Steve-O
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Steve-O (born Steven Gilchrist Glover on June 13, 1974 in Wimbledon, London, UK to an American father and a Canadian mother) is a comedic actor. He spent his formative years in England, where his family was based for many years due to his father's business interests, graduating from The American School in London in 1992 before moving to the US. He briefly attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, dropping out after one year to later attended the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College and make videos of his stunts. Though he was not selected to join The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus after graduating Clown College, he did work as a clown in a circus at the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop flea market. While performing in the flea market circus, Steve-O was discovered by Johnny Knoxville, which led to his involvement in the television series Jackass and its hit movie spin-offs, Jackass: The Movie and Jackass Number Two.<ref>http://www.steveovideo.com/steveoBiography.php</ref>
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[edit] TV, film, cinema and business career
Following the filming of Jackass: The Movie Steve-O released four DVDs showcasing his stunts. The first, Don't Try This At Home: The Steve-O Video, is a ragtag collection of footage that couldn't be played on TV. His second DVD. Volume 2: The Tour, follows Steve-O on his journey across America performing his live stage show, Don't Try This at Home. Volume 3: Out On Bail, follows Steve-O and his crew across the globe on the Don't Try This At Home Tour. His fourth effort Steve-O: The Early Years chronicles his rise as a performer and features interviews with his family, crew, friends, business associates, etc.
Steve-O documented his experience taking PCP, a trip lasting five days, on his DVD PCP Saved my Life. He precedes the showing of the tape with an announcement that he will never watch the tape of his 'trip', that he will never take PCP again, and that he remembers no part of the five day trip in which he frequently proclaims that PCP has saved his life.
Third party companies have released DVDs including Steve-O footage without his approval including: Steve-O – Gross Misconduct, Steve-O – XXX Porn Show, Steve-O – Greatest Hits, and Steve-O Quad Pack. On April 25, 2005, Steve-O filed a lawsuit against a company producing some of the DVDs, J&N Media.<ref>http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/65298.htm</ref> The videos consist of a patchwork of early footage of him that he had sold, given away, has been used without his consent, or that he has otherwise abandoned the rights to throughout his career.
Since 2003, he and Chris Pontius along with others have appeared on the semi-nature show Wildboyz, featuring various stunts involving wild animals and remote cultures. It is currently in its fourth season, airing on MTV2 after being moved from MTV during a shuffle of content between them.
In mid 2005, Steve-O launched his own shoe company called Sneaux Shoes.<ref>http://sneauxshoes.com/</ref> Television commercials promoting the shoe company include such acts as Steve-O jumping into garbage, getting his foot bitten by an alligator, and drinking rotten milk. His slogan is "They're darn good shoes." The 2006 commercials appear with Stilts vs. Go-Kart, and the base jump.
Steve-O has recently lent his talents to National Lampoon's TV: The Movie.
[edit] Legal controversies
[edit] Incidents at The Abyss nightclub
On July 31, 2002, Steve-O was arrested in Los Angeles on obscenity and assault charges for performing his now infamous stunt, The Butterfly (in which he staples his scrotum to his leg) at the Abyss, a nightclub in Houma, Louisiana, and for being a principal to a second-degree battery, both of which occurred at the nightclub on July 11, 2002.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1456408/08012002/id_0.jhtml</ref> After posting a $150,000 bond in the Los Angeles court system, he was allowed to return to Louisiana where he turned himself in to the local authorities. Steve-O was released from Louisiana's custody with a $35,000 bond on August 14, 2002. The Louisiana courts had originally set his bond at $1.12 million, but it was reduced after he convinced them he wasn't a flight risk.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457036/20020814/story.jhtml</ref> Steve-O was required to return to Los Angeles on August 16, 2002, and prove that he turned himself in to Louisiana authorities.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1456428/20020802/story.jhtml</ref>
The arraignment was originally scheduled for September 16, 2002, however Steve-O was granted a continuance extending it until December 16, 2002,<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457562/20020916/story.jhtml</ref> and then granted a second continuance extending it to February 10, 2003.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459180/20021216/story.jhtml</ref> Finally on March 24, 2003, Steve-O made a deal with Louisiana prosecutors placing him on supervised probation for one year, requiring him to make a charitable donation of $5,000 to a shelter for battered women and children, and forbiding him from performing in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana ever again.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1470726/20030324/story.jhtml</ref>
