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Tag: Bam Margera

  • Kat Von D Visits Bam Margera In Treatment Program

    Kat Von D Visits Bam Margera In Treatment Program

    The LA Ink star got candid about her own journey to sobriety after spending quality time with Margera.

    Tattoo artist Kat Von D visited Bam Margera in rehab, and reflected on her own recovery in a recent social media post.

    Von D (born Katherine Von Drachenberg) shared a video on Instagram on Monday (Oct. 7) of the two sketching quietly side-by-side. Margera, a regular cast member of MTV’s Jackass, is in a 90-day treatment program for substance use disorder following a tumultuous year that culminated with his September appearance on Dr. Phil.

    Kat Von D revealed in her Instagram post that she also struggled in her past. Back then she was on the receiving end of a friend’s support.

    Her Journey To Sobriety

    “Getting sober was not easy for me,” she wrote in her caption. “Even though it’s gonna be 12 years in July that I celebrate being clean from drinking and drugs, I still clearly remember the physical pain from withdrawals, the profound desire to die, and the overwhelming sense of loneliness I felt that day I decided to quit.”

    “On day two of detoxing, I was failing to talk myself out of killing myself when a friend came over, and found the most pathetic/vulnerable version of me on my apartment floor,” she wrote. “He said, ‘Come on, Kat. Get up and let’s draw.’ I managed to scrape myself up somehow, find a piece of paper and whatever pencils were laying around. Looking back, I realize he was just helping me put one foot in front of the other. Maybe it was just a distraction, or maybe it was his way of helping me refocus on the one thing that has always saved me from myself. Either way, it’s what I needed at that time, and I am so grateful to that friend.”

    Now on the other side of recovery for over a decade, Von D was able to pass on this kindness by reaching out to Bam in his time of need.

    Supporting Her Close Friend

    “Yesterday, I got to visit my friend [Bam] who’s publicly shared about his current attempt at rehabilitation (which is the only reason I would ever share this). And man, it was beautiful to spend time together and draw!” she wrote. “I’m so proud to see bam sincerely trying to make such meaningful changes—as hard as it is being away from family and home.”

    Having endured her own dark times, Von D was able to empathize with Bam. “No one ever sees the struggle, or the ugly painful moments that take place behind the scenes unless you’re in it yourself.”

    She ended her post with words of encouragement. “Thank you, Bam for always being there for me. I’m so fucking proud of you, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’re gonna do.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Sent To Hospital Because Of Bipolar Meds

    Bam Margera Sent To Hospital Because Of Bipolar Meds

    Margera took to Instagram to clarify the reasons behind his hospital visits.

    Former Jackass star Bam Margera was reportedly hospitalized twice in one week after a fall that he says was caused by side effects from a new medication for his bipolar disorder.

    According to the reality star, he was sleepwalking when he fell and hit his head, resulting in a laceration that required six staples. 

    According to unCrazed, he suffered a kick to the wound while playing in the pool with his son, sending him back to the hospital. “I got karate kicked in a pool in the neck surgery playing with Phoenix with community kids by accident,” he said.

    Margera was unable to remember the name of the medication he was given, saying that it “starts with a Z” in an Instagram video he made to dispel rumors that his trips to the hospital meant that he was once again using drugs. 

    “I am in treatment in Huntington Beach,” he explained. “I’ve been in treatment for a long, long time, and I’m gonna be here for a longer, longer time. And I’m gonna miss all of autumn in Pennsylvania.”

    In & Out Of Treatment

    Margera has been in and out of rehab for most of 2019, most recently agreeing to enter treatment after an intervention staged by his wife and talk show host Dr. Phil. He appeared to have left the rehab facility and may have been intoxicated in a video taken in August that showed the troubled celebrity refusing to leave a hotel lobby after allegedly harassing bar patrons, claiming someone had paid him to catch one of them cheating.

    After the police were called, Margera was arrested and taken back to the rehab facility, where he was allowed to return after agreeing to commit to the program.

