The Rise of Jackass and Decay of Bam Margera

[@NexusApollo]

To me, Bam is perpetually stuck in the early to mid 2000’s. Wishing for that time to pass again and for him to relive the glory days of his fame.

[@stingerjohnny9951]

He basically admitted that when the reason he gave for divorce was essentially “I don’t wanna grow up.” Well guess what Bam, even if you don’t grow up, you still grow old.

[@saraspivey1129]

@@stingerjohnny9951Damn. 💯

[@aceykrew]

Same

[@NexusApollo]

@@stingerjohnny9951 He's essentially become cripplingly nostalgic, hating the very fact that everyone and the world around him has grown up and changed for the better while he hasn't. Here's hoping when his kid grows up he'll become the polar opposite of his dad.

[@thefknscarecrow]

The 2000s were the best to be fair.

[@tylerbrown8386]

Let's be honest here... We all thought Steve O would be the one who lost it all and went crazy . So good to see how Steve O has grown and gotten clean, truly Hope Bam can follow suit.

[@JesseGMan7]

And Novak

[@gurratheman949]

Steve O never lost it , but he totally went batshit crazy, sobered up and are now winning life. He is increadible!

[@Vercingetorix.Fantasia]

Bam won't He'd one of the most selfish ppl I've ever seen. I doubt he sincerely loves his child. Lime really truly feels love. He's a wildly immature and selfish drug addict( which just makes intensifies both ( The fits he throws show that at one point or another, those worked. His parents are nice ppl who didn5 know when enough was enough and bam was all too happy to take advantage of that. I've been a heroin addict. I know how fuxking hard sobriety is man. I know that back in the early 2010s I was so booked I didn't really think much about my kids. When I did it was in selfish ways. Like bam, throwing a fit infeont of your kids. I feel terrible for bam son. His father acts like he's a year old infront of him . I've met drug addicts and selfish people and bam is both. He says he wants to be in his kids life but he doesn't. Not if it can't be on his terms. I hsve no hope they bam csn achieve long term sobriety. Just too selfish of a person

[@oliverharris9567]

God that’s getting old

[@skinnyskinhead9492]

yea but steveo is mega cringe now hate to say it

[@chilliewhk]

Never in my life would I have expected Steve-O being the beacon of hope from the entire Jackass crew. Bam's downfall and continued spiral is terrible.

[@Akkbar21]

Novak is clean too

[@chilliewhk]

@@Akkbar21 yeah, and he had a real bad time of it. Just goes to show that anyone can make 👍

[@Akkbar21]

@@chilliewhk If I could get into recovery, anyone can. Good for him, ya. It's never too late to accept help. If your way isn't working, it's time to try something else. H is some serious trouble and I wouldn't be alive if I hadn't had the love of my family and lucky enough to accept help.

[@goodolboy9312]

This comment is so underrated it deserves more recognition

[@primesspct2]

@@Akkbar21 For my nephew it took prison to get clean, two stints. The problem with these guys is everyone and their money, keeps them out of prison, where they might actually get clean. In my eyes its never too late. You hear the story of Ray Charles entering a hospital to get clean. When you are so addicted to so many different drugs, you have to be careful coming off that stuff. Alcohol in particular is really rough. But anyone can do it , at any time if they make up their mind to hold themselves accountable. Bam has not reached that point yet. His loved ones tried i guess with the "guardianship" But that soon gets ugly because his money is involved. Can you get a grown ass man a guardian ad litem , bound by the courts to safe guard his money until he is responsible enough? The others getting clean is very inspiring though! And good for you Akkbar21, you getting clean will inspire many more !

[@CascadianRanger]

Wow. Tony Hawk being very upfront and direct with Bam regarding his bulemia, is honestly really wholesome. He saw someone struggling with something and was like, "Screw social norms or making things awkward, a person needs help and I want to get them to said help." Nice that such an iconic figure is as good a dude as I've heard

[@brightpage1020]

That guy's the master: Hawk.

[@1future797]

Hawk wasn’t a scum like the rest of the guys as far as I know

[@MrTreework]

We need more people who can be direct like he was there

[@coleford4258]

As a dad that ending with Phil just tears me up. It's clear that he broke the rules to try and support Bam's dream, and now after it's way too late he sees in hindsight that it wasn't the right call. That I think is every good parent's worst nightmare; to look at the sum total of all your decisions with your kids later in life, and realize you're coming up in the negative. Nothing you can do to correct it, and the guilt must be terrible.

[@Halibard]

That ending really killed me

[@wr3ckr270]

There are fathers out there who deserve exactly that but i do feel like Phil ain't one of them. The guy obviously loved and still loves his kid.

[@SamsarasArt]

When was that clip from?

[@coleford4258]

@@SamsarasArt you mean the timestamp? kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5PYeWiAbJxgeqM If you mean the actual date or where it was pulled from, I have no idea.

[@CircmcisionIsChi1dAbus3]

Permissive masculine role models is exactly why he was unable to control himself. The only source of control in his life was his mother which SHOULD have been his main source of love and compassion. This is what happens when we do role reversals. Boys NEED fathers. MASCULINE fathers, cause this is what you get. Competition. If you can't out-compete your own sons masculinity you are doomed to watch him unravel.

[@diegovb1145]

This feels like a documentary made after a star (Bam) has died. It's very well made and you can really tell it's almost a miracle Bam still lives on at this point.

[@Br0ckLanders]

Not trying to be pessimistic, but unfortunately that may be the case soon given how things are going for Bam currently.

[@davemccombs]

And only two weeks after another channel made the same video, too!

[@heirofaniu]

Not much of a life.

[@PunkIAm]

A life in jail now without his son for the foreseeable future as well

[@hamsterdmg]

to call this a documentary is a spit in the face of all documentaries out there. this is a shitpost

[@93MM483N50N]

Damn I feel sorry for Misty. "What's your perfect day" "To have a picnic with you, go to the library and go plant shopping" Even if that was an exaggeration it's sad to think she wanted him to settle down and better himself and he chose this road instead

[@-Keith-]

Don't mean to sound insensitive here but it was apparent what she was signing up for when she got involved with him. They were all wild at that point, and if what he said is true, she looked at him and thought "I can change him." If you marry a party, you can't expect that the party is going to stop.

[@haywardhummus8777]

@@-Keith-well he got what he wanted, that’s where the partying leads to

[@날Gnarleigh리]

@@-Keith- aint that the truth

[@thomasstone3480]

i mean he doesn't seem like the pleasantest guy but also, addiction isn't a 'choice' really

[@IntoThePit121]

​@@-Keith-😂😂😂

[@Malfoy1594]

So sad. As the youngest member, he ended up looking the oldest, most worn for wear... And not because of the stunts, but because of the drugs. Such a tragic end for one who was my favourite!

[@KaoticReach1999]

Not really, it's more because of a spiral of mental health after his best friend Ryan Dunn died in that car accident, Steve-O did a thousand times more drugs and looks fine, the difference is he found peace.

[@AshleyWilliams-xq7lj]

​​​​​​​​​​ Bam is an alcoholic though. He's been an alcoholic/drug addict since he was very young and hasn't had sober periods like the others. Right now, he slurs in morning interviews. Most people don't drink 24/7, or know anyone who does, so they don't see how dangerous alcohol can be. The only drug with withdrawals that can unalive (ugh, KZbin censorship) is alcohol/benzos. Benzos are basically alcohol in pill form. They screw with the same neurotransmitters. He became an uncurable addict due to mental illness, I agree on that. (Likely untreated PTSD from Ryan's fate.) He may be developing Wernicke's encephalitis (wet brain.) Hopefully not, as it's fatal. No other drug causes a deadly brain disorder either.

[@AshleyWilliams-xq7lj]

​@@KaoticReach1999 I typed a long and thoughtful reply, but KZbin ate it. I even used the dumb@ss word "unalive" so it wouldn't be deleted. In short, Bam has also been alcoholic for most of his life with no periods of sobriety, unlike the others. Drinking 24/7 causes massive damage to the body. He slurs in morning interviews now. Alcohol is the only drug that can unalive during withdrawal. It's also the only drug that can cause a fatal brain disease. The cure is hospitalization with sobriety/withdrawal treatment, and high dose IV vitamins. Bam refuses to do this, so hopefully he doesn't have this disease yet. He displays some symptoms.

[@itsabeautifulanimism3704]

“The age you become famous is the age you stop growing.” I heard Chris Pontius say this in an interview recently and that’s exactly Bam right there. All his friends grew. Had kids, moved onto different careers, got married, got sober, etc. Bam didn’t know how to stop partying. He couldn’t accept people moving on from the fun, rockstar lifestyle. I think Bam saw what his closest childhood friends were doing and feared becoming “boring”. Any time another friend would move on he would close that hole with alcohol instead of learning from them. He dedicated his whole personality to being a “jackass” and never was taught how to separate his real life from the camera. April and Phil definitely hold a lot of blame but Bam is an adult and majority of that blame is his own.

[@kirstenkemp5962]

Well said.

[@RedTail1-1]

The thing that hurts me the most is that he absolutely condemned Brandon for his drug addiction and basically cut ties with him, removing him from the Jackass Crew. Now Bam is an addict and doing the same drugs.

[@OMGSEASALT]

Good point but Bam does actually have two kids and he's still on the party train

[@Wellnseddich]

@@OMGSEASALT Two? He has one son.

