About Bam Margera - Pro Skateboarder Profile, Biography and History

September 12, 2023

Skateboarder, actor, director, and stunt performer Bam Margera has achieved it all. He was born to Phil and April Margera on September 28, 1979, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. At the young age of three, his grandfather gave him the moniker "Bam" because of his penchant for running headfirst into walls. His brother, Jess, is a rock musician, and his nephew, Vincent, is a famous TV host.

As a teenager, Margera got hooked on skateboarding and learned the sport from his father. Professional skateboarders such as Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzalez, Bob Burnquist, and Rodney Mullen were also major influences on him, and looked up to their talents. He also developed his own creative and fearless personality, which made him stand out from other skateboarders. He was always on the lookout for new ways to challenge himself and used skating as an outlet for his creativity.

Bam started the CKY (Camp Kill Yourself) series, where he and his pals skateboard and perform feats and stunts on camera. The editor of Big Brother magazine and the man behind MTV's Jackass, Jeff Tremaine, took notice of these videos after they went viral among skateboarders. Margera became a regular on Jackass and took part in many risky and hilarious stunts for the show and its films.

Margera also created his own shows on MTV, such as Viva La Bam, Bam’s Unholy Union, Bam’s World Domination, and Bam’s Bad Ass Game Show. He co-wrote and directed two independent films, Haggard and Minghags, based on his own life and experiences. He compiled his own writings and photographs into a book titled Serious as Dog Dirt. He is part of the Team Element, a professional skateboarding team sponsored by Element Skateboards.

From the late '90s to the late '10s, Bam Margera was a prominent figure in the skateboarding world. He was well-known for his originality, creativity, and lack of restraint. He did a bunch of crazy feats and stunts, like ollieing over a 25-foot gap and jumping over a Lamborghini. And he's been all over the place, skating in contests like the King of the Road, the X Games, and Gravity Games. Among his many accolades are a gold medal from the street competition at the 2004 Gravity Games and the Readers' Choice Award from Transworld Skateboarding in 2002.

Margera was also instrumental in spreading awareness of the skateboarding subculture. Several skateboarding video games featured him as a playable character with his own set of tricks and flair, including the Tony Hawk's series. The CKY series, Haggard, Minghags, and Where the #$&% Is Santa? are just a few of the skateboarding videos and movies in which he has starred and/or produced. Along with other well-known skateboarders including Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Bob Burnquist, and Mike Vallely, he created several groundbreaking pieces of art. He was also an advocate for and spokesperson for a wide variety of skating companies and products, including Element Skateboards, Adio Shoes, Volcom, and Electric.

Bam Margera is not just a musician and huge enthusiast of rock and metal, but he is also a former professional skateboarder. Two CDs of his favourite bands' music, Viva La Bands and Viva La Bands, Volume 2, have been released under his name. These bands include HIM, CKY, Cradle of Filth, Slayer, and Children of Bodom. The Bloodhound Gang, Clutch, Turbonegro, and Dimmu Borgir were just some of the bands featured on his MTV show, Viva La Bam. He has worked together with some of these bands, such as appearing in the music video for HIM’s "Buried Alive by Love", performing with The Bloodhound Gang on stage, and producing the album Fuck You Up with Some Truth by Viking Skull. Along with his pals Brandon DiCamillo and Jess Margera, Bamber Margera is a member of the comedic rock band Gnarkill. His brother Jess and nephew Vincent are also members of the comic rock band Fuckface Unstoppable, in which Bam plays keyboards.

Skate-related Videography

Toy Machine: Jump Off a Building Skateboard Video

CKY2K Skateboard Video