    He appears to have stayed out of trouble since then. He was in the news in September, but only for an appearance on Dr. Phil in which he opened up about his mental health and credited his son, Phoenix, for keeping him from ending his life.

    Baring All To Dr. Phil

    “I had such a mental breakdown that I really thought like I… could just go to the lake and be free,” he said. “I was like the pain was gone and I had to beg for pain back. I was like, ‘Please just give me back my pain so I could stay because I want to be with him.’”

    Phoenix turns two in December, and Bam has only good things to say about him.

    “He is the raddest kid ever,” he told Dr. Phil. “He’s so interested in skateboarding. I have all these toys everywhere and he just goes right to the skateboard. He’s like my best friend and I’ve known him for not even two years.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Talks to Dr. Phil About Problems, 'Self-Medicating'

    Bam Margera Talks to Dr. Phil About Problems, 'Self-Medicating'

    Jackass star Bam Margera appeared on Dr. Phil to talk about his recent troubles, including his drinking problem.

    Former Jackass star Bam Margera appeared on the season premiere of Dr. Phil on Monday (Sept. 9) to talk about his battles with substance use after his cry for help last month. 

    On the episode, which was filmed on August 5, Margera talked about how his drinking escalated when he started filming Jackass, according to People.

    “If you’re a professional skateboarder, you can’t drink,” he said in a clip from the show. “You need the balance of being on a handrail. I never drank until I was like 22. I never tried drugs until I was like 24.”

    However, the outrageous stunts on Jackass left Margera turning to alcohol for liquid courage and pain management. 

    “When you try a skateboard trick, you’re supposed to land it and ride away,” he said. On Jackass, the stunts were set up to fail. “You’re not going to land it. You’re going to eat shit no matter what. Give me a few shots of tequila and okay, I’m feeling pretty numb. Mission accomplished.”

    When Drinking Became a Problem

    Margera, 38, said that he knew he had a problem when he needed to drink a beer every morning. 

    “Before, it was a fun party, let’s get all messed up and go do some crazy stuff,” he said. “Then it came to the point where I felt so terrible in the morning that I knew if I instantly would crack open a beer I would feel better. Then if I had another beer I would feel normal. Then, now that I feel normal I’ll have another and have a little buzz on, so by the end of the day you’re pretty much toasted.”

    His drinking became even worse when his Jackass costar Ryan Dunn died in a car accident in 2011.

    “After Ryan Dunn died that really exacerbated the alcohol,” Margera’s mother April said on the show. “He almost uses Ryan’s death as a big excuse to behave badly.”

    Margera didn’t dispute that — he said that Dunn’s death made him question his life.

    Repairing His Family Life

    However, he said he reached out to Dr. Phil in hopes of getting help for his whole family, including his mother April and his wife Nikki. “My family’s in shambles,” Margera said. 

    However, Margera said that his son, Phoenix Wolf, keeps him going. 

    “He is the raddest kid ever,” Margera said, becoming emotional. “He’s so interested in skateboarding. I have all these toys everywhere and he goes right to the skateboard. He’s like my best friend and I’ve only known him two years.”

    Dr. Phil responded, “You’d die for him, but the question is will you live for him?”

    After the show filmed in early August, Margera spent the month in and out of rehabs. It’s not clear whether he’s sober at the moment.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Back To Rehab For Third Stay In A Month

    Bam Margera Back To Rehab For Third Stay In A Month

    Sources told TMZ that Margera voluntarily entered the facility on August 22 and was intent on staying sober with this visit.

    Bam Margera reportedly returned to a rehabilitation facility to seek treatment for dependency for substance abuse issues, which was the third such check-in in less than a month. TMZ claimed that the former Jackass and Viva La Bam star entered a new treatment center on August 22, 2019 one day after being seen drinking at a bar at Los Angeles.

    Margera’s previous attempts were borne out of a meeting with television personality and psychologist Dr. Phil that was part of an intervention by his wife and mother. Margera entered a treatment facility as part of the conversation, but left soon after, and was arrested on trespassing charges at the Luxe Hotel in Los Angeles. He then checked into a second facility, but reportedly left over cell phone restrictions.

