Joe Rogan Experience #2439 - Johnny Knoxville
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Joe Rogan podcast intro with music and clips.
- Met Gene LeBell (Judo Gene LeBell) first on Men in Black 2 as a stunt man.
- People lined up outside his trailer to get choked out; he gave cartoonish patches saying "You've been choked out by Judo Gene LeBell".
- Anecdote: Stunt man slapped Gene before choke; after, Gene dropped him straight to the ground.
"That's what you get for slapping Gene LeBell. Don't slap him. Give him a kiss."
Gene LeBell's Fight with Milo Savage
- One of the first mixed martial arts fights: Gene LeBell vs. Milo Savage.
- Milo greased up beforehand, but Gene wore a gi (frictiony), negating grease.
- Rumor: Milo Savage's gloves were loaded.
"I would do that though if I was Milo Savage... have some kind of weapon against Gene LeBell."
- Grappling helplessness: like being grabbed by an orangutan; people underestimate until grabbed.
Gene LeBell's Background
- Mom ran Grand Olympic Auditorium; grew up training with all disciplines of fighters.
- Judo specialist; taught Bruce Lee importance of grappling on Green Hornet.
- Story: Locked up with Bruce Lee, picked him up, carried over shoulder; Bruce (lightweight, ~130-140 lbs?) vs. Gene (light heavyweight judo champion, ~190 lbs) realized helplessness.
- Gene's face like a catcher's mitt; check ears for cauliflower ear before talking shit—buy a drink or hug.
Cauliflower Ears and Faking
- Steve-O tried to get cauliflower ear (possibly from Jon Jones?); tried twisting Jeff Tremaine's ear on Jackass Number Two but failed.
"You got to earn that... It's kind of weak" to fake it. "Hot should be earned... The oldfashioned way with eye contact."
- Reference: Robert De Niro movie (mob boss seeing shrink, Billy Crystal as shrink, refuses Viagra).
"Dude, you've had a wild ride... sometimes it feels like you're living someone else's life... impostor syndrome... extremely grateful, especially for a guy with my limited education."
- Then-girlfriend pregnant, daughter on way; moved to LA to act but failing, drinking heavily.
- Lived next to Antoine Fuqua (director) in duplex; got commercial agent via casting director; friend John Linson set up writing for magazine.
- Article: Tested self-defense equipment on self (stun gun, taser, pepper spray, shot in bulletproof vest with .38 revolver).
- Jeff Tremaine (editor Big Brother magazine, skateboarding mag owned by Larry Flynt) helped; filmed for skateboard video.
- Bought cheapest bulletproof vest with Christmas money from mom; borrowed .38 from neighbor's wife.
- Shot self on fire road off I-14; friend refused, so self-shot; tweakers interrupted asking directions.
- Photographer traumatized (saw buddy die jumping hotel to pool); hustlers under vest for padding fell out, gun pointed at friends accidentally.
- Put in Big Brother video; genesis of Jackass.
"Isn't it weird how desperation... lights a fire under your ass... no fear like having a daughter on the way." "Necessity is the mother of invention... primal feeling."
Self-Harming Stunts and Close Calls
- No prior dangerous activities; drinking hurt liver.
- Stunts normalize over time.
- Close calls (6-7): blindfolded bull (bulls hate movement, want to stop it forever); Jackass Number Two rocket (foot-long metal rods, one missed ribs, one split art guys 300 yards away).
- Buster Keaton stunt: 20-foot steel facade wall fell early after "cut"; head barely made window, crushed body—hyper limber helped, accordion on impact.
Production and Anxiety
- After first movie, didn't want second (couldn't top); Tremaine said "don't top, just be funny"—freed him (later admitted lie).
- Shoots: 2 weeks on/off over 4-5 months; Jackass Number Two 8-9 months, intervention (Spike Jonze, Jeff, cast) to stop; too much footage, no Olympic ski jump (no ski experience, 20 min prep, doomed post-intervention; negotiated 2 more weeks).
Amazon MGM Studios Mercy (Jan 23 theaters, IMAX 3D): Near-future AI trials (Chris Pratt detective, Rebecca Ferguson AI judge, dir. Teo van Beekman Bedoff). mercymov.com, PG-13.
- Done with concussion-risk stunts; last in Jackass Forever: Dressed as magician in bull ring, poured milk in hat for prank/reaction; concrete ground (not soft dirt); mistimed jump, flipped 1.5 times, back of head hit concrete—concussion, brain hemorrhage, broken rib, broken wrist.
