In a new interview with TMZ, original Jackass cast member Bam Margera opened up about what exactly led to his firing from the fourth film.
In February, Bam revealed he was left out of Jackass 4 and that that his recent history of substance abuse and legal issues led to his dismissal from the project. He alleged he was forced by the production crew to take antidepressants, and in the newly released interview he expands on those comments to reveal he left rehab on 18 different drugs he was prescribed.
“Basically, it started off with…‘Bam, you’ve been out there on TMZ being a jackass and you’re almost like a liability,’” said the 41-year-old Margera. “I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, you’re telling me I’m too jackass for Jackass?’ … I went to rehab for Adderall and alcohol, and I went there thinking I was going to do 30 days but they insisted that I do 90 days. And I’m like, ‘All right, is this on my bill or yours?’ Well, it’s on mine.”
While Margera admitted he didn’t want to go to rehab, he ultimately decided to go through with it “because you give me 5 million dollars every time we do a movie.” He went on to claim that after leaving rehab, he came out “on Zoloft, Vistaril, bupropion lithium,” and a litany of other drugs used to treat depression. Additionally, he was still on Adderall and Klonopin because of his ADHD, which he said Jackass head honcho Johnny Knoxville had a problem with.
“This is what the doctors say I need,” Bam continued. “Then it led to suicidal tendencies on all 18 medications that I was on, I’m like, ‘Well what’s the point of a 5 million dollar contract if you have to walk on eggshells and jump through your hoops, which is already impossible.’ … What the fuck is the point of having the money if I’m not here anymore, because I was gonna die of a pill overdose or suicidal thoughts?”
When asked if he blames the production crew, he added, “It was the definition of fucking torture. They tortured me.
Margera has been on Adderall for 13 years, he revealed, and now he’s considering legal action. “I have no choice,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a fucking reunion, getting the band back together, to pay our respects to Ryan Dunn. He’s rolling around in his fucking grave saying, ‘Why Jeff, why?’” (The Jeff in question is Jackass co-creator and director Jeff Tremaine.)
Jackass 4 is scheduled to hit theaters this September, and it sounds like Bam Margera won’t make an appearance.
