Politixia
An author, stuntman, professional clown, podcaster, stand-up comedian, social media sensation and entrepreneur: Is there anything Steve-O (a.k.a Stephen Glover) can’t do? Known to audiences for his life-threatening stunts on the “Jackass” franchise, Steve-O has been touring as a stand-up comedian for more than a decade. On Thursday, September 14th, Steve-O will bring his “Bucket List Tour” to the King Center in Melbourne.
I spoke with Steve-O about his tour, his start as a professional clown, and his plans for the future. Let’s “Shake, Rattle & Know”: Steve-O
Question: What can audiences expect to see at The Bucket List Tour stop in Melbourne?
Answer: They can expect to witness horrifying things never seen before on “Jackass” or anywhere else. It is a multi-media comedy show that pushes the boundaries farther than we ever could and seeing forbidden stunts that were just too much for the show.
Q: So, you won’t actually perform any stunts live at the show, right?
A: No, no stunts live. That would be way too difficult to do every night on a tour and probably too horrifying for an audience to watch.
Q: Back in your “Jackass” heyday, was there ever a stunt that had you say “nope, not going to do that one”?
A: Oh, for sure. In fact, there is a video on my YouTube channel called “10 Stunts I Backed Out Of”. If it was a risk to the spinal cord, I said no.
Q: Doing stand-up is far different than performing stunts, and requires making a personal connection with your audience. How did you make the transition from stunts into the world of stand-up comedy?
A: It was a very slow transition. For the past eleven years I have been doing comedy clubs. It took this long to perfect it and develop the craft to the point I could be in theaters. It is stand-up comedy, but unlike other comedians that exaggerate their reality or make up experiences, my experiences are very literal. I don’t make anything up, everything I talk about really happened.
Q: How different is Stephen Glover from Steve-O?
A: Wow, that’s a fun question. There is a big difference between the onstage me and the offstage me. There has to be in order for me to keep my sanity. I have a podcast show (“Steve-O’s Wild Ride Podcast“) and that sometimes forces the lines to be blurred a little. The Steve-O everyone knows is crazy, deliberate, calculated and planned. In my everyday life I am not boring, but I am in stark contrast to the onstage me. I do meditation and yoga almost every day. I care for animals. I am very careful with what I eat, and I make sure to get enough sleep. That’s the everyday me.
Q: You have been very open and honest about your previous drug addictions and your challenges with sobriety. What advice would the modern-day you give to your younger self?
A: That is a tough one. I am pretty happy where I ended up, so I don’t know if I would change anything. I would tell a younger me to floss his teeth more. Your teeth can get pretty funky if you don’t take care of them and then you get that bad breath that never seems to go away. So, yes, floss your teeth more.
Q: How did you go from graduating from an actual clown college (Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College) to the Steve-O that so many know and love?
A: Long before clown college, I wanted to be a famous stunt man. I would film videos with my home camera of me doing various stunts. I was homeless for three years before I entered clown college, but I saw it as a way to legitimize my efforts in some ways. I saw preforming as a clown and doing stunts as a way to further my goal and it just worked out for me.
Q: Now that the Bucket List Tour is wrapping up, what’s next for you?
A: The Florida run is the final leg of this tour. When it wraps up, I am going to go into production of a follow-up to it and do some more life-threatening things. It should be ready sometime next year and then I will go out on another tour.
If you go
Steve-O: The Bucket List Tour
Where: The King Center, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne
When: Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: Start at $35. VIP tickets that include a meet-and-greet are $143
Info: 321-242-2219
On the web: kingcenter.com or steveo.com
Note: This show contains mature content. It is intended for ages 18 and older.
If you have an artist/band you’d like to recommend for review, contact Nunez at srkmusic@cfl.rr.com or follow him on X @srkmusicflorida.
Whether you’re interested in music, theater, festivals or other local entertainment, FLORIDA TODAY has got you covered. Support local journalism by subscribing at Special Offers – USAToday Network.
