Well, if you were hoping for a peaceful, loving resolution to the growing rift between Bam Margera and the rest of the Jackass crew… don’t hold your breath.
The Viva La Bam star officially filed a lawsuit against his former friend Johnny Knoxville on Monday, along with MTV, director Jeff Tremaine, producer Spike Jonze, and Paramount Pictures, over his firing from the fourth and final film in the franchise, Jackass Forever.
Bam was reportedly let go due to his inability to stay sober for the entire shoot, something we first learned about when he himself posted an Instagram video in which he went on a seemingly drunken rant about it.
In the filing, per Variety, Bam confirms he signed a “wellness agreement” in order to be in the film — but claims Knoxville and Tremaine coerced him into doing so while he was still in rehab, without a lawyer present.
Then he had to undergo regular drug tests, which he admits to failing. However, he says the drug he tested positive for was Adderall, something he has taken by prescription for a decade.
He’s now using that fact to claim that a “protected class status.” In other words he’s saying he was dependent on the drug because of his mental health issues, therefore the filmmakers and studio discriminated against him due to his mental health status — something which is illegal. The suit states:
“Paramount’s inhumane treatment of Margera cannot be countenanced. Margera was made to endure psychological torture in the form of a sham Wellness Agreement, and then ultimately terminated for his protected class status due to his medical condition, and his complaints about Defendants’ discriminatory conduct towards him.”
According to Variety, the suit even goes so far as to compare Bam’s treatment on the film to Britney Spears‘ conservatorship, saying he was being victimized, controlled, and forced to take drugs he didn’t want to. It says in the docs:
“Defendants went so far as to employ a doctor who Facetimed with Margera every morning to ensure Margera took the cocktail of pills that Paramount’s medical team prescribed to him — pills that left him physically and mentally drained, depressed, and a shell of his former self.”
The wrongful firing suit accuses Knoxville and the other defendants of “inhumane, abusive and discriminatory treatment.” Bam also says he did work on the film, including stunt concepts and filming, which are being used in the film despite his firing.
In a statement along with the suit, Bam declared:
“I am pissed-off, angry, hurt, and shattered that Johnny, Jeff, Spike and the studios and producers ripped off my creativity, content and stunts to make this movie, fired me without justification and refuse to pay for my work.”
He added:
“I created this franchise before any of these guys ever got involved.”
Thus far Knoxville has remained relatively silent on the issue of Bam’s relapse and firing. In a GQ interview back in May he did offer:
“We want Bam to be happy and healthy and get the help he needs. We tried to push that along. I think that’s all I really want to say about it.”
Was that tough love a violation of Bam’s rights? Does he have a case?? That remains to be seen. We’ll certainly keep you posted.
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