post #1
17 April 2006, 08:49 UTC#1
This was posted on ckf
QUOTE
Fellow Fans,
I’m a senior in Cinema Studies and English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I’m writing my thesis (approx. 30 pages) on what I'm calling the "JACKASS text" (which includes CKY, WILDBOYZ, VIVA LA BAM, BIG BROTHER, etc.--pretty much anything related in any way directly to what the general public knows as JACKASS) and cult/fan reception thereof. My main interests are the ways in which (mostly) young, male, white fans have used the show/videos as a stepping stone or inspiration for their own, similar stunts and behaviors and the ways in which women and gay men have started a strong fan community in support of these videos/movies/tv shows/stars. Whether or not you agree with this and even whether or not you think it applies to you, I would really, really, really appreciate your time and effort in answering a few questions which I’m going to include below. I've seen in other, related forums that several people were willing to lend a helping hand to somebody working on other JACKASS-related papers, and if anybody is interested in doing the same thing for me for this much, much bigger paper, please keep reading.
I am hoping to publish this essay once it is completed and revised, so you will be credited in the piece for your assistance. NOBODY IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD WRITES ABOUT JACKASS AND I WANT TO CHANGE THIS. THERE IS A DEARTH OF CRITICAL SCHOLARSHIP ON THE SHOW AND ITS PREDECESSORS AND SPINOFFS, SO IF WE COME TOGETHER HERE WE CAN AT LEAST TRY TO CHANGE THAT. If you want a shout-out in my piece, you'll get it; if you want to be anonymous, that's also fine. I am a (disturbingly) huge JACKASS (and everything else) fan myself, and I've actively participated in making similar videos and supporting the guys and their new efforts at every step. I'm obviously brand new to this particular forum, but I'd like to think that I'm one of you and that I'm writing not about "all of you," but about "all of us." Yes. I am a Newbie. But that doesn't mean I'm as sketchy as you might at first think!
If you're interested in helping me out, please contact me at [email address redacted] with answers to the following questions. In your responses, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE include the following information:
1) Your FULL real name and your contact information (preferably e-mail and AIM sn--if you want to give your phone number, that's fine, because I'm not selling this stuff to credit card companies or some bullshit and because it's likely that I'll need to re-connect with everybody at some point).
2) Who you prefer to be known as in the body of my essay, should you wish to be identified at all. Please try to keep things tasteful, but I'm not above vulgarity. It kind of goes with the territory, you know? When I present my thesis, I will totally be swearing.
3) Make sure to identify it clearly if something you write back to me is meant to remain "off the record." I will totally respect your privacy if you want me to, so please just be as clear as you can and everybody will win.
4) When e-mailing me, please include the full text of these "interview" questions in the body of the e-mail rather than in an attachment. I'm a broke-ass motherfucker and my computer is shit, so I will probably have a lot more trouble than I need if you send me anything as an attachment. INCLUDE the numbered questions in your responses so that I know what the hell you're talking about without having constantly to go back and forth between windows and documents. It'll make things easier for everybody.
5) In the subject heading of your e-mails, please write "JACKASS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS" so I don't think that some fuckers are spamming me. Leave the Beastman references to the body of the e-mail and out of the subject heading.
Sorry for all the semi-legal mumbo-jumbo...it sounds worse than it is--trust me. Here are the questions. I'm counting on everybody, so let's hear it. Even if you don't think you can answer a question, at least give it a try! Everything you say can help me out!
1) What are your thoughts, if any, on the JACKASS show/movie and the surrounding body of work (CKY, Big Brother, VIVA LA BAM, WILDBOYZ, etc.)? ie, How do you feel about the show being on MTV? How do you feel about the spinoff shows like VIVA LA BAM? How do you feel about CKY as a band? Please feel free to say as much about the JACKASS “body of work†as you would like–elaborate as much as you can, if possible.
