The Joe Rogan Experience #2439 — Guest: Johnny Knoxville

Date: January 15, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Joe Rogan sits down with the legendary stuntman, comedian, and “Jackass” co-creator Johnny Knoxville for a wide-ranging, highly entertaining, and often jaw-dropping conversation. They delve deep into Knoxville’s career of stunts and mayhem, the psychology of risk-taking, iconic Jackass moments, the trajectory of physical injuries (including concussions), and profound reflections on thrill-seeking, responsibility, and surviving wild situations. They also cover the culture behind "Jackass," the darker side of pushing boundaries, and the new “Fear Factor” reboot—hosted by Knoxville himself.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

The Legacy of Stuntwork and Judo Gene LeBell (00:19–04:21)

• Knoxville shares his experience meeting legendary stuntman and martial artist Gene LeBell, recounting stories of being “choked out” for patches and colorful set memories.
• Discussion of early mixed martial arts history: Gene LaBelle vs. Milo Savage.
  • Rogan: "He had one of the very first ever mixed martial arts fights." (01:17)
  • Judo Gene teaching Bruce Lee about grappling and strength differences.

Standout Moment

• Rogan: "Don't slap him. Give him a kiss. Kiss him in the cheek before he chokes you out. Don't slap him." (01:17)

Jackass Origins and the Rise of Extreme Comedy (04:21–10:44)

• Knoxville details the desperate beginnings of "Jackass": impending fatherhood prompted him to write wild self-defense articles, which transformed into filmed stunts.
• Shooting himself with a cheap bulletproof vest (08:00), the surreal origins of on-camera mayhem.
  • Knoxville: "So I'm like, all right, well, give me the gun. And I'm... I got the gun to my chest and a car pulls up behind me, and it's a bunch of tweakers... So I went back to shooting myself. It was sketchy. It looked like a snuff film." (08:10)
• Transition to TV and the accidental normalization of physical risk.

Memorable Quote

• Knoxville: “Sometimes it feels like you're living someone else's life, you know. Imposter syndrome. Yeah, a little. And I'm extremely grateful, especially for a guy with my limited education. I get the joke.” (04:36)

Managing Fear, Close Calls & Injury (10:44–18:16)

• The mounting dangers from escalating Jackass stunts (bulls, rockets, Buster Keaton wall gag gone awry).
• Philosophy of danger: one-upping your last achievement isn’t necessary; emphasis should be on comedy over escalation (13:52).
  • Knoxville relays the intervention to stop shooting after going too far during "Jackass Number Two"—and his negotiation for two more weeks (“I did negotiate two more weeks of shooting out of them.” (16:00))
• The psychological shift of being responsible for a crew and the pressure of audience expectations.

Lasting Physical & Psychological Impact (18:16–31:55)

• Knoxville on cumulative injuries:
  • “I can't do any stunt where I would get a concussion now because I've had too many. The last one was really gnarly. I kind of went offline for a while.” (18:16)
  • Bulls, Butterbean KO, repeated concussions.
• Ongoing back issues, attempts at medical interventions (radiofrequency ablation, injections, Rogan suggesting exercise equipment like the Reverse Hyper and Teeter for decompression). (23:05–26:38)
  • Rogan: “Have you ever heard of a machine called a reverse Hyper?... I love this machine. I have one at home, I have one here at the studio.” (24:22)
• The ethics of inspiring copycats: “I hope to just entertain them and not inspire them, but I can't ... just watch, don't do.” (21:45)

Behind-the-Scenes: “Fear Factor” and Ethics of Danger Entertainment (26:38–41:36)

• Rogan and Knoxville swap “Fear Factor” production war stories—liability, insurance, outlandish stunts, and the infamous “donkey cum” episode that ended the show.
  • Rogan: “They got donkey come because it's the cheapest come.” (34:21)
  • Knoxville: “You know what the worst part of that is? Semen burps later.” (35:35)
• Discussion on the psychological coaching contestants needed to surpass primal fear and survivor’s euphoria.
  • Rogan: "You just gotta decide. Like, your mind has to decide. I'm just going to do this. Just do it. Just go ahead and do it. Don't think about, oh, my God, I can't believe I'm doing it. Just fucking do it. Chew, swallow, chew, swallow." (40:33)
  • Knoxville on survivor’s euphoria: “It just fills you up.” (47:24)

Stunts, Risk, and Survivor’s Mindset (41:36–61:12)

• Reflections on the draw of life-or-death stunts and survivor’s euphoria.
• Psychological assessment: Knoxville admits compartmentalizing his drive for stunts, never wanting to “unwind” that part in therapy.
  • Knoxville: “...we can talk about everything in my life, but not the part of me that does stunts. Really? Yeah. Because I didn't want to unwind that.” (60:48)
• Discussion of boundaries, pushing limits, and the mental “glass jaw” after repeated KO’s.

Family, Legacy, and Cultural Impact (61:12–81:03)

• Knoxville’s upbringing: prankster father, wild cast of characters, early indoctrination in chaos. (62:55–68:04)
  • Stories of staged gunfights at the Christmas party and extreme workplace pranks.
• Reflections on Jackass’s pop culture legacy and 25th anniversary art show.
  • Knoxville: “You created, like, a chapter in modern pop culture history, really, because it became one of the most entertaining things ever and one of the most ridiculous things ever.” (76:58)
• Real risks and scary wild animal segments—incompetent backup plans, the challenge of drawing lines, and the difference in audience reactions to men vs. women getting hurt.

