The Jackass Star Who Is Flat Broke Today

Some might make the argument that due to the physical jeopardy they routinely put themselves in for our entertainment, the stars of the franchise "Jackass" deserve to be in the top tier when it comes to financial compensation in the entertainment industry. After all, not even the infamously courageous Tom Cruise exposes himself to poisonous scorpion stings or participates in high-impact hidden camera pranks while filming the stunt-heavy "Mission: Impossible" series. And so far, Ethan Hunt hasn't even been shot out of a cannon.

Be that as it may, life isn't always just or fair, which means that the lovable "Jackass" performers who put their bodies and their egos on the line just to get a laugh (or perhaps a wince) from the audience aren't necessarily making the eight-figure paydays to which we might believe they're rightfully entitled. In fact, it's possible to be a breakout star of the most recent "Jackass" feature film, "Jackass Forever," and still be pretty much completely broke.

It can be easy to make the assumption that just because a person is famous, they must also be rich. But that is sometimes far from the case, especially when you can become famous on a platform like the "Jackass" franchise, which, despite its pop-cultural ubiquity and big studio backing, is still a relatively low-budget affair. According to Variety, "Jackass Forever" cost just $10 million to make, which isn't a lot when you consider that it had to be spread out over the film's impressive roster of new and returning franchise performers. So it shouldn't come as a complete surprise that one of the stars of that film doesn't exactly have the wealth to match his on-screen bravado.

One of the leading lights of "Jackass Forever" is franchise newcomer Sean "Poopies" McInerney, and it's not just because of his extremely memorable nickname. One of his exploits in the film involves getting personal with a Texas rat snake, a harrowing stunt that eventually earned him an MTV Movie Award for best kiss. Anyone who would share intimate screen time with a snake probably deserves a bump in pay. But in a recent appearance on the podcast "Steve-O's Wild Ride!" the surfer and "Jackass" star admitted to being flat broke.

The relevant part of the discussion begins with Steve-O noting to Poopies, "It's safe to say that you didn't get paid a whole bunch to be in the new 'Jackass' movie." It's a sad truth that in the movie business, you don't necessarily get paid commensurate to the degree of difficulty of the work that you do. During the interview, the pair discussed this dynamic. Poopies said that he understands that, as a newcomer to the franchise, the studio was likely reluctant to give him a huge paycheck to sign on to the film, considering they hadn't really seen what he could do yet. Steve-O also noted that with something like "Jackass," there are probably many eager teenagers and fans who would participate just for the fun of it. As Steve-O put it, the people who sign the checks see participation in "Jackass" as a privilege, and they don't necessarily have to pay through the nose to get unproven and untested talent.

Despite his one previous appearance on a "Jackass Shark Week" special, Poopies was basically a newcomer to the series when he appeared in "Jackass Forever," and it sounds like the paycheck he received for the film wasn't enough to keep him in the black. Poopies even said that he recently didn't even have money to pay for gas. "I'm broke," he explained simply — a situation that might seem unusual for someone with a prominent role in a movie that has grossed more than $80 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).

"Right now, if I show you my bank account, it's in the red," said Poopies. Then, he added that two years of COVID-related delays on the production of "Jackass Forever" created additional financial difficulties. Furthermore, Poopies admitted to not exactly having accurate expectations about his financial situation. He said that he was relatively free with his spending on stuff like food, as he believed there would be more money coming around the corner that ultimately didn't arrive. 

Even with his financial difficulties, Poopies seemed in relatively good spirits, and Steve-O even stepped in to promote his co-star's Cameo account and merch store to get some more money headed his way. Of all the people for Poopies to have on his side during this time, Steve-O is probably one of the best. After all, the longtime franchise veteran has been open about the fact that he was broke when "Jackass" first started airing all the way back in 2000. From those humble beginnings, he managed to carve a nice niche for himself in the entertainment industry, and perhaps with the right guidance, Poopies can seize on the success of "Jackass Forever" and do the same.