The Abyss nightclub was in danger of losing their liquor license as a result of the events on the night of July 11, 2002. They were allowed to keep it until the trial against Steve-O was complete.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458060/20021010/story.jhtml</ref>
[edit] Arrest on drug smuggling charges in Sweden
On May 22, 2003 Steve-O was arrested and jailed while in Sweden in response to a joke he made about smuggling drugs in to the country, remarking that he swallowed a condom containing cannabis to get it past the authorities. Steve-O reached a plea bargain with the Swedish prosecutors and was released on May 27, 2003 after paying a 45,000 Kronor (about 5,800 dollars) fine. As part of the plea bargain Steve-O admitted to possessing one ecstacy tablet and five grams of marijuana, although he claimed he had no knowledge of where the ecstacy came from.<ref>http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,11866,00.html?newsrellink</ref>
[edit] Public urination on Lollapalooza tour
On July 19, 2003, Steve-O was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct for urinating on potato chips in public during a Lollapalooza tour concert in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. Steve-O claimed he was kicked off the tour by Lollapalooza producers because of the incident.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474443/20030722/story.jhtml</ref>
[edit] Causing internal LAPD investigation
November 2, 2005 Steve-O was seen by reporters, and later officers in the Los Angeles Police Department, exiting a nightclub with a bag of marijuana. Though the officers confronted Steve-O they made no attempt to arrest him. The incident was documented on video tape by the reporters and resulted in an administrative investigation within the LAPD to see if the officers at the scene were negligent.<ref>http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,17788,00.html</ref>
[edit] Noteworthy TV and radio appearances
[edit] The Howard Stern Show
A frequent guest since 2002, Steve-O is usually intoxicated and always performs outrageous, dangerous stunts to the cast's simultaneous delight and horror. He has lit his head on fire, swallowed live goldfish and attempted to regurgitate them alive, stapled his scrotum to his thigh, let the cast throw darts in his buttocks and carved an upside down cross in his shoulder with a knife followed by rubbing ink into the wound.<ref>http://www.howardstern.com/archive.hs?h=189&p=11</ref>
[edit] Too Late with Adam Carolla
On September 26, 2005, a heavily intoxicated Steve-O appeared on Too Late with Adam Carolla.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0729527/</ref> He had originally planned on getting drunk, having a policeman give him a breathalyzer test, and then pulling a cloth out from under a table of food. Unfortunately, the plan fell through at the last second and Steve-O had already consumed a large amount of alcohol. On the show Steve-O yelled obscenities, attempted to tackle Adam Carolla, broke a glass table with his foot, inadvertently cutting his leg, and was taken away by security at the end of the segment.<ref>http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,17477,00.html</ref> In the following segment Adam attempted to perform the stunt Steve-O had planned.<ref>http://www.tv.com/too-late-with-adam-carolla/episode-23/episode/518217/summary.html</ref> Despite the turmoil, on October 17, 2005, Steve-O appeared again on Too Late.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0729531/</ref> His second appearance was no less chaotic, with Steve-O lighting a table on fire, breaking the replacement for the glass table he had broken previously, and ended with him stapling his scrotum to his thigh.
[edit] Loveline
Following the departure of Adam Carolla from Loveline, Steve-O periodically guest co-hosted in his place and was being considered, among many others, as a possible replacement. Loveline producers eventually chose KROQ DJ Stryker to replace Carolla on the show.
[edit] Love Island
On July 18, 2006, Steve-O became a late contestant on the British reality show Love Island broadcast on ITV from Fiji in an effort to boost ratings. Despite stating he has stopped drinking he asked for beer while on the show, on July 19, 2006 he abruptly left Love Island because he was not allowed the beer and chocolate which he requested.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5194194.stm</ref>
[edit] Tom Green Live
On October 10, 2006, Steve-O appeared on Tom Green Live, an Internet talk-show hosted by comedian Tom Green, along side guests Jukka Hildén and Carson Daly in which he discussed his hatred for current U.S. President George W. Bush and organized religion as well as took calls from viewers while repeatedly huffing medical-grade compressed nitrous oxide (commonly called "whippits"), drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. The show ran for three times its normal length, ending with Steve-O collapsing on the floor after drinking half a bottle of Italian salad dressing and then succumbing to strained vomiting.