- Butterbean KO: Lucky punch, didn't feel it (prior punches hurt); vertigo 6-8 weeks; sewed head (hit swap meet display).
Injuries and Responsibility
- Hope to entertain, not inspire copycats (signs: "watch don't do").
- Worst: Many concussions, arm/back breaks.
- Long-term: Blown-out lower back (herniated lower two discs), intracept procedure (Dec, radio frequency burns nerve); facet joint steroid shots failed.
"Just pain... I'm fine with that."
Back Injury Recommendations
- Reverse hyper machine by Louie Simmons (powerlifter, bad discs, decompresses spine while strengthening muscles; up=strengthen, down=decompress; like Ving Rhames in Pulp Fiction).
- Teeter Dex: Hinge from waist, hang from hips/thighs, decompresses back.
- Met Sharon Levy (runs Endeavor); liked her rebellious vibe, joined over lunch; 148 initial episodes.
- Relieved cancellation: Stunts too extreme, would "fuck somebody up".
Fear Factor Bull Riding Stunt
- First stunt objection: 98 lb woman bull riding; stunt coordinator Perry called "stunt bulls".
"Does that bull know he's a stunt bull?"
- Bull bucked in cage pre-ride; begged producers to cancel.
Knoxville was one of the only things where he said he wouldn't do it, telling everyone he would never ride bulls. Bulls get upset when ridden but some don't hook after you fall off. These bulls had handlers steering them away from people effectively. Bulls weigh 2,000 lbs, all muscle, powerful even in the cage.
Bulls are very smart. In Spanish bullfighting they kill the bull because they learn your movements. You can't make the same movement twice.
Bulls can jump fences easily but many don't realize they can; provoking them makes them jump, endangering 35 people. Sets with bulls require positivity: Gary Lefw, world champion in 1970, banned negativity—no negative talk, fights, or vibes—or person off set. Bull senses it, and crew must be present and positive for stunts that can alter you forever.
If you half commit to something that can alter you forever, you're going to get fucked up.
Must want to be there fully. Bizarre life skill: stay positive to survive dangerous stunts.
Other Sketchy Stunts
Close call: lady strapped to front of truck in obstacle course; box hit windshield, other car nearly slammed her legs; she screamed thinking hit.
Second round: people attached to tree, find key to unlock while bungee cord pulls them via helicopter, rocketing over giant canyon—terrifying, 100% dead if wrong.
Cancelled after donkey cum episode. Contestants: guy drank donkey cum (boars ejaculate 15 ounces), brother drank donkey piss. Twins played horseshoes; all drank, only one won—two drank cum, two piss for nothing.
Seamen burps later... bleachy smell.
Women fought over piss, preferred it to cum. Guys avoided cum. Knoxville warned producers twice it would cancel show; NBC approved via standards guy. Leaked footage (TMZ?) caused outrage; never aired in America, aired overseas (Netherlands/Germany). Fear Factor originated in Netherlands as Now or Neverland by Endemol, brought to US.
No blowback from Jackass pony/strength/horse cum on TV vs. broadcast standards.
Hosting Fear Factor
Did 6-7 seasons initially + 6 more (one unaired ~2011-12). Didn't write; showed up, took edibles/pot lollipops/gummies after first 4 sober episodes to enjoy as adventure. Ate disgusting things with contestants to encourage: roaches, worms, spiders (some aired, much off-air). Coached: "Chew, swallow. It's in your head. Just do it."
Initially planned to give hell/make fears worse, but helped regular people. Became motivational coach.
Girl quit snake stunt; afterward rallied cast: always try, don't let fear stop you. Everyone afterward made effort even if horrified.
Primal Fears and Coaching
Ophidiophobia (snake fear) primal, encoded in DNA from ancestors bitten/survived. Body locks up, shakes—ancient caveman fear.
Fear Factor questionnaire: list fears (heights, snakes, spiders)—got all.
Knoxville's martial arts/taekwondo coaching background: locked in with terrified tournament fighters, mindset shift for accomplishment post-fear.
Carried to Fear Factor: push through danger/pressure (e.g., breath hold 2 minutes underwater with rescue divers). One nearly quit, won whole thing.
Survivor's euphoria: endorphins after surviving. Col. John Paul Stapp (biophysicist/flight surgeon, worked with Chuck Yeager at Edwards AFB) studied pilot ejections. Strapped to sleds at hundreds mph, decelerated in 8 ft (up to 49 Gs, most ever; went blind temporarily). Prepared by practicing blind at home. Fastest man alive then; invented seatbelts; Time cover.
