Update!

Five Things to Know About Late Jackass Star Ryan Dunn

Stunt star had some surprising projects and things he'd done unrelated to MTV's stunt-happy franchise

By Marianne Garvey Jun 20, 2011 8:11 PMTags
Ryan Dunn, TwitterTwitter

RIP, Ryan Dunn.

The fearless Jackass sidekick, who made us laugh as one of Johnny Knoxville's main prankster dudes, was killed in a horrific car crash outside of Philadelphia this morning, along with a still unidentified fellow passenger.

The skateboarding stunt master had been drinking at a bar in West Chester, Pa., before the accident, tweeting a picture of himself with a beer just prior to the crash.

So sadly, we say goodbye to Dunn, who made us laugh with his antics. Here are five things you should know about the lovable, bearded stuntman whom Knoxville today called his "brother."

1. He Owed His Fame to pre-YouTube Videos: Before Knoxville came calling, Dunn was living near Bam Margera (then later with Bam) in West Chester, Pa., where the duo were part of the CKY (Camp Kill Yourself) Crew. They'd post edless hours of home footage of their group doing Jackass-type stunts without any safety nets nearby. They'd skid out in cars, kick footballs at cars driving by, jump off buildings, jump on beds, kick each other in the face and do insane skateboard tricks. Dunn later moved out when Bam got hitched.

In another, Dunn is seen riding a bicycle straight into a car hood. Hurt? Sure looks it. But it's funny as hell. The videos were distributed widely and Jackass producers noticed—it was these videos that got their attention and ultimately landed Dunn a slot on Jackass in 2000. They have since been ported to YouTube.

Finally, in footage taken after Dunn became famous, he's seen swigging an entire bottle of tequila on stage, then falling over.

2. He Acted With Jessica Simpson?! Besides bit parts in a number of films—and a small role as a guy named Griswold alongside Jessica Simpson in Blonde Ambition—Dunn played the main role in a 2003 indie film called Haggard. It was based on the true story of how his girlfriend at the time cheated on him, and Dunn goes through hell in the film until he is able to find love once again and forget about his ex. Margera financed and directed it.

3. He Hosted His Own Shows: On MTV's Homewrecker, Dunn did what the title says, only he wasn't breaking up marriages, he was breaking apart houses. As in trashing the crap out of them. People who appeared on the show would get revenge on those who had wronged them by trashing rooms in their nemesis' house. Dunn was currently hosting G4's Proving Ground, where he and cohost Jessica Chobot recreated stunts seen in video games and movies to see if they'd work in real life.

The network has pulled the show while they determine what they will do without Dunn. Nine episodes had been taped, and the first one aired just last week.

4. He Was Often Mistaken for Zack Galifianakis: The beard, the belly, the build—the hairy duo could have been separated at birth. But Dunn didn't love the comparisons. On May 17 he tweeted, "The next person who asks me if I'm the guy from the Hangover is getting a big wet kiss on the lips!" There was no follow up tweet on if he ever delivered.

5. He Had a Bunch of Crazy Tats: Steve-O wasn't the only Jackass covered in ink. Dunn had tats dedicated to one of his favorite bands the Red Hot Chili Peppers, along with a plus sign, a set of weights, and a BMW logo all randomly stamped on his bod.

[UPDATE at 2:37 p.m. PT to clarify his stunt videos were popular before YouTube launched and later were ported to the site.]