Bam Margera on AllMovie

Though his talent on the skateboard is undeniable, thrasher-turned-prankster foul king Bam Margera has gained more notoriety for tormenting his long-suffering family and friends on national television than for his curb grinding skills. As a member of the bodily-fluid-obsessed Jackass crew, Margera's unhinged antics nearly topped that of fellow headliner Johnny Knoxville with his similar themed CKY series (named after his brother Jess' band, Camp Kill Yourself). CKY made Knoxville's MTV-friendly creation look absolutely tame by comparison. Born Brandon Cole Margera in West Chester, PN, it didn't take long for the energetic youngster to take to skateboarding. Armed with a video camera, Margera and his friends began videotaping their extreme pranks and unpredictable antics for posterity in their early teens. Though no one would have guessed at the time that those videos would have such an influence on the entertainment industry. They were eventually culled together to form the ongoing CKY series -- a somewhat more crude precursor to MTV's phenomenally successful series Jackass. A high point came when the latter was turned into a number one box-office hit in the fall of 2002, though by the time the movie hit theaters, the show had run its course and hopes for a sequel remained high. Margera soon stepped into the spotlight for MTV's Viva La Bam, a series which proudly carried the Jackass torch, sans Knoxville. Utilizing funds gained from Jackass, Margera next stepped behind the camera to direct the movie Haggard, based on a true story concerning partner-in-crime Ryan Dunn's notoriously unfaithful former girlfriend. The unhinged comedy features performances by such familiar faces as Chris Raab, Brandon Dicamillo, and legendary pro-skater Tony Hawk. In 2006 the Jackass crew got back together to make the pointedly titled Jackass: Number Two, featuring more painful stunts and bizarre practical jokes.