Bam Margera is claiming that Jackass Forever producers violated his civil rights by asking him to sign a “wellness agreement” and removing him from the film over a positive drug test after he took prescription meds.
In a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and more, Bam notes that he has bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder. The 41-year-old says the agreement he signed indicated he’d be terminated if he didn’t blow into a breathalyzer three times a day, have his hair tested regularly, take pills each morning on FaceTime with a Paramount-hired doctor, and submit to a urinalysis twice a week, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Paramount’s inhumane treatment of Margera cannot be countenanced,” the suit states. “Margera was made to endure psychological torture in the form of a sham Wellness Agreement, and then ultimately terminated for his protected class status due to his medical condition, and his complaints about Defendants’ discriminatory conduct towards him.”
This, the suit says, was “legally unenforceable,” although Margera followed the agreement. Bam is also alleging he was fired by Paramount over taking prescription Adderall, a medication he has been on for several years.
The suit, in which Bam is represented by attorney Eric George, claims “defendants knew full well that Margera had to take Adderall to treat his attention deficit disorder” and that he was not given “an opportunity to explain” before being pulled from the production.
Bam alleges this breaches his deal to star in the movie—which arrives on Sept. 3—and violates the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, THR reports. Margera also claims the film includes an infringement of his intellectual property and, in part, he’s asking for profits. He argues Jackass would’ve been “impossible” without him.
The suit comes months after Jackass Forever director Tremaine filed a restraining order against the Viva La Bam star, later claiming Margera sent text messages that threatened his family. Bam previously claimed Tremaine and the rest of the crew forced him into rehab, calling it “fucking torture.”
In a recent interview with GQ, Knoxville touched on his relationship with Margera, saying he wants his friend to be “happy and healthy.”
“We want Bam to be happy and healthy and get the help he needs,” Knoxville said. “We tried to push that along. I think that’s all I really want to say about it.”