    Sources told TMZ that Margera voluntarily entered the facility on August 22 and was intent on staying sober with this visit. Footage of Margera drinking at a bar in Los Angeles was posted on the TMZ site on the same day.

    Past Visits

    Margera has been to rehab facilities on numerous occasions in the past few years, including three stints in 2018 and early 2019 alone. He checked out of a facility after a few days in early January 2019, and posted a message to Dr. Phil on Instagram in which he sought help for his condition and for the alleged chaos in his home.

    TMZ reported that Phil McGraw reached out to and met with Margera and his family on August 5. The three-hour face-to-face culminated in Margera’s agreement to return to treatment, but he again checked out of the facility after only a few days and later turned up at the Luxe Hotel, where he was detained on August 14 by a hotel staffer due to disruptive behavior and a refusal to leave the hotel. Police arrived and placed Margera under arrest; after posting bail, he again returned to treatment for the second time in August 2019.

    However, Margera refused to honor the facility’s request to surrender his cell phone, and again exited treatment. In an Instagram post from January 2019, Margera wrote that he did not “do well with not being allowed to Facetime by wife and kid” or being unable to “answer important calls with important people.”

    The treatment center Margera entered on August 22 is a different facility that the one employed in his previous attempts. According to TMZ, this third try still carries Dr. Phil’s support.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Heads Back To Rehab After Drunken Arrest

    Bam Margera Heads Back To Rehab After Drunken Arrest

    Margera’s arrest comes on the heels of a Dr. Phil-led intervention where the skater agreed to enter rehab.  

    A bizarre video obtained by TMZ shows Bam Margera of MTV’s Jackass fame sitting on the floor outside of a Hollywood hotel bar and refusing to move after the police were called because he was allegedly harassing bar patrons. He can be heard arguing with a police officer off-camera.

    “This is not a f—ing reality TV show,” the officer says. “I know you’re fresh out of rehab, so let’s get your s— together.”

    This happened just days after Bam agreed to enter rehab after an intervention involving his wife and talk show host Dr. Phil. According to TMZ sources, he did check into a rehabilitation facility, but it appears that he left quite early in the program.

    After being arrested and charged with trespassing on Wednesday (Aug. 14), he was quickly released and readmitted to rehab after agreeing to commit to the program and submit to a number of conditions set by the facility.

    Where It Began

    Margera began his career as a skateboard stunt performer making videos with his friends and eventually ended up as the star of Jackass and later the MTV reality show Viva La Bam. He has reportedly struggled with alcoholism since his twenties, often appearing drunk on episodes of Viva La Bam and in behind-the-scenes footage of Jackass.

    In 2009, he was rushed to the hospital following a four-day drinking binge. Late that year, his family staged an intervention that got him into rehab for the first time, but he left before completing the program.

    His drinking reportedly became worse in 2011 after fellow Jackass star Ryan Dunn died in a car crash. A post-mortem toxicology report found that Dunn had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit when he drove his car off the road and struck a tree. 

    In 2012, bone spurs forced Margera to take a break from skateboarding. Three years later, he once again entered rehab and left shortly after. Not long after that, he appeared on Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn with his mother and was able to quit drinking for several months. In 2017, he opened up about his anxiety and struggles with bulimia to People.

    “We would go out to dinner and he would immediately excuse himself and go to the bathroom,” said his mother April. “I’d say, ‘Are you throwing up?’ And he says, ‘Yeah, yeah. Sometimes I throw up and that way I’m not gonna get fat.’ “

    Rehab Stints

    This latest incident led to family members telling TMZ that Margera is currently off his medication for bipolar disorder.

    Earlier this month, things got so bad that Margera started making Instagram posts asking Dr. Phil for help. After leaving rehab again, he posted a video to his Instagram of himself getting a tattoo that says “Dr. Phil” on his neck. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Says He's Sober, Steve-O & Others Express Concern

    Bam Margera Says He's Sober, Steve-O & Others Express Concern

    Steve-O and Brandon Noval both expressed strong concern over Margera’s behavior and addiction struggle.

