diddy - slapped Bam and performed the "I'm Johnny Knoxville, welcome to Jackass" intro
Hilary Swank - appeared in the Jellyfish stunt with Steve-O, filming the stunt. Left though not credited, but is noticed.
Quinton Jackson - gave fighting tips to Ryan Dunn in a skit where Dunn eventually lost the fight after almost getting knocked out
Daewon Song - In the "carpet skating" segment.
Similar groups
Various groups have created shows based on or similar to Jackass. These include:
Extreme Duudsonit AKA The Dudesons
Dirty Sanchez AKA Team Sanchez
Tokyo Shock Boys
Crazy Monkey
Rad Girls
MTV: Jackass Backyard wrestling is a loose term used to describe the controversial practice of professional wrestling as performed by untrained fans in an unsanctioned, non-professional environment. Backyard wrestling is a title applied to home filmed and produced professional wrestling shows, videos, or events carried out by untrained athletes, mostly comprised of American males between the ages of 16 and 30. In the years since its formation, Backyard wrestling has developed into an underground scene, where federations often produce, trade and distribute their videos via Internet, and other wrestling publications. Though backyard wrestling was not unheard of prior to the 1990s, the modern backyard wrestling "craze" lasted from roughly 1996 to 2001, during a time when televised professional wrestling was enjoying a period of unparalleled popularity. Many of those who practice it embrace a style that emphasizes risky high spots (which can involve diving or taking bumps from rooftops or ladders) and the liberal use of weapons in matches. These may include thumbtacks, barbed wire, tables, plywood, fire, glass, and fluorescent lamps. Even among participants who shy away from this, there still is a considerable level of inherent risk involved. Many professional wrestling holds require extensive training to perform correctly and safely, which few backyard wrestlers have received. These and other concerns are at the heart of the controversy surrounding the practice.
Backyard wrestling is so-called because it is often literally performed in yards, though most any location can host a backyard wrestling match, including parks, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, barns, and school gyms. It is common for backyard professional wrestling promotions, or "feds," to construct their own homemade wrestling rings. Wrestling on trampolines is also common, which allows for visually impressive moves to be performed with a minimal risk of injury. Others opt to simply perform matches on the bare ground which, in most cases, is more dangerous than performing in home-made rings. Backyard wrestling promotions can be highly organized, and many tape their shows and maintain websites where media is available for download. The internet proved instrumental in popularizing backyard wrestling during its initial boom period. In its history, backyard wrestling has changed significantly in terms of its professionalism, safety provisions, popularity, and hardcore style. Backyard wrestling tends to follow the trends of professional wrestling and changes in accordance with what are the fads and trends in the major promotions such as World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Although backyard wrestling has been often associated with a Mick Foley home video in which Foley jumps off the roof of a house onto his opponent who is lying on a pile of mattresses, backyard wrestling most likely began in the 1950s emulating such stars as Gorgeous George, and later Bruno Sammartino, and Superstar Billy Graham [citation needed]. The earliest listed "official" backyarder is Shawn "Crusher" Crossen who wrestled from March 1984 until early 1990 in his own promotion known as NWF Kids Pro Wrestling.[1]Twin Cities based promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey actually co-promoted a sold-out wrestling event that featured matches from both Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and NWF Kids Pro Wrestling at the American Legion Hall in Champlin, MN back on November 1986. [2] . In August of 1997 the now defunct CWF a backyard promotion originating from Vallejo, California began filming the television show CWF Devastation. "Devastation" aired between 1997-2000 on California public access stations, and has often been cited as the inspiration for the legendary West Coast backyard movement of the late 1990's Backyard wrestling became infamous for its out-of-control and unregulated dangerous stunts. Many people, most commonly male teenagers, frequently risked their lives in attempted dives, jumps, falls, and bumps. Many others would use sharp and harmful weapons, performing matches with flaming tables, barbed wire, lighttubes, thumbtacks and sharp metal tools such as cheese graters. While these violent practices carry a more extensive legacy in Japanese wrestling promotions such as Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, many attribute their stateside popularity to the rise of Extreme Championship Wrestling and wrestlers like New Jack, Tommy Dreamer, and the Sandman.
These activities, which were also closely linked to the reckless nature of other teen-centered shows such as Jackass, were part of the "hardcore" phase of American professional wrestling, ushered in by the extreme style of promotions such as ECW, Xtreme Pro Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling. However, when these promotions closed and/or toned down their extreme nature, backyard wrestling followed suit, leading to less dangerous activity. Because of this, the heavy bleeding and use of dangerous weaponry in backyard wrestling has now faded from popularity.
