Quick Facts
Biography
Brandon Novak (born December 10, 1978) is a professional skateboarder, actor, stuntman, and friend of Bam Margera and is a prominent member of the CKY Crew.
Career
Novak makes appearances in the CKY videos, Bam's film Haggard, Viva La Bam, Jackass Number Two, Jackass 3D, and Bam's Unholy Union. In Haggard, Novak plays a friendly drug dealer named Dooli, which was the real nickname of Novak's dealer in northwest Baltimore.
He appears regularly on the SIRIUS Satellite Radio show, Radio Bam on Faction 28. One notable radio appearance was on December 26, 2005, Novak arranged to engage in sexual activities with two prostitutes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Bam's SIRIUS Satellite Radio show Radio Bam. The show was cut off just as the act was starting.
In 2008, Novak appeared in Bam Margera Presents: Where the#$&% Is Santa?, which featured Novak and several other cast members trying to find Santa Claus. That same year, Novak appeared in a pornographic film by Gina Lynn called The Fantasstic Whores 4 with Margera who has had a "prominent, non-sex role".
In 2010, Novak appeared in Jackass 3D in multiple scenes. Novak also had a more prominent role in the follow-up film Jackass 3.5, it was released in early 2011.
Author of Dreamseller
Novak, along with co-author and CKY filmographer Joseph Frantz, authored his first book titled Dreamseller which is based on his life and experiences with heroin in Baltimore. The book was published on October 18, 2008 and received rave reviews. A paperback version of the book was released exactly a year after its original publishing on October 18, 2009.
On the December 17, 2007 episode of Radio Bam, it was announced that he had signed a book deal and that it will be released within a year. A movie of the same name was supposed to be in-production in early 2007, but was stopped when Novak began using heroin again. Also on the December 17 episode, it was announced that the movie may be completed in the near future with Bam Margera starring as Novak in the film.
On a video posted to his Facebook page in September 2010, Novak reported he was currently working on his second book, which will be a follow-up to "Dreamseller". In September 2016, after announcing the extended version of Dreamseller, Novak confirmed the second book will be published, but gave no time frame.
Battles with drug abuse
When Novak was 14, he was a professional skateboarder on the Powell Peralta Team, but lost his spot due to what he says was a long bout with "psychoactive substance abuse". Novak has admitted to being a former heroin user and was clean for almost four years from 2003 to 2007. Margera stated on Radio Bam that Novak relapsed in March 2007 and was seeking treatment in a rehabilitation clinic.
Novak was absent from the January 23, 2006 episode of Radio Bam on SIRIUS Satellite Radio while he attended rehab for addiction to pills. On February 26, 2007, Novak admitted on Radio Bam that while he had quit using heroin, he still regularly abused cocaine and pain medication and frequently drank alcohol. While it was not mentioned on the radio show, Novak broke his ankle the day before Margera's wedding while filming "Bam's Unholy Union" on February 2, 2007 and was shown holding a bottle of prescription pain killers afterwards. It is unclear if this incident led to his relapse or if the relapse was already occurring by this time. Margera announced on the April 3, 2007 episode of Radio Bam that Novak had a relapse with his addiction to heroin and was back in rehab. On the July 30, 2007 episode of Radio Bam, Margera and Chad I Ginsburg were discussing the topic of heroin and announced that Novak's addiction was "the worst [Bam] had ever seen" and that Novak was "just killing himself now". He was kicked out of rehab in Scranton, Pennsylvania, after heroin pills were found in his bag. Novak claimed that the pills were "planted" on him. On a Radio Bam episode in November, Novak stated that he had attempted suicide three weeks before the radio show, as from a result from a heroin binge, but survived it.
On the December 17, 2007 episode of Radio Bam, Novak was asked to leave Margera's house again when he lied on air about not having pills and being clean. He had recently been released from a psychiatric ward he had been held in for 12 days because of suicidal tendencies and drug use. The crew found multiple bars of Xanax on Novak, which he claimed had been prescribed to him. Joe Frantz and Margera exiled Novak for a period of time as a result. On the March 3 episode of Radio Bam, Novak stated that he was 33 days clean and would appear in Bam's new MTV show.
In March 2009, Frantz had a phone conversation with Novak about his attempted suicide and mental health issues that resulted in him being institutionalized. On March 9, 2009 Novak appeared on Radio Bam discussed getting out of the mental institution, his drug use, and the delusions that led to the problems.
Arrest, Jail Sentence, and Sobriety (2010-present)
On July 7, 2010, Novak was arrested at Chester County Hospital for an outstanding warrant after being admitted for breaking several bones filming a scene for Jackass 3D. He was charged with forging a prescription after he tried to pass a fake prescription for Xanax at a Walgreens in Media, Pennsylvania. On November 3, 2010, Novak was sentenced to 11–23 months. His initial sentence called for the first 30 weeks to be spent as weekend confinement at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Thornton, Pennsylvania. After his weekends were completed, Novak would spend 6 months on house arrest until eligible for release.
In early February 2011, Novak claimed on Radio Bam that he had used his cellmate's urine to pass a drug test and mentioned the facility by name. The episode was intercepted by the staff at the correctional facility, and on February 11, 2011, the judge revoked Novak's weekend sentence and ordered him to be jailed for 10 months. Novak was released from the jail on December 30, 2011. He was then on parole for one year and was on probation until the end of 2013, during which time he had to stay clean of illegal substances.
After a string of relapses and homelessness, Novak entered Today, Inc. in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and successfully completed treatment. He has been clean and sober since March 20, 2015. In September 2016, he began working for Banyan Treatment Center in Pompano Beach, Florida.
TV, film, and bibliography
TV
- Bam's Unholy Union (MTV, 2008)
- Viva La Bam (MTV, 2003–2006)
Movies
- Jackass 3.5 (2011)
- Jackass 3D (2010)
- The Fantasstic Whores 4 (Gina Lynn Productions, 2008)
- Bam Margera Presents: Where the#$&% Is Santa? (2008)
- Jackass 2.5 (2007)
- Minghags (2007)
- Jackass Number Two (2006)
- Haggard (2004)
- CKY4 (2003)
- CKY3 (2001)
Books
- Brandon Novak, Dreamseller. (Citadel Press, 2008) (Hardcover) ISBN 0-8065-3003-0
- Brandon Novak, Dreamseller. (Citadel Press, 2009) (Paperback)