♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
>>> WELCOME TO "ITALICS,"
TELEVISION FOR THE ITALIAN
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
I'M YOUR HOST, LUCIA GRILLO.
THIS EPISODE FOCUSES ON GIOVANNI
REDA, SKATEBOARDING'S MOST
CELEBRATED PHOTOGRAPHER, ALSO A
DIRECTOR WHOSE LATEST
DOCUMENTARY ABOUT ACCLAIMED PRO
SKATER BRIAN ANDERSON COMING OUT
HAS EARNED DUE RECOGNITION, A
FEATURE IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
AND ON "VICELAND" AND NEW
PROJECTS IN THE WORKS.
I MET UP WITH MR. REDA AND SOME
OF HIS FRIENDS AT A
RETROSPECTIVE OF HIS
PHOTOGRAPHY.
>> I HAVE TO START WITH THIS,
GIOVANNI LUIGI REDA.
>> THAT IS IT.
GIOVANNI LUIGI REDA.
>> WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY CALL
YOU?
>> MY PARENTS CALL ME "G," OR
GIOVANNI.
>> THAT'S CUTE.
CAN'T GET MORE ITALIAN THAT
THAT.
>> NO, IT DOESN'T.
I COULD HAVE HAD A LAST NAME
LIKE GRAZIANO, YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN?
THE LAST NAME COULD HAVE GOTTEN
MORE ITALIAN.
>> AND YOUR BIO ON THE "ESQUIRE"
PAGE STARTS WITH YOUR EXUBERANT
ITALIAN FAMILY.
>> YEAH, WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LOUD
ITALIAN FAMILY?
IF YOU'RE NOT ITALIAN, THEN YOU
DON'T.
>> EXACTLY.
>> BUT IF YOU'RE ITALIAN, YOU
HAVE A LOUD FAMILY AND YOU HAVE
A BIG FAMILY.
AND THE REASON WHY IT GETS LOUD
IS BECAUSE ONE PERSON IS TALKING
TO SOMEBODY, AND THEN THAT
PERSON -- AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE
IS TRYING TO TALK LOUDER THAN
THOSE PEOPLE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY
ELSE ACROSS THE TABLE, SO IT
GETS ALL --
>> AND THE CONVERSATIONS NEVER
FINISHED.
>> THEY NEVER FINISH.
THEY GO ON FOR HOURS AND DAYS.
THEY'RE STILL -- I'M STILL
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY
FATHER THAT I STARTED LIKE 30
YEARS AGO.
WHEN I WAS 12.
HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION.
>> SO, BESIDES YOUR LOUD,
BOISTEROUS, ITALIAN FAMILY, WHAT
MADE YOU GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY?
>> I MEAN, I'VE BEEN
SKATEBOARDING, LIKE, ALMOST MY
WHOLE LIFE.
AND THEN A FRIEND OF MINE HAD A
CAMERA AND HE WAS SHOOTING
PHOTOS OF SKATING, AND I WAS
LIKE, YO, I WANT TO DO THAT.
LIKE, I WANT TO DO THAT.
SO, LIKE, MY FATHER GOT ME A
CAMERA FOR MY BIRTHDAY ONE YEAR,
AND THEN THAT WAS IT.
I WAS HOOKED, AND I JUST WANTED
TO SHOOT PHOTOS.
THAT WAS IT.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO.
AND THEN I JUST WENT -- I CAME
OUT TO THE CITY LIKE EVERY DAY.
LIKE, I GOT -- LIKE, I SAVED
MONEY, I GOT A BETTER CAMERA,
AND, LIKE, I JUST WOULD BE LIKE,
I'M GOING TO SHOOT A PHOTO EVERY
DAY.
LIKE I'M NOT LEAVING UNTIL I GET
A PHOTO AND I WOULD COME IN
EVERY DAY.
I WOULD TAKE A TRAIN IN FROM
BROOKLYN AND JUST BE LIKE, I'M
GOING TO MAKE SURE I SHOOT
PHOTOS TODAY AND THAT WAS IT.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW IT
STARTED.
>> YOU WERE A TEEN THEN?
>> NO, I WAS IN MY 20s, LIKE
EARLY 20s, REALLY EARLY 20s,
LIKE 20 --
>> AND UNTIL THEN, UNTIL THAT
POINT YOU WERE SKATEBOARDING?