The "backyard wrestling craze," as it was, began to slow down between 1999 and 2000 . Increased media attention[4] and reforms within the professional wrestling promotions themselves led to a generally unpopular view of wrestling and unprofessional stunts, leading to a decline in the popularity of backyard wrestling. This did not, however, lead to a total abolishment, as several popular internet wrestling communities still feature active message boards dedicated to the practice of backyard wrestling.
[edit] Independent circuit
After 2000, many individuals changed and realized that the dangerous stunts they were doing had grave consequences. The internet and television[5] was more supportive in that it led to the distribution of information on professional wrestling which helped many individuals discover the proper way to perform certain moves, for example. More professional wrestling schools and small independent wrestling promotions formed at this time as well, accepting particularly skilled backyard wrestlers.
As a result, more of the younger independent wrestlers admit to having backyard wrestling experience, some claiming it is a hobby that they pursue while performing professionally. This does not reflect the majority of professional wrestlers, however, as backyard wrestling is often drastically different from that shown on television. Nonetheless, some independent wrestlers claim they continue backyarding because, whereas wrestling professionally means being told how, who, and where to wrestle by a booker or promoter, backyarders are their own bookers and promoters and can enjoy the freedom of wrestling their friends however they like for their own recreation. However, training in a "backyard wrestling environment" is often frowned upon by professionals, and the sport has a strongly negative connotation.
[edit] Controversy
Many backyard wrestlers cite Mick Foley as their inspiration, as a video of Foley's backyard wrestling exploits with his friends in college gained widespread attention after portions of it were shown on WWF television which glorified it as his entrance into the company. However, Foley himself discourages the practice of backyard wrestling. While he made a career by distributing a video of himself doing dangerous stunts such as jumping off a rooftop onto a mattress, he downplays what he did and says it is too dangerous. In his book Foley Is Good, Mick Foley recalls an instance where he was interviewed for a television piece about the growing trend for backyard wrestling. He claims that comments he made having viewed footage of a legitimate professional hardcore match were deliberately misrepresented and applied by the production company to a backyard vignette.
Some professional wrestlers and most, if not all, professional wrestling promotions discourage backyard wrestling in public comments, because it involves legal risk to the promotions in the form of lawsuits by individuals. Several lawsuits have been brought against wrestling promotions, most prominently WWE, alleging that people have caused serious injury to others by imitating professional wrestling moves they saw on TV. As a result of this pressure, WWE now features prominent disclaimers during its programming which urges fans, "Don't try this at home."
Some professional wrestlers have admitted to practicing it themselves during their younger years. Those who have done so include the Hardy Boyz and Shannon Moore, among others. While many backyard wrestlers believe that backyard wrestling is good preparation for future exploits in professional wrestling given Mick Foley's career, prominent wrestling school operators have often stated their disdain for the practice. Harley Race, in particular, has said "I absolutely hate it" and "It's just absolute stupidity."[6]
One book that supports these matches is Backyard Empire, a backyard wrestling novel inspired by a true story. It argues that many of its backyard wrestlers used their local show as a springboard to become professionals.[7] Another book about backyard wrestling is Wrestling in the Backyard by "Maniac" Mike Elias.
Other backyard organizations attempted more impromptu or "real" formats. The A.W.F., The American Wrestling Federation, founded in 1987 by Anthony Tech and Tim Balderramos, reportedly did not have predetermined high spots or booked endings in their early years, even though they employed a standard professional wrestling format. The A.W.F. later attempted a style called "Freestyle-Professional" in the early 2000's, which used a scoring system and a five-minute period like what is seen in Olympic wrestling while allowing limited pro wrestling maneuvers like body slams (for takedown points) as well as submission holds. While decidedly safer and more challenging for the participant, it proved too boring for the spectator. The change in format is cited by some as the cause for the A.W.F. ceasing active operations in 2005.
[edit] Media attention
In the earliest recorded media coverage from 1984 and 1985 that covered Backyard wrestling, the message and stories being told were nothing short of "positive" from well respected news outlets such as the Minneapolis StarTibune and KSTP Eyewitness News.[8][9] Between the 1980s and 1990s, the style of Backyard wrestling evolved to a much more violent form, focussing more on the "high risk" maneuvers and "dangerous" stunts which triggered a much different view from the media.