2) Please explain in some detail the kinds of stunts/pranks/whatever that you’ve been involved in and the ways in which you filmed/staged these events (ie, cameras, number of people, etc.). How might, or might not, these activities have been inspired by or imitative of JACKASS or CKY or any other related sources? Many of you have been recommended to me by others, and I know nothing of your pasts, so please elaborate as you see fit. Include approximate timelines, too–if this stuff happened six years ago, please say so. If it happened last week, same thing.
3) Do you think that a “cult†of JACKASS fans actually exists?
4) Based on your knowledge of movie/TV show cults, do you think that you belong to what somebody might call a “JACKASS cult� Whether or not you do, WHY did you answer this question as you did?
5) If you have been involved in the “tour video†or “band video†scene, please describe your participation. How, if at all, were these activities inspired by or imitative of JACKASS or CKY or any of those other sources?
6) Would you agree that there is a connection between something like CKY (or anything else–please specify) and the tour videos in which you or somebody you know may have participated?
7) How do you feel about the increasing commercial presence of people like Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera? Do you care about Bam’s endorsement of a band like H.I.M. or Knoxville’s now-common appearances in big movies like THE DUKES OF HAZZARD?
8) How and why did you start filming yourself or others performing stunts, doing pranks, or any other such activities? What, if any, role did JACKASS (and so forth) play in your activities?
9) Please describe any difficulties which you have encountered in doing these stunts (and so forth), whether they be legal, economic, idea-based (like, you can’t think of anything to do), or ANYTHING else.
10) How do you think the public feels about people who “immitate†the stunts they see on TV shows and movies like JACKASS, etc.? How do you feel about these people (or yourselves, if you see or once saw yourselves as such), on the whole?
11) A JACKASS sequel is coming out, later this year. How do you feel about that and why?
12) Have you ever distributed your videos in any way? Online? DVD or VHS? On a public access TV station? On tour and with fans or other bands?
13) Are you, or have you ever been, a skater? If so, describe your specific level of participation in the scene.
14) What are your thoughts on the homoerotic content of so many of the skits/sequences in the JACKASS text? How do you relate to these under/overtones in relation to your status as a straight or gay or male or female viewer/fan/"cult member"?
15) Especially if you have ever filmed anything like what we see in the JACKASS text, how did or do you view the prominent WARNING messages which always come up? Describe how you think they do or don't work or anything else you find relevant.
16) What do you think about the ways in which critics and the general public view the JACKASS text? Obviously the show has a lot of detractors, so what do you think about that and how do you react to it?
17) Can you please describe, in some detail, your experiences in the JACKASS fan community (or whatever else you may want to call it), if you think you belong to it or belong to one such community?
That's all I've got, everybody. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE hit me up with your responses even if you think they might not be of any use. I'm serious when I say that sometimes the shit you think is so obvious and stupid and unimportant can totally change the way I think about this. I'm so "inside" this topic right now that it's really hard for me to stay objective, so please holler at me even if you think the idea of a "cult" of JACKASS is fucking crazy. That's fine! Just be explicit and detailed as you can be, even if your responses are really short. Some of the best stuff I've heard from other people I've interviewed or talked to was nothing I'd expected to hear and was even just a throwaway remark made in passing. That's where the good stuff is, so let it fly.
Also, if you don't want to e-mail me responses to any of these questions, that's fine. I know that it's a lot of writing and thinking to do for the sake of some damned fool who hasn't even posted anything yet and has just showed up asking for your help with no track record or credibility. Even so, I'd love to hear anything unrelated to these questions in this particular thread. Anything you think I didn't address but should? Post it here and explain what you think about it. Anything that you would like to hear about but aren't sure that I thought of it? Again, just post it here.
Thanks for the help, everybody. Like I said before, I'm just trying to get new people to start paying attention to JACKASS and everything which surrounds it, because anybody who thinks this stuff hasn't been really important (at least to our generation) is out of his or her mind. People need to wake up and realize that this stuff exists and that it is important, so let's make them shits happen.
--Brandon
P.S. Sorry for rambling or whatever. I'm burned the fuzz out. Also...please. No spam. I beg you.
