Category Archive: Media Watch
It’s Adventure Time Again
Last nights episode Dark Purple was the second appearance of skateboarding in Adventure Time. It’s kind of interesting that both times it’s been Jake the Dog skating and not Finn the Human. This time Jake has safety equipment of a sort, it’s still made out of his own flesh. Cartoon Network must have caught some flak the last time he skated without pads and a helmet. Jake busts some new school and old school moves. The graffiti on the bottom of Jake’s deck is spot on satire of rebellious youth culture. No Way! Indeed.
Worst Northwest Tour Ever
Scion brings you the worst ever Northwest skatepark tour, featuring Riley Hawk and something called a “Shep Dawg” crew. There’s something to be said for traveling off the beaten path, but given the wealth available terrain in the Northwest, the park selection is pretty weak. They actually go to a good spot (Windells) but it’s raining, so they stick to the indoor section. Let’s face it, nobody wants/needs to see a session at an indoor wooden skatepark unless it’s phenomenal. Then there’s a prolonged, implied commercial for Exit Real World that sticks out like a sore thumb. The contrast and tension between the spots, action and bad soundtrack (which you can download) makes the whole damned thing really awkward. But then here I am reposting it, so it works on some level. The screen capture above is the best part of the video, watch the rest at your peril. – Thanks to MC for the tip.
Ben 10 Action Figure
At some point after I bought this Ben 10 action figure, opened it and left is sitting around the house, my kids decided the board needed to be colored in with a green marker. Fair enough I guess. I don’t think this show is on anymore, not even in reruns currently. Ben’s skateboard is actually a hoverboard. In the series, he rides it around occasionally, but in the tradition of making surfboard and hoverboard action toys, wheels have been added.
Pass the sauce
Skateboards are very big in the applesauce pouch battlefront of the food industry. This is the third brand to feature an apple riding a skateboard. First there was Tree Top and Go Go Squeeze. The brass at Safeway has decided they liked the name Go Go Squeeze, so when it came time to copy them, they just changed the order of the words to Squeeze & Go. In what must be a major food science breakthrough, they made them with real fruit too.
Happy Valentines Day
I didn’t catch these skateboard Valentines until late on Saturday night. There hasn’t been a lot of skateboard themed valentines in the past few years. You know, maybe skateboarding is losing it’s popularity. Head on over to your local Walgreens, these items ought to be massively on sale today.
McDonalds Skateboard Club
Join the McDonalds skateboard club! The age of this shirt is unknown, but the style and fashion says 80’s to me. The seller claims this was sold in a Sears store, which seems highly unlikely, or at least unusual. I can’t ever remember seeing fast food branded clothing sold at a department store.
Spy vs Spy. Jr in Reversin’ Surfin’
Another installment in the long history of Mad Magazine skateboard as comic vehicle. This is Spy vs Spy. Jr in Reversin’ Surfin’ from the 2007 compendium Spy vs. Spy 2: The Joke and Dagger Files. Yes “Hip” is the sound every skateboarder makes when ollieing. The onomatopoeia is not actually part of the gag, but it’s actually funnier than the gag by far. It could be a good premise for a video skit. Check out the full spread after the jump. – Thanks to MC for the photo.
Michael Landon Pictures Skateboarding for Kodak
This is a 1980 advertisement for Kodak photo paper featuring Michael Landon. This ad came out in the 101’st year of the company when they were probably at their peak. 30 years later they filed for bankruptcy mostly due to the fact that they couldn’t keep up with the world of digital photography, despite having invented it! Michael says you should order more fun for everyone. Sure, why not? It looks like the kid in the photo is wearing volleyball kneepads and a couple of rolls of paper towels around his elbows. I’m not sure about that skateboard either. The single conical wheels are pristine but I’ve seen issues of Thrasher thicker than that deck.
Screening: Ultimate Flex Machine and Skater Dater
The Hollywood Theater is showing to 16mm skateboarding films on Monday, February 16 at 7:00 pm in Portland, Oregon. Tickets are only $5 so that’s a no brainer if you’re on the fence. You’ve probably seen Skater Dater before, but you’ve not likely seen the Australian film Ultimate Flex Machine. These prints are owned by Stephen Slappe, and they are only shown every couple of years in order to prevent wear and tear. Both of these films had theatrical releases, Skater Dater in 1965 and Ultimate Flex machine in 1975. Slappe’s print of Ultimate Flex Machine is in especially good condition, and he’s got a newer print of Skater Dater than he had previously shown. Slappe has a couple of short mystery reels that will also be included in the show. You can check out larger versions of the posters for Ultimate Flex Machine as well as some stills after the jump. See you at the Hollywood on Monday!
The Lighter Side of Evolution
Issue #268 of Mad Magazine, on the newsstands in January of 1987. It’s the lighter side of evolution. Bonus punk rock lighter side of appearances after the jump.











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