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I STARTED
SKATING IN LIKE 1986, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN I GOT OUT OF IT FOR A
LITTLE BIT AND THEN I GOT BACK
INTO IT, AND THEN THAT WAS IT.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO
ANYTHING ELSE.
>> AND WAS YOUR FAMILY LIKE THE
TYPICAL ITALIAN, LIKE WHAT ARE
YOU DOING, YOU NEED TO BE
SERIOUS AND WORK?
OR WERE THEY --
>> YEAH, A LITTLE BIT.
THEY'RE LIKE, YOU SHOULD TAKE
THE FIRE TEST.
I'M LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO BE A
FIREMAN!
LIKE, VERY TYPICAL BROOKLYN,
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING
TO FALL BACK ON.
I'M LIKE, I'M NOT -- THERE'S NO
FALLBACK PLAN.
LIKE, I DON'T HAVE A PLAN "B."
IT'S LIKE, I'M JUST GOING TO
KEEP GOING UNTIL I DO WHAT I
WANT TO DO, AND THAT WAS IT.
>> WERE THEY THE ONES THAT
EMIGRATED OR --
>> YEAH, MY GRANDPARENTS.
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS LIKE AN OLD
4-FOOT ITALIAN LADY.
MY GRANDFATHER --
>> WHERE ARE THEY FROM?
>> CALABRIA.
WE WOULD DO SKATE TRIPS TO ITALY
EVERY YEAR.
I TOOK ALL THE ITALIAN SKATERS,
GENO IONUCCI AND IAN POPERATTO
AND THEN THIS KID, MIKEY TAYLOR.
JUST SOME RANDOM KID FROM, LIKE,
THOUSAND OAKS IN CALIFORNIA, BUT
HE WAS A GOOD KID.
IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
THEN I DID THESE TRIPS TO ITALY
EVERY YEAR AND THEN IT JUST
TURNED INTO LIKE ALL OF OUR
FRIENDS.
>> WAS IT PEOPLE FROM HERE GOING
TO SKATE WITH OTHER ITALIAN
SKATERS?
>> BOTH.
MY FRIEND, FEDERICO, IS FROM
MILAN AND WE WENT TO MILAN AND
HUNG OUT WITH HIM.
AND EVERY TRIP I DID -- FIRST
ONE I WENT TO ROME AND I HUNG
OUT WITH MY FRIEND, AN ITALIAN
SKATER, AND HE SHOWED US AROUND
ROME.
THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE WENT TO
MILAN AND MY FRIEND, FEDERICO,
HE'S FROM MILAN, AND HE SHOWED
US AROUND MILAN.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT,
LIKE, I WOULD JUST CALL FEDERICO
AND BE LIKE, OKAY, ARE WE GOING
TO DO ANOTHER TRIP?
I THINK WE DID LIKE SIX OF THEM
OR SEVEN OF THEM, A LOT OF
SPOTS, ESPECIALLY IN MILAN.
THERE IS MILAN CENTRALIA, WHICH
IS THE TRAIN STATION, AND THEY
HAD THESE GREAT MARBLE EDGES AND
THE FLOOR WAS PERFECTLY SMOOTH.
IT WAS AMAZING.
TO THIS DAY PEOPLE ARE STILL
SKATING THERE.
>> YOU'VE BEEN DOING
SKATEBOARDING PHOTOGRAPHY ALL
THIS TIME, BUT YOU'VE DOT
PORTRAITS.
YOU HAD A BOOK COME OUT.
>> YEAH.
I DID.
I'VE BEEN SHOOTING SKATEBOARDING
FOR YEARS BECAUSE I LIKED DOING
TRICKS, SO I FOCUSED ON THAT.
THEN PROBABLY TEN YEARS AGO I
STARTED PLESSING IN THE STUDIO
AND DOING PORTRAITS AND I GOT
PEOPLE TO COME DOWN.
>> WERE YOU SELF-TAUGHT OR DID
YOU STUDY?
>> I WAS SELF-TAUGHT, THEN YOU
GET TIPS FROM PEOPLE AND LOOK AT
BOOKS OF PHOTOGRAPHY YOU REALLY
LIKE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT THEIR
LIGHTING AND TECHNIQUE.
THEN I GOT A LOT OF TIPS.
LIKE MY FRIEND, ZACH GOLD, WHO
IS A BIG PHOTOGRAPHER, HE
TAUGHT ME A LOT OF STUFF, WHICH
WAS AMAZING.
