We started as a print zine in 1986, moved online around 1996 and moved into “new media” (late 90’s buzzword alert!) around the turn of the millennium when we started recording and archiving skateboarding whenever it appeared in movies, TV shows or commercials that we were able to see. You may have seen some of our donated archival footage in the 2008 documentary Deathbowl to Downtown. At the time we started the biggest hassle was the actual recording. Now that the technology is simple, the biggest hassle is keeping track of it all.
After 20 years of doing it, we’re throwing in the towel. There’s just too many instances and it shows no signs of letting up. In the beginning it was still sort of novel, probably coinciding with the popularity of the Tony Hawk video game franchise and Extreme!™ sports on TV. When we started as a print zine we liked to include the odd skateboard reference in cartoons, advertisements or fast food toys whenever found something, so TV commercials are right up our alley. Nowadays it might as well be computer animated teeth in an oral hygiene commercial. What does that even mean? We’re not sure.
To celebrate the end, here’s one of the last things we captured, a 2019 commercial for Advil featuring 62 year old skateboarder Neal Unger.
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