Jackass: Best And Last is coming up on the 2026 movie schedule, and to celebrate that, Paramount+ dropped a remastered version of the original series, complete with episodes the way they aired on television. It's a nice gesture and a great way to get people hype for the final Jackass movie, but it's just got me nostalgic for Viva La Bam.
As such, I fired up my Paramount+ subscription, only to learn that Viva La Bam is not on the streaming platform. I was pretty upset, as I was hoping to "shake things up a bit" (much like Bam does on the show), and would argue it's more vital to Paramount+ than the actual Jackass series. Allow me to explain.
I Watched Much More Viva La Bam In My Youth Than Jackass
Jackass is the show from that MTV era that gets remembered, but I think that's largely because of the movies and its continued relevance over the decades. In reality, there were only 25 episodes of the series made over the course of three seasons, so it was far from something that was prolific or super-rewatchable.
MTV, of course, gave us other opportunities to see the Jackass crew. One option was Wildboyz, a Jackass/nature show hosted by Steve-O and Chris Pontius, and there was also Viva La Bam. With forty episodes, other young teens and I tuned in weekly to see Bam Margera act like an absolute jerk to his family.
In the end, it was very Jackass-coded, but there was more of a story to it that mimics more modern reality television shows before it was as commonplace. Of course, in hindsight I have to imagine this family was obviously in on some of the antics, because how else would they tolerate their rich brat son laying waste to their home on a daily basis?
At the time, however, I was young and more gullible. Bam lived the fantasy life that sounded amazing for any teen who hoped to find a similar path to the success the Jackass crew had. Plus, it was funny to watch him beat up his dad while he was on the toilet, and send his uncle, Don Vito, into a swearing fit.
Why Paramount+ May Hesitate To Add Viva La Bam
It's worth noting that Viva La Bam is one of many classic MTV shows that aren't on Paramount+. While we don't have a specific reason for why these shows are missing, The New York Times reported that many shows that used licensed music back in the day used short-term licensing deals, which were cheaper than buying the rights to a song indefinitely. As such, many of these songs are no longer able to be in the episodes of these shows, and MTV jam-packed its shows with licensed music. It's possible bringing Viva La Bam to streaming in its current state would require a big payout to various rights holders of songs, and the streamer isn't sure it's worth the cost.
Another big factor is Bam Margera's relationship with the Jackass crew, as well as Paramount in general. There's been bad blood between the two over the years, with Bam filing lawsuits against the company as well as Johnny Knoxville, and stating that the legacy of Jackass is tainted. I can't imagine anyone who is a Paramount higher-up is eager to get Viva La Bam on the platform, if there's concern about the contentious relationship they've had with Margera over the years.
There's also the general controversy surrounding Margera, who has been arrested various times over the years and struggled with substance abuse. With the risk of the former star making headlines for unsavory reasons, I can understand if there's hesitation to try to promote his series.
All the same, I'm here to say that I love Bam Margera, and I love Viva La Bam. Like it or not, he's part of the Jackass legacy, and should be remembered for his contributions to it. Adding his series to Paramount+ is one of the ways for that to happen, and I'd love to see it.
Will it happen? I'm crossing my fingers, but feeling it's not likely. I still enjoy Paramount+ in the meantime, and just recently completed a rewatch of Wildboyz that I thoroughly enjoyed!
