Jackass is both a celebration of poor taste and a welcome elevation of the slapstick comedy tradition.

The appeal of slapstick lies in its simplicity and universality.

But thats not to say slapstick itself entirely faded away into obscurity.

Johnny Knoxville in Jackass Forever from Paramount Pictures and MTV Entertainment Studios.

In this sense,Jackassseemed almost revolutionary a postmodern comedy that blurred the lines between TV and reality.

No longer were viewers restricted to seeing carefully coordinated stunts played out in film or television.