The Untold Truth Of Poopies From Jackass
Sean "Poopies" McInerney, star of two Shark Week specials and "Jackass Forever," has already made a huge impact in that unique corner of the world. Not only is he one of the most popular among the new members of the group, but he fits in so well that it feels as if he's been there from the very beginning.
Poopies is a new breed of modern thrill-seeker from a generation who idolized Johnny Knoxville and the gang from their TV set as they grew up. From his preteen years into full adulthood, Poopies became the embodiment of the "Jackass" mentality for almost as long as he can remember. It has only seemed natural for him to fill the role he seemed destined to have for so many years. But there was a long, painful road to traverse in order to get to where he is now, and here are the inside stories behind those steps he took along the way.
Sean McInerney's antics began as a kid
The antics of Sean "Poopies" McInerney began when he was child, and the earliest example he is aware of was a time in kindergarten when he was out of control jumping from desk to desk in the middle of the classroom. He later discovered that his seemingly limitless energy was a result of ADHD and was put on medication for the condition over the following years.
Yet as he got older, McInerney fully embraced his wackiness as a way to fit in during an unstable time in his life. First he had to move from California to Missouri after his parents divorced, and then back to California again after his older brother got kicked out of school. The two siblings were very close, so McInerney went back with his brother, who wanted to continue wrestling. And with all of the moving around, it was difficult for him to make friends. In an interview with Stab, McInerney said, "At high school in California, everyone treated me different. I was the outcast. I had my razor scooter, my short shorts, my Adidas ... the clothes my mom dressed me with. The kids picked on me but I wanted to be cool with the crew so I'd do stupid s*** to make them laugh."
Sean McInerney found another use for his medication
After McInerney was diagnosed with ADHD, he recalled having to take nine Ritalin pills throughout the day and was very vocal about how much he disliked the medication on an episode of his podcast, "The Shi**iest Podcast." At first, he tried to throw them away or dispose of them any other way he could think of until he says his older brother gave him an easier solution that worked for a time.
McInerney says that he just wanted to get rid of the medication and did not ask any questions before handing off the pills to his brother. It was not until later that he says he realized his brother was selling them to other students at his high school (which is illegal, by the way — as with "Jackass" stunts, don't try this at home). Johnny Knoxville joked with him that he should have asked for something in return, but McInerney simply stressed that all he cared about was no longer having to take the Ritalin for making him anti-social.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Jackass inspired the infamous night Sean McInerney became Poopies
The "Jackass" series was just a more extreme, mature version of the kinds of hijinks Sean McInerney and his friends were into as early teens, so it made perfect sense that they loved the show. One Friday night, McInerney made the mistake of blurting out that he had to poop, so his friends fully took advantage of the situation and were clearly inspired by the obscene stunt show they were watching at the time. The group convinced him to wear a gorilla mask with matching gloves and carry out the dirty deed on a very public street.
When talking with Stab, McInerney recalled, "The boys were laughing so hard in the bushes ... somehow the cops got there really fast. I felt like I robbed a bank or something. Four cop cars pulled up, yelling, 'Get on the ground!' The boys hopped the fence and bailed. It was my first time getting arrested as a grom. All my friends told everyone at school the next day. And then, I was the kid who pooped in the street."
Since McInerney was a minor, the police let him go soon after, and as his father drove him home, he admitted the stunt was hilarious. From that day forward, McInerney was known to everyone as "Poopies" because his friends would never let anyone forget that night, or even let him introduce himself with his real name.
Poopies at first surfed to fit in
Especially after having the unwanted nickname forced upon him, Poopies still felt like an outcast in California, and merely acting like a crazy goofball would not be enough to truly fit in. So the outsider picked up the favorite hobby of his so-called friends and dedicated himself to it, as he explained to Stab, "I thought man, I moved to Carlsbad, met these surfer kids and now they're ruining my life. But I kept surfing and going to the same beach, kept putting in time to be one of the boys and that's all that it comes down to. Just wanting to be one of the boys."
