It’s not an understatement to say Bam Margera is a cultural icon. Pro skateboarder. Jackass and Viv La Bam star. Merch magnate. His innate penchant for filming every aspect of his life paid dividends early on. Before MTV, reality television, and Jackass, Bam built his reputation through homemade skate videos, prank footage, and a tight-knit West Chester, Pennsylvania crew that became known as CKY, short for “Camp Kill Yourself.” The videos blended aggressive street skating, absurd stunts, destruction, music, and the kind of chaotic humor that later contributed to the blueprint for Jackass.
The original CKY circle included Bam, his older brother Jess Margera, and longtime friends like Brandon DiCamillo, Ryan Dunn, Rake Yohn, Chris Raab, and Brandon Novak. Bam started skating seriously as a kid in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and early CKY tapes circulated physically through skate shops, copied VHS tapes, word of mouth, and underground skate culture. Bam quickly understood that personality and storytelling could matter as much as technical skating. While many skate videos at the time focused strictly on tricks, CKY mixed skating with shopping cart crashes, fireworks, public pranks, fake kidnappings, and constant torment of his parents Phil and April.
That combination made the tapes spread beyond Pennsylvania. Skate shops across the East Coast started stocking and duplicating them because kids kept asking for them. The CKY videos became cult staples in skateboarding circles before mainstream media had any idea who Bam was.
At the same time, Bam was becoming a legitimate professional skateboarder. His early sponsorships included local skate shops and regional support before larger brands took notice. He eventually rode for Toy Machine early in his career before gaining wider visibility through Element, which became closely tied to his rise. Bam’s mix of technical street skating, charisma, and growing video popularity made him commercially valuable in a way few skaters had been at the time.
Phil frequently filmed contest runs, backyard stunts, and travel footage while Bam’s friends edited the chaos together into increasingly polished VHS releases. Those tapes eventually landed in the hands of Jeff Tremaine and the future Jackass production team. Tremaine, who was then editor of Big Brother magazine, recognized that Bam and the CKY crew had already developed their own fully formed style and audience.
That led to Bam joining Jackass in the early 2000s alongside Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and others. But unlike many cast members, Bam entered the show with an existing skate career, a built-in crew, successful video distribution, and a recognizable visual identity already established through CKY.
This transition from underground VHS tapes to MTV happened remarkably fast. Within a few years, Bam went from filming pranks in suburban Pennsylvania with Phil behind the camera to starring in Jackass, releasing signature skate products, directing music videos, launching Viva La Bam, and becoming one of the most commercially recognizable skateboarders of the early 2000s.
The famous line from Viva La Bam’s opening, featuring a narrator’s voice asking “What will he do next?” And Bam’s response of “Whatever the fuck I want,” embodied Bam’s brand perfectly. But that ethos inevitably led him down the dark paths of alcohol abuse and addiction later in his career.
Now, after a decade of opting for “getting larried up” as Bam would say, at the expense of skating, he’s sober and back on the board. This transformation is, in no small part, attributed to his wife Dannii, who has partnered with Bam in their new venture, Bam THC. Dannii’s understanding of cannabis as a natural medicine led to Bam reassessing his relationship with the plant. In his relatively newfound sobriety, he is utilizing cannabis as a wellness tool, helping him treat the aches and pains associated with decades of skating and wild stunts.
Offering lidocaine THC balms, gummies, pens, flower, and CBD roll-ons, Bam THC is poised to take the U.S. cannabis market by storm. In this conversation, Bam and Dannii expound on the brand while touching on marriage, sobriety, skating, and their next chapter together.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Cannabis & Tech Today: Bam, you’ve credited skating for keeping you alive. How has cannabis helped you continue pursuing that passion?
Bam Margera: Well, in 2013, the doctor declared my legs as dry rotted rubber bands from alcohol abuse and said, “Good luck trying to skate.” He told me to reach down and touch my toes and I did, and my hamstring popped and I was out for a year. So I kind of gave up on skateboarding at that point and I drank even more than I should have and really showed me.
Then when I met Dannii, my wife, nearly three years ago, she said, “I’m a stretch coach. Don’t listen to that doctor moron. I will stretch your legs and they will be back in no time flat.” So an hour a day, I lay on a table. She does all the work and it hurts so good.
She started using this lidocaine kind of THC menthol stuff. That’s when we met Jason Alvarez, who actually makes and distributes this right outside of Miami. So we came up with the perfect potion that anytime a skater or athlete thinks they’re too sore to do anything, as soon as you apply this, you’ll be changing your mind in no time flat.