THEN YOU KIND OF START FIGURING
OUT A STYLE AND YOU GET A TIP OR
TWO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE, EVEN SHOOTING SKATING, I
HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO SHOT
SKATING AND THEY'RE LIKE, PUT
YOUR FLASH HERE OR DO THIS AND
DO THAT.
YOU'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND
OF FIGURE OUT HOW IT WORKS.
YOU KIND OF FIGURE OUT THIS
FORMULA AND THEN YOU JUST KIND
OF ADAPT AND TRY TO MAKE IT AS
MUCH YOUR OWN AS YOU CAN.
BUT I'VE BEEN, LATELY, I'VE BEEN
REALLY INTO SHOOTING PORTRAITS.
>> YOU HAVE THIS GREAT SHOW
HERE.
CLEARLY, YOU'RE A FRIEND AND
ADMIRER.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH REDA.
>> WE'VE BECOME REALLY CLOSE
FRIENDS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
HE ACTUALLY SHOT ME IN A
PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT FOR A PHOTO
SHOOT THAT I WAS THE SUBJECT OF,
AND WE HIT IT OFF.
WE DIDN'T BECOME FRIENDS UNTIL
LATER.
THAT FATEFUL DAY.
>> DOES HIS ITALIANNESS EVER
COME OUT?
>> I THINK HIS ITALIAN
AMERICANNESS COMES OUT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ITALIANNESS.
YEAH, THE ACCENT, THE HAND
GESTURES, IT'S VERY, VERY NEW
YORK, YOU KNOW?
I MEAN, I THINK HIS ITALIAN
AMERICANNESS IS PART OF HIS
CHARM, AND HE'S GOT AN
INCREDIBLE SENSE OF HUMOR, A
HUGE HEART, WHICH COMES THROUGH
EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW HIM.
>> ARE YOU COMING AWAY FROM THE
SKATING OR DOES DO YOU STILL
LOVE IT?
>> I LOVE IT.
I'LL BE INVOLVED WITH THE
SKATEBOARDING FOREVER, JUST AS
LONG AS -- BECAUSE I LOVE IT,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
BUT I'M OLDER, TOO, AND SHOOTING
SKATEBOARDING IS A YOUNG MAN'S
GAME BECAUSE YOU'RE EATING AND
SLEEPING OUT THERE WITH THESE
KIDS AND YOU'RE OUT 24/7 AND
YOU'RE IN THE VAN, ON THE TRIPS.
I DID IT ALL AND I LOVED IT, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I LOVED IT.
AND I STILL WOULD LOVE, YEAH,
I'LL GET BACK IN THE VAN, DO A
TRIP, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN.
BUT IT'S LIKE A WHOLE NEW FLOCK
OF KIDS THAT ARE COMING UP, LIKE
SHOOTING SKATING, SO IT'S KIND
OF THEIR TURN TO KIND OF -- YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND THAT'S HOW IT HAS TO BE.
THINGS CHANGE, EVERYBODY
EVOLVES, YOU START DOING
DIFFERENT STUFF, YOU START
SEEING WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE.
BUT AS FAR AS SKATEBOARDING
GOES, I LOVE IT.
>> THE SKATING CULTURE IS KIND
OF LIKE A REBEL CULTURE.
WHAT DREW YOU TO IT?
>> I GREW UP IN BROOKLYN IN A
PREDOMINANTLY ITALIAN, YOU KNOW,
AT THE TIME, WHEN I WAS LITTLE,
THERE WAS LIKE A LOT OF
ITALIANS, AND THAT STEREOTYPICAL
BROOKLYN ITALIAN VIBE, IT WASN'T
ME, YOU KNOW?
AND I LIKED SKATEBOARDING AND I
ALWAYS LIKED BEING OUTSIDE DOING
STUFF, EVEN AS A KID, LIKE
JUMPING MY BIKE AND HITTING A
BUMP, YOU KNOW?
SO, KIND OF GOING TO
SKATEBOARDING WAS A NATURAL
THING FOR ME.
I WAS INTO A LOT OF PUNK ROCK
AND ALL THAT STUFF, SO I
DEFINITELY WASN'T BLASTING
DIAMOND GIRL, LISTENING TO KTU,
LIKE BACK IN MY INFLUENTIAL
DAYS.
EVEN THOUGH NOW I LOVE THAT,
BECAUSE I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM MY
ROOTS, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M JUST
SAYING.
