Johnny Knoxville is an American stunt performer, actor, and producer best known for creating and starring in MTV’s Jackass franchise. Born Philip John Clapp in 1971, he turned dangerous stunts and physical comedy into a successful career spanning over two decades, though recent brain injuries have forced him to step back from major stunts.
Johnny Knoxville has spent over 20 years throwing himself into walls, getting hit by bulls, and subjecting his body to outrageous punishment—all in the name of entertainment. Born Philip John Clapp on March 11, 1971, in Knoxville, Tennessee, this daredevil turned a magazine article pitch into one of the most recognizable names in comedy and stunt work.
Early Life in Tennessee
Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, Philip John Clapp faced significant health challenges as a child. At age eight, he simultaneously battled flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis, nearly dying from the combined illnesses. Severe asthma kept him indoors for extended periods, limiting his ability to play outside like other kids.
Despite these challenges, Clapp excelled academically in grade school, earning straight A’s. He attended South-Young High School (now South-Doyle High School), where he played baseball as a pitcher. His skills earned him recognition as All-Knoxville Interscholastic League Honorable Mention, and he competed in the Knoxville Area All-Star game.
His father, Philip Clapp, owned a tire company and frequently played practical jokes on the family. His mother, Lemoyne, worked as a Sunday school teacher. This environment of humor and pranks would later influence his career path. After his cousin, singer-songwriter Roger Alan Wade, gave him a copy of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Clapp became inspired to pursue acting.
After graduating high school in 1989, the 18-year-old moved to California to chase his dream. He enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts but dropped out after just two weeks, returning to Tennessee before moving back to California permanently.
The Struggle Before Jackass
For 13 years, Clapp struggled to break into Hollywood. He worked as an extra in commercials and minor film roles, including serving as Keanu Reeves’s stand-in on the 1992 film “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” He legally changed his name to Johnny Knoxville—a nod to his hometown—believing it sounded more memorable for the entertainment industry.
Unable to land significant acting roles, Knoxville decided to create his own opportunities. He began writing and pitching article ideas to magazines like Blunt, Bikini, and Big Brother. One pitch caught attention: testing self-defense equipment on himself.
In 1996, Jeff Tremaine, editor of Big Brother skateboarding magazine, agreed to film Knoxville testing pepper spray, stun guns, and tasers on himself. Knoxville even wore a bulletproof vest and shot himself with a .38 special. According to Knoxville, the pepper spray produced the most unpleasant sensation, causing watery eyes for 15 minutes despite attempts to soothe the pain with milk.
The footage appeared in Big Brother’s “Number Two” video and became an underground cult hit. This breakthrough led to meetings with MTV executives, and in 2000, “Jackass” premiered.
The Jackass Phenomenon
“Jackass” debuted on MTV in October 2000, featuring Knoxville alongside Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Steve-O, Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey, Chris Pontius, and Preston Lacy. The show featured outrageous stunts, pranks, and physical comedy that pushed boundaries of taste and safety.
The series became one of MTV’s highest-rated shows, running for three seasons until 2002. Its success spawned a media franchise that continues today. The theatrical films have generated hundreds of millions at the box office:
- Jackass: The Movie (2002)
- Jackass Number Two (2006)
- Jackass 3D (2010) showcased some of the most outrageous stunts performed by Johnny Knoxville and the crew.
- Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)
- Jackass Forever (2022)
Knoxville served as co-creator, main star, and the de facto leader of the crew, which included various stunt performers from the Jackass series. He’s responsible for many of the show’s most memorable—and dangerous—stunts. His willingness to put his body on the line set the tone for the entire franchise.
Acting Career Beyond Jackass
While Jackass made him famous, Knoxville pursued traditional acting roles throughout his career. He appeared in major studio films, including:
- Men in Black II (2002) was another project that showcased Knoxville’s versatility outside of the Jackass franchise. – His first significant role in a blockbuster film, playing the two-headed alien Scrad/Charlie.
- Walking Tall (2004) – Starred alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as his sidekick in this action remake, which was a different genre compared to his work in Jackass.
- The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) – Played Luke Duke opposite Seann William Scott and Jessica Simpson in this big-budget adaptation.
- The Ringer (2005) – Led this comedy about a man who pretends to be intellectually disabled to rig the Special Olympics, a concept that resonates with the humor seen in Jackass.
- Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) – Combined Jackass-style pranks with a narrative storyline, grossing over $151 million worldwide.
He also took on more dramatic roles in films like “A Dirty Shame” (2004) with director John Waters, “Grand Theft Parsons” (2003), and “Elvis & Nixon” (2016), where he portrayed Elvis Presley’s bodyguard Sonny West.
Voice acting work includes Leonardo in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (2014) and guest appearances on animated shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Family Guy.”
The Physical Cost: Injuries and Medical Bills
Knoxville’s career came with an extraordinary physical toll. According to a study by Nova Legal Funding, his medical costs from injuries total approximately $8.6 million—the highest among the Jackass cast.
His injury list includes:
- 16-17 concussions
- Broken wrist, broken ribs, broken ankle
- Fractured skull
- Torn urethra (requiring daily catheterization for 3.5 years)
- Brain hemorrhage
- Multiple lost teeth
- Chronic lower back problems
The most expensive single injury was the brain hemorrhage sustained during filming of “Jackass Forever,” costing an estimated $2.5 million in medical care.
The Bull Incident That Changed Everything
During filming of “Jackass Forever” in 2022, a bull stunt resulted in Knoxville’s most serious injury to date. The charging bull sent him flying through the air, resulting in a broken wrist, broken ribs, a severe concussion, and a brain hemorrhage.
Speaking on “The Howard Stern Show,” Knoxville revealed his cognitive abilities were in steep decline following the hit. He scored just 17 out of 100 on an attention test. For months, he couldn’t sit still or focus on editing the film, a challenge that was compounded by the intense stunts in Jackass.
The injury triggered depression for the first time in his life. His brain “played tricks” on him, causing him to become over-focused on things. He required transcranial magnetic stimulation treatments—10 to 12 sessions over two months—where magnets buzzed his head for 30 minutes to help with depression and cognitive function, a result of the numerous stunts he performed in Jackass.
Knoxville started medication and therapy for the first time. Doctors gave him strict orders: no more concussions. This effectively ended his days of performing major stunts.
Production Work and Business Ventures
Beyond performing, Knoxville built a successful career behind the camera. He co-owns Dickhouse Productions with Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze, producing projects including:
- “The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia” (2010)
- “The Birth of Big Air” (2010), an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about Mat Hoffman
- “Nitro Circus” (MTV series)
In 2014, he launched Hello Junior, a production company with a deal at Paramount Pictures. The company produced “Bad Grandpa” and several other projects, expanding Knoxville’s influence beyond just Jackass.
Knoxville also made appearances in WWE, including participating in the 2022 Royal Rumble and defeating Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 38 in an Anything Goes match with help from fellow Jackass members.
Personal Life and Relationships
Knoxville married Melanie Lynn Cates on May 15, 1995. Their daughter, Madison, was born on January 4, 1996, around the time when Johnny Knoxville was gaining fame on MTV. The couple separated in July 2006 after 11 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in March 2008, with final arrangements settled in July 2009, shortly after the release of Jackass Number Two in 2005.
Following his divorce, Knoxville dated Naomi Nelson, welcoming their son Rocko in December 2009. They married in September 2010 and had a daughter, Arlo, in October 2011, while Knoxville was busy with Jackass Presents projects. After 12 years together, Knoxville filed for divorce in June 2022, citing September 2021 as their separation date. The divorce was finalized in 2024.
Marriage to Emily Ting
Knoxville began dating costume designer Emily Ting after meeting her on the set of “Jackass Forever,” where she worked as a costume designer. Born in Taipei in 1980 and raised in Los Angeles, Ting studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and built a career as a filmmaker and costume designer.
The couple went public with their relationship in early 2023. On November 16, 2025, Knoxville announced their marriage in an intimate ceremony officiated by filmmaker John Waters, his “A Dirty Shame” director. Their dog, Bucket, attended the wedding.
Sharing photos on Instagram, Knoxville wrote: “It seems I have had a lot of news lately, but there is no news bigger than this…..Today Emily and I got married, and I’m the luckiest and happiest fella in the universe.”
Current Projects and Life After Stunts
Following his brain injury, Knoxville has shifted to safer entertainment formats. In 2023, he began hosting “The Prank Panel” on ABC alongside Eric Andre and Gabourey Sidibe. The show features contestants pitching prank ideas to the hosts, who then help execute them.
