Johnny Knoxville names his Mount Rushmore of comedy: “My biggest influences”
Whether you think Jackass is genius or the dumbest thing of all time, there’s no denying the impact it’s had on global culture.
An eclectic collection of skateboarders and sociopaths, the original MTV show has since spawned seven films, several spin-offs, video games, and a whole heap of controversy. The face of the brand has always been Johnny Knoxville, the de facto leader of the group and the man responsible for some of their wildest, stupidest ideas.
Alongside his many instances of falling over, getting kicked in the nuts, and various other feats of blatant disregard for evolution, Knoxville has also acted in some more conventional comedies. You couldn’t move for him in the mid-2000s, as he landed roles in The Dukes of Hazzard, The Ringer, and others with depressingly low scores on Rotten Tomatoes. He was also once in contention to join the cast of Saturday Night Live, which would have changed his career and then some.
As one of the most unique figures in modern Hollywood, many people have tried to get to the bottom of what makes Knoxville tick. In a conversation with Interview magazine, he named the four (technically five) figures who inspired him the most. “My biggest comedic influences are my father, Mel Brooks, Buster Keaton, and Tom and Jerry,” he revealed, “That’s my Mount Rushmore right there”.
By far the least-known figure on this metaphorical monument is Philip Clapp, Knoxville’s father, a car and tyre salesman, who played a pivotal role in his early life. He helped him develop his sense of humour, particularly when he would play practical jokes on his colleague, but sadly, he also suffered from alcoholism. Knoxville once compared him to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, in that he was a completely different person when he was drunk.
The other names on Knoxville’s list are much more famous; Mel Brooks, who celebrated his 100th birthday in June 2026, is one of the true titans of comedy, the man behind such legendary movies as Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs. He has constantly challenged perceived notions of comedy, pushing the boat out to test the boundaries of perceived taste.
As for Tom and Jerry, the animated cat and mouse duo who routinely beat the piss out of each other with frying pans and fire pokers, it’s not hard to understand how they influenced a young Knoxville’s view of the world.
As for his fourth and final choice, Buster Keaton brings together everything that is great about the rest of Knoxville’s Mount Rushmore. A child star in the vaudeville era, Keaton eventually became a worldwide sensation thanks to the advent of the motion picture. His dazzling array of silent films, which combine slapstick comedy with some genuinely terrifying stunts, is still held up as some of the funniest films ever.
“He’s such a physical comedian, but he was also so incredibly creative,” Knoxville explained, “I’m genuinely uncoordinated, but that has only helped me. I’m also hypermobile, so when I do fall on my neck, I accordion, kind of like Buster Keaton.”
