Pretty Sure I Can Fly is a humorous exploration of things that had never been done, until someone did them. It’s a series of weekly conversations about what it takes to break through the barrier of “impossible” and set new standards for human limitation. Pretty Sure I Can Fly is like going to history class, except your teachers are actor, stuntman, and outlaw radio DJ Johnny Knoxville and long-time This American Life contributor Elna Baker. And each week they bring a new guest to tell you all about how they “grabbed the bull by the bunglesteen” or “really hogwrenched that spatooly.”
This week, we look back on a year of meeting people who’ve pushed the limits, and the lessons we learned. Also, another dirty Elna story for the fans. Thank you all for listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by the man who inspired our show. A man on Knoxville's Mount Rushmore. A man who completely conquered fear, and had to learn to be afraid again. BMX and stunt legend: Mat Hoffman. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Yeah, dude! This week, we're joined by Mr. Stephen Gilchrist Glover, AKA Steve-O! We talk about what it was like being shark bait, how he developed his legendary immune system, and how he managed to get sober, and stay sober for 17 years! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by Debbie Lawler, one of the most well-known motorcycle stunt riders of the 1970s. Known as "The Flying Angel", Debbie stole Evel Knieval's indoor jump record when she flew over 16 cars and landed perfectly on her trademark pink heart. We talk about how Debbie learned she could jump, the crash that broke her spine, and what it was like dating Sam Elliott. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell...
This week we're joined by 3 x National Aerobatic Champion, Patty Wagstaff, whose winning plane now hangs in the Smithsonian. She shares her story and discusses one of our favorite characters from history, aviation pioneer Pancho Barnes. We talk about getting kicked out of Catholic school, the early days of barn-storming, and some of the naughtiness that took place at Pancho's old bar, The Happy Bottom Riding Club. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
This week, we're joined by English climber Kenton Cool, who has summited Everest 18 times. He tells about some of his hairier moments on the mountain, how to evade child soldiers, and his time with the legendary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by film producer, Ned Dowd, whose short career as a pro hockey player inspired the cult classic Slap Shot, written by his sister, Nancy Dowd. We talk about what it was like working with Paul Newman, the finer points of brawling on the ice, and how a movie made in 1977 still holds up today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by legendary boxer, the king of four-rounders, the man who knocked out Knoxville: Eric "Butterbean" Esch. We talk about how he got his nickname, his career in boxing, and his remarkable recovery after being stuck in a wheelchair for 5 years. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Arctic explorer, single mother of four, and one of the first women to reach the North and South Poles by land. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
One of the first Jamaicans to ever compete in the winter Olympics, helicopter pilot, and the inspiration for Disney’s Cool Runnings. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by 9 time PRCA champion cowboy, Ty Murray. He shares some of his insights on bull and bronc riding, tells us about his rigorous martial arts training regimen, and looks back on the wild night he and Knoxville first met. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week we're joined by Chris Lemons, a saturation diver who narrowly escaped death when his umbilical cord broke while he was on the seafloor. He tells us about some of the risks of the job, his brush with death, and what life is like trapped in a metal tube for 28 days at a time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by renowned musician, Daryl Davis, who has spent decades befriending and deradicalizing members of the KKK. He's successfully convinced more than 200 people to leave the KKK and other hate groups. We talk about his youth in 1960s America, how he fell in with a country band in the 1980s, and how that led him to meeting his first card-carrying KKK member. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-m...
This week, we're joined by world renowned art forger, David Henty. We discuss the finer points of art history, how to make a convincing fake painting, and David's "dodgy" past as a passport counterfeiter and car thief. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by the Hollywood legend himself, Mr. Danny Trejo. He tells us about being hypnotized by Charles Manson, robbing every joint in Knoxville's neighborhood, and what life was like at San Quentin prison. Danny Trejo has over 400 TV and film credits to his name, including his upcoming show on the History Channel, "Mysteries Unearthed", which premieres on December 6th. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-n...
Stuntman, motocross and rally champion, NASCAR driver, the first man to do a double backflip on a dirt bike, and also the only man to break Johnny Knoxville's dick. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by Jackass director Jeff Tremaine to talk about Nick Piantanida, a record breaking parachutist from the 1960s. Knoxville and Tremaine tell the story of how a truck-driving, exotic pet-dealing, all-American hunk singlehandedly created the field of civilian space exploration, and how he eventually lost his life to that pursuit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, a very special episode featuring our very own Elna Baker. She shares some of her best (and dirtiest) stories about love, loss, and wolf men. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
The legend. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by self taught snake venom scientist Tim Friede. Over the years, he's self administered over 200 snake bites, and 700 injections of venom, all in an attempt to create the world's first universal anti-venom. He tells us about flatlining after taking two bites in the same night, how he amputated part of his leg (without booze!), and the power of honesty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my...
This week, we're joined by war reporter, author, and filmmaker Sebastian Junger. We talk about what it means to find purpose in life, how to get a hold of a Nigerian pirate, and making sense of near death experiences. Sebastian's new book, In My Time of Dying, is now available wherever you buy books. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by the bad boy of bowling, Pete Weber. He tells us about what it was like growing up as the son of bowling icon Dick Weber, and shares his tale as the heel of professional bowling. Pete opens up about his dark days of cocaine addiction, and the story behind his viral "Who do you think you are? I am!" moment at the 2012 U.S. Open. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, Elna picks Knoxville's brain on one of his heroes, Colonel John Stapp — the flight surgeon, biophysicist, and human performance scientist who once hit 639 miles-per-hour on a rocket sled and somehow lived to talk about it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we sit down with Isaac Nabwana, AKA the Notorious I.G.G., Uganda's premier action movie director, and founder of Wakaliwood studios. He's best known for his movie "Who Killed Captain Alex", released on Youtube in 2010, which went viral for its homemade special effects, hilarious dubbing, and insane action sequences. We talk about how he got his start in the music business, how to make a movie for $200, and the best way to use condoms. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...
This week, we're joined by the one and only Tony Hawk! Knoxville and Tony reminisce about Jackass, we hear about his days in the Bones Brigade, his nastiest injuries, and (try to) clear the air about some hot n' steamy rumors. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week, we're joined by the one-legged snake handler from Rising Star, Texas, who holds the Guinness world record for holding the most rattle snakes in his mouth (13). We chat about proper bagging technique, learning to face your fears, and how he keeps the peace with 10 ex-wives. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by one of the most accomplished ultramarathoners in history, Courtney Dauwalter. We talk about how Courtney managed to run 283 miles in 56 hours, dealt with going blind on a run, and the friendly hallucinations she meets on long nights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by one of Knoxville's favorite boxers of all time, Irish Micky Ward, the pride of Lowell, Massachusetts. We chat about how Micky developed his iconic "pressure fighting" style, his legendary trilogy of fights with Arturo Gatti, and the merits of disinfecting your mouthpiece (and everyone else's) in a pickle jar. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week, we're joined by legendary surfer, Kai Lenny. We talk about getting bonked in the head, what surfers can learn from snowboarding, and the many meanings behind the word "water sports"... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
This week we're joined by the legendary funambulist Nik Wallenda of "The Flying Wallendas." He talks to us about walking a tightrope across the Niagara Falls, his family's generations-long history with the circus, and gives us some pointers on how to beat a sobriety test. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
