Fatal stunt had nothing to do with 'Jackass,' says MTV star

MTV star Johnny Knoxville is distancing himself and his "Jackass" series from an alleged copycat incident in Ohio in which a teen was killed.

College freshman Adam Ports, 18, died after falling from a moving pickup truck in a stunt possibly inspired by the television show "Jackass," authorities said. Knoxvillian P.J. Clapp , who took the name Johnny Knoxville , co-created and starred in the series that debuted in 2000 for a one-year run.

Ports and three fellow students at Tiffin University set a chair on fire and threw it from the back of a moving truck Tuesday night while friends photographed the stunt. Ports then jumped or fell from the truck as it sped away on a country road, officials said.

He died Wednesday from head injuries.

"They were trying to create some type of stunt like they have on the TV show 'Jackass,' " Seneca County sheriff's Sgt. Brian Hescht wrote in a report. The now-defunct MTV show of crude stunts was made into a movie that debuted last month.

MTV/Paramount spokeswoman Marnie Malter denied that the show was to blame.

"The police report that was filed makes it clear that this incident has no connection to any stunts performed on the 'Jackass' television show or film," Malter said.

Knoxville said the show has taken measures to deter copycat stunts.

"We don't take submissions. We never have," Knoxville said.

"The show has been off the air a year and a half. We have warnings at the beginning and the end. In every interview I have ever given, I have stressed: 'Don't try this at home.' We steer away from stunts that are easily imitable.

"What this kid attempted was not even anything we got close to."

Asked if "Jackass" is an easy target whenever anyone with a camcorder is hurt while filming a stunt, Knoxville declined to comment.

Knoxville was on the set of his latest movie, "Grand Theft Parsons," when he was contacted for comment. He said he had heard of the Ohio incident.

"My heart goes out to the kid's family," he said, "but we've done everything we can to prevent this type of thing from happening. We obviously have never done anything even remotely resembling this stunt on 'Jackass.' "

Knoxville quit doing the TV version of "Jackass" more than a year ago. Among the reasons for leaving was a growing frustration with MTV over promoting the show.

At the time of his leaving, Knoxville contended MTV didn't want to promote "Jackass," then its most popular show, because of the controversy surrounding it. Among the scandals was a series of copycat stunts from fans across the country.

Knoxville returned with "jackass the movie," which opened last month. The movie has earned more than $60 million to date and premiered as the most popular movie in the nation the weekend it opened.

Knoxville said there will be no sequels to it, and his "Jackass" days are behind him.

Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445 or Morrow2@knews.com The Associated Press contributed to this report.

© 2002, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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