Injuries, Consequences, and the Realities of Combat (81:03–115:16)

• Detailed discussion on injuries, both in Jackass and in combat sports: shattering limbs, notorious MMA/boxing knockouts, gender and risk aversion.
  • Rogan: “...when a woman gets knocked out, it bugs me way more... I just. You're sitting there in your commentary chair, you're just like, oh, man. When someone gets shinned in the head, just bang. And you see them stiffen up. Like, there's something about a woman getting knocked out that. I don't know why. Yeah, it's part my. My brain is like, no.” (91:34)
• The problem of knowing when to stop: “How do you outrun that, which made him a champion?” (112:13)
• Cumulative trauma—brain scans and the irreversibility of CTE:
  • Knoxville: “I've gotten my knockouts. I got knocked out easier. Yeah. It's the old glass jaw.” (106:49)
  • Knoxville: “They're like, don’t get any more concussions.” (107:18)
• Depression after stunts, TMS therapy for post-concussion symptoms, and realistic limitations moving forward.

Combat Legends & Doping (115:16–124:06)

• Deep dive on MMA and boxing GOATs: Fedor, Cain Velasquez, Mike Tyson, women’s UFC, the “Pride” era, and the dangers of weight-cutting.
  • Rogan: “Fedor in his prime was about as good as anybody who ever lived.” (96:28)
• Stories about fighters’ careers being ended or curtailed by repeated KO’s.
• Russian doping scandals, the documentary Icarus, and systemic cheating:
  • Rogan: “[Icarus]... led to... Russia was banned from the Brazil Olympics.” (122:26)

Reflections on LGBTQ+ Acceptance & Alan Turing (124:06–127:00)

• The history and acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities, referencing Alan Turing’s pivotal contributions and tragic persecution.
  • Rogan: “And what did they do? This guy, they. They chemically castrated him for being gay, and he wound up committing suicide.” (126:13)

World War II, Hitler, and Drug-Fueled Madness (127:00–131:32)

• WWII as a cultural touchstone, the myth of the “heroic war.”
• Ongoing fascination with WWII figures, including Hitler’s meth and opiate addiction (Blitzed), Kalman syndrome, “micropenis,” and bizarre medical history.

“Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia” & Documentary Filmmaking (131:32–140:56)

• The making of the cult documentary, the real suffering in devastated coal towns compounded by painkillers and poverty.
  • Knoxville: “It's just pretty sad... Entertaining and sad at the same time.” (135:04)
• The limits of returning to exploitative territory: “At some point it's a little much... I don't feel right about it.” (140:38)

Future Projects and Oddball Tangents (140:56–end)

• Knoxville's enthusiasm for documentary filmmaking, future projects (including one about David Allan Coe).
• Forays into conversation about notorious ventriloquist acts, Otto & George, and tragic yet hilarious performance artist stories.

Notable Quotes & Noteworthy Segments (with Timestamps)

• On facing fear for family:
  • "There was never any fear like you have a daughter on the way and you have to figure out how to support her." (07:01) — Knoxville
• On cumulative trauma:
  • "I can't do any stunt where I would get a concussion now because I've had too many. The last one was really gnarly. I kind of went offline for a while." (18:16) — Knoxville
• On survivor’s euphoria:
  • "Just the endorphins that get released after going through something like that, and that you did survive, and it's just. It just fills you up." (47:24) — Knoxville
• On his upbringing:
  • "Just kind of imitating what my father did, I guess." (64:39) — Knoxville
• On never wanting to "unwind" his daredevil impulse:
  • "Okay, we can talk about everything in my life, but not the part of me that does stunts. Really? Yeah. Because I didn't want to unwind that." (60:48)
• On coaching fear:
  • "You just gotta decide. Like, your mind has to decide. I'm just going to do this. Just do it. Just go ahead and do it. Don't think about, oh, my God, I can't believe I'm doing it. Just fucking do it. Chew, swallow, chew, swallow." (40:33) — Rogan
• On inspiration vs. imitation:
  • "I hope to just entertain them and not inspire them, but I can't ... just watch, don't do. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Me, I'm another story." (21:45) — Knoxville

The Tone & Takeaway

This episode was wild, raucous, heartfelt, and at times somber. Knoxville and Rogan share a camaraderie rooted in the appreciation (and respect for the danger) of human boundaries—both physical and psychological. Knoxville emerges as both a legend of resilience and a man fully aware of his luck, his limitations, and the weighty, absurd legacy of Jackass. The dangers of seeking adrenaline for entertainment, the ethics of inspiring others, the permanence of brain trauma, and the complexity of moving forward as a performer all resonate. Ultimately, Knoxville's story is a testament to the extremities of human experience, the risk of chasing euphoria, and the beauty and peril of living life on the edge.

For listeners:

• An unflinching, highly candid behind-the-scenes look at a cultural phenomenon.
• Equal parts comedy and cautionary tale.
• Deep insights into the psychological motivations behind high-risk entertainment and its cultural impact.