Then on top of that, we came out with some gummies that help you sleep really well and some flower as well.
DM: When we met, I had already hung up drinking. I choose not to drink. I won a bikini contest in 2021, won Top Five International, didn’t drink, never picked it back up. A couple glasses of champagne here and there or whatever, but it constantly made me sick.
So when I met Bam, I had already finished with that lifestyle. I’ve loved cannabis since I was about 16. It’s helped me with anxiety, appetite, sleep, and things I’ve gone through in my life.
When I realized Bam’s addiction wasn’t about smoking weed, I showed him there’s a way to enjoy cannabis without just getting high or smoking all day. When he smoked with me, he felt comfortable. It helped him break away from alcohol. That’s why he understands it differently now.
He’s not a big smoker. If he feels like it, he’ll hit it with me on movie night or something. He’s really grown out of honestly everything. This was something that broke him away from the nasty devil alcohol.
BM: I have a gay boyfriend and it’s called vodka. If it touches my lips, I’m cheating.
DM: And I’ll send his ass right to Wilton Manors where he belongs when he cheats with vodka.
BM: That’s the West Hollywood of Florida.
DM: I don’t want people to get the impression Bam’s a huge smoker because I don’t think he ever has been. It’s more about him understanding the plant outside of his past experiences.
BM: I had to put it away for a while for two reasons. One was when I went on Snoop Dogg’s tour bus. I knew he was going to pass me a joint and I couldn’t say no. I counted him puffing it 11 times before he passed it to me. I took one puff and stopped talking. He’s like, “Are you alright, homie?” I’m like, “What was that?” He goes, “Purple Billaden weed.” I’m like, “Note to self. No more Purple Billaden weed.” He asked if I was going to miss the show and I said, “I’m going to lay in this bush and stare at the moon.”
The first reason was when I was 23 somebody dared me to eat $100 worth of weed. I swallowed all of it and fell asleep on the sink for two days. Woke up with a giant bruise around my neck after writing loving goodbye letters to everybody because I thought I was going to die. For a week afterward, everything had a yellow tint to it and I could only eat vanilla ice cream. It really fucked me up.
DM: When he told me that, that’s why I said, “Oh, you have to understand the plant differently.” In the beginning of his sobriety, it was just something to take the edge off cravings. So he understood it a lot more than just those two experiences.
C&T Today: You mentioned the menthol THC blend and getting Bam back into shape. What led you to creating that product?
DM: I’ve been a personal trainer and stretch coach since 2016. I’m not an athlete. The gym has always just helped me mentally, and getting a good body is a plus.
When Bam realized he wasn’t this unhealthy POS that he thought he was, things changed. A lot of people are more flexible than they believe. Once you get into the gym and commit to a seven to fourteen day program, your mind changes.
So when he started hanging out with me, working out with me, stretching with me, doing sit-ups and understanding soreness, it became a healthy habit. The lighter he is, the better he is on his deck.
BM: My fuck piece is my stretch coach, nutritionist, and workout partner.
DM: We like hanging out. I think you’re supposed to want to hang out with your partner. His sobriety is my main concern. He’s going to be in Grind 2. Tony Hawk wants him involved. We’ve got a Fallen shoe coming. We’re working on 23 projects.
And this cannabis project is my baby with him. I love cannabis. When Jason approached us, it was a no-brainer because they’re just good people. Good family people.
Building BAM THC
C&T Today: What sparked BAM THC and what was the process like turning the idea into reality?
DM: We’ve been approached by a lot of cannabis companies. Everybody wants to put Bam’s name on something. But this came along with a relationship. Paul and Jason are fellow skaters. They know the Plan B team. They’re just family people.
My mom smoked in front of me and didn’t make it a huge deal. I think that’s the generation coming up now. If somebody can light up a Marlboro Light, what’s the big deal?
BM: Jason Alvarez really worked for me because he started from the bottom and now he’s here with 4,500 distribution places and giant warehouses. He did it all himself from scratch.
DM: So I was very proud of that. And they’re family people. I love them. That was the spark. Plus, they get to skate together, I get to hang out with his wife, and we get to hopefully change lives on top of it.
Costa Rica and Skateboarding
C&T Today: We heard you guys are headed to Costa Rica. What’s the plan there?
BM: I’m really good friends with everybody from Plan B. Danny Way, Colin McKay, Pat Duffy, Chris Joslin. When Jason said, “Would you like to come do demos with us?” I was like, “Hell yeah.”