In April 2024, he launched the podcast “Pretty Sure I Can Fly with Johnny Knoxville & Elna Baker,” exploring conversations about life, creativity, and entertainment.
His most recent acting role came in “Sweet Dreams” (2024), where he plays a man in rehab who coaches a softball team of recovering addicts. The film addresses addiction and recovery themes close to Knoxville’s heart, given his father’s alcoholism and friends’ experiences with substance abuse.
Starting January 14, 2025, Knoxville will host the Fear Factor reboot “Fear Factor: House of Fear” on FOX. The series combines classic Fear Factor stunts with social strategy elements as contestants live together while competing for $200,000.
Knoxville has expressed openness to another Jackass movie, stating he’s written some ideas, but acknowledges the reality: “I can’t get any more concussions from stunts.” At 53, he’s focused on projects that don’t require physical punishment.
Net Worth and Financial Success
Johnny Knoxville’s net worth is estimated between $50 million-55 million as of 2025, largely due to his success with Jackass and Bad Grandpa. His wealth comes from multiple revenue streams:
- Jackass franchise (films, TV shows, royalties)
- Acting roles in major studio films
- Production company profits
- WWE appearances
- Podcast and hosting work
- Real estate investments
Despite the millions spent on medical care for his injuries, Knoxville has built substantial wealth through his diverse entertainment career.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Knoxville redefined reality television entertainment by proving that audiences would watch people willingly hurt themselves for laughs. The Jackass franchise influenced countless imitators and helped launch the careers of multiple stunt performers and comedians.
His approach to pranks and stunts emphasized confusion over cruelty. As he explained, “I like to confuse more than anything else. I don’t want to make someone look stupid. I just want to create a really bizarre situation where they’re like, ‘What is happening?'”
This philosophy helped Jackass avoid many of the “cancel culture” controversies that affected other comedians, as their stunts were often self-deprecating. The stunts targeted the performers themselves rather than innocent victims, a hallmark of Jackass that made the humor more palatable to modern audiences.
Knoxville’s willingness to discuss his brain injuries, depression, and mental health struggles has also contributed to broader conversations about the long-term effects of repeated head trauma. His openness about therapy and medication helped reduce stigma around mental health treatment.
What’s Next for Johnny Knoxville?
At 54, Knoxville has entered a new phase of his career. While his days of dangerous stunts appear to be over, he continues finding ways to entertain audiences through hosting, producing, and acting in projects that don’t require physical punishment.
His marriage to Emily Ting marks a personal fresh start, while hosting “Fear Factor: House of Fear” gives him a platform to bring his chaotic energy to a new generation of viewers—without personally risking life and limb.
Knoxville’s journey from struggling actor to stunt icon to Hollywood personality demonstrates the power of creating your own opportunities. By refusing to wait for traditional success and instead inventing a new form of entertainment, he built a career that, despite its physical costs, changed comedy forever.
FAQs
Johnny Knoxville’s real name is Philip John Clapp. He adopted the stage name “Johnny Knoxville” as a tribute to his hometown in Tennessee and because he felt it sounded more memorable to Hollywood.
How many concussions has Johnny Knoxville had?
Johnny Knoxville has suffered 16-17 concussions throughout his career, with the most recent and severe one occurring during filming of “Jackass Forever” in 2022 when a bull caused a brain hemorrhage.
Is Johnny Knoxville still doing stunts?
No, Johnny Knoxville has retired from performing dangerous stunts following the doctor’s orders after his brain hemorrhage. He now focuses on hosting, producing, and acting in projects that don’t require physical risk.
Who is Johnny Knoxville married to now?
Johnny Knoxville married costume designer and filmmaker Emily Ting on November 16, 2025. Their wedding was officiated by director John Waters. Ting previously worked as a costume designer on “Jackass Forever.”
What is Johnny Knoxville worth in 2025?
Johnny Knoxville’s net worth is estimated at $50-55 million as of 2025, earned through the Jackass franchise, acting roles, production companies, and various entertainment ventures.
Will there be another Jackass movie?
While Johnny Knoxville has written ideas for another Jackass film, he’s acknowledged that doctors have forbidden him from sustaining any more concussions, making it unlikely he would participate in major stunts for a future installment.
Subscribe to KeyJournal for in-depth coverage, exclusive insights, and verified updates on Johnny Knoxville’s career, achievements, and impact on entertainment history.