Surfing may have started as simply a way to hang out with his new Californian buddies, but the more Poopies did it, the better he got. Then eventually, he grew to love riding waves so much that it became an essential part of his life.
No more school for Poopies
No matter how much he despised his nickname, Sean McInerney was Poopies whether he liked it or not. He had made the terrible mistake of telling his friends how much he hated it, and like typical teens, his complaints only made them call him Poopies even more. After the struggles he had already gone through to make friends, and then to have everyone laugh at his expense for the ridiculous name and the story behind it, Poopies stopped attending school altogether his sophomore year.
Instead, the dropout escaped to the beach every day to surf and got away with it for a while because he cleverly gave his school incorrect contact information. When his father eventually caught him skipping a month or two later, he was furious at first until Poopies was able to explain his predicament. In an episode of "The Shi**iest Podcast," Johnny Knoxville asked if his father made him go back and Poopies answered, "No, because he knew I didn't like it and I freaking love him for that because he understood, he understands me."
Poopies then moved back to Missouri to live and study with his mother, who was a certified GED instructor. Throughout his junior year, he attempted the examination four times before he was finally able to pass the test back in California.
Poopies says he worked as a drug mule
Poopies says he had all sorts of jobs as a teen and young adult before he started getting paid to do outlandish stunts, like working as a trimmer for a marijuana producer. Through the funds gained working that gig over a couple of years, the avid surfer says he was able to make trips out to Hawaii. Poopies also enjoyed his time in construction, yet a much more lucrative and insane way the young hustler earned some cash, he says, was by smuggling hash across the Mexican border into the U.S. when he was only 18 years old.
On an episode of "Steve-O's Wild Ride!," Poopies laid out the method his employer used and explained, "So I met up with this guy in a Tijuana hotel, like the nice one, and I go up to his room, and he'd have these pajamas, like longjohns." After describing how over 8 lb. of hash bricks would be sewn into the outfit and firmly taped down, Poopies says he then wore very loose clothing over it all to pass through the gate unnoticed with the rest of the drunk U.S. citizens partying south of the border.
For successfully carrying out the dangerous task, he says, the future entertainer was rewarded with $2,000. Possibly the most terrifying moment was when a K-9 unit was nearby, but the product was vacuum-sealed so well that he still passed undetected. Regardless of his success, he only did the shady work one more time before deciding it was not worth the risk.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
A vital career meeting happened by chance
A decade before Poopies became part of the legendary "Jackass" crew, he became famous for his appearances on the series "Who is JOB?" Starring on the show was a pivotal moment in his career, but it happened completely by chance. The second year that Poopies made a trip to Hawaii, he met a stranger on the beach who happened to be Damien Robertson, the videographer for famous surfer Jamie O'Brien.
Poopies told the story on his YouTube channel and explained how hanging out with Robertson led to getting introduced to O'Brien. It did not take long before the two became close friends and started to record their exploits riding the largest waves. The amateur filming soon became more professional and led to the "Who is JOB?" web series produced by Red Bull TV, which ran for an impressive eight seasons.
A few near-fatal stunts on Who is JOB?
Poopies' path to fame may have begun in the "Who is JOB?" series, but just like on "Jackass," the crazy stunts he performed were extremely dangerous at times. The crazy stuntman has recounted two of the worst of these instances, such as hitting several large rocks after sliding down a drainage ditch and almost drowning after he got hit by a massive wave.
When asked what his most outrageous stunts were on the popular web series in his interview with Stab, Poopies replied, "Probably the drainage ditch. I'm so lucky, I should have came out of there paralyzed. We just showed up and went down it. At the bottom there's a bunch of boulders, and when I got down to the bottom I was going 60 mph, it was the worst nightmare. I thought, 'I'm going to die right now.'" He then went on to explain how incredibly fortunate he was in the way his body struck the boulders below because he could have easily broken his legs or snapped his spine.
Poopies then reconsidered his answer and said, "Actually ... Mexico is probably the first one because I almost drowned. I don't know if you can get closer to drowning than that." When he and Jamie O'Brien were on the open water, the two were struck by a massive, 20-foot wave. So he added, "I got pounded, hit the sand again and again and finally popped up. Thank God Hippo was there. It was the scariest thing in my life."