Amazing physical demand: pilots jacked, short/thick for blood flow to brain. No G-suits (just flight suit)—about staying conscious via hooking (straps/joystick to force blood to brain as blackout closes in).
Went 7.5 Gs; pilot ahead "hoot hoot" blacking out too while canyon runs hundreds mph, 100-200 ft off ground. Let Joe loop/roll jet (joystick connected, pilot override). Wicked turns compress body insanely.
Decommissioned fighter jets for sale: $395k-$5M (e.g., 1992 McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk). Russia: fully loaded cheap.
Russia Stunts
Shot on military base: fired missiles from cannon, Steve-O MIG flight (when friendly).
Athletic Brewing Company ad: non-alcoholic beers (IPAs, etc.), 185+ awards, in 75k stores; athleticbrewing.com/rogan 15% off.
Russia surreal: disaster drills hiding under desks, head between legs for nuclear bomb.
Do you ever look back on how surreal your life has been?
Growing up you'd do disaster drills in case Russia dropped the bomb.
Joe Rogan Experience #2439 - Johnny Knoxville (Chunk 3)
Johnny Knoxville reflects on being in Russia in 2005 for Wildboyz, feeling surreal after transitioning to movies. Joe notes Knoxville became a movie star but returned to stunts, starting in Russia with Russian special forces on an obstacle course.
Russian Special Forces Stunt
- Knoxville suggested Jeff have their attack dog attack him, shoot rubber bullets, and kick him in the face at the end.
- Dog attacked; special forces guy initially refused kick but delivered to solar plexus; Knoxville begged for three harder takes.
- Jeff pulled him aside: for basic cable (Wildboyz TV show), why not do another movie?
- Done 4 Jackass movies; just announced 5th, set for release June 26th (not yet filmed, starting late February).
- No apprehension despite concussion ban; doesn't care about breaking arm or leg.
Risk Tolerance Evolution
"There was probably some self-worth issues when I began. It didn't come from a healthy place."
- Joe averse to permanent injuries like blown knee; Knoxville's producer side overrides: "Hey, but we're gonna get footage."
- Assesses risks; possible concussion in violent situations.
- Insurance: First movie per bit (some bits cost more than whole movie); later shady companies insured whole.
- Fear Factor similar insurance model.
Love for Stunts
"I learned to love it... like a comedian learning to love bombing."
- Created with friends; wires crossed, now loves it.
- Therapist: discussed everything except stunts to avoid unwinding it, even after issues.
- Now exploring post-concussion ban.
- Grateful for career; would discuss endlessly.
- Recreated father's environment: owned tire company with characters like Big George, ass-kicking Robert, Super Dick, WW Woodroll Wilson Boxcar Johnson Jr. (tire groover, frequent arrests).
Father's Pranks
- Staged gunfights at Christmas parties (blank guns): first year, employees argued and fired, crowd fled; next year, gave whole party blanks, all fired back.
- VD clinic letters: rubber-stamped envelopes listing last 10 partners, signed Dr. Harlland C. Titmore; wives/mothers-in-law reacted emotionally (one real gun pulled).
- IRS audit letters: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation visited; stopped.
- Hot dog prank: microwaved, dragged through sleeping son's lips, pretended zipping pants.
Family Reaction
- Father loved Jackass but hated stunt parts; whole family similar.
- Knoxville imitating father; father in one TV episode, wrote bits.
- Steve-O climbed tree, lions took hat (disrespectful, fortunate not head).
- Unpredictable; no backup (e.g., lions up tree = dead).
Alligator Stunt Safety
- Safety guy Manny Pig (dives swamps at night for gators/crocs).
- Plan if gator bites Steve-O: "Hopefully he will let go."
Other Wildboyz
- Keep-away with hyenas (top bite force).
- Argentina zoo: rode bike in lion pen (mating season, aggressive); keepers warned don't trip/fall; lion locked on, rushed out (first non-keeper in pen).
- Avoided death repeatedly; lucky.
- Joe gets anxiety watching; uncomfortable with Wildboyz most.
- Knoxville fine with own but not others' gnarly stunts.
- Censored kids: oldest daughter (Madison) watched at 14, sat next to him with instructions to close eyes/ears/cover both for list of bits.
- Internet now free-for-all; showed son 1 year ago, daughter 6 months ago; youngest saw only first movie (tame, e.g., Ryan Dunn toy car X-ray up ass).