[@OMGSEASALT]

@@Wellnseddich joon glossed over it but when Bam beat up Jessie, Jessie brought up that Bam's daughter was there visiting (I could be madly mistaken and shes Jessie's)

[@GarrettPDGA]

With so many people trying and failing to help him and his refusal to accept it, I finally had to stop thinking he would get better. I was a fan

[@warlordofbritannia]

The drugs, the probable brain damage, Dunn’s death…what a Triple Crown of tragedy

[@beanseason6515]

I'm currently undergoing ECT treatments for C-PTSD and have struggled a similar addiction experience, and have lost people too. In and out of hospitals and enduring such difficulty just living every day and trying to find a reason to keep going. Have tried just about everything but the daily endurance test of keeping myself afloat can see insurmountable. I can understand the torture and pain, but on that same vein, can understand also how some people just can't or won't heal. Feel terrible for the guy too, because I was also a fan

[@warlordofbritannia]

@@beanseason6515 Yeesh, that’s a real bastard of a situation-I hope you at least have the means for treatment

[@beanseason6515]

​@@warlordofbritanniaI do, and definitely trying to make the most of it. Thanks man. Also gives me more compassion for guys like Bam though. Getting legitimate help in this country is wrapped up in so much red tape that it can seen more trouble than it's worth for some. It took way longer for me than most people would have the patience for, even if you've got the money.

[@MonochromeRed]

Hes failing himself.

[@athrielleviera678]

In Jackass, you can see Bam was the most vindictive, aggressive and whiniest of the group. I always felt he played his pranks with mean spiritedness, and with a lack of humility and self deprecation all the others had.

[@Todd-_-Umptious]

It was my trick for knowing who to not let get too close when I was a teenager. If someone's favourite jackass was Bam, I kept my distance '^ _^ The correct answer is Pontius anyway.

[@RandyBurgertime]

@@Todd-_-Umptious My favorite was always Johnny, but I really liked the Ringer.

[@uchiharew]

He's clearly a narcisist, admitting fault and taking responsibility is alien to him

[@UnbornHeretic]

He took advantage of what junkies would do for money for their next fix to make entertainment and get rich.

[@sharonrigs7999]

Yeah. Hearing him rag on Novak for being a ' junkie ' did not age well at all. Bam has been given so many chances too.

[@m.c.squawk708]

Weird story that might get buried but here it goes. Bam is from my town (Westchester PA) Not too long after Dunn’s death, bam claimed he admitted himself into rehab. Not even two weeks later, he showed up at a beer store high off his rocker that my friend was working at, trying to buy a six pack with British pounds. After denying the sale Bam cursed my friend out and stormed off into the night. It is a shame he has had such a hard time dealing with all of this, and I only wish him the best. The only one that can save him is himself.

[@bloodnivel70]

Very true, great story friend

[@llamacebu216]

Quit lying.

[@KirbysVISOR8484]

Only one that can save him is CHRIST JESUS

[@robertdomergue1946]

@@KirbysVISOR8484or harry potter

[@massgunner4152]

SteveO's recovery sounds actually insane to me, if i get this correctly the man tripped so hard the demons themselves told him to drop the stuff.

[@fingerlikengood]

Nah he had a literal intervention with knoxville and co.

[@Blueswailer]

@@fingerlikengood Yes, that did happen. Most likely Steve-O would've died without said intervention, either by overdose or a drug suicide. But I do have a recollection from watching the "Steve O: The Early Years/Rise & Fall"-documentaries where Steve-O himself said something to the effect of "My hallucinations told me if I didn't stop I'd die." If I recall correctly Knoxville & Co. basically barged into his apartment after his social media posts about a suicidal stunt got to the point "I'm going to do this, don't give a fuck if I die."

[@Neverbloomgaming]

​@@fingerlikengooddidn't he also have an hallucinated intervention before the real one though

[@Sean-MacGuire]

Steve o is not sober

[@T19OPH]

@@Sean-MacGuire He's 14 Years sober but I'm sure you know him better than himself.

[@NASkeywest]

As a recovering addict. I can tell you that Bam is almost a hopeless case because he takes zero accountability for anything. Even when I was deep in it, I still blames myself for a lot.

[@mycologymadeeasy5585]

Same, your totally rite

[@eriklarson4082]

100%

[@enygmaenigmatic8156]

You're not in his brain. Not all addicts are the same. As a recovering addict, I would hope you to understand

[@ManorexicPanda]

@@enygmaenigmatic8156I mean the main thing to start recovery is to admit you have a problem and are powerless… Bam actively thinks the opposite of that, evident through his actions and perpetual blaming of others for his own downfall. Humility and accountability and honesty are some of the more important pillars of recovery

[@felonious_unite]

​@@enygmaenigmatic8156 how nice and optimistic but you need to be seriously for real right now. its literally Bam, and a child wont help a narcissist with a drug addiction

[@Infern0121]

It's one of the worst downfalls I've ever seen. Bam was THE guy when I was in high school, everyone wanted to be him, now nobody wants to be him

[@theicksta]

Seriously the early 2000s he was my favorite pro skater I always used Bam in any game.

[@TastySnackies]

In retrospect, he was huge. He got on the cover of a Tony Hawk game, and was in a bunch of ads and movie cameos. Besides that, he was pretty much MTV's mascot for like 2-3 years.

[@tobitaktlos3241]

I still have a Heartagram tattoo from this time. Was a huge HIM fan as well. I just hope he get his shit together, deep down hes just a man that never learned how to properly process his emotions, i was at this point too, had my share of drugs. If only bam would know what it takes to love himself. Man its fucking sad :-(

[@TDC5]

and look where were at now. hmmm, maybe "heros" like bam aren't the best idea.

[@Hellsong89]

@@TDC5 Called this when they were in their highest... though i was more of expecting them dying in their stunts, but drugs were the second alternative. Biggest wtf is SteveO, i was sure he would be first one to kick the bucket in overdose, but his comeback and sobering up is bloody miracle and good for him doing so.

[@Skateandcreate9]

Bam is a pretty unique case. Got famous first before everyone else. Got into drugs and partying later than everyone else. That’s a wicked recipe for the situation we have now where everyone is sober and successful and he is in full blown addiction and losing everything. His friends got sober all around the same few years while he remained the odd man out. Dunns passing certainly plays a role also in my mind. It’s terrible. If Ryan was still here i bet Bam would be doing a lot better than he is. Hope Bam makes it through. Addiction and depression is a beast.

[@llamacebu216]

They were all doing drugs together during the shows. MTV just hid it

[@williamrhea-banker3005]

Bam is a great example of people not getting better unless they want to. Man has quite literally the whole world supporting him and just refuses to give it up.

[@primesspct2]

so far he refuses... maybe he needs to end up in prison

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Maybe after the last crutch is kicked from under him and he smacks his face on the concrete, he will learn to stand on his own.

[@TimenSpaceGaming]

@@DinnerForkTongue he was walking with a big staff at swanfest, may have to be literally.

[@hiebrantsify]

@@DinnerForkTongue The man literally came back from deaths door and didnt change. I wouldnt hold my breath. I hope he does but signs are dim

[@misterundead425]

a few thousand people on the internet isn't "quite literally the whole world".

[@AnaFox]

That last clip of Phil is so sad. I hope Phoenix turns out completely different, a sweet and grateful grandson, and that Phil will get to be a loving and present grandfather.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Maybe as long as there's someone to yank on Phoenix's choke chain like no one ever did for Bam. Discipline to ground him would have led him to Birdman's heights and a plateau at the top.

[@Cervantes8b]

Where is this last clip of Phil everyone is talking about

[@ballsdeep2520]

​@haljarrett1haha 1:09:18 i think it's what you meant

[@KingThrillgore]

I want that to be the case but with no father in his life...

[@philstrn]

​@@KingThrillgorebased on this video, having no father beats having Bam as a father. Having said that, Bam should man up, and become a dad, but it seems like it's too late for him.

[@DimesDCP]

You can’t do anything but respect the F out of Steve O for trying to help him multiple times. Even recently to start a fund for his child and get Bam in on some financial opportunities. As an addict whose had a few second chances, it’s hard not to want the best for him, but it’s hard to also expect he wants that.

[@nathanielbeven9052]

steve o needed a lot of chances so of course he sees himself in bam in many ways, however, steve-0 could always take responsibility, bam just always eventually deflects and blames others. a sociopathic addict is one of the most impossible recoveries situations.

[@collinmc90]

yeah the way I have heard it said with addicts and my experience with them. They might need a WHOLE lotta chances but they might just eventually come around. Why would you deny them that? You just gotta set boundaries and thats what Steve O and Johnny did. It's the only way you can actually help them and not enable them.

[@msnorway79]

So Steve O didnt earn a penny on Bam then or now ?

[@rbarnett3200]

As an addict also it's something of a cliche to say you have to hit rock bottom and you're given a million second chances. People tire of giving second chances after a while though. My family and friends have gotten tired of the amount of times I was given a second chance. I've lost friends and loved ones because they had to turn their back on me and say enough is enough. I respect their decision and understand it but I have maximum love for those who remained patient with me and my addiction and tried to help me. Addiction is no joke. It fucking sucks. I'm still not clean, but it's manageable (self-delusion). I'll either get clean or die. That's the brutal truth of it. This is the same for all addicts. This is true for Bam.

[@msnorway79]

@@rbarnett3200 the differense is that Bams parents has control over his money while they keep him in rehab. I hope you get clean ❤️ I lost my ex to drugs and he killed himself so I feel for you ❤️ Sending you all love 🌻

[@tulpamedia]

Recovering meth and heroin addict and severe bipolar 1 here. This is actually so sad. This is what crystal meth addiction looks like. The rage, the psychosis, the violence, the destruction, and the pain. This is exactly it. Meth and alcohol in particular have a slow burn kind of path. Heroin will kill you quickly most of the time. With meth and alcohol, will slowly rip all that you love from your life and it will keep you alive to watch. You literally rot alive. If that wasnt bad enough, you will ruin the people that care the most about you. This will continue to happen for year after year after year and then you just die. It seems like our friend Bam is approaching this end stage. This is a perfect illustration of the progression of addiction.

[@logical_evidence]

Honestly all those pharmacutal meds can cause these behavours too! Its sad everyone is assuming & jumping in so quick to say its something when we have no prof of that other then ive done that in past so its defently that!. In the medical world so many things could be happening. We just dont know for sure. His meds for adhd is basically legal speed so wtih them putting him on & off so many meds also messing with the adhd meds could be the cause of all these outbursts. Poor bloke defenetly now has ptsd over all this too!. Clear as day.

