'Jackass' Star Johnny Knoxville Opens Up About Infamous Gun Stunt

'I shot myself in the chest with a bulletproof vest,' he admits to MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian


Johnny Knoxville
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

It's the stunt no Jackass wants to discuss: the time before Johnny Knoxville had a show on MTV and he decided to shoot himself in the chest with a gun. Apparently there's footage out there of the incident, but it's seemingly never been seen by a wide viewership. Is the stunt just a rumor — part of Knoxville's pre-"Jackass" lore — or did it really happen?

When the topic first popped up during an interview with MTV News, co-star Jason "Wee-Man" Acuña quickly quieted down his pals.

"I don't think they're going to show that!" he said.

A few days later, on the red carpet at the premiere for "Jackass 3D," we posed the question about the gun stunt to co-star Ehren McGhehey. "I know if it is true or false, and I can't say because it's a pretty dangerous stunt if it were to have happened," he told us. "I'm sure MTV probably wouldn't want to see it. If you're out there, kids, don't try that at home, because that is retarded."

Director Jeff Tremaine, meanwhile, avoided the topic entirely. We were beginning to fear we'd never get to the bottom of the issue. Then Knoxville himself sauntered down the red carpet. And, as it turned out, he was more than happy to dish us the details.

"That was a 'Big Brother' video, like, over 13, 14 years ago. I shot myself in the chest with a bulletproof vest. I had a .38," he explained.

"I was really hoping the vest worked, because I didn't have any money at the time, and I could only afford the cheapest vest possible," he added.

What do you think about Knoxville's risky stunt? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Check out everything we've got on "Jackass 3D."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1650118/20101015/story.jhtml

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Usher Remembers Being A 'Pizza Face' On 'When I Was 17'

'I had really, really bad acne ' he admits in Saturday's episode.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Usher on "When I Was 17"
Photo: MTV News

He's known as one of the smoothest R&B sensations to grace the stage, but when Usher was 17, he grappled with a far less flattering image.

"I went through this phase where I had really, really bad acne," the singer admits on the latest episode of "When I Was 17," premiering Saturday at 11 a.m. Usher, who was 17 in 1995, reveals with a grin that his nickname was "Pizza Face."

"His acne was so horrible," recalled one of Usher's more blunt friends, Keith. "His face was so jacked up."

Music mogul and producer Jermaine Dupri remembered how the entertainer's spotty complexion led him to shy away from the spotlight.

"He didn't want to go out. He wanted to stay in," Dupri says. "He was a little ashamed of what was going on with his face."

The singer went to extreme, and ultimately unsuccessful, lengths to disguise his breakouts.

"As a dude, you're not gonna put makeup on your face, right?" Usher said. "I tried that, it didn't even work."

He may have experimented with cosmetics and spent a few more nights at home but the multiplatinum star didn't let his acne hold him back from wooing the ladies. "I was 17, so I would still try to talk to girls [and] get past it," Usher reasoned.

He even had some smooth lines to drop when he wanted to draw attention away from his skin. " 'Don't look at that, look at my eyes, baby. I'm trying to say something real serious to you right here,' " Usher recalled, reenacting his complexion-deflecting dating moves. "I know I have pizza face, I don't care."

In the end, his skin cleared up and the singer said it was just a matter of riding out a rite passage that many teens are forced to endure.

"This is something that all 17-year-olds have to deal with," Usher said. "You can't run away from it."

— this week featuring B.o.B, Usher and Ne-Yo — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV

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Justin Bieber Gets 'Kudos' For His 'CSI' Cameo

Show's exec producer sings the star's praises over his appearance on the show, airing Thursday.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber on "CSI"
Photo: CBS

Justin Bieber might be one of a handful of pop stars to make a cameo on "CSI," but he has certainly left his mark on the cast and the crew of the hit CBS crime drama. When Bieber hits the small screen Thursday night (September 23) for his performance as Jason McCann, he will certainly leave fans stunned by his acting chops, one of the show's producers told MTV News.

"I thought that he did a really good job. We only had Justin for a day, for 10 and a half hours, and he had a lot of work crammed into those 10 and a half hours," executive producer Carol Mendelsohn said about the first of Bieber's two appearances on the show. "And he had one super big scene, and the scene was an interrogation scene in the police department with [actor] George Eads, and George actually took Justin under his wing."