[edit] WWE RAW
Steve-O and Chris Pontius attended the October 15, 2006 edition of WWE RAW on the USA Network (Jackass director Jeff Tremaine was present beside Steve-O at an earlier camera shot). After being introduced by announcer Todd Grisham, they were allowed in to the wrestling ring. While in the ring, the two promoted their new movie, Jackass: Number Two and then Steve-O proclaimed they were there to do two things: "Kick some ass and whoop some butt!" They were interrupted by Armando Alejandro Estrada, who attempted to provoke them, saying all of their stunts were just an act. To "prove themselves," Estrada brought out Umaga. They rushed Umaga but were both knocked down for their troubles. Umaga gave Chris a Samoan Drop, as Steve-O was lying on the mat laughing hysterically.
Umaga left the ring but noticed Steve-O laughing at him. He re-entered the ring and delivered some hard chops and kicks to Steve-O and after each blow he would wince in pain but would then continue to laugh at Umaga. This type of behaviour is known in pro wrestling as no-selling. Umaga seemed visibly upset at the no-selling of his moves and retaliated by stiffing (that is, legitimately kicking and punching) Steve-O, who eventually begged off and asked for mercy. It was evident by the sudden change in announcer Jerry Lawler's vocal tone that Umaga had gone from choreographed wrestling to an actual shoot, or physical assault. Steve-O and Chris did not wait for the commercial break to jump up and leave as Umaga and Estrada were filmed walking up the ramp with the ring in the background and both were seen getting up and leaving the ring. As with most professional wrestling, the entire event was set up ahead of time.<ref>http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/10162006/articles/celebritysmackdown</ref>
[edit] The O.C.
Steve-O appeared as a drunken Marine on Episode 4 of Season 4 of The O.C. in which he befriended the character of Seth Cohen. This led to Seth getting rather tipsy which resulted in him getting a comic book style tattoo of his girlfriend on his arm. His appearance was received with a mixed response, many criticising his actual lack of acting ability. [citation needed]
[edit] Noteworthy Steve-O stunts
- The Goldfish Trick - Steve-O drinks a glass of water with a goldfish in it, He then proceeds to stick his fingers down his throat to vomit the fish back up. He tries numerous times to vomit the fish back up and then finally vomits the fish back up alive into a fishbowl. This is quite comparable to goldfish swallowing.
- High Dive - Steve-O gets into his thong and climbs a high dive, he puts stilts on and then jumps from the high dive into the pool.
- The Double Back - Steve-O swings his penis back and forth with enough momentum for his testicles to hit his stomach twice, then catching his genitals with his inner thighs he jumps and spins 180 degrees.
- The Butterfly - Steve-O staples his scrotum to each of his thighs. This stunt got its name because the scrotum, when stapled to each side and stretched out, resembles a butterfly.
- The Earthworm - Steve-O snorts an earthworm through his nose and pulls it out his mouth, alive and well.
- Snooters - Steve-O snorts wasabi through a straw up into his nose in the Jackass movie. In his own DVD it was curry, which resulted in a waiter of the Indian restaurant remarking, "We don't know how you did it. We can't do it."
- Bobbing for Jellyfish - Steve-O dunks his head into a tank filled with live jellyfish and proceeds to let them sting him for ten whole seconds. Afterwards, he places one jellyfish on his head and wears it like a hat (the Jellyfish Yarmulke). He is then forced to wash his face in his own urine as a means to dull the intense pain left by the stinging tenticles.
[edit] Cardiomyopathy diagnosis
While guest co-hosting Loveline May 23, 2006, Steve-O announced he had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a serious cardiac condition which can be life threatening. Steve-O claimed his doctor told him he was dying and had "the heart of a 90 year old man" also adding without treatment he "wouldn't live past 40." During the show Steve-O recounted what happened after he got his diagnosis. Immediately after leaving the doctor's office, Steve-O called a girl he'd been seeing, Ashley, who reacted indifferently to the news. Disappointed with her reaction and still in shock from the diagnosis he called a cab, went to the airport, and flew to London to get some pickled onion flavored Monster Munch. Later he met Brad, a friend and fan of his living in Torquay, who has Steve-O pictures tattooed all over his body. Steve-O went to see Stonehenge with Brad and then went to Amsterdam where, in his own words, he "smoked a lot of pot" but refrained from drinking to ensure he didn't further damage his cardiac health. Steve-O had just flown back to Los Angeles from Amsterdam right before appearing on Loveline that night.
