There was a time when Jackass was dangerous. In February 2001, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut sent a letter to MTV urging the network to cancel the show, which he called “exploitative and degrading.” Lieberman’s outrage was fueled by an incident where a 13-year-old boy had been hospitalized in critical condition after attempting to re-create a stunt he saw on the show. Called “Human Barbecue,” the bit saw Jackass host Johnny Knoxville cover himself in steaks and lay over an open flame as his buddies doused him with gasoline and marinade. The key difference? Knoxville wore a flame-retardant suit, and the kid didn’t.