BUT YEAH, LIKE BACK THEN, IT WAS
LIKE, I WAS KIND OF NOT REALLY
INTO WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS
WERE DOING.
SO THEN THERE WAS LIKE A SMALL
GROUP OF US THAT WOULD LIKE
SKATE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, AND
DO ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
AND I WAS JUST LIKE ATTRACTED TO
THAT, AND I DEFINITELY WASN'T
ATTRACTED TO THE NORM, YOU KNOW?
AND I REMEMBER ASKING MY MOM
ONCE, LIKE WHY DO WE LIVE SO FAR
AWAY FROM THE CITY?
BECAUSE WE LIVED IN THE BASIN.
MY PARENTS ARE STILL IN THE
HOUSE THAT, LIKE, THEY BROUGHT
ME HOME TO, YOU KNOW?
I REMEMBER LIKE JUST COMING INTO
THE CITY WHEN I WAS A KID, MY
PARENTS, JUST STARING UP AT THE
BUILDINGS, AND YOU'RE LIKE, YOU
KNOW, LIKE YOU SEE ALL THESE
CRAZY PEOPLE AND ALL THIS CRAZY
STUFF AND YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS
AWESOME, YOU KNOW?
WHY ARE WE SO FAR AWAY FROM, YOU
KNOW?
WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING MOVIES, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN, YOU'RE LIKE,
OH, WOW!
LIKE, LOOK HOW GREAT THE CITY
IS, YOU KNOW.
SO, YEAH THAT WAS ALWAYS LIKE
ATTRACTED TO DIFFERENT, YOU
KNOW, I WAS JUST KIND OF
DIFFERENT.
AND EVEN LIKE THE KIDS I WAS
HANGING OUT WITH, BACK WHEN WE
WERE LISTENING TO PUNK ROCK AND
HARD CORE AND GOING TO CBGB
EVERY SUNDAY AND THE KIDS I'M
HANGING OUT WITH, THEY'RE ALL
DRINKING AND DOING DRUGS.
AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL
THIS STRAIGHTEDGE PUNK ROCK, SO
I'M GOING TO BE STRAIGHTEDGE,
BECAUSE WE ALL LOOK THE SAME,
WE'RE ALL DOING THE SAME STUFF,
AND I WAS ALREADY NOT ATTRACTED
TO THAT, LIKE, WITH THAT WHOLE,
LIKE, BROOKLYN-ITALIAN CULTURE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BUT I DID HAVE A RED BOWL IN MY
FIRST CAR.
>> MONEY IN IT?
>> YEAH, CHANGE.
I'M LIKE, I NEED $2 IN CASH.
THAT QUICK.
SPENT IT.
MY LUCK'S RUNNING OUT.
I SPENT MY GOOD LUCK MONEY.
>> WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK
NOW ABOUT HOW YOU'RE DOING?
>> THEY'RE PRETTY STOKED FOR ME
TO BE DOING MY THING, YOU KNOW.
AND MY FATHER, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
HE ALWAYS HAD THESE IDEAS THAT
HE WOULD TELL YOU, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHAT YOU'VE GOT
TO DO, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN, LIKE, WHEN I FIRST
STARTED SHOOTING PHOTOS, LIKE
SKATEBOARDING STUFF, YOU KNOW,
LIKE, AND I WOULD GET, LIKE, A
PHOTO HERE, I'D SHOOT AN AD
THERE.
I MEAN, I WAS MAKING LIKE, YOU
KNOW, OH, I MADE 500 BUCKS THIS
MONTH!
OR YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I GOT 50 BUCKS OR 100 BUCKS, YOU
KNOW.
AND I WASN'T MAKING A LOT OF
MONEY, BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN A
HARD TIME JOB.
AND I'M DOING WHAT I WANT TO BE
DOING.
LIKE, I'M IN THE STREETS, I'M
WITH FRIENDS, SKATING, AND LIKE,
YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE MOVING
FORWARD TOWARDS SOMETHING.
THEN MY MOTHER WOULD BE LIKE,
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT MAKING A
LIVING WAGE.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOOK AT -- AND
I'M LIKE, MY WHOLE LIFE YOU TELL
ME I'VE GOT TO DO WHAT I'VE GOT
TO DO AND NOW I'M DOING IT AND
NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME NOT TO.
AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE, ALL
RIGHT, YOU'VE GOT A POINT, AND
THEN THAT WAS IT.
THEY NEVER BOTHERED ME AGAIN.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS
EXHIBIT.