Backyard wrestling, and its forefather, professional wrestling, both reached greater popularity during the late 1990s and were the subject of disdain from the media.[10][11] It was a frequent topic for documentaries and televised news programs, often serving as an indication that the MTV Generation, as it had been dubbed, was among the most reckless, least guided, and most immoral of all teen generations.
Although the implications of backyard wrestling on teen culture and on society as a whole compose a far more complicated debate, most media attention (and adults) in the United States feared that backyard wrestling was a degradation of society and of youth.
However, since the loss in mainstream popularity of professional wrestling, media interest surrounding backyard wrestling has calmed down.
[edit] Videos
Backyard wrestling videos are produced by the wrestlers of the federation. They are readily available on the internet at any website, and some federations have ordering information about VHS and DVD copies of their matches and exploits. These videos are commonly filmed on camcorders with the cameraman occasionally providing the commentary on the matches. On the internet, most times the matches are shown in montage clips with heavy metal music in the background. There is also a Documentary called The Backyard about backyard wrestling featuring Rob Van Dam. No-Rope Barbed Wire match with Terry Funk
One of Sabu's most infamous matches was the No-Rope Barbed-Wire match with Terry Funk at Born To Be Wired, a match which was promoted as being "too extreme even for ECW" - and with good reason: both men bled profusely. In one of the most memorable moments in ECW history, Sabu attempted the "Air Sabu" corner splash on Terry Funk. Funk moved and Sabu ended up colliding violently into the wire which tore open his biceps. He then asked his manager Bill Alfonso for some tape and after Alfonso went to get some Sabu began to tape the gash up, which was about twelve inches long. To this day, Terry Funk has stated that he has never seen anything like what Sabu did that night. The match ended with both men so badly tangled up together in the barbed wire that it took several ring technicians armed with wire cutters to free them from the predicament (on the DVD Bloodsport ECW: The Most Extreme Matches released by World Wrestling Entertainment, Paul Heyman said that the match was "so gruesome, I never ever dared to schedule another one like it", and that they never had another Barbed-Wire match in ECW because "no one could top that one -- and in good conscience, I never wanted anyone to try.").
[edit] Injuries
Sabu racked up an astounding catalogue of injuries during his ECW tenure, including broken ribs, broken jaw, and most infamously, breaking his neck twice (the first time was during a match with Chris Benoit on November 5, 1994 in which communication problems appeared to be to blame as Benoit lifted Sabu over for a flapjack, but Sabu assumed Benoit was going for a back body drop. This caused Sabu to land directly on his head; the other was during a match against Taz in December 1998, when Sabu took a Tazplex through a table and landed wrong). Sabu was able to recover from the neck injuries and return to wrestling, and he even wore a neck brace in his return match in the United States a month following the injury at Taz's hands; by Sabu's account, however, he started actively wrestling in Japan on a short tour a little over two weeks after that injury.
[edit] Mainstream exposure
In October 1993, Sabu contested in two WWF matches. He defeated Scott Taylor in a dark match before the October 18 Monday Night Raw tapings in Poughkeepsie, NY. The following night he was defeated by Owen Hart in Glens Falls, NY.
Sabu did get some more mainstream exposure in the year 1995. He debuted in World Championship Wrestling on September the 11th of that year for the WCW Monday Nitro program by picking up a victory over Alex Wright, only for it to be reversed by Referee Nick Patrick, following Sabu's behavior after the match (he put Alex Wright through a table outside the ring). He would then pick up two consecutive victories over Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn) on October 9 (on Nitro) and at WCW Halloween Havoc 1995. WCW did not like his violent style and unwillingness to lose a match, and thus did not offer Sabu a long-term contract. As a result, his last appearance in WCW was on the October 30 episode of Monday Nitro, defeating Disco Inferno in under two minutes. Following the match, Sabu threw a table at Inferno and was preparing to put Disco through it with a somersault over the top rope, but Disco moved off the table and Sabu landed on his back.
Sabu was the first wrestler to dive off the entrance sign during an episode of WWF RAW on February 24, 1997, while WWE and ECW were cross-promoting. He had actually lost his balance before diving off, but managed to reposition himself in mid-air to land on Team Taz. In addition, Sabu was featured in the Playstation Video game WCW vs. the World later on in the same year, under the pseudonym David Harley.