[@Kaziah999]

​@@logical_evidencehe's said before he was doing meth tho lol

[@Inkslinger123]

I hope your wrong

[@greekosdarkness]

His own mom even had a long post on Facebook begging people to just stop giving him attention and let their family have peace while he was going through a terrible episode in 2019 and was about to go into rehab but then his "fans" were following him and were outside the rehab hoping he would come out and hang out. They snuck him a drink and that's when he ran away from the facility. He went missing for 3 days and he blamed his family for not visiting him enough. Dude is like a toddler who only acts up when his depression gets bad enough and he becomes starved for attention. Honestly the best thing for him is to be put in jail for 1 year. Mike Tyson said it best. "Jail was the best 3 years of my life because I finally had peace."

[@misschantel100]

This was one of the saddest things i have ever seen. It really broke my heart. You are so right. He is like a toddler. I didn't know his fans did that at rehab. I do notice that he blames everyone but himself for everything! So sad. But i really like your comment, so true.

[@AshleyFitzmorris-ro1yc]

I get what you're saying, but it is kind of hard when you practically becomes an addict, in one way or another, as a toddler. I know from personal experience. It's very likely he's trying to maintain his level off brilliance/ overactive mind that is constantly trying to make things make sense. Then they just don't and, sometimes, never will for some things he's experienced. Some of which we may never know or understand. 😣

[@mississipi1103]

Prison does not help really addicts in general, because once they got outside, they come back to their old way. Also prisons aren't hospitals. It's really harsh to always priviledge "rough" solutions to more constructive ones, it's almost like people want addicts far from themselves, more than healing. Addicts are people and deserve great treatments and specialised structures state owned such as ones in Europe.

[@pedrodu3626]

You've never dealt with an addict if you talk like that.

[@misterundead425]

You clearly don't know anything about addiction or prison. This comment just reeks of somebody who's very privileged being self righteous.

[@TheLmoney420]

The part with Phil at the very end is heartbreaking. He tried his best and let his kid follow his goals at a very young age. In doing so he inadvertently helped create a monster. 😢

[@UnitSe7en]

There's nothing wrong with that, but he let Bam do it in a way that had no boundaries and no guidance. No authority, no respect, no fucks. _That's_ where Phil failed. Phil needed to be a guide and a teacher, not an idle enabler.

[@PHILD0]

@@UnitSe7en Lol amateur psychologists everywhere

[@TimmyTickle]

@@UnitSe7en Phil needed to be Bam's father, not his best friend

[@causti9744]

@@PHILD0 Have you seen these guys together? You don't gotta be a psychologist to see that Bam was lacking boundaries.

[@PHILD0]

@@causti9744 Yes, in front of a camera just like you have.

[@ratpatterson8953]

God i cant imagine the trauma his son is going to grow up with. Having an addict father is so heartbreaking and traumatic.

[@multiyapples]

What’s even worse is his father is a public figure. I hope Phoenix never ends up like him and stays away from him.

[@ratpatterson8953]

@multiyapples definitely. I hope bam puts in the work to get better, but it seems unlikely at this point

[@phill2586]

He won't have anything to do with his junkie dad

[@brettbanta2100]

I don't think Bam is going to be around much longer. You can just tell this isn't going to end well

[@ratpatterson8953]

@@brettbanta2100 yeah :(

[@herbivorethecarnivore8447]

Bam is basically Steve-O's bad ending.

[@shizamza]

Jeez that’s scary

[@KingThrillgore]

Ending hasn't been written yet...it's a foregone conclusion sadly.

[@rickyism1576]

No he's not, Steve-o was far worse. Bam is just an alcoholic and has an ego. He seems to be doing ok now, at least in social media.

[@seppoharkkonen5766]

@@rickyism1576 i mean steve-o made a complete 180 dropping all drugs and alcohol, saved a dog and gave it a home. Bam hasnt moved on, screamed at the mom of their child and is still drinking and using drugs, and blaming the people who are trying to help him.

[@rickyism1576]

@@seppoharkkonen5766 No he's back on insta with his new girl looking pretty healthy actually. Just doing his thing... Let the man live his life. And Steve-O is a click whore now and will throw anyone under the bus for more attention.

[@Fireproofwitchnz]

Bam is what happens when you give a child no boundaries and an endless supply of cash. I know his parents love him and tried to do the right things, but unfortunately it backfires sometimes when you get a little too loose with the rules. He is essentially a grown man with severe emotional arrested development. He still has the all fun and no responsibility attitude of a 14 year old and that will never change.

[@therealdanherrick3805]

Yeah this a really rough part of his situation. Like Bam is a grown man now and there's nobody else who is responsible for his actions except himself, but the chain reaction that lead to where he is started with April and Phil. The clip at the end is tragic but Bam is right: they let Bam skip school and never disciplined him. They're nice people and it doesn't seem like they saw him as a cash cow, but instead as a kid who wasn't ever going to succeed through conventional means but had a gift that they wanted to nurture. But in giving him zero structure or boundaries of any kind they were teaching him that he could do whatever he wanted and that having fun was more important than being a decent human. The time for blaming them is long gone, especially now that Bam is an adult with a kid himself, but I figure everyone watching this video had the same reaction when Joon related Bam's upbringing: "Oh, that explains a lot."

[@JinxMarie1985]

Truly yes. And that is one thing April and Phil had to deal with. He used them all the time, bullied them, it was an absolute sh**show. Unfortunately he never really grew up. His mentality is that of a young kid. Something happened to him that changed his life. And I cannot pinpoint what it was... maybe it was money. Money changes everything. Its a tragic story and the fact he IS alive is unbelievable. I wish he would save himself.

[@johnnyr2646]

​​@@JinxMarie1985Ryan Dunn's death broke him. That was the straw that did it. Dunn was like the only one who could get through to him

[@vfreeman3188]

​@@johnnyr2646that's true

[@WobblesandBean]

Yuuuuuuup. Bam was never forced to grow up. He's remained a manchild his whole life, and refuses to take responsibility for anything.

[@benmcdevitt7036]

Love how Tony hawk doesn’t even hesitate to talk to bam abt his eating disorder especially in a time when it was very taboo

[@w0t_m818]

Seriously, just heard that part and Tony Hawk honestly sounds like he'd be a good friend/person to know. Sometimes it's hard to tell people stuff like that because you don't want to cross a line or hurt their feelings, but sometimes really caring about someone can mean confronting them but with compassion.

[@SpaceMissile]

@@w0t_m818 Birdman is an outstanding person. a genuine role-model, which is pretty rare to see.

[@bigmcchickenmcsloppyjerky]

This part genuinely made me tear up because eating disorders are still such difficult things to understand and some people don't even know that they exist or think that they're real. Tony immediately spotting what was wrong with Bam and going straight into concerned best friend mode is extremely saddening knowing how things turn out. If only he had listened and gotten help.

[@logosfocus]

hawk sells shoes with human blood in the sole, weird creepy azz witchcraft ish

[@martinezuchiha7624]

@@logosfocus you got it wrong, that was Lil Nas X, Hawk had a skateboard painted with a microscopic measure of his blood. Still weird but get the facts straight.

[@mobious15]

Bams dad at the end is so sad. As a dad myself I agree with bams dad, and I can see the hurt on his face

[@jdevlin1910]

Come on man, zero discipline whatsoever and indulging his every delusion caused who he became. His parents let him down big time.

[@JaySplash00]

@@jdevlin1910 I was just thinking that. I'm sure Ape and Phil are good people. However, it's apparent that Bam has never been held accountable for what he did. Some punishment in his youth may have helped him NOT be what he became. All and all a state state.

[@evanc5656]

@@jdevlin1910His parents are also the only reason he was successful. Bam shouldve made the executive decision to NOT do drugs, just like he did when he was younger, as the video said, he declined alcohol and substances as a young adult. Oh but that wasnt the parent’s right? Only the bad stuff? Think about it

[@Alextheskater91]

@@evanc5656I’m sure his parents would take away the money and fame for their son back. I couldn’t imagine my son acting like this and me being OK with it! I would beat his ass

[@AssMcBlast]

dad dad dad dad

[@AustinFreeman-RTR]

I am a recovering addict. I’ll spare you the details of how and why, but I’ve been on opiates since I was 14. 20 years now. It took me finding a person who genuinely cared and was there for me through it all. Rehab couldn’t do what love did. I’ve been clean, with a couple short relapses, for 8 years. I realized that drugs were nothing when compared to the love of a partner or watching your life grow. I know what he’s going through and I feel his pain. I hope someday it all clicks for him, because he deserves better. Everyone deserves better than this.

[@logical_evidence]

Stay Strong! You got this. If and when as sometimes a relapse does happens its not the end of the world keep going!. Blessings and prayers to remin clean and sober.

[@brightpage1020]

This sounds beautiful amd cathartic. I'm happy you found a way out of that pain of addiction but I'd worry about putting so much pressure on another human and making them the center of your world, replacing the drugs for the high of love. I'm old. It's a lot of pressure to put on a relationship - to keep you alive and from harming yourself. I hope the love you found is renewed respect for yourself and your life and how valuable you truly are. 🙏 so you can be ok no matter who or what might be acting not ok around you. Nothing against such a clearly wonderful partner. I feel grateful on your behalf for the9r care of you. Just that I've seen in some cases that sort of pressure can weigh on a relationship where the other person is, after all, also only human and has flaws or vulnerable moments or weaknesses or whatever, as every human struggles with. Ya know?

[@Inkslinger123]

Can I give you some heart felt advice? Remind yourself everyday what they did for you, never take it for granted. Spend ten minutes a day reminding yourself. I was where you are and I lost my wife to an accident. I didn’t tell her I loved her when she went out that day, and I just survive now. I don’t live anymore. Don’t forget that gift, best of luck and love to you x

[@AustinFreeman-RTR]

@@Inkslinger123 I’m so sorry. That broke me to read that just now. I know it’s of no solace to you, but I let my wife know every day how much she means to me. But today, in your honor, I will go the extra mile. If you ever need someone to talk to, I can give you my number.

