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Bam Margera

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Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera is a multifaceted American entertainer. He is a former professional skateboarder and a stunt performer. He also works as a filmmaker and a television personality.

Bam Margera Cropped
Bam Margera Cropped

Margera rose to global prominence during the early 2000s. He became a central figure in the MTV reality series Jackass. This show featured high-energy stunts and comedic pranks. His work helped define a specific era of extreme sports media.

Margera's career began with homemade video production. In 1993, his father gave him his first video camera. He soon began filming with his childhood friend, Chris Raab. They captured skateboarding tricks and various stunts. These recordings eventually became the CKY video series. CKY stands for "Camp Kill Yourself," a name shared with his brother's band.

Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn
Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn

This group of friends became known as the CKY crew.

The CKY videos were often linked to the music of the band CKY. Margera released the first film, CKY: Landspeed, in 1999. This was followed by several sequels, including CKY2K and CKY3. These projects featured many of his close friends and family members. The success of these videos caught the attention of Jeff Tremaine. Tremaine was an editor for the show Big Brother. He recruited Margera and Ryan Dunn for the Jackass team.

Margera's television career expanded significantly after Jackass. MTV gave him his own series titled Viva La Bam. This show ran for five seasons between 2003 and 2006. It combined stunts with reality television elements. The production traveled to many international locations. These included Brazil, Finland, Mexico, and France.

Bam Margera Jackass 3D London Premiere 2
Bam Margera Jackass 3D London Premiere 2

He also hosted the radio show Radio Bam on Sirius Satellite Radio. This show began in November 2004.

Skateboarding has remained a core part of his identity. Margera began skating at age seven. He was sponsored by many companies, including Toy Machine and Volcom. In 2001, he joined Team Element, the demonstration team for Element Skateboards. He remained affiliated with them for the rest of his career. In 2017, he collaborated with Element for their 25th anniversary. He released ten limited edition deck designs. Each deck was limited to only 50 units.

Margera has also worked as an independent filmmaker. He co-wrote and directed the film Haggard in 2003. This movie was based on real events in the life of Ryan Dunn. He also directed Minghags, which was released on DVD in 2008. He spent years working on an autobiographical documentary. He originally called the project "I Need Time to Stay Useless." He later changed the title to "Earth Rocker." He reported having eleven terabytes of video footage for this film.

Despite his professional success, Margera has faced significant personal challenges. He has struggled with alcoholism and various legal issues. His life changed deeply after the death of Ryan Dunn in 2011. This loss intensified his use of drugs and alcohol. In 2020, he was removed from the production of Jackass Forever. This decision was due to his ongoing substance issues. His journey reflects the complex intersection of fame and personal struggle.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn.jpg
Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn.jpg
File:Bam Margera Jackass 3D London Premiere 2.jpg
Bam Margera Jackass 3D London Premiere 2.jpg
File:Bam Margera Cropped.jpg
Bam Margera Cropped.jpg
File:Bam Margera Missy Margera Jackass 3D London Premiere 1.jpg
Bam Margera Missy Margera Jackass 3D...
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