WCW signed Sabu to a contract in 2000, but legal action threatened by ECW precluded Sabu from ever making an appearance before WCW's demise. From 2000 to 2001, he had a successful run in California's XPW, which catapulted him back into the national spotlight after Paul Heyman had tried to prevent him from working outside of ECW by actually suing him in court for breach of contract, when---as it turned out---Heyman was actually the one who had breached Sabu's contract. He won the XPW World Heavyweight Championship during his stay, and was managed by former Danzig bassist Josh Lazie.
Sabu went on to wrestle on the independent circuit, appearing with promotions such as Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW), which is owned by the Insane Clown Posse.
[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002-2006)
Sabu debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17 2002, defeating Malice in a ladder match. The next week he faced Ken Shamrock in a ladder match which was declared a No Contest when Malice interfered. Sabu returned briefly in 2003, along other ECW alumni. In 2004, Sabu teamed with Raven to defeat Raven's former "Gathering" protégés, CM Punk and Julio Dinero. In March he began feuding with Monty Brown and Abyss, who outnumbered him on several occasions after Raven failed to "watch his back". Eventually Raven challenged Sabu to an empty arena match to be held on June 9, but Sabu refused to wrestle him, claiming that he had promised his uncle, The Sheik, that he would never fight Raven. Raven then waged a campaign against Sabu, disrespecting the memory of his uncle and assaulting Sabu's friend Sonjay Dutt, until Sabu finally broke and attacked him on July 23. Raven defeated Sabu on August 4, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was cancelled after Sabu (legit) suffered a serious back injury. While injured, Sabu contracted a virus and was hospitalized, sidelining him for ten months. On December 12 a benefit show, A Night of Appreciation for Sabu was held to raise funds for him. The show was considered a success, raising enough money for Sabu to cover the costs of his medical care and he was able to make a full recovery. In his first match back from the injury, he defeated N8 Mattson. Sabu then appeared at Hardcore Homecoming, where he defeated Terry Funk and Shane Douglas in a three-way no-ropes barbed wire match, and (two days later) at ECW One Night Stand, where he defeated Rhyno. Sabu returned to TNA on July 29 2005. At TNA Sacrifice Sabu teamed with his old enemy, and then NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Raven to face Jeff Jarrett and Rhino. Rhino and Jarrett won the match after Rhino gored Raven through a table and pinned him. The match saw Abyss interfering and attacking Sabu, starting a feud between the two of them. They went on to have a match at Unbreakable in September which Abyss won after performing his Black Hole Slam finisher on to a pile of tacks in the ring. Sabu once again found himself squaring off against Rhino and Abyss, as well as Jeff Hardy, during Bound for Glory in the Monster's Ball 2 match. Rhino won the match. On the same night, Sabu competed in a 10-Man Gauntlet Match to decide a number one contender, which he also lost, once again to Rhino. In late October of 2005, Sabu signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment to be a part of its Legends program. Sabu continued his feud with Abyss, once again losing to him at Genesis after taking a Black Hole Slam onto a barbed wire steel chair. They met up again, in the promotions first ever Barbed Wire Massacre at Turning Point. Sabu finally got the better of Abyss, but following the match wasn't seen on TNA TV for several months. He made his return at Lockdown on April 28th, 2006 in a match against Samoa Joe for Joe's X Division Title despite Sabu having a broken forearm. Sabu was defeated in what would turn out to be his final TNA match. Following the match Samoa Joe reported on his MySpace page that Sabu's injuries from Lockdown were more serious than reported. Joe stated that part of Sabu's fingertip was severed, he had a broken arm, and he had been partially scalped at an undisclosed Mexican independent event. [edit] World Wrestling Entertainment (2006-2007) On April 24, 2006, Sabu's official website reported that he signed a one-year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. This was soon confirmed by WWE.com, which stated that Sabu would become a part of WWE's ECW brand. At the One Night Stand pay-per-view, Sabu faced Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship. At the end of the pay-per-view matchup, Mysterio found himself standing on a ringside table with Sabu flying at him. Sabu caught the champ in a front facelock and nailed him with a DDT which caused both men to crash through the table. At this point, the WWE medical staff rushed to the injured men and declared neither man could continue and ordered the match stopped, resulting in a No Contest in which Mysterio kept his title. On the June 13 premiere of ECW on Sci-Fi, Sabu won a 10 man Extreme Battle Royal (legalized weapons) with the stipulation that the winner face John Cena at Vengeance. Sabu further fueled the feud during the next week's RAW when he interfered in a Cena match and performed a Triple Jump Leg Drop on him, diving onto Cena and putting him through the announcers' table. Cena defeated Sabu in their "Extreme Lumberjack match" at Vengeance. On July 2 2006, Sabu, traveling with fellow ECW wrestler Rob Van Dam, was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and nine Vicodin tablets following a traffic stop in Hanging Rock, Ohio.