[@AustinFreeman-RTR]

@@brightpage1020 I appreciate what you’re saying. I know you’re coming from a genuine place. We both have our monkeys on our back, but we are so very in love even after ten years and 7 of marriage. I’m nothing without her, and not once has she ever held that over my head. If ever two people were meant for each other, it’s her and me.

[@roguespartan345]

I really believe that Ryan Dunn was a huge part of pulling Bam back from going to far with ruining himself. The moment he died it was like a dam broke, Nothing was stopping Bam from destroying himself.

[@Logan-lk1qp]

he was already a little bitch before that

[@slowpace1984]

Agreed

[@Blueswailer]

Ironically enough Ryan Dunn was on the way to self-destruction himself, in any case. He was a rampant alcoholic. It just happened to be speeding whilst fucked-up drunk. Could've as easily pulled an Amy Winehouse and died in his sleep of alcohol poisoning, aspiration of vomit and choking, whatever. I lost my best friend of almost 2 decades to suicide, so I get the insurmountable feeling of loss. At some point it just has to stop being a qualifying excuse, like everything else keeping Bam from sobriety. Well, that and taking personal responsibility.

[@Dan_Kanerva]

@@Blueswailer bro how in tf do people like Bam or Ryan end up wanting to end themselves on drugs , when they literally have the best friends you could ask for , a lot of money , love form fans and fame . THAT is the one thing that always ends up making me hate celebrities , you have EVERYTHING that i would murder for . I have to struggle doing brutal 48 hrs a week job while having no close friends , and they that can afford that throw it all in the garbage? F this life

[@minexer]

@@Dan_Kanerva agreed

[@Megadeadpeople]

Hearing Phil plea to Bam at the end about how he misses the old days breaks my heart. Bam is obviously going through it, but he needs to push through before he loses his son.

[@Salmonella4Skin]

I agree. It's crushing to see a father realize the path they laid out for their talented child begin to spiral in the wrong direction

[@willrussell2583]

It is one of those rare truly honest recorded moments that just reaches in and crushes your heart.

[@ronnie5281]

"I wanna impress my son. I wanna teach him how to fish"... made me start bawling. My father told me he would teach me how to fish, and I talked about it all the time when I was little. After years I realized he was never going to take me fishing. He got addicted to pills, went to prison and never quit afterwards, passing away from it. So many other similarities to Bam, and my heart is with his family and friends because of how hard it is to witness, especially for Phoenix being a little kid and everything sticking with him for life. I can't even imagine heartache he will feel growing up and seeing the videos of his dad on the internet being loaded and becoming violent/making bad decisions. I'm so sorry Phoenix Edit: to all of you reading this going through the same thing, you are so worthy of a loving parent. Whoever left you in the dust has no idea what they are missing out on. You're wonderful people

[@---tw6qk]

That's hard to read man. I'm sorry he let you down. I'm also the son of an addict and it's nothing but broken promises and lies.

[@annie_xo]

I’m so sorry you had to go through that. My father is an alcoholic who was never there for me and my mom, and now he can’t understand why I’m no contact with him. I feel for Bams son.

[@mrs.h2725]

Damn :(, I wish no kids had to go through that. I just hope Phoenix’s mom keeps him safe away from Bam and his family. I wouldn’t trust for a second that if she left the kid alone with Bam’s parents, that they wouldn’t break the custody rules and let Bam be around him. That meltdown at the restaurant in front of his ex and the kid is so sad. Ppl often don’t realize how huge of a long term impact that has on a kid to be around that sort of abuse during their toddler/kindergarten years.

[@lud3445]

I don't know if this is a weird reaction, but I wish I lived in the US and knew how to fish to teach you. I know it's not the fishing itself but the broken promises and bonding moments that never happened. Still, I wish someone was able to give you the nice memories you yearned for.

[@TheSlammurai]

I don't know if you have kids, but if/when you do then you gotta teach them how to fish.

[@guytrashgurtdog]

So stoked to see HIM and Ville Valo mentioned in this. HIM has been one of my favorite bands since I was a young teen and they mean a lot to me and got me through a lot. I highly recommend everyone listen to them. It’s a shame Bam’s friendship with Ville fell apart, but I definitely can’t blame Ville there. As a recovering addict, I know for a fact that in order for someone to get better they have to WANT to get better or they won’t. and it has to be for themselves, not anyone else. I tried so many times for other people and when I didn’t actually wanna get better deep down, I kept spiraling again every time. Had a real bad experience with drugs and something in me changed and I finally wanted to get better, went to rehab and have been sober ever since besides a couple small one time relapses that didn’t lead back into addiction again. Although I seriously disagree with the notion that addicts are always deceptive. Many of us are brutally honest.

[@archkull]

Addicts CAN be deceptive when their next hit/drink is on the line for sure. Recovering addicts? definitely not

[@joshhale9355]

Stories like Bam are why I’m glad I gutted it out in Rehab. I hit rock bottom bad. I woke up in a hospital bed one morning with my mom sobbing next to me. She showed me the video she took the night before, I was holding onto the toilet for dear life and just barely muttering “mommy” to her in between throwing up. The next morning I was at a rehab center. The one thing Bam lacks that you can’t teach someone unfortunately is accountability, are there other factors that lead to addiction; absolutely, but at the end of the day you have to remember who took another drink or another hit of whatever substance and start from there, you can work everything else out once you get control of yourself. Clearly he had people around that were willing to help, stick there neck out to believe in him countless times, but they had to wash there hands of it. I hope one day Bam has a true revelation and finally gets help, no one will forget these moments but they can move on. Until then, unfortunately, Bam feels like a waiting game for something tragic to happen, and as someone who loved him when I was younger, it hurts to see.

[@sternritternovad]

Cheers to your progress, and wishing you a happy life of sobriety.

[@clutch7548]

Bless to you & your great mother

[@---tw6qk]

Well done brother stay strong

[@nickojackson4820]

I mean dude was pronounced dead in the hospital then revived Idk a bigger revelation than that being near death and losing out on seeing your sons future would be more than enough of a shock...

[@leigh7507]

Bam is a cautionary tale for me as he's 7 years older than me and I looked up to him as a good looking rebel kid. I've suffered depression and mild substance abuse and then I see Bam being a train wreck and going from a fun decent looking guy to a bloated addict riddled with sadness and its kind of everything I dont want to be.

[@mc_zittrer8793]

That's good. Even the worst failures in the world can still be incredible teachers, even if that's not their intention.

[@outdoorfr3ak]

Right there with you man but I feel the onset

[@wittlemami]

Ive always felt April and Phil made a huge mistake while he was growing up. Always rewarding him for being horrible. I never wanted to say it, because I am a Mom and its hard to swallow, but hearing Phil say he thought he was being a good parent by letting Bam miss school to skate said it all. I feel bad for that whole family💔

[@blond_slut]

I still hope he recovers and changes his life

[@PointsofData]

Dropping out of school wasn't the issue...plenty of people drop out of school but turn out to be decent, and Bam had a good thing going after dropping out. He was successful. It was letting him get away with the insane, abusive, privacy invading stunts...not setting boundaries (or getting him help with his ADHD/bipolar...)

[@CaptainObvious0000]

"plenty of people" also chainsmoke and don't die from lung cancer, does that mean chainsmoking is not an issue? weird take. statistics are a thing. anecdotes are a useless thing.

[@Draffut2003]

@@simonforfan Millions of dollars?

[@miskatonic6210]

Bad parenting is what US americans are famous for.

[@laurenleeonethree]

I'm so glad that I'm seeing this now. Bam has been sober for four months or so at the time of me writing this comment. I really hope he keeps it up. Him getting sober also helped me to do the same in October 2023 and I'm still going strong as well ❤

[@heidiknabe9669]

Super fvcking proud of you.

[@char1211]

Hey I hope you're still doing good and that if you've had a relapse you were/are able to get back on track!

[@Kath0de]

Please keep it Up!!!

[@666Natalia]

Back in 2007/2008 I remember meeting bam at my local skatepark. He was really mean to everyone there, and it wasnt even his park and he acted like it was. Even now, being 23, I still clearly remember how he was, even my brothers friends who are in there 30s now, remember him being a asshole (they were there as well)

[@Super-360]

well look he he treats his manager guy is a complete loser.

[@athrielleviera678]

Watching Jackass, Bam's stunts and pranks always had a mean spiritedness that the others didn't have. He was always the most aggressive and most vindictive, but also the whiniest and most sensitive of the pack. I'm not surprised he's always been an asshole.

[@brennanc4321]

Around that time he and like Phil came to the local park during an element tour. This wasn't too out of the ordinary since I'm only about two hours from where they live. He was too messed up to get out of the car.

[@brennanc4321]

​@@athrielleviera678the term for that is a crybully

[@Maza945]

@@athrielleviera678 There's a scene in Jackass 3 (or 3,5) when Bam started hitting Ehren in the face after failed prank attempt. It wasn't fun and games, it was straight mean and agressive. Me and my friends cringed hard watching that. I get they got fed up sometimes with the pranks and get angry, but mostly they just laugh it off, Bam that time was straight up bully.

[@johneefizterbottom]

The most heartbreaking part is the ending listening to Phil say he’d give it all up to have a nice kid like back when Bam was 13. Sad

[@homerruiz682]

I think Bam couldn’t handle or face the reality of getting old. He never stopped to think what am I gonna do when the chaos is over? He can’t handle peace, cuz he never had it.

[@mlpencola]

Plus he gas essentially never grown up. He still has temper tantrums to get his way, as cleared documented when he was young and how he acted with his parents.