During the show, Dr. Drew remarked that if Steve-O's ejection fraction dropped below 20% he could have a "sudden rhythm disorder and keel over." They also discussed some likely possibilities for treating Steve-O's cardiomyopathy including getting a heart transplant or implanting a kind of electrical defibrillator. Dr. Drew has been very supportive of Steve-O, and remarked several times during the show that he believed with treatment Steve-O would be fine. While on the air, Steve-O laughed and joked about his condition to the extent that a caller accused him of "not taking anything seriously." In response to the caller Steve-O said his laughter was just a defense mechanism.
On June 16, 2006, Steve-O appeared on Radio Bam after visiting a heart specialist who said his heart was perfectly fine and his original doctor misread the results of a test. Steve-O said he has gone back to drinking but still stays away from "hard drugs," only taking marijuana and nitrous oxide.
[edit] Trivia
- Steve-O has the phrase "yeah, dude, I rock! Steve-O" below a larger-than-life portrait of himself with "two thumbs up" tattooed on his back.<ref>http://www.steveovideo.com/gallery/dumbTattoos/005.php</ref>
- Steve-O also has the phrase "Your Name" tattooed on his right buttock. He frequently jokes about it by telling people, "I have Your Name tattooed on my ass."
- Steve-O was tattooed by a "holy man" in Thailand who had previously tattooed Angelina Jolie. The tattoo drawn by the holy man is located on Steve-O's right shoulder blade.<ref>http://www.steveovideo.com/gallery/dumbTattoos/019.php</ref>
- Steve-O briefly dated Nicole Richie,<ref>http://www.eonline.com/Celebs/PartyGirl/Nicole/060105r.html</ref> but was quickly "dumped" by her.<ref>http://www.eonline.com/Gossip/Tab/Archive2006/060203.html</ref> On The Howard Stern Show he recanted and said they were only friends. He also claimed that he masturbated three times while sharing a bed with Richie.
- March 5, 2006 at the Key Club Party for the Oscars, Steve-O urinated on the red carpet outside the club, and then "stripped off [his clothes] to his birthday suit".<ref>http://www.sky.com/showbiz/article/0,,50001-1214452,00.html</ref>
- On September 8, 2006, Steve-O said on The Howard Stern Show that his father was the president of Nabisco and Del Monte. This could be Ed Glover, now Director, Enterprise Security of Sun Microsystems.<ref>http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/presskits/networkcomputing03q3/spokespeople.html</ref> The places of employment listed in the resume on the Sun website match, and the photograph on the Sun website matches the image of Steve-O's father as he appears in the Do Not Try This At Home: The Tour video (though the video shows more gray hair).
- Steve-O appeared at a World Series of Video Games stop in London. He spent about a half hour with the Team Sportscast Network, he discussed video games and fatal1ty.<ref>http://www.tsncentral.com/ondemand/071006645256/</ref>
- At the premiere for TV: The Movie at the Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, instead of putting his handprints in wet cement, he put his penis in it [citation needed].
- Steve-O is known to have a Hair-Trigger Vomit Reflex - This can be seen in Wildboyz, Where he Vomits, or at the very least Dry Retches, in nearly every episode.
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] External links
- Steve-O's Official Web Site.
- Unreality TV - News, Gossip and Chat On Steve-O on Love Island.
- Steve-O at The Internet Movie Database.
- Steve-O's first appearance on Too Late: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 (video).
- Steve-O's second appearance on Too Late (video).
- Video of Steve-O at the World Series of Video Games.
- Steve-O and Chris Pontius on WWE RAW (video)
- Official Steve-O MySpace (blog also syndicated on LiveJournal)
| Jackass |
|---|
| Main Cast |
| Johnny Knoxville | Bam Margera | Steve-O | Chris Pontius | Ryan Dunn | Jason "Wee Man" Acuña | Preston Lacy | Dave England | Ehren McGhehey |
| Supporting Cast |
| Brandon DiCamillo | Theodore "Rake Yohn" Webb | Chris "Raab Himself" Raab | Phil Margera | April Margera | Jess Margera | Don Vito |
| Crew |
| Jeff Tremaine | Spike Jonze | Dimitry Elyashkevich | Manny Puig | Lance Bangs |
| Television shows |
| Jackass | Wildboyz | Viva La Bam | Homewrecker |
| Films |
| Jackass: The Movie (stunts) | Jackass Number Two (stunts) |
| Miscellaneous |
| Big Brother | Corona | CKY Crew | CKY Videos | CKY | Gnarkill | Radio Bam | Haggard: The Movie |