Kids' Future
- No worry they'll follow; daughters brighter/more risk-averse; son jokes but bright with options (Knoxville saw few).
- Harder watching girls hurt: female cast member broke lower back on rubber raft down grassy hill (lav mic impact); hospitalized briefly, now fine (saw at Jackass art show).
- First time curating; cast/crew artists plus big names.
- Reached out to Damien Hirst, got 10 pieces; blown away by vibes.
- Created pop culture chapter; entertaining/ridiculous.
- Shoot like pickup basketball; Jeff Ross roasted chaotic pranks (e.g., old people bits jumping before cameras).
- Make friends laugh as bellwether.
Bull Stunt
- Magic trick with bull: first bull plowed/stomped (take 2).
- Riot control test (Arkansas): Bam, Dunn, Knoxville hit by 10,000 rubber beads.
- New Orleans: hook through Steve-O's jaw, chum waters, cast to sharks (questioned Jeff; shark bit foot, Steve-O kicked away; reshot day before, hole other jaw side).
Steve-O Mentoring
- Mentors young guys: barb wire run, firecrackers (Zach in cast, compound fractured ankle skateboarding; Rubensque, tibia/fibula).
- UFC leg breaks disturbing: Anderson Silva (Weidman), Chris Weidman (Uriah Hall, first kick checked, snap audible; never same).
- Conor McGregor similar; one PFL heavyweight reportedly returned.
There's a heavyweight guy in the PFL that snapped his shin like that and came back and kept fighting. Weidman has had some fights since then and even thrown that kick since then, but you're not the same. Mentally it gets to you. One leg now weighs more with titanium, screws, and a bunch of stuff in there, and it feels different. Chris had to go through insane amount of surgeries, multiple surgeries to correct it because it didn't take right the first time. You're hoping the bones grow back together with a rod and screws, and the bone fuses around it. In some circumstances, they go back in to take out the supporting stuff and let the bone exist normally. Risk of infection. It's gnarly.
Preference for Watching Fights
Harder time watching women get fucked up than men, maybe sexist. UFC women's fights, they go for it, extra aggressive. Seems crazier when women are beating the shit out of each other. Fight at UFC Sphere in Vegas: Irene Aldana, a beast, got a cut in her forehead that looked like someone hit her with an axe. Entire forehead split wide open, blood pouring out, but she marched forward throwing bombs, blood splattering with every punch. Cut got worse, 6-inch cut on forehead, could see the whole skull exposed when interviewing her after. She lost the decision to Norma Dumont.
That's it right there. Look at that. Oh my goodness. And she's marching forward throwing bombs where blood is like splattering. It was fucking crazy. She's a warrior. Oh my god... Insane.
Referee didn't stop it despite inspecting and wiping it down. Very subjective; referees stop fights for less. Doctor said let it go. Nose split open too. Most likely an elbow. Norma Dumont is a beast too, won the decision. Happened around second round.
Doing Jackass Forever, talking about new cast members including females. Hesitant at first, but assistant Megan and other women friends said guys do it, women can do it. Addressed it and moved forward. Got Rachel Wolfson, fantastic. She's fun, cool chick, at the club all the time.
Irene Aldana's Scar Post-Fight
Photo of Aldana's face now: looks healed with makeup and filter, but can see scar when light hits it. Gives her character. Unusual woman willing to get face cut open and march forward in a mask of blood like a horror movie, throwing bombs despite cut over eye, nose split, giant gash on forehead.
When a woman gets knocked out, stomach turns more than with men. So used to guys. When shinned in the head and stiffen up, it's like "Oh fuck man."
Joe Rogan's Fight Commentary Experience
Seen more people get pummeled in person than anybody, elite fighters smashing each other. Number of knockouts in the thousands. Started post-fight interviews in 1997 at UFC 12, now at UFC 324, been there for large percentage.
Love Fedor, one of all-time greats, favorite fighters. Tragedy he never fought Cain Velasquez in UFC when both in prime. Fedor stoic, deadfaced no matter what, like a robot. Before fights, others jumping, he looks about to fall asleep. Mindset impenetrable.
Kevin Randleman suplexed him on head, could have knocked most unconscious or separated vertebrae, but Fedor rolled into it, reversed position seconds later, world-class wrestler Randleman no match. Submitted in kimura within a minute.
SO, HE GETS SLAMMED. OH MY GOODNESS. And just rolls right into it. Insane.