[@Thelolmonster2000]

Honestly bams story reminds me of the character bojack horseman. Perpetually stuck in a time loop because being a tourist in your own youth is better than dealing with your problems

[@VerucaMarie]

This is such a well made walk down memory lane for me. I wasn't a skater but I was (am? I don't know I just turned 40 a couple days ago but I'm still down for good trouble) a punk rock photographer. The dude I was dating at the time and I would send the pictures I took into Big Brother. I'll have to look for the notes I got back, I was young at the time and they were very much all like "you're doing great kid, keep practicing" - I always thought it was super kind of them to reach out to me at all. Thanks for always providing something entertaining for us to watch. 💜💜 Just remembered I went to see Steve-O live. It was insane. He ate glass and snorted salt with squeezing lemons in his eyes. I'm so happy that he's clean. He seems happy, at peace. I wish that for Bam too man - I really hope he makes it out of this mess.

[@abelldeez2146]

That's a super cool snippet of history 👌 thanks for sharing

[@VerucaMarie]

@@abelldeez2146 💜

[@river7874]

That final clip with Phil is absolutely heartbreaking. Bam was a huge inspiration to me when I was growing up. To see him fall this far, and know that he will likely go out the same way so many of my close friends did, it sad. Truly sad.

[@ArnieMcStranglehold]

Yeah I was about to start looking for another video to watch and that... broke me just a little. It's one of the greatest things to deter me from having kids. What if I do everything I think is right, and still come up wrong? I'm not stable enough to handle that if it happens.

[@printingwithlue4310]

What was so inspiring about Bam?

[@mayborneflower]

@@printingwithlue4310 Speaking from the outside looking in, Bam at the time represented what most active kids want. He was an attractive young athlete who’s parents let him get away with bad attitude, and he was rewarded for it with too much money and national fame. It’s naive and self-centered, sure, but keep in mind it’s kids idolizing another kid without recognizing the pitfalls.

[@padawansound6423]

That poor child is going to grow up without a father. Or worse, he's going to grow up wishing he didn't have one. Being the child of an addict is rough and I really hope Bam gets the help he needs for his son.

[@jesuszamora6949]

It's entirely possible Nicole will finally pull the trigger on a divorce, leave him in the dust, and find someone who'll step up. If nothing else, that kid'll likely have the support of the clean and recovering members of the crew.

[@chrismanuel9768]

My mom was an alcoholic. One time she crawled into my bed at night crying "I'm sorry I drink all the time." I just said to her "Then stop." She said "You think I'm a bad mother." I said "You are." I was about 12-13 at the time. She went to rehab a week or two later. She's refused to touch a single drop of alcohol since. It's been twenty years. If she hadn't stopped? I wouldn't let her be anywhere near my life. She redeemed herself by choosing to be better. I don't think Bam will.

[@pedinhuh16]

​@@jesuszamora6949she should have done this a long ago. As a matter of fact, she shouldn't have a kid with him to begin with. Seriously, the guy was in his mid 30s acting like a fucking edgy teen yet and clearly didn't cleared his act...THIS is the kind of person a mother would want for his child to have as a father figure??? Money, I guess.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

He's gonna pay the price for having the failures of parents that he has, a deadbeat playboy of a father and a dumb chick that thought he was a good man to have a child with.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

​@@jesuszamora6949If one of them fully adops him, maybe he'll go right. I don't trust his mother to raise him right.

[@hhairball9]

That was one of the best documentaries I've seen. I laughed, I cried, I was shocked and I got angry. Very few docs touch me emotionally like this one. I wish his family peace of mind and joy in their lives despite Bam.

[@rustymcbadbat]

Its so heartbreaking to see Phil try to make Bam see the light. Hes a genuinely good father many of us wish we could have. All the man wanted to do was make his son happy.

[@thecactussword4304]

As someone who never got to really have a relationship with their dad, it's heartbreaking to see Bam truly have everything and squander every last bit of it. He had parents that loved him, friends that followed him into hell, and even a wife and kid. But he looked at all of that and took it for granted. He never knew what he had, now he's lost it and he's too stupid to realize he has, choosing to believe his own hype and see all the team efforts of the past as solo outings Hands-down, Jackass would not have been a thing had Phil not been as great of a dad as he was and as supportive of his son's ambitions. Bam has made the mistake of believing his own father and friends abandoned him when it's always been the opposite, him treating these people like they're all interchangeable.

[@danc8458]

Miss ya Allison

[@PHILD0]

Phil Margera is an absolute saint and I will fight anyone who says otherwise

[@rars0n]

I love Phil, and he put up with a LOT of shit from Bam, but his parents are partly to blame for him turning out the way he did. A good parent knows where to draw the line, and April and Phil never did. When you have no rules at all for your children, then they will grow up thinking that you don't care about them.

[@stevenoerlemans5414]

@@rars0nThe blame falls exclusively on Bam at this point. Parents are humans that make mistakes. Phil admitted that he thought he was doing the right thing in supporting his son’s ambitions - for decades he was affirmed in that decision as Bam was monumentally successful. He’s atoned while his adult son has never truly bothered to.

[@raudiJesus]

Man that ending clip of Phil asking Bam to go back to the old days was really sad, he helped his son achieve his dream and still thinks he's a failed father... The day Dunn died pushed him right over the edge and I hope he gets the help he needs and deserves.

[@marishiten5944]

What a dream. Harass, assault, batter, degrade his father and those around him. Bam just uses that guys death as an excuse to be a junkie loser. He dishonors his "friends" memory by doing so. Some people are just losers. Like Bam. It's as simple as that. He'll OD in some crummy motel before too long. And no one will care.

[@dand4139]

As someone who suffers with addiction I can say he used Dunn as the final excuse to not give a fuck anymore. That’s what I did when my dad died when I was 19 and that’s what most addicts do. You’ve finally found a “reason” to be a tweaker and then you latch onto it. I speak from experience and the knowledge that addicts share similar brain chemistry

[@krusenator123]

He won't just accept it. Dunn died 13 years ago. He's gunna die too.

[@lesshuman00]

​@user-zw6pn5gk1l not everyone functions the same bro

[@raudiJesus]

@user-zw6pn5gk1l Bro can you not read? I didn't say it was THE cause or even an excuse for his behavior but its what pushed him over the edge. Dunn was the one who convinced him to go to rehab the first time and now that he's gone I don't think anyone can help Bam unfortunately but I do hope he gets through this mildly unaffected.

[@concernedcitizen2350]

I think everyone that parties in their earlier days had a Bam Margera in their group. When everyone grew up and said enough to the partying and went off to be adults, guys like Bam never stopped partying. All these guys end up being lonely drunks and it’s the saddest thing to witness.

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

honestly i know someone who i feel like is going down this path, they arent as much a partier but literally at our school prom they did ketamine and got blackout drunk, its just fucking depressing to watch happen

[@mats7492]

im 35 and still party.. i have great friends and a fantastic family.. has nothing to do with partying.. you just have to know your limits bam has been married, has kids and is still a mess..

[@MadX8]

But there is nothing wrong with not being ok with this world or this society though. Growing up isn't necessarily a good thing. Bam sadly lost his way a very long time ago, but you can be "a Bam" without being completely fucked up, and you can be a decent human being with dreams and the will to live differently. In many ways, what's happening to him is very sad (for him, and the people around him).

[@concernedcitizen2350]

@@iwakeupandboomimarat Let me rephrase my statement. No, I don’t think everyone that consumes that lifestyle ends up like Bam. But I think those that are like Bam, share that similar lifestyle.

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

@@concernedcitizen2350 fair enough, i think its just that person reminded me sm of that sort of drug induced decline. i totally get what u mean tho

[@simonrigg8391]

The CKY videos were iconic. Definitely if you were a part of the skater/new metal/alternative scene at the time. Such good soundtracks to them, including his brothers band (which probably no one would have ever heard of if not for that). Should have a much more significant section about Ryann in this video, losing friends can have serious effects on some ones mental health.

[@riotsquadgaming7460]

i loved the cky videos as a kid

[@Clarkillustrations]

I never was a fan of Bam, but now I just feel sorry for him. I am an addict who is now sober, & I hope he realizes his delusions & the harm he brings on himself & everyone around him before he dies from it.

[@ArnieMcStranglehold]

I hope you continue on your path to keeping yourself better. I personally find people who overcome addiction to be some of the strongest people I've ever known. You might get a detractor now and then who'll say something like, "well it's only a matter of time right?" but those are the type of people who would give back in to the demons. Please do not reconsider that path.

[@digitalchapel]

this is besides the obvious point but I appreciate including HIM in this doc; others I've seen don't even mention the band which is boggling considering how much Bam loved HIM, got his heartagram icon from them, aided their trajectory by directing some of their videos - and how it affected his substance use.

[@nowaay692]

Him is a piece of trash band, no wonder Bam Marineira latched onto them.

[@guytrashgurtdog]

Yes I was happy too! One of my favorite bands of all time since I was a young teen. It’s a shame what happened with his and Ville’s relationship, but I can’t say I blame Ville tbh.

[@ChicoTooCold]

I met a guy when I was in Sioux City that knew Bam and his family well. Apparently, the main reason he still has money is due to April and Phil investing a lot of his money. Bam came from very smart people. Hope he comes back from this somehow.

[@LUCKSOMNIXDIABLOTHEONEABOVEALL]

Are you sure he has a "lot of money"? According to the Tom Dark video, he's down from his peak of $40 million to about or less than $1 million.

[@imchris5000]

they would also have nothing if bam had no money they are huge leaches at times

[@donovanchilton5817]

@@imchris5000You must be twelve, or something. Holy shit.

[@topspot4834]

It's cause of Phil and it's well known cause both Phil and Bam have talked about it. He's worth over $50 mil ass for all his issues, he's never been irresponsible with money.

[@Funhaus_Ryan]

​@@LUCKSOMNIXDIABLOTHEONEABOVEALLYou didn't read it well. He didn't say he has a LOT now, but he still has money BECAUSE his parents INVESTED a lot of it in the past, so the investments keep him having some around. Definitely not the same amount when he was skating, in Viva La Bam, etc.

[@CReaper210]

I always loved watching Jackass and have actually spent some time learning about both Johnny Noxville and Steve O afterwards, but apart from thoise two I haven't paid much attention to the others. I found this incredibly fascinating. This was really good journalism, thanks for the video.

[@amysanford6789]

I feel so bad for Missy. She loved him and just wanted to be with him and he made fun of her for it.

