Monday, June 20, 2011

In Memoriam: Ryan Dunn (1977-2010)

This isn't quite up there with the death of Princess Diana or anything, and it's likely nobody will ever ask me in twenty years if I remember where I was when Ryan Dunn died, but even still... I liked the guy. I don't mean I liked him personally, since I never met him, although I can't imagine any franchise that is more honest about its stars than Jackass was. People watched Jackass to see a bunch of dumb guys getting hurt, but people started to love Jackass (and kept it going strong for over a decade) because the performers were so lovable and charming, and maybe none more than Dunn. People who have never watched Jackass don't understand that. They think Jackass is just a bunch of idiots doing stupid, dangerous things. Jackass is actually a bunch of funny, lovable idiots doing stupid, dangerous things.

I mean, anybody can stick a matchbox car up their ass and then go to the doctor to get an x-ray, but few people could pull it off with the class and good humor of Mr. Dunn.

Anyway, I liked the guy, and I was sorry to learn that he died in a car crash. I'm sure he'd be sorry that he died that way too, but I'm sure he'd be even more pissed that it wasn't even caught on camera so it could be used in Jackass 4.

Read more about Dunn in this obituary.

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