Jackass star Johnny Knoxville has opened up about his decision to quit Saturday Night Live. As a testament to his success as an artist and as part of the Jackass brand, Knoxville hosted SNL on May 7, 2005. With heavy metal band System of a Down as the musical guest, the Knoxville episode holds special significance as it marked the first appearance of Jason Sudeikis as a cast member.
As part of a Vanity Fair video, Knoxville openly contemplated choosing between being a cast member on SNL or doing the Jackass TV show.
In his quote below, Knoxville admits it was a “difficult choice,” but explains that he ultimately bet on himself and his friends:
“Well, they used to give me about five minutes every week to do something like a video. At that point, Jackass was — the deal was finally getting done, but then it took a few years. And so, I had to choose between going solo or betting on myself and my friends on Saturday Night Live, which was a very competitive show. It was an insane move at the time, but I bet on me and my friends. it was difficult.”
More Actors Who Turned Down Saturday Night Live
Knoxville is in good company when it comes to other celebrities and actors who have turned down SNL. Mindy Kaling has opened up about how she had to turn down the iconic show, even though it was once her dream job, as she had to turn down The Office, which eventually became her breakthrough project. Bonnie Hunt, a veteran actress and comedian, turned down an NBC mainstay when she was told she would not have a chance to improvise if a particular segment didn’t work.
Jennifer Aniston opened up about her disapproval of SNL in an interview with Oprah, saying it was “a men’s club”. Of course, she became a hugely successful celebrity thanks to her role as Rachel Green on Friends. These stories prove that Knoxville was right in betting on itself and its friends.
The latest Jackass installment, Jackass Forever, was praised for being an emotional exploration of a popular franchise that still delivered all the crazy stunts audiences have come to expect. It is unknown whether he would have been able to do the same as part of the Saturday Night Live group.
Source: Vanity Fair