[@ArnieMcStranglehold]

She just, wanted to be a good wife, love her man and spend time with him, and ultimately, he had no interest in that. It's very, very sad.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Did she think she could fix him?

[@thelocalcrusader9522]

@@DinnerForkTongue i doubt that

[@RIVALContentJammerz]

She saw dollar signs. She knew he was a lunatic. She took his loads anyways, to hell with her.

[@imarock.7662]

I feel so bad for his parents Especially his dad Getting beaten by your own son is fucked up

[@erzsebetnaftalin5987]

I agree, it is shocking to watch. At the same time though I'd like to raise to point of his parents absolutely lack of healthy boundaries when he was growing up. And then later even in Viva La Bam they'd participated however it was nothing more than Bam bullying and humiliating them infront of millions. Something get fckd up at the very start with Bam that's his parent's responsibility. Now hs is grown up man, he needs to make his own choices however his upbringing, that no one ever told no to him make it even more harder.

[@RegularGillian]

His parents are the ones to blame for this whole shitshow, they were terrible parents and enablers. This is their comeuppance.

[@Liverpool5095]

Right. Even as a kid watching those Jackass clips and Bams other stuff, I was never entertained by the father beating stuff. It just felt mean to me... and like bullying.

[@wkls22]

Phil always respected his son and we all know that if he have lost his patience he would've whooped bam's ass for sure

[@andrewp5180]

Bam basically such a bully

[@mothmanmother]

I feel pity for Bam. And I feel very sorry for his wife/ex wife/kids/family/friends. It's gotta be heartbreaking to watch someone you love spiral like this and refuse help at every turn

[@TransistorBased]

How cucked is KZbin at this point if the names of drugs can't even be mentioned in a documentary about a drug addict????

[@billybobsowbreath1774]

Consider who owns Censor-KZbin and you'll get your answer. KZbin is anti-1A and anti-American as it gets.

[@TheEarlThePearl1]

KZbin is so incredibly cucked. You can’t say anything negative on here or your comment gets removed. Every comment thread has half the comments missing because you can’t say no no words. They bow to advertisers from companies that have committed crimes against humanity, but god forbid someone says weed or shit.

[@icemanlj2k7]

It's so damn sad because even in the Jackass/CKY crew, we've seen this before. Steve-O and Novak were both badly fucked up, and they got help. Steve-O especially because it was the Jackass crew that got him the help. They've tried. They've tried so fucking hard to help him. Steve-O, Tremaine, Knoxville, Phil and Ape, Jess, Novak, everyone has gone out of their way time and time again and Bam just refuses to get better. It's no wonder most of them have just given up because it must be heartbreaking to see someone slowly killing themselves and refusing to listen when you try to help. At this point I'm just waiting for the inevitable. Bams going to die soon. Its a case of how soon.

[@robertnapier624]

You can’t help a lost cause and unfortunately bam is a lost cause and his own family know it.

[@AudioReplica2023]

Watching the last footage of his dad basically begging him to quit all that shit and comeback , you can see the sadness in his eyes while respectfully making his point across...Damn. As a father I put myself in his shoes...and it breaks my heart knowing the we about to lose him forever and nobody but himself can do anything to prevent it. This is really sad.

[@925BulletproofAce]

Yea man I also thought that clip was a great way to end the doc. One thing I also noticed in that clip is Phil acknowledging his share of the blame through accepting the mistakes he made when raising Bam. As a parent, I find it ridiculous that a parent would justify allowing their child to miss school that way. I guess he learned that that was a mistake far too late.

[@joeconkle8826]

holy shit that clip was sad.

[@steveo984]

What clip?

[@eromicafrancisco5477]

Yes but he and his wife are partly yo blame they let him do what ever and act stupid. They let him drop out of school instead of finding a solution that could benefit Bam. Of course this was way back when don't know how much they knew about add back then but it's like they didn't even try or even maybe have him get his GED they let him run wild and he became a obnoxious adult drug addict who can't take responsibility for his own fuck ups. I don't feel bad for his parents they should have at least tried and not let him just drop school all together and gave him chores at a young age.

[@925BulletproofAce]

That’s the point tho, Phil is acknowledging his error as a parent, and we as a society of people who realize that we all make mistakes, tend to look at someone who is willing to take their share of the blame (instead of blaming something else, or simply ignoring it altogether) with more sympathy. If Ape and Phil acted like they did nothing wrong I would agree with you, but they don’t do that. That’s the point I was making.

[@blakerobert1982]

As a recovering alcoholic myself I can say I know what Bam is going through. I've actually met him once long before any of these issues really came to light. Being from Pennsylvania and in my teenage years when he, as well as jackass, were wildly popular he was seen as a success story and almost an idol. It's sad to see him this way. I tried several rehabs before things finally clicked. I just hope he can hear that click before things really get bad. It doesn't seem like things can get much worse for him at this point, but trust me they can. I just hope that he finds his way. If i could do it, (2 years sober) then he can as well.

[@saraspivey1129]

Congrats on your sobriety!!

[@clamum9648]

Congrats man. Yeah I feel bad for those still suffering. Little over 10 years sober myself. When I was drinking I could not even begin to picture myself sober, not drinking, and having zero desire to ever drink again.

[@Tony.Montana..]

Congratulations! I dont know you, but im proud of you 💪🏻

[@scottrussell4953]

This is what happens when a spoiled child is raised without any boundaries.

[@GoondocksCastle]

Bam is like the definition of when you're a kid and your parents console you about the shitty bullies in school by saying that they'll turn out like Bam.

[@SSJ4Lunchbox]

I love how I finished watching this yesterday, went to bed, and woke up to news of Bam being arrested for being drunk in public. He's beyond help.

[@S_047]

Agreed.

[@Theworldisyouroyster156]

“The only place you can’t dig yourself out of is the grave.” Famous quote

[@verne51]

I didnt want to be drunk in public, I Wanted to be drunk in a bar...

[@riotsquadgaming7460]

yeah, at this point hearing bout bam getting arrested for alcohol would be like hearing about willie nelson being busted for pot. you've heard it so much that it doesn't even matter anymore.

[@Inkslinger123]

No one is beyond help, they just need to find it

[@charlessaint7926]

I had a friend that was like this. We served in the Army together in Iraq. After his discharge he fell on hard times. Couldn't keep a job, a relationship, or his money in order. Eventually I took him in. Big mistake. All he would do was smoke pot, get drunk, and shirk his duties. He did enroll with his Post 9/11 GI Bill but lost interest in a month. The guy would meet women on the internet, fall in love, and move out, only for the relationship to end abruptly and he move back in. His truck was repossessed. His mother died and I paid for him to go to the funeral. To which he swore that he was paying his sister every month to cover the expenses, only to hear directly from the sister that she's had no contact with her brother for months, and was receiving no money. Finally he shacked up with a nice woman. She had a plush job and a nice place. They married. I thought that would be the end of it. Nope! He was arrested twice for domestic battery. Asked me for bail money. I refused. Then he was thrown in jail. Upon his discharge he tried to hit me up for more money. That's when I ended our friendship. It was like Bam, he was sinking and taking everyone with him.

[@randomcenturion7264]

Sometimes, you gotta know when to cut em loose.

[@Dang3rMouSe]

Once an addict, always an addict. All of us who share this dark aspect of our personalities & lives know this. The only way to remain sober is to always remember it, accept it & move forward.

[@FoNgThOnG]

Bam has done it all to himself. The amount of help that was given to this dude and he still self destructs himself. I never liked watching him "prank" and torture his Mom and Dad constantly back on Jackass and his own show.

[@thanos7110]

It's self destructs, not self destructs himself.

[@whodatninja439]

his mom and dad enabled him all those years, from child to adulthood

[@MarisMLM]

I saw another one of these video essays on Bam recently and the creator didn’t mention HIM at all, nor gave Bam any credit for the genuine dedication for his craft when it came to filming his early stunts or the HIM music videos. It didn’t even attempt to understand the inner workings of bam as an individual or the circumstances stardom and relentless studio executives created in his personal life. It was nice to see you humanize him

[@brennanc4321]

Yeah it seems like he has some pretty severe brain damage possibly from injuries, drug use and mental illness. One thing you can't deny was how dedicated he was to skating and art back then when he really didn't have to be at all by that time.

[@TheArtis4n]

"News" is about flashing the lives of others in a quick light for a quick opinion in a quick fashion, A documentary piece such as this, is a refreshing take in more ways than one. I never made a clear sense of his entire timeline up until this video, all the details and intricacies are mostly well detailed, imo

[@KH0LRA]

Haven't finished the video yet, but its glad to hear that their involvement with HIM would be touched in the video. All I knew was that he was even handed the trademark of the heartagram logo and nothing else

[@srahhh]

@@TheArtis4n The other one is by Turkey Tom, it came out a couple days ago and is roughly the same length as this one

[@DrBitchcraft.]

I agree! Most of these essays never mention ville valo, HIM and how it kinda was the start of his drinking (not blaming Ville).

[@torqueoz3449]

I've watched a few videos on Bam's downfall, and this one is 'by far' the most in depth! Props to you Joon!

[@I_am_a_cat_]

Turkey Tom made a pretty good video on the subject

[@frog_king8383]

Dank Net made a good one too.

[@UranusKiller]

I loved Turkey Tom's vid too! Together, these two documentaries are a power house! They both cover different aspects. Enjoyed them both equally.

[@andrew1257]

I was addicted to alcohol before. However, I was able to recover pretty quickly since I was able to acknowledge my problem and take responsibility for it. I never once denied my issue, and when people brought it up, I'd be like "yeah, I know, and it's a huge problem and I'm trying to fix it". And I did, eventually. It's a shame that Bam has not. I wish him the best, and hope he gets better, for his sake.

[@sternritternovad]

It was such a sad sight I was so happy seeing the entire Jackass group back, and hearing he was fired because he couldn't even stay clean for the movie and the crew didn't want to fuel his addiction, it made me genuinely mad especially when he kept playing the Victim.

