Episode #39
Fear Has Always Ben His Superpower (ft. Corey Eubanks)
What does it take to survive more than four decades getting paid to crash cars, jump motorcycles, work with fire, horses and helicopters—and occasionally die on camera? Apparently, being scared. This week, Ben sits down with legendary Hollywood stuntman, stunt coordinator, actor, director and author Corey Eubanks , whose career spans more than 160 movies and over 1,200 episodes of television. From The Dukes of Hazzard and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure to Fast & Furious , Transformers , Rush Hour , The Wedding Planner and Mission: Impossible , chances are you’ve watched Corey work without ever realizing it. Corey takes Ben behind the scenes of a side of Hollywood most audiences never see: stunt performers being hospitalized, friends losing their lives, actors insisting on doing their own stunts and productions attempting sequences where one mistake can have catastrophic consequences. He shares what it was like doubling Tom Cruise, why Cruise really does perform many of his own stunts, and the wild story behind The Wedding Planner sequence that Matthew McConaughey’s team insisted he could perform—until Corey put him on a horse and discovered otherwise. The professional rodeo champion eventually hired for the stunt was himself dragged by a horse and sent to the hospital. Then there’s Corey’s most terrifying stunt: flipping a 21-ton prison bus three-and-a-half times at approximately 60 mph for Fast Five . Nobody could confidently predict whether the roll cage would withstand the impact, and Corey was concerned enough that he handed his life-insurance information to his children before filming. Ben and Corey also swap their own horseback stunt stories, discuss whether AI could eventually replace stunt performers, revisit Corey’s unusual path into Hollywood—including a little well-timed nepotism courtesy of his father, legendary game-show host Bob Eubanks—and talk about Corey’s transition from risking his life on camera to sharing what decades of stunt work taught him about fear, preparation and safety. In this episode: More than four decades of Hollywood stunt work Why being afraid may have saved Corey’s life Losing friends in the stunt industry Third-degree burns, broken bones and concussions Doubling Tom Cruise How much of his own stunt work Tom Cruise actually does Working with Jackie Chan The Matthew McConaughey stunt that Corey refused to let him perform A terrifying accident while filming The Wedding Planner Ben’s own horseback stunt experiences Flipping a 21-ton prison bus for Fast Five Handing his life-insurance information to his children before a stunt Corey’s near miss with a helicopter blade The deaths and injuries audiences never hear about Whether AI could eventually replace stunt performers Working with Michael Bay on Transformers Growing up as Bob Eubanks’ son The nepotism that finally opened Corey’s first major door Jumping the General Lee on The Dukes of Hazzard Why Corey finally has nothing left to prove His book Dying for a Living What’s next for Corey Eubanks Want to learn more about Corey Eubanks, his incredible career in Hollywood, and the stories behind some of the biggest stunts ever put on film? Visit Corey’s website to connect with him, learn more about his speaking engagements, and purchase his book, Dying for a Living , where he shares stories from his decades-long career as a Hollywood stuntman. Visit: coreymeubanks.com Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell. Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts Connect with Ben: Instagram: @itsbenaweek TikTok: @itsbenaweek Website: itsbenaweek.com Want to be on the show? Submit your story or pitch at itsbenaweek.com
