Yeah, yeah, we know, weed is the new snowboarding. Over the years we’ve been prone to making repeatedly lame, cliched jokes about weed because, well, we’re not all that into artificially altered states in general.
There are, however, those who take the legalization of marijuana and the business surrounding it seriously. Action super agent Circe Wallace is one of these. And her Hot Nife line of cannabis products has put her right back in the spotlight where ever she goes.
Last weekend she was in Aspen for a cable TV stunt sporting extravaganza and the local paper interviewed her on her business and weed in general. If you’re interested in an intelligent discussion on the topic, please click the link to read the painfully titled High Country: Snowboarding legend Circe Wallace carves her way into cannabis. Get it? High and carving. . .
We didn’t view much of the cable TV stunt sporting extravaganza held at Buttermilk Resort in Aspen, Colorado last weekend. The Eastern Sierra motel we were staying in didn’t get that channel, even if we would have wanted to. The one piece we did catch after returning to civilization was the third and final run of the obesity inducing fast food chain sponsored halfpipe competition. And while watching we noticed a few things:
Can you believe Danny Davis is still switch tricking his way onto the podium. Kudos Dano. Your diabetes drink sponsor must be pleased with your performance, especially when seeing their logo blazing brightly from your forehead. Still don’t know how you can ride so flow with your hood up.
We were shocked and surprised to see iPod going anywhere near an icy halfpipe. It was reassuring to see that a TBI (and recently broken nose) haven’t slowed him down nor dimmed his Vronsky charms for dazzling the green drink girls. Great to have you back, Iouri Podladtchikov…even in a Cookie Monster pelt jacket.
Scotty James’s high five victory lap was the most honest thing we’ve seen in a while (and granted, we haven’t seen much lately). But it’s always heart-warming to see someone who so appreciates where they are and how the crowd fits into the equation.
The biggest question we had from the event (second to wondering why all the slopestyle girls had black eyes) was this — is this snowboarding? We’re not asking because we know what snowboarding is. We stalled out on the sidelines years ago and have no idea what “professional” snowboarding currently is or where it’s going, but still we wonder. . . is it this?
The Vans Park Series (our favorite skateboarding web show) has announced their 2019 Pro Tour schedule. This year the Vans Park Series will touch down in five major countries.
“Our mission to inspire youth and grow skateboarding participation around the world by promoting skateboarding’s unique and creative culture remains our number one goal,” said Bobby Gascon, global director of action sports, Vans. “With Vans Park Series now in its fourth consecutive year, we are dedicated to growing the foundation for park terrain skateboarding competition and cultivating an elite class of professional athletes who are deserving of international recognition.”
Even better news: The VPS World Champs will begin Salt Lake City, Utah on September 7, 2019. Stateside for the first time. For all the details, please follow the jump.
Former pro snowboarder and athlete manager Roberta Walker was seriously injured on December 8, 2018 when she was hit by a truck while cycling in her hometown of Leucadia, California. Since then she has been in the hospital in a medical coma.
She suffered catastrophic injuries that included a traumatic brain injury, a fractured skull, 2 burst fracture vertebraes, 9 broken ribs, a broken clavicle and sacrum. She was immediately rushed to a trauma center and underwent major surgery to save her life. She was induced into a medical coma and has been fighting for her life. So far she has undergone 2 brain surgeries and 2 spine surgeries and experienced many complications due to the critical nature of her trauma.
Progress has been slow and seeing as the driver had only the minimum insurance required by law, the bills are beginning to pile up for J.P and Roberta, but there is something you can do. Please click this link to visit their GoFundMe page and make a contribution. Anything will help.
Tony Hawk and Mike McGill are together again to help flat-fee real estate company Home Bay move some units. Home Bay’s CEO couldn’t be happier, according to a story on Inman.com.
Home Bay CEO and chairman Ken Potashner says the ad has caused an “explosion” in interest from consumers excited to take advantage of Home Bay’s automated process and the subsequent savings that average a little over $15,000, according to the company, which presently operates in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas and Colorado.
Okay. Seems like a pretty good idea. And it’s always good to see skaters act (bummer Lance couldn’t make it). Not sure if Realtor’s will go extinct or not, but we’re pretty certain no one is going to miss them.
Sal Masekela has come a long way since we first met him in the water at our home break. He was paddling out we were coming at him on a wave. And he started laughing his deep, infectious chuckle, “That’s the slowest I’ve ever seen anyone surf in my life.” We took it as a compliment. Then, he reappeared as receptionist at Transworld Media, then singing karaoke at an industry conference. Next thing we knew he was the voice of action sports. And he was exactly what mainstream action sports coverage needed — a surfer/snowboarder who could think, talk, and hold a mic all at the same time.