[@MrStath1986]

This. I mean, I know it's not the same thing but you look at how the gang rallied together when making Jackass 3D and *all* stayed off drink and drugs for Steve-O's benefit, and you know they would have done the same for Bam, and it's just sad.

[@rhysm.5915]

He also keeps changing his story and lying about the relapse that got him fired. First he claimed he had been off Adderall as per the contract but then found a loose one in his car which he took. Then he claimed that it was all a misunderstanding and he didn't know he wasn't supposed to take Adderall. Finally he claimed that Knoxville and Tremaine knew he still had his Adderall prescription and set him up to fail the drug test on purpose. He's as bad as fuckin Novak used to be.

[@Laughy-Flaaffy]

And the fact that Bam was known to openly sue people around him would be another reason the company would have been concerned about having him on set with drugs in his system. If Bam wasn’t known to be such a slime ball with his attorneys, they would be a bit more forgiving allowing him on set as a liability

[@sternritternovad]

@@Laughy-Flaaffy The the most frustrating part even knowing that Steve-O still keeps sticking his neck out for Bam, set up a meeting and everything and Bam was too wasted to follow through, and the situation where Bam got drunk instead of spending time with his own son Steve-O sounds heartbroken.

[@joshwaaa]

God I can't help but feel so bad for Phil Margera in all of this (April too of course), especially that clip at the end where you can just see how much that man is contemplating how Bam ended up the way he did and even questioning his own method of raising him, just breaks my heart

[@entropy_9320]

That final clip at 1:09:17 of what Phil was saying hit me really hard. As a relatively new father myself of 2 boys (20 month and 1 month old) i kinda already know exactly what Phil is saying/feeling. As a parent, you have these thoughts constantly circulating in your head of “am I making the right decisions as a parent for my kids?” And to see the pain and hurt in his voice/face feeling like he failed as a parent-as a father is something I can only hope to never have to experience. Really heartbreaking

[@tycoleman6041]

if your asking yourself those questions your doing great.

[@razzprince2877]

I like Bams parents but unfortunately they failed their son. Allowing your son to skip school and do whatever he wants will turn them into pieces of shit and common sense will tell you that.

[@DirtyDerbi]

I have never seen this clip. Poor Phil and April... Bam is a lost case :(

[@thefaceoffuzz]

​@@razzprince2877that's not true man. If my kid was a gamer, skater, or anything that was unoridinary and had a chance to succeed at young age I would do anything I could to get them to their dream. Skipping school isnt what turned bam into this.

[@whodatninja439]

the very same dad who gave into all his son's indulgences when he was a child and a young man. no wonder he turned out this way

[@wakabush828]

this documentary came out right at the time as he has brought his life back together. he is back on the right path now very proud to see him grow

[@wittlemami]

What also sucks is Ryan seemed to be the only one who truly disciplined Bam and withdrew himself but in the end, Bams energy swallowed Ryan. Bam wont even allow Ryan to rest in peace. I always wonder what Missy has to say.

[@pharaoh6977]

Ryan was destroying himself with alcohol as well, which eventually killed him. Not to mention Ryan had been in many car wrecks prior, and it became what he was known for. In the end that same behavior ended his life. You would think after multiple car accidents you would learn to be more careful as a neutotypical person would see a near death experience as a wakeup call to change your habits. But no, not to addicts. They have no real perception or able to differentiate reality from a childlike imagination. They're both addicts and if Bam doesn't wake up by yesterday, he will be reunited with Ryan sooner than we think.

[@carterstafford1446]

@@pharaoh6977 well said

[@Venom3254]

Missy probably is glad she left a long time ago and is probably enjoying her private life

[@STLCODPS3123]

@@pharaoh6977hell, maybe that’s part of what bam wants. Ryan’s death clearly destroyed him

[@VicariousLie]

As a father that very last clip just tore me up inside. We want to give our kids everything, a better life, a carefree life, but even that has a price. This is a good lesson for balance. Flying too close to the sun. Prayers for Bam, he was a huge part of my teenage years and young adulthood.

[@Ugly_on_the_Inside]

Well said.

[@smittysmeee]

A carefree life is a terrible thing. When we're giving our kids everything, we mustn't forget to give them discipline and responsibility.

[@steveo984]

Where is this in video, I never saw it

[@VicariousLie]

@@steveo984 its like the very last thing at the end of the vid. Like a post credit clip

[@user-mq4xp1gq3q]

Phil is an example of parents being friends to their children rather than parents. He realized in that last clip that he screwed up big time raising BAM into becoming a real man, and that the fame and money did not equate to having real success and growth as a human.

[@pontiac_montana]

The Saddest thing about Bam is I think that everybody still sees the good-hearted kid inside that just simply didn't get the help he needed when he needed it the most. He started developing bad habits at a young age and instead of trying to course correct, they fed into the very habits that led to his ultimate spiral. And the reason we didn't give up sooner was because we all genuinely hoped that he would get better. He was a Good Kid who got spoiled and continued down a bad path until it was too late. He found success through acting 'crazy' only to eventually face so much trauma he would become the embodiment of it.

[@alexyo3927]

Good hearted? He's super spiteful and really mean

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Nah. You're projecting. The only thing I see in Bam is a spiteful manchild.

[@TheWeekendGeek]

The level of detail and work in this video is amazing

[@RedHotMessResell]

Man my dad was an alcoholic and seeing that video in the Thai restaurant brought back how scary it was to see my dad that violently drunk as a kid. I’ve long since forgiven him after his untimely death. And I also have a soft spot for Bam, hoping he can get clean for he actually dies. But I feel for his ex wife and kid. Ugh

[@Plz8662]

I can relate to that too actually My pops was a raging drunk who constantly put me & my mom in danger growing up & was a very abusive and dysfunctional household. I’m glad to hear you’ve forgiven him & are doing well despite the childhood struggles of having a parent like that. I know from experience that shit ain’t as easy as some may think it to be 🫡🤘

[@ThomasBoyce5000]

As an alcoholic in recovery, I've had to come to the realization that Bam might be one of the ones that addiction/alcoholism might defeat unless he consciously decides that he wants to live and has to get sober. Sobriety also means changing his thought process because being on, as they say in AA that I go to, a "dry drunk" could be arguably as destructive as drinking/using

[@DaveMustang74]

I went the pill route, but you're right. You can't force an addict to get clean. That switch had to be flipped by me. I'm just glad i flipped it right before fentynal hit big. For some, the switch is sadly broken... Keep fighting the good fight, man.

[@multiyapples]

I’ve never heard the term dry drunk. What does it mean?

[@MegGrant]

Same and same 💜

[@MegGrant]

@@multiyapplesmy understanding is that a person is not drinking but not involved in recovery. I don’t love that term myself because it’s so negative. I prefer emotional relapse myself but whatever works

[@ThomasBoyce5000]

​​@MegGrant keep up the good work!

[@eternalNostalgia]

I can remember that I really disliked him even watching him as a kid / teenager. His "fun" was always about making others suffer.

[@SultanSamet]

Same. Hated him and his stuff, because he was such an AHole - and then you saw Jackass the movie and then he saw him react totally shocked and crying on pranks that happened to him - pathetic. BUT: As an adult, its still sad to see and his behavior back then makes kinda sense now.

[@didnthurt4077]

Yea same, never liked him and his attitude back in the days. Thought he just wanted to be in the spotlight in a wierd way to gwt attention. Well, now i know the full story.. what a mess.

[@Killstryke725]

I gotta tell ya man. This was a great little documentary. I remember as a kid when jackass started showing on MTV I was no more than 5 and we would try our best to stay up to watch it on sleep overs. What’s wild is the fact that Bam was the kid that had it all, his skateboarding alone could’ve provided him an amazing living and then viva la bam came out, me and friends used to piss ourselves laughing. We used to always say man these guys are crazy. It didn’t take long for us to realize these guys were out of their minds on drugs. After the movies came out I never thought in a million years almost everybody is sober EXCEPT bam. The sad part he’s had everybody in his corner cheering him on to get sober. It’s just wild reliving those memories of me and my friends watching jackass and viva la bam and then watching it all unravel. I do hope bam gets it all together. I really do man.

[@snowcattish]

My heart breaks for Phil, April, Jess & Phoenix. Bam's crippling addiction, complicated with mental illness, they at this point have no choice but to step back and hope Bam reaches sobriety before it's too late. Any help they offer is seen as aggression & control by Bam. BJ Investigates is despicable for exploiting Bam when he's at his lowest. Free Bam is a bunch of bullshit. Bam is free and look what is happening. Well done doc, it was fair & honest.

[@mycologymadeeasy5585]

100% I don't understand how persistent with BJ and how she doesn't see he's killing himself, she just doesn't care she wants views

[@eriklarson4082]

Yeah that female is disgusting for what she did with Bam. View hungry.

[@jumpboys1408]

​@@eriklarson4082was she the one with the pink bunny ears? I haven't gotten to that part yet

[@turnwaiter]

Everyone deserves a voice and two things can be true at the same time. She was conflicted about doing the interview while he was drunk but that's the reality he's in right now. There are clearly shenanigans going on with the florida shuffle and bam's financials. Once you are labeled crazy/drug addict, your agency is essentially gone. Bam feeling heard and listened to might help him feel validated and mellow out a bit. I think some of bam's inner circle don't want certain things to be shared to the public that make them look bad. There's wrongdoing from both sides.

[@andersandersen6295]

Its clear from Jackass that Bam had no limits put on him by his bad parents, their dysfunction is much to blame for his behaviour.

[@jeaniebird999]

This is exactly what happens when you're too afraid to say NO to your own child. I used to think I was being "helpful" but I soon learned I was merely being an enabler. Enabling someone doesn't help ANYBODY! Don't be an enabler; that's NOT love.

[@tanyalalaby937]

And now we have gen z the softest most entitled gen to exist

[@tonyelectionfraud669]

@@tanyalalaby937 its only gonna get worse, pal.

