About (Late) Last Night: ‘Jackass’ cast sleepwalks through tired stunts

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

A day after Johnny Knoxville serenely talked fatherhood with Chelsea Handler -- despite calling the host ‘ma’am,’ much to her dismay -- the ‘Jackass’ captain brought his whole crew to ‘Lopez Tonight’ for an all-around uninspiring rehash of their cringe-worthy gimmicks. Equally inane and dangerous, ‘Jackass’ stunts are most compelling when they represent freedom, mischief and brotherly love. All were absent during a George Lopez-led game of stun-gun roulette.

You could see the abject boredom on the faces of Steve-O and Preston Lacy behind the host as Lopez explained the game. The team would spin the wheel and use the resulting Taser, finding out with their bodies if the electricity was live or not. We’ve seen it all before.

Two of the cast members stood with their arms crossed, and two had their hands in their pockets. Bam Margera had his hood on. The negative body language, though, wasn’t a product of fear -- they’ve been through much worse -- but of apathy. Steve-O spun the wheel softly before electrocuting his own arm. He grimaced, then resumed his place in line.

Putting the boys on stage and asking them to perform like show animals leaves the whole process devoid of joy. They’re supposed to run free, burning through studio money -- censors and sense be damned. When your job is to constantly find ways to top your own boundary-pushing insanity, controlled chaos is no chaos. The only flashes of pandemonium came when the guys scrapped the rules and attacked one another freely, sending Bam to writhe and kick on the floor. Lopez rightly kept his distance.

-- Joe Coscarelli