>> MY FRIENDS OWN DIAMOND SUPPLY
COMPANY AND THEY'RE SKATERS AND
FRIENDS OF MINE, AND THEY'RE
LIKE WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING
TOGETHER.
I'M LIKE, YEAH, WHATEVER YOU
WANT TO DO.
THERE'S A BIG SKATEBOARD CONTEST
THAT HAPPENS CALLED STREET WEEK,
AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE SPONSORS.
SO, THEY WERE LIKE, WHY DON'T WE
DO LIKE A PHOTO SHOW AT OUR
STORE WITH ALL YOUR OLD NEW YORK
PHOTOS, YOU KNOW?
AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH THAT SOUNDS
GREAT!
I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY SCANNING ALL
THAI STUFF.
SO, I'VE GOT STUFF FROM LIKE THE
LATE '90s, EARLY 2000s.
>> WHO ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE
FEATURED IN THIS?
>> I HAVE GENO IONUCCI AND
ANTHONY POPPERATTI.
GENO AND ANTHONY ARE BOTH FROM
LONG ISLAND AND THEY'RE VERY
ITALIAN, EVEN THOUGH GENO'S HALF
ENGLISH.
BUT HIS REAL NAME IS LUIGI
GIOVANNI IONUCCI.
HE'S VERY ITALIAN, MORE ITALIAN
THAN BRITISH.
WE'LL LET THE BRITISH SIDE OF
HIM FLY.
THEN ANTHONY POPPERATTO IS ALSO
FROM LONG ISLAND AND HE'S
ITALIAN.
THEN I HAVE KEITH HUFNAGEL.
HE'S ORIGINALLY FROM MANHATTAN
AND HE LIVES IN L.A. NOW.
HE HAS A BIG COMPANY CALLED HUF,
WHICH IS PRETTY COOL.
AND JEFF PANG.
AND THEN PETER THE ALBANIAN.
THAT'S WHY WITH GET ALONG.
>> YOU ARE SO GUIDO.
>> WE'VE GOT TO HANG OUT.
THEN THERE IS JAVIER NUNEZ,
JARED BASSET, TODD JORDAN,
QUINTON CARDONA, MIKE CARDONA,
HAROLD HUNTER, REST IN PEACE
BOTH OF THEM.
BUT THESE PHOTOS ARE ACTUALLY,
THEY'RE SOME OF MY FAVORITE FROM
THAT TIME FRAME, YOU KNOW, OF
SOME OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE THAT
UNTIL THIS DAY, EVERYBODY ON
THOSE WALLS, PRETTY MUCH EVERY
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE I STILL TALK
TO TO THIS DAY, WHICH IS PRETTY
COOL, AND YOU KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE
CAN SAY THEY'VE WORKED WITH SO
MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY STILL TALK
TO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
>> WAS IT BEING LIKE SOLID --
>> I THINK SKATEBOARDING IN
GENERAL HAS THAT VIBE.
BUT ALSO, TOO, I FEEL LIKE IT'S
WHATEVER GENRE YOU'RE KIND OF
IN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE, MY FRIEND TOBY'S IN THIS
HARD-CORE BAND, THIS PUNK ROCK
BAND, AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THEIR
PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE ALL FRIENDS
WITH, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S
KIND OF A SIMILAR THING.
YOU JUST KNOW PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
IT'S LIKE, OH, YEAH, WE PLAYED
WITH THAT BAND AND WE WENT TO
ARGENTINA AND THIS BAND OPENED
UP FOR US AND THEY WERE GREAT
AND WE'RE STILL FRIENDS WITH
THEM.
SO WE'LL GO ON A SKATE TRIP TO
ITALY OR EUROPE OR ENGLAND OR
SCANDINAVIA, AND YOU GO BACK AND
YOU SEE THE SAME PEOPLE AND
YOU'RE LIKE, OH, WHAT'S UP?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE YOU'RE IN FRANCE, YOU GO TO
A SKATE SPOT AND RUN INTO 40
SKATERS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S TRAVELING.
AND THE THING IS, WITH
SKATEBOARDING, TOO, THERE ARE
CERTAIN SPOTS YOU GO TO AND
SKATE.
LIKE IN PARIS, YOU SHOW UP THERE
AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND
SKATERS.
AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING SOMETHING
FOR 20 YEARS AND TRAVELING THE
WORLD FOR 20-PLUS YEARS, YOU
KIND OF, YOU KIND OF KNOW
PEOPLE.