Most complete heavyweight of era: elite standing, wild scrambles, armbars off back, submissions on ground, throws. Vs. Nogueira brutal, ground and pound bombing, beat him twice despite worries.
Peak form window short; judge GOATs in prime. Fedor in prime as good as anybody who ever lived.
Cain Velasquez
Superhuman freak, stoic, freakish cardio like no heavyweight, "Cardio Cain," pace breaks opponents by second round. Smashed Brock Lesnar, terrifying 300lb Viking.
Watched Brock body slam Wee Man through table at restaurant (Four Seasons) before Wrestlemania vs. Sami Zayn. Wee Man chatty after drinks, Brock scooped him like baby, "You're going through that table," bam through regular table.
HE'S LIKE, "NO, WE MAN LIKE NO."
Brock NCAA D1 national champion wrestler. If went straight to MMA post-college, all-time great. Striking took time to learn, already pro wrestling star, didn't need money.
Beat Randy Couture, Frank Mir, all-time greats. Freak athlete.
250lb man moves like 150lb, fast, athletic, elite wrestling (Olympic gold), ridiculous power/speed in hands, unstoppable drive/discipline. KO'd guy with left hook then slammed unconscious body to ground before ref got there, hopped to top of octagon.
Everybody's fucked.
Hard to get fights on regional circuit, no one wants to. Not fast/skillful enough to avoid punches/takedowns, pummeled on top. Need gangster mindset like stunts.
Early Mike Tyson Fights and Boxing Path
Boxing better prepares via journeymen. Tyson fought guys with zero business in there, took payday, knocked into orbit. Fun to watch phenom at 19 from Catskills. All business, towel with hole.
Manager Jim Jacobs, boxing historian, showed films of old fighters: Sandy Saddler, Willie Pep, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson.
Sugar Ray Robinson: ~90-0 before first loss, another 40 before second. Fought multiple times a year, unlike today (Crawford no fight in 1.5 years).
End sad: dementia, couldn't talk.
Problem fighting prospects like Stevenson: destroys confidence, glass jaw, easier KOs next time.
Knoxville KO'ed ~16 times. Brain scans not best, no awards, told don't get more concussions. Can't detect CTE until postmortem. No lingering memory issues? Remembers childhood perfectly, recent week fuzzy—aging or head injuries? Seems okay, but many fighters struggle privately.
After magician KO, offline months: super depressed, anxious, fearful, catastrophic thinking, ruminating, creative mind turned against, like bottom of well. Medication (4-6 weeks), colors came back, felt like self.
Johnny Knoxville describes going off medication and being fine after an intense depressive episode. He tried transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over six to eight weeks during the middle of an episode. Initially, he talked to the technician, but by the end, he was completely in his head, not looking or talking. It got progressively worse, but medication helped him come out of it.
Joe Rogan worries about fighters like Muhammad Ali at the end, slurring words during Leon Spinks interviews, noticeable even in sparring with Larry Holmes. Fighters mumble and slur yet continue fighting, passing athletic commissions. Commissions pass fighters like Wanderlei Silva, who recently had a boxing match in Brazil turn into a brawl; he was KO'd by a bare-knuckle punch while a melee ensued, dragged out cold.
That's sad. He's dead out.
Wanderlei was KO'd many times: by Mirko Cro Cop (headkick), Rampage Jackson, etc. Mirko Cro Cop had legs like Earl Campbell, one of the most elite strikers in MMA history.
Greatest staredown in combat sports history: Wanderlei Silva (intimidating MMA fighter) vs. Mirko Cro Cop (head of anti-terrorist squadron, probably murdered people). Neither scared; Cro Cop looked through his soul.
Pride allowed stomps, soccer kicks; referees had hands full. They had fake drug testing; Enson Inoue said they posted in all caps "WE DO NOT TEST FOR STEROIDS." They encouraged PEDs for excitement: highly skilled, juiced-up savages. Fedor didn't look on steroids (dad bod but jacked, no weight cuts), from Russian sports program that cheated.
Icarus documentary by Bryan Fogel: endurance racer tests naturally vs. juiced with Grigory Rodchenkov (head of Russian "anti-doping"). During Sochi Olympics, Russians swapped urine via hole in wall, exploiting micro-abrasions in jars. Rodchenkov fled, revealed state-sponsored doping; now in US witness protection, family arrested, assets seized. Led to Russia banned from Brazil Olympics. Exception: figure skaters—PEDs hurt fine motor skills.
