WHAT? No more Jackass?!!
08/16/01
I am in deepest mourning. As of last Sunday, August 12 there will be no new episodes of "Jackass." This really pisses me off. Now that X-Files has gone the way of "really stupid", Jackass was all I had left to watch on Sunday nights. What will I do without Johnny Knoxville and his self-hating stunts and brilliantly acted pranks? Where else will I see the likes of Chris Pontius and his leopard print thong again? Not many shows have guys who bare an ass as fine as his.
All tv shows end, many better than Jackass. Jackass was not Shakespeare, though there were occasionally moments of brilliance, like the "Murder Scene" and the "Hostage" pranks. It could often be gross and disgusting. And certain cast members made Tom Green look as squeaky clean as Tom Cruise.
But what makes me angry is MTV. They want to renew the show, but don't have the kahones to give Lieberman the finger (Censor that!) and give Jackass the publicity, tie-ins and time slot that it should have had. Instead, they bowed to controversy and cut it to one late showing a week. The reruns will supposedly be edited before showing again. I don't blame Johnny Knoxville for refusing a contract, when MTV leaves him and the cast to fight it out on their own. There are other reasons for his ending the show, which I won't get into here, because my complaint is with MTV.
MTV, "Fight for your rights! Take a stand against censorship!" Well, what do you call this? The minute Lieberman and his associates came scolding, MTV ran. Apparently, they feel the only thing they should stand up and defend is music. *They* gave Johnny Knoxville a show. *They* knew what was on it. No one could have known that people would be dumb enough to imitate it. Instead of being tough and shoving more Jackass in people's face (which is, admittedly, what I would have done) they bowed and hid it where they hoped no one would find it. And dragged Johnny Knoxville out to be the whipping boy. "Hey, it's his fault--he lit himself on fire? What have you got to say for yourself, Knoxville?" Excuse me? What network does his show air on? Back the guy up!
And to edit the show for "objectionable material" or, as Knoxville put it, "the funny stuff"? This from a network who will show any manner of musical crap passing itself off as artistic expression and freedom of speech. Marylin Manson's videos are ok to show because he is "an artist"? (For the record, I *know* it's shock value and I don't think he caused Columbine.) Or any gangsta rap artist: MTV proudly displays these scumbags on their "most outrageous moments" specials--Look what we aired! Aren't we daring? But ooooh, Johnny Knoxville and Jackass, now that crosses the line!
And what happened to accountability? Are people *ever* going to be held responsible for the idiotic things they do? The media is a slut and will hop on any story, but Lieberman, he really annoys me. This is a guy who bases his whole crusade on a night when he sat down to watch "Married with Children" with his *5 year old daughter* and then was horrified that such trash would be on the air. He didn't think about turning it off and putting on a Disney movie or some cartoons. Instead, he demands complete censorship. Why can't anyone stand up to him? I will. Give me a microphone and hour or so in Congress. He is the kind of parent who's son *would* light himself on fire without a flame retardant suit and then blame it on a tv show. Because he's too busy telling networks what they should air and what we, as good citizens, should watch for the safety of our children. I'll tell you how I'm going to protect my children--I'm going to smack my kid's butt if I catch him heading outside with a gasoline can and my Poleroid camera.
I hope Johnny Knoxville has an enormous film career and gives MTV the finger when they try to take the credit for it. I hope Chris Pontius manages to...well, find another weekly spot to flaunt his assets in. And I hope my favorite Jackass clips are rerun so I can catch them on tape. May the show go down in history with Madonna's soft porn video as an example of MTV's cowardice.
Elisabeth
