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American Morning

Showbiz Today Reports: MTV Wants To Keep "Jackass" Star

Aired August 22, 2001 - 11:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Time to talk showbiz news.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Showbiz, and a survivor finds himself in trouble with the law.

Hi, Laurin.

LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, but your lead-in was so interesting to go from "ho-ho-ho" to Jackass, which is the name of the television program.

(LAUGHTER)

So, instead we're going to stick a story in front of all of that. "Survivor's" original one million dollar winner is facing a tribal council of another kind. In yet another run-in with his local police, Richard Hatch was arrested Tuesday.

He is accused of pushing his former partner who was trying to get into his home. Hatch pleaded innocent to the misdemeanor charge of domestic assault and is due back in court September 7th.

One of MTV's hottest stars doesn't want to be a "Jackass" anymore. Johnny Knoxville, the star of the music channel's hit show "Jackass," told his hometown paper that he is done with the controversial stunt oriented show, but MTV may not let go that easily.

Jodi Ross has more on the fate of "Jackass."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JODI ROSS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Watching the outrageous stunts on "Jackass" makes some people squirm. Now it seems MTV is squirming at the thought of losing their popular show.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dude, 34 hours straight and no one's slept.

ROSS: Creator and host Johnny Knoxville reportedly told his hometown newspaper he's had enough. Maybe it's all the controversy or he's now a bona fide star or maybe it's a negotiating tactic. Whatever the reason, Knoxville says he has no interest in continuing the show. But MTV isn't ready to let go. "Jackass" is one of the highest rated shows on the network so a spokesperson for the music channel told CNN -- quote -- "The fate of the show and Johnny Knoxville's involvement in it is still in negotiations."

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE, "JACKASS" (voice-over): Warning, the follow show features stunts performed either by professionals or under the supervision of professionals.

ROSS: Every week "Jackass" warns don't try this at home, but some members of the audience still do. In January, a 13-year-old Connecticut boy suffered severe burns after setting himself on fire in an attempt to imitate a specific episode. Same goes for a group of teens in Kentucky who drove a car to run over one of their friends saying their inspiration was the MTV program.

Outside MTV studies, young fans of the show say only stupid kids would try the stunts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The show is awesome. The kids should learn. They get hurt, they get hurt. It's their fault.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All my friends know better than that and we're all in 6th -- well, yes.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I kind of would like to see the show stay because I think it does have some pretty good entertainment value.

ROSS: For its part, MTV has moved the show from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there should be a warning on your program, man, the way that you just encourage people to break the law and do dangerous things.

ROSS: So for the first time since "Jackass" debuted last October, the conflict is not between the show and some viewers but between the network and its star.

Jodi Ross, CNN Entertainment News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SYDNEY: And a little later on "Showbiz Today Reports": Her onscreen role in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," and her offscreen role as Tom Cruise's leading lady have made her Hollywood's hottest commodity. We will talk to Penelope Cruz about her life in the limelight. That's at 4:35 p.m. Eastern.

Until then, in New York, I'm Laurin Sydney. Now, let's go back to Daryn and Leon. Happy holidays.

KAGAN: Thank you.

SYDNEY: Let me be the second one to say.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: All right, good deal. See you later.

SYDNEY: Okay.

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