Whassup doc?
BY MIKE AVERILL World Scene Writer
Feb 24, 2008
2/24/08 at 1:26 AM
Tulsa physician is stunt doctor for 'Jackass' crew
Attempting a back flip on a
motorcycle when you don't
know how to ride one is a terrible idea, even if you're the
seemingly indestructible actor/stuntman Johnny Knoxville.
So when Knoxville was getting ready for the attempt, local doctor Jason Sims was getting ready to go to work.
Sims, a osteopathic physician and second-year family
resident at Oklahoma State
University Medical Center,
was part of a local crew on
hand at a recent "Jackass"
television shoot at the Cooperland Raceway in Coyle.
"We were scared big time as
soon as he got on the motorcycle and tried to jump it. The
day before he wrecked a
smaller cycle," he said. "When
he got on the big one, we were
definitely scared. There were
people positioned all over the
place because we knew something was going to happen."
And something did happen.
Knoxville suffered a torn
urethra when the handle bars
hit him in the groin as he
crashed.
"He got up and said, 'I'm
OK, just hurt.' Then he said it
felt like he was urinating on
himself. When he noticed the
blood, that freaked him out,"
Sims said. "He was able to
walk to the treatment ambulance. I was able to examine
him there. It wasn't life threatening, but he needed to get it
checked out."
The "Jackass" crew was
with X-Games legend Travis
Pastrana filming a tribute to
Evil Knievel.
Sims has worked many local
rodeos and other sporting
events and was excited to get
the chance to work with the
"Jackass" crew.
"It was awesome, so much
fun," he said. "They're just crazy. It's kind of neat seeing people you've seen on TV and
movies, seeing those people
right there and you're talking
to them and they're talking to
you.
"They're doing some crazy
stuff. I'm just glad no one got
seriously injured."
He said the only time he
was nervous was when Knoxville was attempting the stunt.
"He said, 'I don't know how
to ride a motorcycle,' " Sims
said. "When he got all of the
safety gear and helmet on, we
knew it wouldn't be good. We
started our strategy right
then.
"We're always watching really close. It's not really ever
tense, there's a little adrenaline, but not that much. We
have to watch because if they
get hurt we like to know how."
Sims was the doctor on the
crew, which also consisted of
Justin Laird, sports medicine
specialist with OSU medical
center, and Paul Lay, owner of
Extreme Sports Medics.
There was also a flight crew
with a pilot, flight nurse and
two flight EMTs.
A lot of the stunts planned
for the shoot had to be postponed because of rain and
mud, and Sims hopes to work
the reshoots.
"Oh yeah, I'd do it again," he
said. "I tried to talk them into
letting me be the 'Jackass'
doctor. I don't know if it
worked."
Mike Averill 581-8489
mike.averill@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Johnny Knoxville is star of MTV’s “Jackass.”
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