Outside Magazine just posted the official Selma story written by David Shultz. It’s titled Unlikely Preacher of Action Sports and it goes a little more like this:
Sal Masekela steps off a helicopter onto the white sands of Tavarua Island Resort, a tiny speck in the Fiji archipelago, and walks into a gorgeous open-air restaurant that overlooks a world-famous reef break appropriately dubbed Restaurants. He greets the Fijian staff by name, hugging them, asking them about their lives since his last visit.
Damn. Still a baller after all these years. For the rest of the celebrity profile/career reset piece please, by all means, click the link.
Following on the heels of House of Vans and Apple’s “Town Squares” concept comes Burton Snowboards hopes to create an entertainment hub in a new space that has become available at its global headquarters in Burtonton, Vermont, according to a story in Seven Days Vermont.
Burton Snowboards wants to repurpose warehouse space at its global headquarters in Burlington for an entertainment hub anchored by an 8,000-square-foot concert venue. . . Justin Worthley, the company’s senior vice president of human resources, envisions food and beer options that would complement the band space and turn the South End campus into a destination for visitors.
Beer is always important. Lots and lots of beer. Because drunk people are the best. Sadly, Burton will first have to get the zoning changed, as music venues are only allowed on Burlington’s Pine Street and must be under 5,000 square feet. Party on, Burlington.
Tony Hawk is reportedly joining a project to turn Nick Hornby’s book Slam into a Broadway musical, according to Broadway News, because now days every artistic, branded entertainment vehicle needs to be set to music — thank you Lin-Manuel. If you haven’t read the book (and you should) here’s the jist:
“Slam” follows Sam, a teenager with a troubled home life, as he finds out that his girlfriend Alicia is unexpectedly pregnant. He imagines having conversations with Hawk as a way of finding his way through the situation. Though the novel is set in London, the musical will be resetting the story in the U.S.
Skateboarding’s favorite musician Mark Motherbaugh is writing the music and Kyle Jarrow (of Spongebob Squarepants musical fame) will write “the book.” Tony will reportedly create some “skate choreography” for the project and we’ll all be humming along when it comes out.
Seriously. This is something we never thought would happen. And it has pretty much nothing to do with snowboarding, surfing, and even skateboarding. But, the dirty, inky, packed punk rawk ‘zine Maximum Rocknroll is shutting down their presses after 42 years (and 400 issues) covering DIY punk and hardcore music. We probably haven’t read it in 20 years, but it’s still kind of of sad (maybe not to Green Day). Here’s MMR’s explanation.
It is with heavy hearts that we are announcing the end of Maximum Rocknroll as a monthly print fanzine. There will be three more issues of the fanzine in its current format; later in 2019 we will begin publishing record reviews online alongside our weekly radio show. Readers can look forward to more online content, updates regarding the archive project initiated in 2016, and other yet-to-be-announced MRR projects, as well as new ways for punks around the world to get involved. We will be having a public meeting at 2:00pm on Sunday, January 20 at the MRR compound to discuss the future — please write mrr@maximumrocknroll.com for details.
Seriously? Who looks forward to online content these days? Anyone? Thought not. Guess it’s almost time to get inky again.
In a farewell letter published on Hypebeast outlining exactly why he is ending the Benny Gold brand and handing his SF retail space back over to HUF, Benny Gold (the person) outlines the situation successful artists often get in when their “brand” becomes bigger than themselves — better in one paragraph than many have been able to do in 30 page Keynote projects. He explains exactly how it feels when the beastly machine begins driving the master and creating its own reality. Here is the paragraph from Hypebeast.
We have a beautiful flagship location in San Francisco and an outstanding staff that has helped me realize my full potential. The brand has become bigger than myself and I am forever grateful for this. . . But with this success comes it’s own set of challenges. I now find myself growing less creatively as my days are spent managing people, budgets, and production issues. I am feeling increasing pressure to follow trends and go more “urban” in the attempt to capture more market share. A brand becomes a living, breathing thing and every brand has a life cycle -— well it’s become increasingly clear to me that the Benny Gold brand is nearing its end. I would rather bring it to a close and celebrate it’s life with integrity rather than push it to become something I no longer believe in.
How’s that? It answers so many questions we’ve had about other emerging clothing brands. How do you keep doing the same thing over and over? Season in, season out? It’s nice to see someone admit it straight up — you can’t. Not unless you change everything that got you there in the first place.
Congrats Benny. Well done. We look forward to seeing what you’re working on in the next phase.
Yeah, yeah, we know, weed is the new snowboarding. Over the years we’ve been prone to making repeatedly lame, cliched jokes about weed because, well, we’re not all that into artificially altered states in general.
Tony Hawk is reportedly joining a project to turn Nick Hornby’s book 
Seriously. This is something we never thought would happen. And it has pretty much nothing to do with snowboarding, surfing, and even skateboarding. But, the dirty, inky, packed punk rawk ‘zine 
