Knoxville Takes On 'Special' Role

Stereotypes Broken In 'The Ringer'

(CBS)  Earlier this year, Johnny Knoxville scored a box office bull's eye in a big screen adaptation of the hit TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Now he's back on the big screen as a guy faking a mental disability in order to rig the Special Olympics in "The Ringer."

The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler asked the actor how can the movie make fun of Special Olympics.

"We're not making fun of it at all," Knoxville said. "The Special Olympics are behind it 100 percent and have been since the beginning. All the mean stuff happens to me. I'm the only one who gets made fun of."

In the movie, Knoxville plays a guy who has money problems along with his sort-of-crazy deadbeat uncle. They're looking to rig the Special Olympics. His uncle tells him he can get out there and, compared to the other athletes, is a ringer to win.

Bryan Cox plays the uncle.

"He's amazing in the film. And I'm not the quickest thing out of the blocks and am easily swayed," Knoxville said. "And I do a bad thing for a good reason. I have to pay for someone's surgery and I have to pay for my uncle's gambling debts."

In one scene, his character, Jeffy, is mocked and outed by the other athletes.

"Well, I think most every film that's up to this point has been like, you know, an after-school special involving people with mental disabilities," he said. "And this one is (different) — we have them in roles where they're the villains, the wise asses and I think it opens up people's view of them a lot."

Knoxville is perhaps best known for his MTV show "Jackass," which featured a group of stunt men and extreme sport enthusiasts with high pain thresholds. Each show consists of them performing stupid and dangerous stunts. The TV show was followed with "Jackass: The Movie."

Many people have imitated the wild stunts and have injured themselves.

"That's an unfortunate part of it, but we always had warnings. And in every interview I stress 'Do not do it and I mean it,' " Knoxville said.

The box set is now available in stores.

"Well, unfortunately, we are in negotiations for another 'Jackass,' " he said. "Did I mention the box set is in stores now? Yes, we're trying. We'll see how it goes."

Knoxville is the father of a 9-year-old daughter who is excited about the holidays.

"She drops not-so-subtle hints all time," he said.

Does she know her daddy is "Jackass"?

"Obviously, she knows we did 'Jackass,' but would only see the stuff where daddy didn't get hurt or the boys didn't get hurt," he said. "She saw maybe one or two bits."