July 25, 2011 Arts » Events

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Q&A with Steve-O 

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Had you done stand-up comedy before or is this a totally new endeavor?

I started doing stand-up five years ago and it wasn’t intentional at all. Somebody invited me to a comedy club in Los Angeles and they asked me to get on stage and do something crazy in the comedy club. I agreed to show up and I decided I would come up with something to do when I got there. Then when I got there I looked around and I thought, “By far, the craziest thing I could possibly do would be to try stand-up comedy.” I sat around waiting for it to become my turn and I was thinking of different stuff that I could say to try to get laughs. Finally I got on stage and I said, “I’m in the mood for a blowjob, does anybody want one?” I had a really good experience that first time. I was only up for a few minutes, but afterwards I was hooked on it. I was really blown away by a possible future that didn’t involve breaking bones or shoving anything up my butt. Stand-up comedy was a hobby of mine for some time there. And obviously, I had a lot more stuff going on in my life and so stand-up didn’t get a lot of my attention until we were working on Jackass 3D. After a days work I would know that everybody was in the bar and that I was missing out on the comradery, but I had to be honest with my self and recognize that if I was in that bar and I took a drink then there wouldn’t be a days work. I have to ask myself “Do I have a legitimate reason to be in a place where people are drinking?” and if I have a legitimate reason then by all means, I’m there. What comedy has been for me is that it’s a legitimate reason for me to be somewhere. I’m perfectly happy in a comedy club. And while we were working in Jackass 3D, I started hitting the comedy clubs real hard. By the time that movie came out I started getting offers to headline in comedy clubs all around, just like the show I’ll be doing in Charlotte.

What can folks expect from your stand-up performance?

From that very first time where I got booked as a headliner I determined that it was not within my power to allow anybody to sell tickets to a Steve-O show if I was going to stand there and talk the whole time. From the very beginning of this tour the stand-up has consisted of stories about the most outrageous stuff that’s ever happened to me with a lot of punch lines built into it. You know, the punch lines exist on there own but I really worked and honed it where it’s a legitimate comedy act. But, the simple fact is its based on real experiences. I have so much material now, that I kind of have to pick and choose what I want to do. It’s really turned into something really great. Recognizing that a lot of people love the crazy stupid stuff that I’m more known for, I also do a set of crazy stunts and tricks. At one point I teach everybody how to get drunk for free at bars. I address that sobriety is important to me and I make it real clear that I don’t push sobriety on anybody. To make that clear I teach everybody a sure proof, guaranteed method of getting drunk for free in bars forever. That within itself is worth the price of admission. From the bar trick it gets more and more outrageous as I go. I do stuff that’s really silly and painful. I do stuff that’s like generally scary and dangerous. And in most clubs, provided that they allow it, I fully set myself on fire. So, I bring to this show everything in my power to make it as entertaining as possible and then once it’s over I stick around and take photos with every single person in the audience who wants one. I go to any length that I can possible go to in order to make it the best show that I can. And that’s why I have been able to stay on tour for as long as I have. It’s been since last November. If my show sucked, then I wouldn’t still be doing it and if my comedy wasn’t funny then people would be saying that online. As douchey as it sounds to pat myself on the back like this, it’s really good shit. I’m just super proud of it. And I can’t wait to come to Charlotte.

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