I’m a senior in Cinema Studies and English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I’m writing my thesis (approx. 30 pages) on what I'm calling the "JACKASS text" (which includes CKY, WILDBOYZ, VIVA LA BAM, BIG BROTHER, etc.--pretty much anything related in any way directly to what the general public knows as JACKASS) and cult/fan reception thereof. My main interests are the ways in which (mostly) young, male, white fans have used the show/videos as a stepping stone or inspiration for their own, similar stunts and behaviors and the ways in which women and gay men have started a strong fan community in support of these videos/movies/tv shows/stars. Whether or not you agree with this and even whether or not you think it applies to you, I would really, really, really appreciate your time and effort in answering a few questions which I’m going to include below. I've seen in other, related forums that several people were willing to lend a helping hand to somebody working on other JACKASS-related papers, and if anybody is interested in doing the same thing for me for this much, much bigger paper, please keep reading.
I am hoping to publish this essay once it is completed and revised, so you will be credited in the piece for your assistance. NOBODY IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD WRITES ABOUT JACKASS AND I WANT TO CHANGE THIS. THERE IS A DEARTH OF CRITICAL SCHOLARSHIP ON THE SHOW AND ITS PREDECESSORS AND SPINOFFS, SO IF WE COME TOGETHER HERE WE CAN AT LEAST TRY TO CHANGE THAT. If you want a shout-out in my piece, you'll get it; if you want to be anonymous, that's also fine. I am a (disturbingly) huge JACKASS (and everything else) fan myself, and I've actively participated in making similar videos and supporting the guys and their new efforts at every step. I'm obviously brand new to this particular forum, but I'd like to think that I'm one of you and that I'm writing not about "all of you," but about "all of us." Yes. I am a Newbie. But that doesn't mean I'm as sketchy as you might at first think!
If you're interested in helping me out, please contact me at [email address redacted] with answers to the following questions. In your responses, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE include the following information:
1) Your FULL real name and your contact information (preferably e-mail and AIM sn--if you want to give your phone number, that's fine, because I'm not selling this stuff to credit card companies or some bullshit and because it's likely that I'll need to re-connect with everybody at some point).
2) Who you prefer to be known as in the body of my essay, should you wish to be identified at all. Please try to keep things tasteful, but I'm not above vulgarity. It kind of goes with the territory, you know? When I present my thesis, I will totally be swearing.
3) Make sure to identify it clearly if something you write back to me is meant to remain "off the record." I will totally respect your privacy if you want me to, so please just be as clear as you can and everybody will win.
4) When e-mailing me, please include the full text of these "interview" questions in the body of the e-mail rather than in an attachment. I'm a broke-ass motherfucker and my computer is shit, so I will probably have a lot more trouble than I need if you send me anything as an attachment. INCLUDE the numbered questions in your responses so that I know what the hell you're talking about without having constantly to go back and forth between windows and documents. It'll make things easier for everybody.
5) In the subject heading of your e-mails, please write "JACKASS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS" so I don't think that some fuckers are spamming me. Leave the Beastman references to the body of the e-mail and out of the subject heading.
Sorry for all the semi-legal mumbo-jumbo...it sounds worse than it is--trust me. Here are the questions. I'm counting on everybody, so let's hear it. Even if you don't think you can answer a question, at least give it a try! Everything you say can help me out!
1) What are your thoughts, if any, on the JACKASS show/movie and the surrounding body of work (CKY, Big Brother, VIVA LA BAM, WILDBOYZ, etc.)? ie, How do you feel about the show being on MTV? How do you feel about the spinoff shows like VIVA LA BAM? How do you feel about CKY as a band? Please feel free to say as much about the JACKASS “body of work†as you would like–elaborate as much as you can, if possible.