[@tanyalalaby937]

@@tonyelectionfraud669 it will only get worse if we let it get worse the main reason gen z is so dumb and soft is because public schools have been indoctrinating instead of teaching and parents haven’t been parenting they have been just giving kids a screen and then leaving them alone

[@MydasAU]

@@tanyalalaby937🙄🙄

[@guytrashgurtdog]

@@tanyalalaby937​​⁠the generation before you said that about your generation. And the generation before them said the same about them, and the one before them, and the one before them….and so on and so forth. Every generation says this about the younger generation. you can literally find examples of the goddamn ancient Roman’s doing the same goddamn thing…It was bullshit then and it’s still bullshit now. Older people just love to blame everything on the younger people and never take responsibility for themselves. After all who RAISED the generation they’re whining about? They did. Who fucked up the world for the younger generation to try and fix? They did. And why do the older generations just ignore all the good the younger generation does? And why exactly do you think they’re soft and entitled? Are they soft and entitled or do they just not put up with hateful bullshit anymore and are tryna fix things and have more empathy and are more accepting and you don’t like it? Or maybe you’re just generalizing an entire generation of millions of people based on the actions of a few and yet I bet you’re offended I said the older generation f*cked up the world and are about to pull some “not all old people!” Yeah, it’s dumb to generalize a whole generation, especially when this corny “these goddamn entitled soft young whippersnappers!! Back in my day..” shit has been going on for centuries….

[@chikish]

Bam's story is a real American tragedy. His life is literally like a movie with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. The whole family is screwed up and everyone just seems to pass the blame on each other. I feel so sorry for that poor baby of his. Bless.

[@z50king29]

I found you from the Act Man.... Great channel!

[@latenightotaku824]

Honestly its hard going back and watching Jackass and any related media associated with it because knowing what happened with several of those guys it just makes me feel dirty for watching it. I am really happy to see that some of them are getting better and hope they live comfortable ongoing lives. As for Bam, I honestly hope he can get himself clean and really work out his issues because seeing what he has become is truly heartbreaking, considering everything he has achieved at such a young age and seeing what he is now is just a shame. If Bam ever somehow watches this video and checks the comments, I really hope he knows that there are still a lot of people wanting him to get better.

[@00loudog]

I feel the same way I remember when bam and jackass started getting really big and loved watching his show thought he lived a cool life seeing the down fall and Ryan dying are and we’re terrible I had just started using drugs when he first started getting famous too lived the same life pretty much I am glad that Steve-o got clean and it’s honestly beautiful he still try’s to be there for bam

[@Sarevok_Wins]

We are all mourning the loss we all know that's coming. I loved Bam growing up, but looks like only one of us grew. 😢

[@beaux6251]

I grew up on jackass and I loved watching Bam. The prank on him when he fell into the snake pit is absolutely legendary. Hope he can come to his senses and pull himself out of his situation. Wish nothing but the best for that man.

[@Charlie1776_]

Yeah when Dunn rescued him :(

[@reznor1174]

Great essay. By the way, research was spot on keep up. The good work videos are amazing. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

[@IAmMightyMike]

Man, ever since Viva La Bam I've just felt terrible for his parents. I really wanted him to grow up and get pass this. But even today they're dealing with so much. Those poor people. Used to look up to this guy as a skater since THPS.

[@KahnuevsKrake]

It's tragic what happened to Bam. He led a hedonistic lifestyle and made a shit ton of money from an early age. As a result he never really grew up and took everything for granted. Then when he lost his best friend, he was too emotionally immature to cope with his grief, the drinking went from bad to worse and everything nosedived from there. I really do hope he sorts himself out.

[@TaterTotsNFanta]

*snorts himself out*

[@planescaped]

He's past the point of sorting himself out. He's at the salvage what he has left before it is too late point...

[@KahnuevsKrake]

@@planescaped I too am pessimistic about it. Of course it is ultimately the consequences of him not taking any responsibility for his actions, but you can't help but have a little pity on him considering you understand why he's like that.

[@Grandmaster-Kush]

He's 43 years old, he is closer to the grave then the cradle, ain't no way he can change

[@bryarmoore9303]

My son is six months rn and that part at the end with Phil killed me. He thought he was doing the right thing by letting his child pursue his dreams, but now he just wants his son back. I couldn’t imagine.

[@juustokasajuustokasa6109]

This reminds me of my youth. Watching Jackass, playing Tony Hawks AND THAT SONG! You all know what song im talking about. CKY, 96QUITE BITTER BEINGS. Man that song is a banger.

[@skykitchen867]

I remember my 12 year old sister having a crush on him. At the time she was an aspiring wanna be stuntwoman. Mom used to tell her how "that jackass" was going to become a drunken bum and blow everything and you don't want a man like that. Fast forward to now. Sad what happened to him. Sister became a intake correctional officer at a prison and loves it. She jokes that if Bam came in, she would process him good. Great video.

[@tannermyers686]

Poor Bam. Steve-O looks so healthy and happy now! It's such a sickness to have, and he's clearly using too cope with a lot of pain. I hope he can get healthy again for his kid's sake.

[@jaybeam1466]

Bam's fall from grace has been particularly hard to watch.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Not for me! I love witnessing that douchebag fall on his face.

[@zanderisbanned]

This was an amazing video, the whole time I was waiting for you to say “ as of today Bam is sober” but life doesn’t always have those happy endings. Bam had everyone’s support but his lack of accountability and selfishness shows that he’s hopeless and it’s so sad to see man

[@jakeman8273]

Well, he is sober. He has been sober for a few months now, and he's on the right track.

[@volundrfrey896]

I grew up with Bam and idolised him as a kid. He's the reason I tried to get into skating as a kid, it didn't go well I grew up on the country side and didn't really have place to do it even other than a small concrete patch by my house. It's really sad to see what became of him, I hope he accepts the help that's available to him. Him trying to get money from former friends shows that his wealth is dwindling but the fact that at least some of it is to be immediately put into a trust for his son shows that he's at least thinking about him somewhat. I've know people who've done drugs without it really affecting their lives, even somewhat hard stuff like speed and coke. And I've seen others ruin their lives from just alcohol. You never know how it will affect you, but using any substance to fill a hole, whether it's cheeseburgers, booze or meth, is always a bad idea.

[@stingerjohnny9951]

I happen to have an addictive personality, so I watch my drinking and never take anything stronger than weed. You are exactly right, it depends on the person, but if you are using it to avoid problems, rather than for fun, it’s a dangerous path.

[@volundrfrey896]

@@stingerjohnny9951 Yeah me personally have a lot of alcoholism in my family and I think that because of that I've always been careful and had the thing were I will go a month or two every year completely sober just to kinda to check that I'm not addicted. And you're completely right about avoiding problems, using drugs as an escapism is very common but probably the real danger. However I've gotten way too drunk by myself during brake-ups and stuff like that, so I don't blame anyone for doing so, just be careful. Personally I think this scare mongering that has been going on is more harmful than not for those prone to addiction. You're not gonna get hooked on weed from just one joint, so it's easy for people dismiss the whole thing when they realise that they've been lied to. Particularly when you're prone to addiction and want excuses to use more.

[@mc_zittrer8793]

Magruff had drugs all wrong. I've drank off and on for years, and if the world ends tonight, my last drink is gonna be the last thing on my mind. The drugs don't really flip a switch in you. It's all about enjoying the feeling the substance gives you so much that you work it into your regular routine. You work to make it a habit, and that habit, that comfort space, evolves into addiction. That's why alcoholics try to create hiding spots inside the toilet tank, or hollowed-out encyclopedias, so that they can sneak in some shots while having family over. It's possible to enjoy *some* drugs responsibly. But you can't let those chemicals in your brain become the new management of the establishment. It's a festive guest to be briefly entertained in your body, nothing more. If you're unable to establish boundaries with that substance, you can't hold a job and you're burning all the bridges in your life, then congrats numbnuts: you can't handle your booze. Just get your ass to detox already.

[@Yeard491]

Jackass and CKY were such a huge part of my childhood, it was such a magical time to grow up; It's really awful to see how Bam's progressed in the years since, just depressing.

[@warlordofbritannia]

You think he has brain damage? CTE, even?

[@Yeard491]

@@warlordofbritannia No, I think losing Ryan Dunn just broke him. I lost a friend five years ago and it's still fucking with me, so I kinda understand, at least from that angle. We weren't nearly as close as Ryan and Bam were, though, so I imagine the effect was far worse on him than it was on me

[@warlordofbritannia]

@@Yeard491 The drug problems probably came back and worse after that too… Also, that sucks man. I’ve not yet experienced loss like that so I can’t imagine how awful that must be to go through.

[@Yeard491]

@@warlordofbritannia Yeah, the temptation to abuse substances is far more appealing when all you want to do is dull reality. Everyone handles grief differently, and sadly Bam's demons got the best of him. It sucks ass seeing someone you thought was so cool, funny and interesting as a kid end up so far from what he once was

[@warlordofbritannia]

@@Yeard491 On a more light-hearted note, I like to say I’d be a depressive alcoholic if only I enjoyed the taste-alas, that leaves me merely depressed! 😂

[@lampini]

The fact that he had a seizure and literally died and was brought back and that wasn’t enough for him to stay sober tells me he doesn’t want to get better. It’s interesting how he was able to skirt by during the jackass glory days by pointing the finger and saying “yeah I drink and do drugs but I’m not as bad as this person”

[@maddieb.4282]

I don’t think you understand what addiction is and what it’s like. Simple as that

[@mr.awesome6011]

Technically that was from being sick from Covid and then biting his tongue from the seizure and choking on the blood. But still if a near death experience can't open your eyes to bettering yourself then what possibly can?

[@nfamous5079]

​@@maddieb.4282 No disrespect to this person, but read through their comment and can agree with you! Addiction is hell of a disease as my therapist says. Im currently in a recovery program n can tell you its one of the hardest things ever had to go through. 💯😪

[@chrisgoffe5048]

..those days were the greatest ..bam was my hero!! ..primo upload bro thanks from New Zealand 🇳🇿