[1] On July 5 2006, WWE.com announced that Brunk was to be fined $1,000 based on the guidelines of WWE's Wellness Policy.[2] Meanwhile, he defeated Stevie Richards in an Extreme Rules match at Saturday Night's Main Event. Towards the end of July, Sabu began to talk on camera for himself - instead of using a go between - and demanded a shot at The Big Show's ECW World Championship which Paul Heyman refused to grant him in order to "protect" his champion. Instead he forced him into a match against the returning Kurt Angle to determine a #1 contender. When that match was interrupted by the returning Rob Van Dam another match was signed, Angle vs RVD vs. Sabu, for the number one contendership (Angle then became too injured to compete and was pulled from the match). Sabu beat Rob Van Dam in their ladder match to win a shot at Big Show at SummerSlam, a match which he ended up losing. On August 31, 2006 Sabu and Rob Van Dam appeared in court. Sabu was found guilty of possession of prescription medication nine tablets of testolactone (a steroid) not prescribed to him and was fined $500.[3] At Survivor Series 2006, Sabu teamed up with John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Rob Van Dam and Kane to face the team of The Big Show, Test, Montel Vontavious Porter, Finlay and Umaga. Sabu eliminated Test following a Tornado DDT, but he was later eliminated by Big Show via pinfall after receiving a chokeslam. In the end, Team Cena gained victory. At December to Dismember Sabu was originally to appear in the main event, an extreme elimination chamber match against The Big Show, Test, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk and Bobby Lashley, but was "taken out" and replaced by Hardcore Holly. Sabu made his Royal Rumble debut in the 2007 Royal Rumble where he was eliminated by Kane after receiving a chokeslam over the top rope and through a table. Sabu joined the ECW Originals along with Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman. The ECW Originals began a feud with the New Breed (Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn, Marcus Cor Von and Matt Striker). The two teams faced off in a match at WrestleMania 23 in which the ECW Originals won. On March 31, 2007 Sabu and Rob Van Dam inducted The Sheik into the WWE Hall of Fame. On May 16, 2007 WWE.com reported that Sabu had been released. [4] He was released with a 90-day no compete clause in his contract. Sabu is now confirmed playable character in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 after his release. Independent Circuit (2007) (AAA)
On July 13, 2007, it was announced that Sabu would be working in Mexico's AAA promotion in Mexico for their Triplemania 15 Event. Sabu came out during the main event and put La Parka (AAA version) through a table joining forces with the heels X-Pac, Ron "the Truth" Killings, and Konnan. Sabu wrestling CW Anderson at the ECW Arena in June 2006.Sabu's wrestling style is unorthodox, consisting mainly of aerial moves performed with the aid of tables (which he is famous for smashing opponents through) and chairs, which he uses as weapons and as launching pads for some of his more death-defying moves. He is also famous for the invention of his triple-jump techniques, which involve jumping from a set-up chair onto the ring ropes and then springing off onto an opponent with a flying attack of some sort. Sabu is also notorious for continuing to wrestle matches even though he has suffered serious injuries that require medical attention. An example of this was during the Stairway to Hell match with The Sandman where Sabu's jawbone was broken when he landed face-first on the steel guardrail outside the ring. Rather than ending the match early, Sabu actually duct-taped his jaw shut and continued to wrestle the match to its scheduled conclusion. During the aforementioned "Born To Be Wired" match with Terry Funk, Sabu legitimately tore open his biceps on the barbed wire. He taped it up on the spot and continued the match. Afterwards, he super-glued himself together to drive to the hospital where it took more than 100 stitches to close the wound. He refused to miss any matches because of that injury. Sabu's famous signature gesture, Magician of Arabia, is pointing to the sky while looking upwards, especially when entering or exiting the ring, or before performing an especially dangerous move (the gesture is often referred to as Sabu pointing to the heavens in tribute to his uncle The Sheik, even though he had been using the gesture while the Sheik was still alive)«
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