    Despite concerning social media posts and agreeing to another trip to treatment, former Jackass star Bam Margera is claiming he is abstaining from both alcohol and drugs. 

    According to Pop Culture, Margera shared a photo of himself earlier this week, captioned, “By the way i was evaluated and tested for alcohol and drugs, the results were negative. Not drunk or drinking, and not on drugs either!!”

    Margera has had on and off struggles with substance use disorder in recent years and has been in treatment various times https://www.thefix.com/bam-margera-enters-rehab-third-time. 

    Most recently, he was part of an intervention with Dr. Phil, during which he agreed to enter treatment once again. The intervention came as a result of an Instagram video Margera later deleted, in which he spoke about his family issues and asked Dr. Phil for help. 

    Bam’s Mom Speaks Out

    After the intervention, Margera’s mother, April, spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the circumstances. 

    “The only thing that we really want is for Bam to be happy and to find peace in his life and in turn we’d like to find peace in ours,” she said. “We just have to take one step at a time and hope that everything is going to work out OK.”

    “For him, he’s just gone off the rails, and I don’t think he can handle what’s going on,” she continued. “So if he reached out to Dr. Phil cause he’s seen Dr. Phil’s show, I mean so be it. Do we want to really air all this stuff? No, not really, but you know, if that’s what he wants to do and that’ll help him get some help, then I think we’ve come up with a good plan. Between the Jackass guys and Dr. Phil, it’s a whole community of people.”

    Margera’s former Jackass co-stars, Steve-O and Brandon Novak, have both gotten sober themselves and have spoken out about being supportive of Margera’s recovery. When Margera posted a list of people who check in on him, claiming it was “frustrating,” Steve-O took to the comments. 

    Steve-O Gets Real

    “I’m sorry if it’s frustrating for you that we care enough to keep trying to get through to you, Bam,” Steve-O wrote. “It couldn’t be more clear that all of this isn’t OK, and I hope you’ll join me and Novak in recovery before your son loses his dad. And, by the way, none of this looks cool (which is a good thing, because it’s humiliating myself that motivated me to commit myself to a program of recovery). It’s time to give up the fight, and join the winning team. I love you, brother…”

    Novak also stepped up, adding “I as well as every other name on ur list are actual ‘real friends’ of yours who truly care about ur well being and quality of life. We WILL NOT condone ur fatal behaviors or justify ur actions in hopes of u not getting angry with us……. I refuse to high five u to ur grave!!!!! I love u and will do whatever it takes to help u so please f—ing let me/us.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Heads To Rehab After Dr. Phil Intervention

    Bam Margera Heads To Rehab After Dr. Phil Intervention

    Dr. Phil got in touch with Margera and his family then met for a three-hour intervention this past Monday.

    Former Jackass star Bam Margera is reportedly on his way to rehab — again — after a personal intervention with his wife, mother and Dr. Phil. 

    Margera, 38, has been in rehab many times, most recently in January. Then, he checked himself out after a few days. Over the weekend Margera posted an Instagram video in which he trashed his mother and wife, Nikki, while asking Dr. Phil for help. 

    “Dr. Phil, I need your help in a big big way,” he said in the video. “My family is in shambles. It’s worse than it’s ever been, ever. I’ve disowned my mom. Nikki I can’t stand.”

    In the video, Margera blamed Nikki and his mother, April, for his erratic behavior. 

    “When people say Bam might be going crazy, fucking a, maybe they’re right,” Margera said. “The only person who I will believe on the planet is Dr. Phil.”

    The Intervention

    According to TMZ, Dr. Phil got in touch with Margera and his family, and met for a three-hour intervention on Monday (Aug. 5). That ended with Margera agreeing to go to rehab. 

    Margera’s mother, April Margera, was cautiously optimistic. 

    “There are many, many addicts who have tried this over and over,” she told TMZ. “I think [former Jackass co-star Brandon] Novak said he was in there like 14 times. It might take several times. This may not be it. Every time I’m hoping this is it. It’s gotta be. We’re at the end of our rope.”

