Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk, nicknamed "The Birdman", is an American professional skateboarder, actor, and owner of skateboard company Birdhouse. Hawk is well known for completing the first documented 900 and for his licensed video game titles, published by Activision. He is widely considered to be one of the most successful and influential pioneers of modern vertical skateboarding...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSkateboarder
Date of Birth12 May 1968
CityCarlsbad, CA
CountryUnited States of America
I consider skateboarding an art form, a lifestyle and a sport.
I consider skateboarding an art form, a lifestyle and a sport. 'Action sport' would be the least offensive categorization.
I feel like skateboarding is as much of a sport as a lifestyle, and an art form, so there's so much that that transcends in terms of music, fashion, and entertainment.
These sports are just -- you go do it, and you're doing it on your own. You don't have to answer to anyone.
If you do not online-enable a game, it could kill you.
Don't be afraid of girls. That is my big regret. Knowing what I know about girls, I should have just gone for it. Guys are such wimps.
Any time skating was featured in a video game, I ate it up. So around 1997-98, I was shopping this video game idea. I was weighing my options when I went to Activision, but when I saw what they were working on, I said, 'This is exactly what I'd love to be involved with,' and following that gut reaction was hugely successful.
My youngest son's pre-school class was recently asked what their dads do for work. The responses were things like, my dad sells money, and my dad figures stuff out. My son said, 'I've never seen my dad do work.' It's true. Skateboarding doesn't seem like real work, but I'm proud of what I do.
You just have to adapt, and you have to realize where people are going to actually play their games. It used to just be Nintendo and PlayStation, and now it's all kind of devices. So you've got to learn to adapt what you know from the technology into those areas... I've been wanting to do a mobile game for a long time.
I jumped between two seven-story buildings in Los Angeles, launching from one rooftop to the other with ramps.
If you have a game with your name on it, you have to learn how to play.
Technology has allowed me to reach my fans directly. Social media: it has been a complete revolution of how to interact, promote and share things.
I've definitely had my share of calls where I just laugh. Someone came to me once and wanted to do a signature Hawk cologne. I was like, 'Of what? Sweaty pads? Am I wringing out my pads into a little perfume bottle?'
If I can stand up when I'm 80, I'll be happy to cruise around on a skateboard. If I feel like my skills are fading, I just won't do it publicly.