Society now celebrates being gay, testament after long danger of being killed or beaten. Alan Turing: gay genius who broke Enigma code (WWII impact), father of modern computer, invented Turing Test (determine AI sentience; modern AIs like Perplexity pass it). Chemically castrated in 1950s England, committed suicide.
WWII: last time Americans felt like heroes defeating Nazis. Famous staged Time Square kiss photo. Post-WWII wars muddy (no clear good/bad guys). Vietnam senseless, started on false pretenses (Gulf of Tonkin incident proven false flag, like Hitler's Poland invasion).
Blitzed by Norman Ohler: Nazis used Pervitin (meth capsules) for Blitzkrieg through Poland in three days, no sleep. Dosed by position; diminishing returns from addiction. Hitler on Eukodal (opiate), Pervitin, more; shady doctor. Genetic anomaly: Kallmann syndrome (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, undescended testicle, micropenis confirmed via blood/DNA from suicide sofa).
Johnny Knoxville produced via friend Julien Nitzberg, who found Jesco White (from 1980s/90s Dancing Outlaw video by Jacob Young). Checked on Jesco's family: generational neglect, younger kids wilder. Got MTV funding after rough cut. Charismatic outlaws ravaged by coal companies (company stores, abandoned towns), then pills. Stick-it-to-the-man mentality, disability checks. Entertaining yet sad: kids on Mountain Dew doing backflips, talking stabbing; family trying to clean up but trapped in environment, no path out, no good examples. Some family moved to Michigan, flourished.
Discussion on forgotten sections of the country marked by extreme despair, poverty, exploitation by coal companies and pills, widespread addiction, and a long history of crime. Growing up in such environments makes it hard to see a way out.
When filming Huck, they didn't know what to expect. The final film was very impactful, impossible to turn away from, pulling on heartstrings. Subjects are charismatic with a sense of humor that eases through the tough situations.
Premiere Experiences
- Flew Jessica and Mai to the premiere.
- Jessica planned to tap dance in his father Dray White's tap shoes, carried in a plastic pharmaceutical bag; shoes dropped when getting out of the car, felt terrible.
- Met Jessica White and Mike Judge (friend, not involved in film) in a bar before premiere; Mike wanted to meet Jessica.
Mike Judge: Talented, cool, bright; started as engineer, then music; very interesting character.
At premiere, they enjoyed seeing themselves on screen, people laughing and going crazy. Subject matter tough, but it's their life—they're not surprised.
Follow-Up on Subjects
- Occasionally get updates from Julian; one in the news now and then.
- Haven't stayed in touch.
- Subab on TikTok with her daughter; has the best voice. > "I was always the sexy one."
No plans for follow-up film: "Someone else can. We did it and moved on. A little much to go back. A little exploitative. I don't feel right about it."
Future Projects and Aspirations
Loves doing documentaries. Developing a couple:
- One on David Allan Coe, country singer-songwriter, directed by Julien Nitzberg.
David Allan Coe's life:
- Institutionalized from age 9 to 35; parents put him in boy's home as too much to handle.
- Head of outlaw motorcycle gang.
- Had 8 or 9 wives.
- Formed his own religion, wrote a book.
- Wrote racist songs in prison; Shel Silverstein convinced him to record them upon release (no defense for them; lived complicated life).
- In the 80s, became magician and ventriloquist (shows frightening picture with dummy; made it seem real, son Tyler Coe thought it was real).
- Penn & Teller credit him as influence.
Tyler Coe: Sharp, friend; hosts brilliant podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones.
Challenges getting such projects made now.
Ventriloquism Stories
Weird connection between good ventriloquist and dummy.
Joe Rogan recalls Twilight Zone episode: Dummy alive, converses with ventriloquist when alone, dummy kills the guy.
Otto and George ventriloquist comedy act (Otto the man, George the evil-looking dummy with crazy eyebrows):
- Comedy legend worked with; Otto treated dummy as real—checked on it in car trunk, talked to it roadside.
- Audience member stabbed dummy on stage at Dangerfield's during back-and-forth; guy jumped onstage (inspired, part of performance).
- Otto dead now; partied hard, enthusiast, no known marriage or children; nuts, maniacal genius.
- Legend on East Coast 1980s-1990s; everyone knew them; funny, great joke writer, but no business sense, missed national career.
- Possible documentary in works on Otto and George.
Podcast Closing
Good luck on Fear Factor reboot; hopes it runs another 148 episodes like original, nobody gets hurt.
- Premieres tonight, the 14th.
Appreciation exchanged; Knoxville entertained over years, gave anxiety but glad mostly okay.
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