neXt: The next generation, covered now

Knoxville and prank gang go online

The boys from MTV's "Jackass" and spinoff hit "Wildboyz" have gone 2.0, well, 2.5 to be exact. Johnny Knoxville and his gang of stunt pros and highly supervised stunt bros now have a Web site where fans can find the clips and pranks that didn't make the Jackass sequel released back in 2006.

Apparently, the crew had too much footage, and after releasing "Jackass 2" were left with a ton of tomfoolery. Thus, "Jackass 2.5" was born.

"Jackass 2.5" became available Dec. 16 through a Blockbuster and MTV arrangement. The film won't be in theaters. It will be streamed on blockbuster.jackassworld.com until Monday. On Wednesday, the the unrated "Jackass 2.5" DVD was released for rent at participating Blockbuster stores -- both the Cape Girardeau and Jackson locations have it -- and for sale online and at all major DVD retailers.

A 20-second clip on the Web site shows Ehren McGhehey in India lying on a bed of nails with a bucket of cobras on his chest, while Steve-O, Chris Pontius and Wee Man heckle him from off-camera.

People are still yelling for more. All this foolhardiness and evolution of the "Jackass" franchise has caused Knoxville, born P.J. Clapp, to have an epiphany. This "Jackass" thing has longevity that no one anticipated. In the industry, such longevity is called "having legs."

"It's bowlegged," Knoxville said, "but it's got legs. It grew legs."

Knoxville still has reminders of his past "Jackass" work. The first film sent him to the emergency room three times. On the second film, "I didn't go to the emergency room as much, but I have been to the doctor a lot more," he said.

"I have a chiropractor I have to work with. I go to the doctor. I blew my back out, and sometimes it seizes up on me. I could have shoulder surgery right now, but it's not so bad that I need to."

Then he deadpans: "Other than that, I'm great."

In February jackassworld.com will fully launch and fans can catch all kinds of clips and news about Knoxville and the gang. The site keeps pace with the shows and has pretty foul language and video. To watch the streaming video online, you have to be inside the US and at least 17 years old.

The movie site imdb.com lists a "Jackass 3" in the making for 2008. No official word has been sent out, but Steve-O was quoted on the Howard Stern Show saying they were going to start filming a third installment in January.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246

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CD Review

"AUDIO DAY DREAM," Blake Lewis (Arista)

Even though traditional crooner Jordin Sparks predictably won the sixth season of "American Idol," credit runner-up Blake Lewis for bringing something fresh to the glorified karaoke competition. His beatbox vocals were perhaps the most memorable aspect of his season of "American Idol" -- particularly when he used them to take liberties with Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name." Lewis would seem to have an advantage over the other former "Idol" competitors in distinguishing himself. Yet here he is with his new "Audio Day Dream," and his beatboxing is merely a minor player on the release. He and his producers assemble a sound that approximates that of accomplished stars -- in this case, a hybrid of Justin Timberlake, George Michael and Jamiroquai framed in a synthesizer-heavy, 1980s context. "Audio Day Dream" is accessible and fairly diverting, straddling faux-rock, poppy funk and mainstream dance music with an old-school electronic spin and heavy-handed use of flickering rhythms and pounding beats that tease at Lewis's beatboxing alter-ego. However, he mostly just sings -- serviceably, but without much distinction. All in all, "Audio Day Dream" is a passable pop album. It's just a shame that the same guy who took a formulaic show down an adventurous route is now taking such a formulaic path for himself.

-- Scripps Howard News Service

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Friday night lives

David Berry, left, Joe Uhls, the self-proclaimed King of the Jungle, Alex Robinson and John Ritter cheered in the Central Jungle during the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament Wednesday, December 26, 2007, at the Show Me Center.

David Berry, left, self-proclaimed King of the Jungle Joe Uhls, Alex Robinson and John Ritter cheered in the Central Jungle during the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Wednesday at the Show Me Center. The tournament continues today and tomorrow.

Kit Doyle

kdoyle@semissourian.com

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neXt up

FRIDAY

• Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament: Show Me Center, games begin at noon.

SATURDAY

• Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament: Show Me Center, games begin at 3 p.m.
• Blinded Black and The Parting Scene: Enchanted Forest, 6 p.m.

SUNDAY

• Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball vs. Central Methodist: Show Me Center, 3 p.m.

NEXT WEEK

• DVDs

"Resident Evil: Extinction," R, Tuesday

"Shoot 'Em Up," R, Tuesday

"The Tudors," complete first season, N/A, Tuesday

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Who's neXt

SCHOLARSHIPS

Alleigh White

• Alleigh White of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a President's Scholarship, a Missouri Leadership Award and a Missouri Assessment Program Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University next year.
• Brandon Garrad of Jackson, Martin Dames II of Advance, Mo., and Benjamin Mayfield of Jackson have been awarded a Missouri Assessment Program Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University next year.

HONORS

• Jason Delgado, Aimee Ha, Brett Heischmidt, Brooke Heischmidt, Abby Moore, Jared Roop, Megan Ruth, Kristin Shirrell, Rachael Unterreiner, Joseph Van Nostrand and Daniel Yingling, all of Cape Gir-ardeau; and Jessica Barton, Tyler Grantham, Megan Grothman, Jacie Hartle, Katie Kassel, Matthew Morris, Sarah Nenninger, Christopher Shelton and Alisha Soemo, all of Jackson, made the dean's list at Missouri State University for the fall semester.

GRADUATIONS

• Jacob Carter of Cape Girardeau graduated from Missouri State University on Dec. 14.
• Jason Heisserer has received his doctor of education degree from Maryville University in St. Louis. Heisserer, son of Darlene Heuring, is originally from Scott City and is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University.

-- From staff reports

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