Twitter:
@JamesEpplerI've written about "Jackass" more than a few times in this blog. I don't apologize for my giddy childlike love for the show and the movies. So it came as a huge shock to learn my favorite cast member, Ryan Dunn, died in a fiery car crash this week.
He may not have been as high-profile as Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, or Steve-O, but I was always most impressed by Dunn's willingness to try even the most outrageous things that seemed to terrify the other clowns.
Say what you want about him, but the 34-year-old leaves behind something of a legacy.
Here are my three favorite Dunn bits:
1. "The Butt X-Ray"This one sealed the deal for me on Dunn. In "Jackass: The Movie," the film's crowning bit - the one to end the movie on a bang - features Dunn inserting a toy car up his rectum and going to a doctor's office. It's not just the humor of the situation - Dunn sells it with a nice bit of acting. He's just a guy who wants to know why his hinder feels strange.
The X-Ray tells the story. Priceless.
2. "A** Kicked by a Girl"This is another bit from the first "Jackass" movie, and a perfect example why Dunn was so much tougher than his buddies. He steps into the boxing ring with the world's female lightweight kickboxing champion to see how long he can last. Compare this to a scene in "Jackass Number Two" in which Knoxville takes a beating from Butterbean. Granted, the male boxer has a bit more heft to say the least, but Dunn keeps getting back up to take more from this small woman. It's nearly heroic in an idiotic way.
3. "The Poo Dive"This is old school "Jackass." Dunn takes a plunge into what is literally a river of crap. Knoxville did something similar in "The Poo Cocktail" by being turned over in a full port-a-potty. That was a bit messy, sure. But Dunn takes it to the next level - full immersion.
His buddy Bam Margera's mom asks, "Why would he do that?"
To which Bam answers for his friend: "Why not?"
Rest in Peace, Mr. Dunn. "Jackass 4" won't be the same without you.