Joining Jackass was a dream come true
Red Bull TV was great for the careers of both Poopies and Jamie O'Brien since the company produced their successful series "Who is JOB?," but after nearly a decade, the two reached a point where they wanted to go out on their own with independent YouTube channels. While O'Brien had a lot of success even early on, Poopies on the other hand struggled to gain followers in the new format.
Luckily at that low point in his career, Poopies received a phone call that changed his life forever. Producer Trip Taylor had met the surfing daredevil when he was only 16, so he reached out to Poopies to find out if he wanted to join the "Jackass" crew. Poopies was immediately on board and described his excitement over the offer on his YouTube channel. All that was required was a Skype call with Johnny Knoxville and director Jeff Tremaine, followed by a test shoot. It all went very well, so he was in and became a new member of the tight-knit team.
Poopies almost lost a hand like his father
When Poopies performed one of his first stunts with the "Jackass" crew for Discovery's "Shark Week," it ended in absolute disaster. After failing to launch himself off a ramp in the ocean, Poopies landed directly into a patch of open water infested with sharks. As he desperately tried to escape, one of the vicious predators nearly bit his hand off before he was rescued and rushed to seek medical attention.
Poopies' hand still looks somewhat mangled, yet surgeons were able to reattach it to the limb and repair a significant amount of the damage even though the bite had torn through the tendons and two arteries (per The Daily Beast). It was the worst injury of Poopies' career by far and the most severe wound ever suffered by a member in "Jackass" throughout the long history of the infamous stunt show. On "The Poopies Channel," his "Jackass" co-star Steve-O said, "We've definitely had bad things happen on 'Jackass' before. We broke someone's back one time. In the new movie, 'Jackass Forever,' Johnny Knoxville has a brain bleed with his concussion, broken rib, and wrist. But I mean dude, this I think was the gnarliest out of everything."
Bizarrely, Poopies' father also endured a gruesome injury to his hand many years before. When talking on the podcast, "Steve-O's Wild Ride!," he revealed that in a freak accident, his dad's hand was run over by a train. However, Papa Poops was not as lucky as his son and lost the hand entirely.
Loving the new level of fame
For many years, Poopies absolutely hated the nickname that was forced upon him because it was so humiliating. However, he has later come to embrace it because the name has become associated with his rise in popularity, especially after appearing in "Jackass Forever." On "Steve-O's Wild Ride!," Poopies explained how the name used to be a hindrance to meeting women, but now it does the complete opposite.
In a similar way, the horrific shark attack he suffered as a new member of the crew was one of the most terrifying moments of his life, but since he survived the incident, it's become an epic tale. In an interview with Screen Rant, Poopies went so far as to joke that performing the insane stunt was the best advice he was given, and there's probably some truth to that.
Poopies genuinely enjoyed his increased celebrity status and excitedly told a story of how flustered he got when he was recognized at a 7-Eleven. After a fan asked to take a picture with him, he happily said yes and left the store shortly after, only to realize in the car that he had left the bag of ice he purchased.
Poopies will star in the new Jackass series
Even though Johnny Knoxville will always be involved with "Jackass" in some way, the fact that he's much older now and has a family means that he is ready to pass the torch on to a new generation. The leader of the group told Variety, "I've done enough. I don't have anything to prove. I have kids to raise. That's the most important thing."
Poopies is among the latest cast members to appear in the most recent installments, "Jackass Forever" and "Jackass 4.5," along with comedian Rachel Wolfson, actor Eric Manaka, MTV stuntman Zach Holmes, and rapper Jasper Dolphin. With an impressive domestic box office return of $23 million on the movie's opening weekend, the new "Jackass" crew did so well on their cinematic introduction that Paramount+ is producing a new version of the show for its streaming service. Like the films and the original MTV series, the upcoming show will most likely feature a good mix of classic cast members with the popular newcomers.