As a former professional skateboarder, Bam Magera has ridden many highs and lows — literally and figuratively. That includes a long-term struggle with sobriety that the television personality and stunt performer has been candid about over the years. Find out more about Bam Magera, his fight for sobriety and what he has to say about addiction treatment and seeking a healthier life below.
Who Is Bam Magera?
Bam Magera has had success as a skateboarder, professional stunt person and television personality. His career began in high school when he was given a video camera by his father and started using it to record himself and his friends performing skateboard stunts.
Eventually, Magera edited footage and released it as CKY: Landspeed. Magera and his friends followed that up with three other CKY videos, earning some independent success. The success of CKY resulted in Magera being scouted for inclusion on the team that ended up producing Jackass, a popular MTV show.
Magera has also written, directed and starred in several independent films, but he’s primarily known for his skateboarding- and stunt-related projects.
Bam Magera’s Ongoing Struggle for Sobriety
Magera has been in some type of spotlight or other since his teenage years, so it’s no surprise he’s been fairly forthcoming about his struggles with alcohol. When someone is regularly in the limelight, it’s often a bigger struggle and potential stress to keep such things private.
The celebrity’s first official inpatient rehab treatment occurred in 2009 when he sought help with alcohol addiction. Since that time, Magera has sought treatment or been required to seek treatment numerous times. Some reported treatment attempts for Magera include:
- A 2016 treatment for alcohol addiction
- A fourth admission to rehab following a relapse in 2018
- A year-long admission to rehab in Florida
- A psychiatric hold in Los Angeles
In a 2023 interview, Magera referenced his many times in rehab, stating, “I bought a one-way ticket to hell and back, and I’ll explain, but I’m phenomenal now. I have the Guinness Book of World Records of longest Florida shuffle — 15 back-to-back rehabs, usually 90 days of peace but sometimes more.”
The celebrity said that this shuffle, which he believes was due to less-than-honest rehabs taking advantage of the fact that he had good insurance, didn’t work. He also said he didn’t enter rehab at the time in a good headspace and was often bitter about it. “All that didn’t work because I got forced into these rehabs … by friends and family saying like, ‘Hey, Bam, come to Ruth’s Chris Steak House and have a nice fancy dinner.’ And it’s not a dinner, it’s just an intervention … So, all that didn’t work because I was already bitter about it.”
Influences That Helped Magera Seek Sobriety
After a dozen or more attempts at rehab and a number of legal issues tied to his drinking, Magera was arrested for public intoxication. The court ordered him to attend AA meetings, wear an ankle bracelet and follow other restrictions. But according to Magera, it wasn’t his legal woes that ultimately pushed him to seek sobriety long-term. It was a love interest.
Magera was dealing with past relationship issues and a custody battle over his son at the time. These stressors were triggers for his alcohol use — something many non-celebrities may find familiar. However, the celebrity said that at a time when he was struggling with these issues, he met Dannii Marie. She told Magera that he had to choose between her and alcohol. In October 2023, he noted that he was trying to choose her; he was 45 days sober at the time of the interview in question.
While the romance between Magera and Dannii Marie happened quickly, it wasn’t a whirlwind. In December 2023, Magera actually told a news outlet it was the opposite. “I never had structure before. I always woke up not knowing what to do with the day … I would just look across the street, see an Irish pub and be like, ‘That looks like fun.’ Now I wake up. I walk the dogs. I stretch. I go to the gym. I go skateboarding. Everything’s a structured, fun schedule. And we do it together, and it’s just a perfect thing.”
In May 2024, the two got married.
Takeaways for Others Dealing With Addiction
While his relationship and marriage to Dannii Marie helped the celebrity seek sobriety — and reportedly make it hundreds of days without drinking — romance didn’t magically quell his addiction forever. The Jackass star experienced some legal trouble in 2024 and was reportedly arrested on a potential DUI charge later in the year. The outcome of his September 2024 DUI case was a release from jail into a 28-day inpatient recovery program.
Some takeaways for others from Bam Magera’s story include:
- Sobriety doesn’t come easy to many, and success may take multiple attempts at recovery.
- You have to want recovery for yourself — your friends and family can’t simply wish it for you.
- A solid support network and one or more people who continually show up for you and demand sobriety can be helpful in creating a structured aftercare.
- Sometimes, even after you succeed, you stumble again, and it’s okay to seek help with addiction at that point.
“If anybody out there thinks they’re doomed, it’s too late, and there’s no help or hope, think again,” Bam Magera said about his addiction.
Get Help From Sunlight Recovery
If you’re looking for the help and hope in your addiction journey, you can find it at Sunlight Recovery. Our compassionate team of clinicians and support staff provides a wide range of therapy services in a comfortable, secure inpatient environment. We treat alcohol and drug addiction and can support dual-diagnosis situations. For more information about our programs and to find out how we can help you seek sobriety starting today, contact Sunlight Recovery.