He’s got a mini ramp on top of his mountain with four houses on it. It sounded phenomenal.
DM: He’s also asked Bam to help build a mini ramp indoors so they can skate when it’s too hot outside. And I get a nice little trip to Costa Rica because I’ve never been.
BM: Jason’s Mr. Costa Rica.
DM: We’re basically going with the mayor of Costa Rica.
The BAM THC Product Line
C&T Today: Tell us about the BAM THC rollout and the products coming first.
DM: There are three lidocaine sticks. We have 1,000 milligram, 3,000 milligram, and 5,000 milligram options. We’ve got multiple flower strains coming, gummies, pens, concentrates, sativa, hybrid, indica, everything.
The gummies are pretty strong.
We’re also doing bigger jars and individually wrapped gummies. Everything is as clean and organic as it can get and distributed right out of Miami.
The lidocaine stick is huge for us because Bam uses it during stretching sessions, but I use it too. I have 13 screws in my leg from surgeries. I use it on flights for inflammation, cramps, temples, everywhere. My mom has worked in cardiology for over 40 years and said her neuropathy disappeared almost instantly using it.
It’s not like an Icy Hot where it disappears and you’re still in pain. It lasts.
BM: It’s instantaneous. I can tell you that.
Cannabis and Sobriety
C&T Today: How does cannabis play into your sobriety journey?
BM: My problem was I’d use it in the weirdest environments. Nightclubs where people recognized me and screamed “Bam, Bam, Bam.” I’d freak out.
But when Dannii showed me the way and I started doing it with close friends or just her, honestly, I became a mellower and nicer person.
DM: He’s had his best sleep with cannabis.
He’s ADHD. His brain is constantly going. So if we’re on a big trip and he wakes up at 3 a.m. with ideas, he’ll write them down.
If you wake up at three in the morning and you’re creative, hit the bong and get creative. What’s the big deal? I hit the bong and go do a thousand sit-ups.
Branding and Authenticity
C&T Today: How important is branding in cannabis right now, especially with celebrities entering the market?
BM: I only sign deals for stuff I completely put my heart into. Dannii has been at the factory testing products, calling back saying, “This is good, but this could be better.” This has been a year in the making.
It’s not like we walked in and picked something quickly. Once Dannii gave it two thumbs up, that’s when we officially decided to launch it.
DM: People understand we’re different. This isn’t a fake marriage. This isn’t for Hollywood cameras or to piss off an ex. This is real.
Just because he’s sober and I’m the one who partakes more, people think my smoking would affect his sobriety. It doesn’t. It actually balanced things out. He understands the plant more seeing how it helps me with anxiety, depression, and everyday life.
It’s not a gateway drug for him. Those are just opinions people hold onto.
BM: Dannii summed it up really easy for me. She said, “Would you rather get drunk or eat pussy meat?” And I was like, “Well, I’d definitely rather eat pussy meat.” She said, “Then you’re never allowed to drink again if you want to be with me.” I said, “Alright, I’m down with that.”
What’s Next for BAM THC
C&T Today: What does the rollout look like moving forward?
BM: Right now you can get it online at bamthc.com. It’s also in 4,500 stores mainly in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, but it’s expanding.
Maybe we can get into mom-and-pop skate shops as well.
DM: We’re going to Vegas for the Champs trade show and the Big Smoke convention. That’ll be our big drop.
Then hopefully we’ll start doing signings, giveaways, product appearances, maybe get into dispensaries eventually. International would be killer because his UK fans are going to be dying for it.
Music, Skateboarding, and Staying Healthy
C&T Today: Any new band recommendations?
BM: I’m working with a new band from Puerto Rico called Amore Ad Lunam and we have an album coming out soon. It’s timeless music to me.
I also want people to know about The Black Capes from Greece, Lacrimus Profundere from Austria, and of course The 69 Eyes are working on new music too. And shout out to Yelawolf.
C&T Today: What’s your favorite skate spot right now outside Pennsylvania?
DM: He’s obsessed with Mini on the Mountain. He loves Lot 11 in Miami. And there’s another park outside Lakeland, Florida that he loves because it’s quiet.
That was actually a big reason we came to Florida. I didn’t want to throw him straight into Miami because it’s high energy and I didn’t want temptations around him before he got stronger. But now he has a really good crew around him here.
I found five acres in Myakka City surrounded by horses where he can build a halfpipe. He gets to skate, I get to ride horses, and everybody’s happy.