    April explained that her son was having a tough time overall, and lashing out at the people closest to him. 

    “I think he’s just really having a bit of a mental breakdown…. both chemical and physical,” she said. “There’s a lot of stress on him. He takes it out on the people he knows will sit here and take it. It’s awful. His mind is just racing, and we’re trying to get him help.”

    Margera’s former Jackass co-star Steve-O, who is in long-time recovery, posted on Instagram urging his friend to get help. 

    “It couldn’t be more clear that all of this isn’t OK, and I hope you’ll join me and Novak in recovery before your son loses his dad,” he wrote. “And, by the way, none of this looks cool (which is a good thing, because it’s humiliating myself that motivated me to commit myself to a program of recovery). It’s time to give up the fight, and join the winning team. I love you, brother…” 

    April said that this is just one example of the many people who are trying to support Margera. 

    “He has a whole legion of family and friends,” she said. “There are many many people who are behind supporting him, but right now he is his own worst enemy, and he doesn’t like himself. If he doesn’t like himself he’s doing to treat others really badly. This is not who he is.” 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera's Family Reportedly Admits Star Into Treatment Facility

    Bam Margera's Family Reportedly Admits Star Into Treatment Facility

    After a series of irate videos hit the internet, family members are reportedly helping the Jackass star receive mental health treatment. 

    After a 10-day stint in treatment earlier this year, family and friends have now reportedly committed former Jackass star Bam Margera into a behavioral health facility. 

    Concerns about Margera stemmed from recent Instagram videos in which he ranted about his wife, Nicole Boyd, Philly Voice reports. The videos have now been removed from his account.

    Then, according to the Philly Voice, another video came to light of Margera threatening his manager and refusing to attend his appearance at a comedy club in New York.  

    TMZ reports that while entering treatment has to do with alcohol use, family and friends also believe Margera may have a personality disorder as well. 

    Earlier this week, Margera’s sister-in-law Kelly Margera posted on Instagram asking for prayers and support during this time. Margera’s wife also shared the post. 

    “Addiction is a scary and complicated disease. A family disease,” Kelly’s post reads. “Giving and receiving help is a process that is not always easy to navigate. What our family needs right now are not your words, opinions, IG comments and Facebook shares. We need your prayers, prayer is a powerful thing, and until you’ve walked in our shoes on this journey with us, you have no idea.”

    Margera has been to treatment three times previously, according to Pop Culture. In the past, he has talked about the death of his co-star Ryan Dunn and how that has played a role in his drinking.

    “I have spent enough time grieving over Ryan Dunn through alcohol,” Margera previously stated. “I’m 39 years old, the party is over. I don’t plan on drinking anymore. I have wasted too much time at the bad and all my friends who needed decades of help are now all sober. I would like to join the sober parade.”

    Margera has reportedly been sober on and off, and even shared a video of himself ending seven months of sobriety at one point, Pop Culture reports.  

    As Margera enters treatment, two of his previous co-stars on Jackass, Brandon Novak and Steve-O, are celebrating milestones in their own recovery. Both have struggled with substance use disorder. 

    Novak took part in in-patient treatment 13 times before getting sober, Philly Voice reports, and he spoke at a drug court graduation recently. 

    Steve-O celebrated 11 years of sobriety on Monday, March 11 and commemorated the occasion on Instagram.

    “Eleven years clean and sober today, and I couldn’t be more grateful… Thanks to everyone who wished me a “happy birthday”!” his post read. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Completes Court-Mandated AA, But Friends Are Worried

    Bam Margera Completes Court-Mandated AA, But Friends Are Worried

    The troubled skateboarder has completed treatment, but those who know him fear the worst could be ahead.

    Even after completing his court-mandated, three-month-long online alcohol program and attending AA meetings, Bam Margera’s friends are worried for his life.

