How daredevil Steve-O is showing a softer side these days ahead of his Pavilion show
When Steve-O called me on a Monday morning from his ranch in Tennessee, I did not meet an absurd stuntman who nailed a fire-breathing backflip that made CNN News; who was willingly towed by a racehorse; who burned his skin off on a dry ice slip-n-slide and once swallowed feces while catapulting himself in a bungeed Port-a-Potty.
Don’t look that one up.
I met the charming Stephen Glover that day: a 50-year-old comedian, author, producer, devout recovering addict and an honest man with a scratchy voice and a scratchy laugh that alone made him adorable.
He was soft-spoken and cheery to the extreme that I never would have known his teeth are fake and he’s had at least a dozen broken bones and “a bunch of” screws to fuse his ankle and collarbone back together (of which he’s since removed so he can put them on display).
But he also fasts till 2 p.m., meditates every morning, bikes 13 miles a day, jogs for another 3 and then ends his day with a “completely psycho” sauna and cold plunge regimen that lulls him into a cozy sleep.
This man doesn’t even walk with a limp. He felt like a friend, not a hazard on display.
“I live a double life, man,” Glover said. “I’m making a really big deal out of this battle against Father Time outside of all the highly self-destructive, ridiculous stuff I do professionally as Steve-O.”
He won’t eat sugar or processed foods but would probably choke on feces again if you asked him to.
You can see the superhuman for yourself on Aug. 11 at the Washington Pavilion ? if you dare.
The attention matters more than the stunt itself
Maybe you know Steve-O as Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera’s sidekick within the "Jackass" franchise. There were three seasons on MTV (originally airing in 2000), four feature films that altogether grossed half a billion dollars and many outlandish spin-offs.
He was shocked, jailed, ruthless, concussed, fined, hospitalized, stung, gagged, trapped and nearly eaten.
But we kept gawking in hysteria, and that’s exactly what he wanted.
“For whatever reason, every fiber of my being cries out to be loved and to do whatever I can to entertain people so that maybe they’ll love me,” Glover said. “But if my desire to provide entertainment in hopes I’ll be loved translates to me actually being lovable, then I’ll keep going.”
More: Read about each of the Jackass movies.
Keep them engaged, he said to himself even as a child on a skateboard. Watch what I do next, he implied, peril upon peril. He begged for our attention until we were bewitched, like the funny kid who intentionally trips himself down the bleachers in the high school gymnasium.
And now he still has our mouths gaping, but does he know that?
“I have a really over-developed concern for the opinions of others,” Glover said. “You wouldn’t think of Steve-O as ultra-sensitive, but it is definitely my weakness.”
Glover might be self-deprecating and egregious and the butt of all his jokes, but a vulnerable insecurity hides underneath all of that.
He can’t read negative comments on the internet – “that one is a daily struggle” – he speaks candidly about mental health as an omnipresent work in progress, and he’s distraught about his golden birthday.
“It’s a real party foul to be old,” he said. “It’s almost just a straight-up comedy of errors trying to outdo myself now, to raise the bar yet again but now with the limitations of being Steve-O at 50 years old. Candidly, I can’t keep it up.”
Growth on and off the stage
But he’s sober now, since March 10, 2008, and that alone has bought him a few more years. It was never the pratfalls to worry about. The addictions would have defeated him first.
“I categorically was not funnier or more creative when I was on drugs,” he says. “The reality is that everything to do with me became really sad and tragic. I would not have been able to do standup or anything at all if I wasn’t sober.”
Glover has what he calls an addictive personality. He knows no moderation, be it in health or risk. So when he commits to something, he will see it through with fingernails clawing toward the finish line.
He even fought general anesthesia and beat it for well over 2 minutes.
He is strong-willed and persevering, and he will never give up on himself to see an effort through.
“It’s a tall-ass order, but the biggest challenge is finding peace within,” he said. “In 12 Steps (of Recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous), there’s so much emphasis on honesty and accountability, and I’m really grateful that I’ve made that my way of life.”
Glover has been engaged to set producer Lux Wright since 2018 and says much of his growth is attributed to her.
“I have been doing the work to become the man that the love of my life deserves,” he said. “It’s a really big deal to do the right thing when nobody’s watching, and my relationship with my fiancée is always an opportunity to express myself as the guy I want to be. It’s rad.”
Even off camera, he seemingly dazzles.
Steve-OH NO! Read more about the stuntman's work and tour.
About the show
Drew Ferreira is the stage manager at the Washington Pavilion, but he’s also a tremendous fan of Steve-O.
“I lit up when I saw the calendar,” he said of the upcoming show. “I grew up with him, and he’s kind of a cult classic now.”
Ferreira said he never really connected to Steve-O’s rebellion as a kid but appreciates his platform now.
“I’ve really enjoyed his journey and the full circle of it," he said.
Steve-O makes it clear that his comedy tour is indeed “an evolution” of his art and is proud of the multimedia experience fans can expect next weekend. There will be never-before-seen stunt footage that “would be completely unacceptable for YouTube or even Jackass,” as well as slap-stick storytelling to accommodate the illustrations and videos.
“It would be great to just be like, ‘Hey, let me get up there and tell you some funny stories,'” Glover said. “But I feel like I need to make every sacrifice I can realistically make to provide the most unforgettable experience for you.”
Go to the show! Buy 'Steve-O' tickets here.
Steve-O first came to Sioux Falls in 2022, bringing his “Bucket List” tour to a sold-out show at The District.
“He was his true self,” venue manager Shawn Larson said, adding an audience member got sick while watching a stunt and had to leave the room. “You can only imagine what we saw.”
Officials with the Pavilion aren’t worried though. Gina Ruhberg, the director of performances, said the venue is used to a crass show. They’ve brought in stand-up comedy tours with Ron White, Matt Rife and Tracy Morgan, and are looking forward to Steve-O’s own reckless raunch.
“I mean, he needs to not set the place on fire, but we book whatever is selling well on tour and whomever wants to come to our place,” she said. “We can’t wait.”
No matter what you might expect, you’ll be surprised.
“I’m committed to putting this show together and pushing myself harder than ever before,” Glover said.
Steve-O has more than 25 million followers on social media, 7 million subscribers on YouTube and “tens of millions” of stem cells injected into his spine to treat his degenerative disc disease, but perhaps most of all he’s kind of just like us.
If You Go
Steve-O will perform 7 p.m. Aug. 11, at the Washington Pavilion. Tickets range from $25-45 for ages 18 and older.
Angela George is the Argus Leader's trending reporter, who highlights local culture, entertainment, people and events throughout the Sioux Falls area.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Get to know the lesser-known human side of Steve-O