Why did the veteran "CSI" actor feel that Biebs was worthy of his mentorship? "George said that when he was just starting out, Tom Selleck took him under his wing, so I think he tried to return that kindness, and he really had some time to work the material," she explained. "We built in some time, and I thought that scene was really good, and Justin had a couple of scenes where he didn't have a lot of dialogue or no dialogue and then two pretty heavy scenes."

Noting that Bieber did a "really good job" with the heavier work, Mendelsohn added that Bieber has some acting chops. "It's hard for any accomplished, mature actor to come on the set and fall right into character and do your work, so kudos to Justin," she said.

Are you planning to watch Justin's "CSI" debut? Let us know in the comments!

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Lady Gaga, Beyonce Among Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women

First lady Michelle Obama takes top spot on list, which also includes Oprah and Sarah Palin.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images

Lady Gaga has notched another milestone on her road to global pop-culture domination. The 24-year-old singer was recently named one of Forbes magazine's World's 100 Most Powerful Women list alongside CEOs, heads of state and media phenoms like herself.

Gaga took the #7 slot on the list, which was unveiled Wednesday (October 6), behind women such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama, who was named the most powerful woman on the planet (and is the first African-American to top the list). Gaga was the second-most powerful entertainer in the rankings, coming in behind Oprah, who clocked in at #3.

Other powerful ladies include Gaga's "Telephone" collaborator Beyoncé (#9), talk-show host and former "American Idol" judge Ellen DeGeneres (#10), author and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (#16) and screen siren and activist Angelina Jolie (#21). Gaga is no novice when it comes to Forbes shout-outs. In June, she debuted at #4 on the magazine's 2010 Celebrity Power List, due to her cash-magnet Monster Ball Tour, $62 million in earnings, Web popularity and deals with companies such as Polaroid and MAC. B was bumped two spots to #2 after raking in $86 million from her world tour, arsenal of endorsement deals and House of Deréon products. Oprah has been a Forbes mainstay, coming in at #1 this year on the Celebrity Power List after ceding the crown to Angelina Jolie the year before. The mogul snatched the top spot back with a nine-figure payday and media conglomerate that includes TV shows, magazines and more.

Perhaps Gaga will wield her hefty worldwide clout to push for her causes. A longtime gay-rights supporter, the entertainer has most recently waged a campaign for the repeal of the U.S. Armed Forces' polarizing "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

What do you think of Gaga making the Forbes list? Sound off in the comments!

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Adam Lambert Recalls Lady Gaga, Madonna Career Advice

'You just have to count on yourself and go for it,' Lambert says Gaga told him.
By Jocelyn Vena


Adam Lambert
Photo: Kevin Parry/ WireImage

Adam Lambert has managed to speed through every stage of fame during his brief time as a celebrity. He's been loved by his fans, hated by his critics, released an album and hit the road for his first headlining tour. And Lambert has managed to deal with all the pressures of fame thanks to some great advice he's gotten from two very famous ladies.

"She told me about the previous three years. She worked really, really hard before she made it. She told me there's no glamour, you don't get a lot of sleep, you don't get a lot of stability in your social life — you just have to count on yourself and go for it. It was a good pep talk," Lambert told Australia's news.com.au about his pal Lady Gaga's advice. "And she was right."

Like Gaga, Madonna, has warned Lambert about some of the negative sides of fame, including all those haters. "She told me that you can't get wrapped up in all the media and message boards, that everyone's going to have an opinion. People will criticize you, especially when you're doing it well. You can't do much better than getting career advice from Madonna," he said. "She's the queen, right? I've [learned] there are plenty of challenges, but if you work hard enough you can arrive. You find a spot for yourself and get to communicate with your art and hopefully inspire people. That's what I'm working towards."

Like both those iconic women, Lambert has become a bit of a face for the gay community. But he doesn't want that to be the only thing he's known as.

"I'm very comfortable with my sexuality and I have no qualms talking about it," he said. "It's important for me to be bold about it. There are not a lot of examples of that in pop culture. I'm happy to fill that role.

"But I did an interview the other day and every question was a sensationalized question about being gay and the gay lifestyle. There's a fine line," he continued. "As open as I am to mentioning it, I'm not a gay spokesman. I'm a singer. I'm an entertainer who happens to be gay. I'm going to work hard with the next album to make that the message. When the first line is 'Openly gay singer Adam Lambert ...' it gets a little frustrating. The singer part should definitely come first. That's what I do."

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