The difference was incredible
Jackass star Steve-O shared a brilliant post to celebrate his 13 years of sobriety, by posting his own before-and-after photos.
The 46-year-old made his name on the hit stunt show and comedy series alongside the likes of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Chris Pontius.
Originally airing on MTV between 2000 and 2002, Jackass featured the show’s cast performing a range of dangerous, gruesome and sometimes even death-defying stunts and pranks.
The show went on to spawn a number of feature-length movies and turned the Jackass team into global superstars.
But throughout the history of Jackass Steve-O’s career was marked by alcohol and drug addiction. He initially kicked the habit in 2006, but suffered a relapse in 2008.
He was institutionalised in a psychiatric hospital at the time, commenting: “I’ve had horrible mood swings and severe depression. My brain is fucked up from using so much cocaine, ketamine, PCP, nitrous oxide, and all sorts of other drugs.”
Steve-O has since kicked his addiction, and back in 2021, he celebrated 13 years of sobriety with a “grateful” tweet.
“So grateful to be celebrating thirteen years of sobriety today— thanks to everyone who helped me get here!” he tweeted.
The post included two pictures. One of the pictures was from 2006 in which he’s surrounded by pills, booze and what appears to be blood, and in which he is most certainly not sober.
In a picture from 2021, he had jokingly recreated the photo, replacing pills and cigarette with vegetables – a reference to his veganism – and it’s fair to say he looks happy and healthy.
In 2009, MTV aired Steve-O: Demise and Rise, a documentary about Steve-O’s “decent into madness” while he was addicted to drugs.
“When I saw the footage of myself doing drugs, I felt like I could see them, I could taste them. It made me crave them and as embarrassing as that footage is, that just seemed like another reason to get high. I couldn’t watch it; I haven’t watched it since then,” he recalled about the special years later.
“The producers put it all together and finished it up without any input for me, it’s better that way.”
More recently, Steve-O has offered his help and support to his friend and Jackass co-star Bam Margera.
Margera has had personal struggles in recent months and earlier this month appeared to hit out at Jackass co-creators Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine.
Alongside a photo showing Knoxville, Margera and Steve-O together, Margera wrote: “One arm is a best friend who had my f*****g back all along, another arm is a poser. A pro creation thief.
“If Jeff Tremaine was in this photo, he would be to greedy to fit. F**k jeff. Remember I tattooed that on me long ago, Jeff? It’s because I knew who you were all along.”
He then added: “Steve-O much love and respect.”
Steve-O, who had had Margera opening for him on his tour at the time, then responded saying he had “tried everything I can” but that “I can’t do anything to save you.”
This year, Margera was arrested over an alleged domestic violence incident, and has reportedly been on the run from the police.
Related links:
Jackass star Steve-O on why he’s ‘not willing’ to return to animal stunt show Wildboyz ever again
Jackass star Steve-O launches porn site and stars in first videos
Johnny Knoxville reveals classic Jackass stunt when he knew Steve-O would be famous
Is this the weirdest stunt Jackass have ever pulled?