2) Please explain in some detail the kinds of stunts/pranks/whatever that you’ve been involved in and the ways in which you filmed/staged these events (ie, cameras, number of people, etc.). How might, or might not, these activities have been inspired by or imitative of JACKASS or CKY or any other related sources? Many of you have been recommended to me by others, and I know nothing of your pasts, so please elaborate as you see fit. Include approximate timelines, too–if this stuff happened six years ago, please say so. If it happened last week, same thing.
3) Do you think that a “cult†of JACKASS fans actually exists?
4) Based on your knowledge of movie/TV show cults, do you think that you belong to what somebody might call a “JACKASS cult� Whether or not you do, WHY did you answer this question as you did?
5) If you have been involved in the “tour video†or “band video†scene, please describe your participation. How, if at all, were these activities inspired by or imitative of JACKASS or CKY or any of those other sources?
6) Would you agree that there is a connection between something like CKY (or anything else–please specify) and the tour videos in which you or somebody you know may have participated?
7) How do you feel about the increasing commercial presence of people like Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera? Do you care about Bam’s endorsement of a band like H.I.M. or Knoxville’s now-common appearances in big movies like THE DUKES OF HAZZARD?
8) How and why did you start filming yourself or others performing stunts, doing pranks, or any other such activities? What, if any, role did JACKASS (and so forth) play in your activities?
9) Please describe any difficulties which you have encountered in doing these stunts (and so forth), whether they be legal, economic, idea-based (like, you can’t think of anything to do), or ANYTHING else.
10) How do you think the public feels about people who “immitate†the stunts they see on TV shows and movies like JACKASS, etc.? How do you feel about these people (or yourselves, if you see or once saw yourselves as such), on the whole?
11) A JACKASS sequel is coming out, later this year. How do you feel about that and why?
12) Have you ever distributed your videos in any way? Online? DVD or VHS? On a public access TV station? On tour and with fans or other bands?
13) Are you, or have you ever been, a skater? If so, describe your specific level of participation in the scene.
14) What are your thoughts on the homoerotic content of so many of the skits/sequences in the JACKASS text? How do you relate to these under/overtones in relation to your status as a straight or gay or male or female viewer/fan/"cult member"?
15) Especially if you have ever filmed anything like what we see in the JACKASS text, how did or do you view the prominent WARNING messages which always come up? Describe how you think they do or don't work or anything else you find relevant.
16) What do you think about the ways in which critics and the general public view the JACKASS text? Obviously the show has a lot of detractors, so what do you think about that and how do you react to it?
17) Can you please describe, in some detail, your experiences in the JACKASS fan community (or whatever else you may want to call it), if you think you belong to it or belong to one such community?
That's all I've got, everybody. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE hit me up with your responses even if you think they might not be of any use. I'm serious when I say that sometimes the shit you think is so obvious and stupid and unimportant can totally change the way I think about this. I'm so "inside" this topic right now that it's really hard for me to stay objective, so please holler at me even if you think the idea of a "cult" of JACKASS is fucking crazy. That's fine! Just be explicit and detailed as you can be, even if your responses are really short. Some of the best stuff I've heard from other people I've interviewed or talked to was nothing I'd expected to hear and was even just a throwaway remark made in passing. That's where the good stuff is, so let it fly.
Also, if you don't want to e-mail me responses to any of these questions, that's fine. I know that it's a lot of writing and thinking to do for the sake of some damned fool who hasn't even posted anything yet and has just showed up asking for your help with no track record or credibility. Even so, I'd love to hear anything unrelated to these questions in this particular thread. Anything you think I didn't address but should? Post it here and explain what you think about it. Anything that you would like to hear about but aren't sure that I thought of it? Again, just post it here.
Thanks for the help, everybody. Like I said before, I'm just trying to get new people to start paying attention to JACKASS and everything which surrounds it, because anybody who thinks this stuff hasn't been really important (at least to our generation) is out of his or her mind. People need to wake up and realize that this stuff exists and that it is important, so let's make them shits happen.
--Brandon
P.S. Sorry for rambling or whatever. I'm burned the fuzz out. Also...please. No spam. I beg you.
