Jackass first became an MTV television series in 2000. The program premiered on October 1, 2000, and featured performers carrying out dangerous stunts, practical jokes, and deliberately crude physical comedy.
The central group included Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, Ehren McGhehey, and Preston Lacy. The show grew out of a mix of magazine stunt culture, home-video experimentation, and Knoxville’s own test of self-defense equipment, which was filmed for Big Brother magazine.
Jackass was controversial because some stunts caused real injuries and viewers could imitate them. MTV added warnings that the performers were professionals and that the actions should not be copied. The franchise later expanded into theatrical films and spin-offs such as Wildboyz and Viva La Bam, but those are separate titles rather than the original MTV series.