I MEAN, AND ALSO, TOO, GROWING
UP IN NEW YORK, TOO, THERE'S
ALWAYS -- AND YOU ALWAYS HEAR
ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ARTISTS
FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND YOU
KNOW, THIS PERSON KNOWS THIS
PERSON, THEN YOU MEET THAT
PERSON AND IT'S JUST --
>> NOW IT'S BEEN SAID THAT
SKATING --
>> WILL BE IN THE OLYMPICS!
>> ARE WE GOING TO SEE YOU THERE
PHOTOGRAPHING?
>> PROBABLY NOT!
I DON'T THINK THEY WANT ME
THERE!
YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S SUCH A
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD WITH
SKATEBOARDING IN THE OLYMPICS,
AND -- I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF
FUNNY.
ME AND ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE,
WHO IS A VERY, LIKE,
SKATEBOARDING -- NIKE SHOULDN'T
BE IN SKATEBOARDING, LIKE THESE
PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE IN
SKATEBOARDING.
SKATEBOARDING OLYMPICS?
THAT'S CRAZY.
BECAUSE ON ONE HAND,
SKATEBOARDING IS AN EXTREMELY
ATHLETIC THING.
IT IS HARD.
IT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS
IN THE WORLD TO DO.
LIKE, THESE TRICKS THAT SOME OF
THESE KIDS DO ARE AMAZING.
LIKE, THEY LOOK LIKE MAGIC ON
THE BOARD.
LIKE, MY FRIEND DAE WAN SONG,
HE'S LIKE DAVID BLAINE.
>> I SAW ONE OF YOUR VIDEOS.
WAS IT A "VICE" VIDEO WITH THE
WATER?
I HAD TO PAUSE AND JUST REWIND
IT.
>> IT'S CRAZY.
YOU WATCH HIM SKATE, THE STUFF
THAT HE DOES, IT'S MIND-BLOWING
AND IT'S AMAZING AND IT'S, LIKE,
SPECIAL, AND IT'S MAGICAL AND
IT'S AMAZING, YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN?
BUT, LIKE, BUT WHAT HE DOES KIND
OF WON'T TRANSLATE IN THE
OLYMPICS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SO IT'S GOT A LOT OF LEVELS TO
IT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE THAT, WHO
THEY'RE JUST AMAZING.
THEN THERE'S PEOPLE THAT JUST
LOOK GOOD ON THEIR SKATEBOARD.
THEY JUST HAVE THIS STYLE, THIS
EFFORTLESS STYLE.
PEOPLE LIKE GENO IONUCCI.
BECAUSE GENO GETS COMPARED -- I
MEAN, BECAUSE HE'S ITALIAN.
BUT HE'LL GET COMPARED A LOT OF
TIMES -- LIKE, SOMEBODY WILL DO
SOME TRICKS THAT ARE CRAZY, LIKE
BIG OR GNARLY, AND IT'S CRAZY.
AND SOME PEOPLE'S OPINIONS OF
IT, EH, I'D RATHER WATCH GENO
PUSH, BECAUSE GENO PUSHING, HE
HAS A STYLE, AN EFFORTLESS STYLE
THAT, LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT
CAN'T BE IN THE OLYMPICS, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND SKATEBOARDING IS, LIKE A LOT
OF ARTISTS ARE SKATERS.
A LOT OF MY ARTISTS ARE
SKATEBOARDERS.
AHTYBA JEFFERSON WHO'S A
PHOTOGRAPHER IS A SKATER AND AN
ARTIST.
I RESPECT HIM AND HIS WORK IS
AMAZING.
SO, YOU'RE DEALING WITH STYLE,
WHICH IS LIKE FASHION AND THEN
ART.
IT'S AN EXPRESSION, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU'RE
SKATING, YOU'RE SAYING
SOMETHING.
YOU'RE EXPRESSING YOURSELF, YOU
KNOW?
IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE OF
THAT, TOO, WHERE THIS IS A
SPORT.
THIS IS A SPORT.
THIS IS LIKE RED BULL AND
MONSTER ENERGY DRINK AND NIKE.
YOU KNOW?
IT'S LIKE, YEAH.
AND THEY HAVE, NIKE HAS ALL
THESE TOP GUYS, YOU KNOW, LIKE
PAUL RODRIGUEZ AND NIGEL HUSTON
AND ALL THESE GUYS THAT ARE IN
STREET LEAGUE AND THAT WIN IT.