    Margera’s colleague and Jackass co-star Brandon Novak told TMZ that he’s worried about Margera’s decision to leave rehab early. Novak, who is in recovery, expressed his disappointment in Margera leaving rehab, because he felt he would otherwise be killing him, saying, “enable an addict, bury an addict.”

    But Margera wasn’t satisfied with sitting in rehab, sharing these feelings in a journal entry he posted on social media.

    “Dear assholes who want to talk shit about my sobriety…” he began.

    He went on to explain that he left because the rehab facility did not seem to think that he needed any detox or medications, so he figured he was wasting his time. His lawyer also mentioned that Margera is ahead of his legal obligations in regards to his DUI.

    Margera was placed in rehab after getting a DUI in Los Angeles in January last year. At the time, he was already struggling with drinking.

    “I never had any pill problems and I’ve never tried heroin in my life, but it’s been a real struggle for me to stay off the alcohol,” he said in a 2017 interview. “But just as long as you’re surrounded by good people and you have something to do, you’ll be good.”

    He avoided jail time, opting for three years probation and mandatory alcohol programs as well as compulsory visits to Alcoholics Anonymous.

    Margera was managing to stay sober until late last year, when he posted a video of himself in distress and telling the story of the life-threatening robbery he had just experienced.

    “I just arrived in Cartagena alone and I took a taxi, a random one, from the airport to here and I wouldn’t speak Spanish, they couldn’t speak English, and they translated on their phone to read ‘empty your wallet’ as they put a gun on their lap to show it to me. So I did and I had 500 bucks,” he recounted in the video. “They let me go. Welcome to Colombia.”

    At the end, he cracked open a beer. Following the post, Steve-O publicly expressed his concern that Margera wasn’t even sober prior to the robbery. Steve-O himself, like Novak, is a now-sober Jackass alumnus.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bam Margera Shares His Rehab Struggles Through Social Media

    Bam Margera Shares His Rehab Struggles Through Social Media

    The long-struggling skateboard star aired his frustrations with rehab on the Internet, letting all his fans see how tough rehab can be.

    Bam Margera, the former star of Jackass, is struggling with the confines of his rehabilitation. As reported in The Fix, Bam entered rehab for a third time on January 2, 2019.

    Margera has struggled with drugs and alcohol since his youth, and the death of close friends from addiction has been a destructive force in his life. Ryan Dunn, a co-star of Jackass and one of Margera’s best friends, died in an alcohol-fueled, fiery car crash in Pennsylvania on June 20, 2011, alongside his friend Zachary Hartwell.

    Bam Margera has taken to Instagram to filter his emotions while in rehab this third time. “Writing is one thing to do in rehab,” is the caption of the below post, published in Livewire:

    Dear Cocksuckers,

    I have spent enough time grieving over Ryan Dunn through alcohol. I’m 39 years old, the party is over. I don’t plan on drinking anymore. I have wasted too much time at the bar and all my friends who needed decades of help are now sober. I would like to join the sober parade. I hear the stories of other rehab patients telling me about there [sic] weeks or months of horrible detox. Well guess how many days of detox I had? ZERO!

    I am sick of people always thinking I’m drunk, crazy or fucked up. So if you plan on calling me to tell me that, you can go fuck yourself instead. I’m not going to suck anyone’s dick to stay on [skateboard company] Element and or prove that I am sober. I am sober. So keep printing BAM [skateboard] decks or don’t. Plant a tree or go bite the big one, every day is Earth day!

    Margera’s next Instagram post was as direct and emphatic:

    To whom it may concern,

    1. I don’t do well with not being allowed to Facetime my wife and kid
    2. I don’t do well with not being able to answer important calls with important people
    3. I don’t do well with not being able to go with everyone else to an outside AA meeting.
    4. I don’t do well with not being allowed to use the gym.

    I don’t understand why I can’t go on the Interweb like everyone else.

    1. My eyes hurt from reading, my wrist hurts from writing, ’cause there is nothing else to do.

    Recovery often involves relapse and it definitely involves struggling through identity and pain, so perhaps Margera’s open discussion of his personal issues is one step closer toward health and sobriety. 

    View the original article at thefix.com