Rio is the name of an animated movie that, near as I can tell from the previews they are showing on TV, has no plot other than the fact that a bunch of cheeky animals are hanging out together in Brazil. The movie doesn’t open until this weekend, but that hasn’t stopped 20th Century Fox from hooking up with McDonalds for a Happy Meal Promo. Finding out when the movie opens led me to another trailer where I learned the bird can’t fly, and he rides a skateboard in the movie.

I’ve only seen one episode of American Pickers, a show where two guys travel around trying to score junk they think is worth some money. I wasn’t too sure they knew what they were talking about, and this clip doesn’t help out. These are hot right now. This stuff is so collectable… …This was an expensive board back then. This board was probably 75 bucks.” Ha! Less than $50, and is that a re-issued Grabke? If so, it probably costs… $75. They shoulda hired Neil for that one. – Thanks to Boy Ipoh for the tip.

Fortunately, there is some marginal skateboard related footage in here so I can present it here on S&A without making excuses… except I just did. It’s a trailer for the 30 minute extended version of “Fight For Your Right Revisited.” The Beastie Boys have a forthcoming release called Hot Sauce Committee Part Two which is good news but holy shit, watch this trailer! Try to count all the cameos without getting whiplash, I dare you. I don’t want to spoil Neil’s next eBay Watch, but a Beastie Boys deck recently went for a ridiculous amount of money. There’s a buzz already. Er, uhm… check it. Did anyone catch Iggy Pop on American Idol last night?

Mum-Mum Snax wants you to be active with Yappy Dog! Don Draper is rolling over in his grave because his character proably wouldn’t be alive now, and even if he was, this would kill him. That’s got to be one of the most unimaginative mascot names to-date. Mum-Mum Snax is a brand in the Hot-Kid family of products. I think everything they make is a rice cake derivatives. I’m officially launching my line of skateboarding food mascot clothing now. Bigger box plus a little skateboard button from the web site after the jump. – Thanks again to Seth Levy for the tip.

Nothing to do with religion, Highway Gospel is a documentary on the downhill and slalom race scene that has come of age (again) outside of and in spite of the mainstream skateboard industry. These types of underground skateboarding events harken back to the early years of Thrasher, if not before. Highway Gospel is part of the Hot Docs film festival in Toronto, Canada which runs from April 28 – May 8. From there the film heads west to the DOXA film festival in Vancouver to premiere on May 13th. Trailer after the jump.

Life Magazine covers skateboarding in Florida courtesy of photographer John Falls who went down to Florida to cover the Florida Bowl Rider’s Cup in Kona. And holy cow, that looks like some more artifacts from Thrasherland-style parks in those photos. It’s at this point that I’d like to remind Rick that I still know exactly where your Thrasherland slides are, you know, the ones you loaned me 5 years ago… – Thanks to Seth Levy for the tip.

Barb Odanaka has a new book out called “A Crazy Day At The Critter Cafe” that features a skateboarding cow in it. She’s been hitting schools and libraries dressed as said cow in promotion of the book. You might think it odd that she’s so gung-ho on the skateboarding cow part, but she’s also the author of Skateboard Mom, a book that was on heavy rotation for the rugrats in the Kilwag house. As far as children’s books go it’s fun and cute. Plus, it’s about skateboarding and it won’t make you cringe.

Fanta has a commercial spot with animated skateboarders in it. I don’t know if they’ve ditched the Fanta girls, but they are channeling pro skateboarders who are channeling punk rockers. I haven’t seen this one on the air yet, anybody else? – Thanks to Seth Levy for the tip.

If she was blonde I’d insert some sort of dumb blonde joke but that would be insulting to dumb blondes. This chic is on TV, the new 90210. From US magazine. – Thanks to Mrs Kilwag for the tip.

So there’s a trend starting where ad agencies are using skateboards as props in living room shots. Garages, bedrooms and cars, sure but on the carpet next to the couch? This is a poster ad for SAP I spotted in the Atlanta airport, notice the skateboard next to the feet of what looks like a feral wolf-child lying on the carpeting. There’s another commercial for milk that I haven’t posted yet. It features Susan Sarandon tidying up a living room by removing the skateboard from next to the hearth.