Steve-O

Steve-O

Active - 2002 - 2022  |   Born - Jun 13, 1974 in London, England  |   Genres - Comedy, Travel, Adventure

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Biography by AllMovie

A fearless stuntman with an outrageous sense of humor and few inhibitions, Jackass and Wildboyz star Steve-O (born Stephen Glover) got his first taste of fame when, at the tender age of 15, he swiped his father's video camera with the singular goal of capturing the most dangerous skateboarding stunts possible and sharing them with his stunned friends. Though little has changed since he laid the groundwork for his death-defying future, Steve-O has since gone on to earn a commendable keep for his unique talents as a featured performer in both film and television.

A London native who attended high school in England before seeking higher education at the University of Miami, Steve-O quickly learned that college was not for him and soon set his sights on making a living in stuntwork. A trip to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College followed when the determined performer failed to find his footing as a professional risk-taker, and in the years that followed, Steve-O would find steady work in both the circus and on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Of course, Steve-O's video camera was always rolling to capture whatever mayhem might occur both at sea and on terra firma, with a constant stream of videos sent to anyone who would watch them, eventually catching the attention of Big Brother Magazine editor Jeff Tremaine. With Jackass looming on the horizon, Steve-O's persistence was finally about to pay off.

An instant hit when it premiered on MTV in 2000, Jackass proved just the career catalyst Steve-O had been searching for. Though some of his stunts would ultimately be rejected by producers for fear of being too dangerous, an undaunted Steve-O stunned fans by producing Don't Try This at Home, a special release featuring all the stunts that were too hot for television. A trip to the silver screen in 2002's Jackass: The Movie showcased even more outrageous insanity, with additional appearances in such late-night talk shows as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Howard Stern Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live providing even more exposure. A year after Jackass went off the air in 2002, Steve-O could be seen taking his strange antics into nature for the Jackass-meets-National Geographic television series Wildboyz (also starring Jackass veteran Chris Pontius), and in 2006 his career in front of the camera seemed to be cemented with appearances in the Darby Crash biopic What We Do Is Secret, the inevitable Jackass: Number Two, and as Jesus Christ himself in TV: The Movie. Steve-O next starred in yet another reality series to showcase his stunts in 2007, employing his antics under the premise of helping people with their problems in Dr. Steve-O. Then in 2008, Steve-O surprised fans and critics alike with a change of pace, joining the cast of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

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Factsheet

  • Was homeless for several years after dropping out of the University of Miami in 1993.
  • Beat out thousands of other candidates for a spot in one of the final classes to graduate from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.
  • After graduating from clown college in 1997, had steady jobs as a clown on cruise ships and, later, in the Hanneford Family Circus in 1999 and 2000.
  • Nominated, along with cast mates Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Chris Pontius, for Best On-Screen Team at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards for his performance in Jackass: The Movie.
  • Known for his outrageous stunts, including "The Goldfish Trick" (swallows a live goldfish and regurgitates it, still alive, into a goldfish bowl) and "Wasabi Snooters" (inhales wasabi through his nose).
  • Though he lives for performing dangerous stunts, after a near-mauling by a lioness while filming a 2004 commercial for Nintendo, Steve-O said, "That could have been the closest this boy's ever come to death."
  • Participated in the 2009 season of Dancing With the Stars.
  • That same year, took part in the MTV program, Steve-O: Demise & Rise, which focused on his substance-abuse problems.
  • In 2010, set himself ablaze while promoting Jackass 3D on Howard Stern's radio show.
  • His 2011 memoir, Professional Idiot, touched on his entertainment successes and personal excesses. One of his promotions of the book involved raising funds to help domestic-violence shelters accommodate victims' pets.