LIKE SHANE O'NEIL.
THESE GUYS, THEY HAVE THIS --
THEY'RE ATHLETES, YOU KNOW?
BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN, IT'S
LIKE, IT'S YOUR LIFE.
LIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO SKATE
FOREVER, NO MATTER WHAT, YOU
KNOW?
SO, IT'S KIND OF -- IT'S A WEIRD
BALANCE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
MORE THAT HAS TO DO WITH
SKATEBOARDING THAN JUST, LIKE,
THIS ATHLETIC SIDE OF IT, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YOU KNOW, BUT NOWADAYS, LIKE
WHEN I STARTED SKATING, IT WAS
JUST LIKE THE OUTLAW THING TO
DO, YOU KNOW?
LIKE "THRASHER" MAGAZINE, IT'S
JUST I'M A SKATER, I'M GOING TO
LISTEN TO PUNK ROCK.
EVERYBODY SAYS BLACK, I'M SAYING
WHITE.
EVERYBODY'S GOING UP, I'M GOING
DOWN.
SKATEBOARDING MADE ITSELF.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT YOUNGER
PEOPLE WHO ARE SKATING NOW HAVE
THAT SAME ATTITUDE OR HAVE TIMES
CHANGED WHERE IT'S NOT LIKE --
>> I THINK THAT ATTITUDE IS
ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.
IT'S JUST ALWAYS GOING TO BE
THERE.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE
PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU
GRIND A LEDGE OR YOU SLIDE A
CURB OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU
DO ON YOUR BOARD, YOU'RE
CRUISING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU
OLLY OVER A SEWER CAP?
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT
FEELING.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE THERE AND THERE'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE THESE SMALL
COMPANIES AND THERE'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE THAT DIRTY KID IN
STREET THAT JUST WANTS TO SKATE
THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT A
PAYCHECK OR A SPONSOR OR ANY OF
IT, YOU KNOW?
THERE'S A KID SPONSORED BY MY
FRIEND'S COMPANY.
HE'S LIKE, I WANT TO DO AN AD
WITH HIM, DO THIS WITH HIM, CAN
YOU SHOOT SOME PHOTOS OF HIM?
SO I GET THE KID UP AND I'M
LIKE, LET'S DO THIS, AND HE WAS
JUST, LIKE I DON'T KNOW.
AND THE KID'S YOUNG.
I CALLED MY FRIEND, I SAID, YO,
HE'S NOT READY.
LIKE, HE IS JUST NOT READY FOR
THIS, YOU KNOW?
THE KID'S LIKE 17.
I'M LIKE, LOOK, I GO, MAYBE HE
WANTS TO BE KIND OF A
PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER AND
MAKE THAT HIS LIVING OR MAYBE HE
DOESN'T.
MAYBE HE JUST WANTS TO SKATE AND
HAVE FUN AND MAYBE HE WANTS TO
GO DO SOMETHING ELSE, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
I'M LIKE, I'M NOT GOING TO SWEAT
HIM TO SHOOT THIS BECAUSE HE'S
NOT READY.
AND IF YOU PUSH HIM INTO DOING
SOMETHING HE DOESN'T WANT TO
DO -- BECAUSE I KNOW FROM
MYSELF, WHEN I'M PUSHED INTO
SOMETHING I DON'T WANT TO DO, I
DON'T WANT TO DO IT, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
I GET TURNED OFF FROM IT.
SO, IT'S LIKE HE'S NOT READY.
SO, SKATEBOARDING IN THE
OLYMPICS, IT'S GOOD IN THE SENSE
OF, LIKE, MORE SKATERS WILL GET
JOBS, YOU KNOW?
LIKE NIKE, ADIDAS, CONVERSE, ALL
THESE BIG COMPANIES ARE HIRING
SKATEBOARDERS.
THEY'RE HIRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
THAT'S FANTASTIC!
SKATERS ARE GETTING JOBS, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BUT THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE
OF THAT, WHERE IT'S LIKE, YOU
HAVE THESE SMALL SKATER-OWNED
SHOE BRANDS THAT ARE JUST
TANKING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
COMPETE WITH NIKE.
I MEAN, I'M WITH ADIDAS.
YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN AN ADIDAS,
YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS COMFY.
AND I FEEL BAD BECAUSE SOME OF
MY FRIENDS OWN SHOE COMPANIES
AND THIS AND THAT, AND I'M JUST
LIKE, MY KNEES HURT.
