Jackass star Steve-O cancels breast implant surgery after talking to trans shop worker

Jackass star Steve-O has changed his mind about having breast implants as a joke after speaking to a transgender cashier.

The professional prankster and wild-stunt performer, whose real name is Stephen Glover, had a profound experience on the day of his surgery. Speaking to Consequence of Sound, he said that he was shopping for groceries and noticed that the cashier at the checkout was transgender.

“It struck me as a sign from the universe,” he said. “I didn’t have any dedicated meetings or conversations with trans people because I didn’t really feel I had to.”

Glover announced in July that, as part of a series of pranks for his upcoming tour, he would be temporarily getting breast implants and had the surgery booked in. The initial plan was to film with several hidden cameras with the star “in disguise” before revealing who he was.

But he has now had a change of heart.

“I asked the transgender person if I could run something by them, and I had a conversation with this person that had a profound impact on me,” he said.

“I knew what my motivation was, I knew what my intention was, and it wasn’t to be hurtful to anybody. I was just trying to get laughs. I had done a bunch of workshop shows to test out material, and I had a number of trans people come to me after the shows to voice support for [the stunt].

“I think some people would’ve been OK with it, and some people wouldn’t.”

‘It was pretty heart-breaking’

After speaking to the cashier, he learnt of the current political climate, including the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that transgender and queer people are facing.

Over the past few years, state politicians have passed bills mitigating trans people’s rights, including barring them from public changing rooms and facilities, preventing them participating in sporting events, and banning gender-affirming care for trans youngsters.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, at least 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed in the US so far this year.

“[They] described how they weren’t allowed to use the bathroom at their place of work, that there were maybe 28 states in the country that would arrest them for having an ID that said female on it,” Glover said. “It was pretty heart-breaking, the level of oppression that was described.”

The conversation made Glover realise it wasn’t a subject for fun and games.

“I would’ve considered it to be better footage if I was to be beaten up at the motorcycle rally. Just having that mentality was very flawed because ultimately it would be an exercise in celebrating violence against trans people.”

Glover added he was “extremely grateful” that the prank didn’t happen but had found it difficult to reverse his decision after being so vocal about it.

“I’ve never been the kind of artist to say I was going to do something, then not do it. That was what I had trouble with, not honouring my word.”

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