I NEED SOME SUPPORT.
>> DON'T WEAR CONVERSE ANYMORE.
>> I CAN MAYBE WEAR SOME
CONVERSE, BUT I'M LIKE, GIVE ME
SOME NIKES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I'M JUST SAYING, SO IT'S A GOOD
THING AND A BAD THING.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BRAND LIKE
NIKE, THE BIGGEST SHOE BRAND IN
THE WORLD, AND THEY'RE HIRING
SKATERS.
LIKE, I WENT UP TO NIKE AND ALL
MY FRIENDS THAT WORK THERE, I
SAID, THIS IS GREAT!
THESE ARE GREAT PEOPLE!
THEY'VE BUILT GREAT COMPANIES.
THEY'VE DONE GREAT THINGS IN
SKATEBOARDING FROM BEING A PRO
SKATER TO WORKING AT BRANDS TO
BUILDING BRANDS TO, LIKE, BE
LIKE THE DIE-HARD, LIKE, RIDE OR
DIE.
I'M DOWN FOR THIS BRAND THAT I'M
TRYING TO BUILD.
AND THEN, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
BUSINESS STUFF HAPPENS,
WHATEVER, THEY GO OUT OF
BUSINESS.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THAT GUY
GETS A JOB AT NIKE, YOU KNOW?
ALL OF A SUDDEN, SKY'S THE
LIMIT, YOU KNOW?
LIKE, YOU WORK AT NIKE, ALL OF A
SUDDEN -- AND NIKE, TOO, A BRAND
THAT'S, LIKE, YOU WANT TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE?
WELL, LET'S TRY TO GET YOU ON
WITH JORDAN.
OH, YOU WANT TO BE IN THE
RUNNING DEPARTMENT?
LET'S GET YOU OVER HERE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
MY FRIEND, HUNTER, WHO WAS LIKE
THE TEAM MANAGER FOR NIKE
SKATING AND WORKED FOR SB
SKATEBOARDING FOREVER, AND THEN
HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO TRY
SOMETHING ELSE AND NOW HE'S AT
JORDAN, YOU KNOW?
AND NIKE'S LIKE, OH, YEAH, YOU
WANT TO GO?
YEAH, LET'S GO!
SO, I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE, SO,
IT'S A POSITIVE AND THEN THERE'S
THE NEGATIVE WHERE NIKE DICTATES
WHAT HAPPENS IN SKATEBOARDING.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SO, IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WELL,
THERE'S A GIVE AND TAKE, YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'S LIKE, PEOPLE ARE GETTING
JOBS, THEY'RE GETTING GREAT
JOBS.
THEY'RE GETTING FUTURE CAREERS
AND THEY HAVE A FUTURE, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
WHICH IS -- I PERSONALLY THINK
IT'S GREAT, SKATEBOARDING IN THE
OLYMPICS.
I THINK IT BRINGS ATTENTION TO
SKATEBOARDING, AND SKATEBOARDING
IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS IN
THE WORLD.
AND I FELT LIKE IF EVERYBODY
LOOKED AT THE WORLD THE WAY
SKATERS LOOK AT THE WORLD, I
THINK THIS PLACE WOULD BE WAY
BETTER, BECAUSE WE LOOK AT
THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, YOU
KNOW?
LIKE, YOU SEE A CURB RIGHT
THERE, I SEE YOU CAN GRIND ON
THAT, YOU KNOW?
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS
THAT YOU LOOK AT IN THE WORLD
THAT, YOU KNOW, AS SKATERS,
YOU'RE LIKE, YOU CAN SKATE THAT,
YOU CAN GRIND ON THAT, YOU CAN
DO THIS, YOU CAN DO THAT THERE,
WHERE PEOPLE DON'T LOOK AT IT
LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW?
WE HAVE THIS ABILITY TO SEE
THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T,
AND THAT KIND OF GIVES US AN
EDGE IN THE WORLD, I FEEL LIKE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET INTO
MAINSTREAM, MORE MAINSTREAM
STUFF.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY
NOW.
LIKE I GO TO MEETINGS AT
ADVERTISING AGENCIES AND I'M
LIKE, I'M FROM SKATEBOARDING.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, MY GOD,
THAT'S SO COOL!
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DOWN WITH THE
STREETS.
I'M LIKE, I USED TO LAY AT THE
BOTTOM OF SOME STEPS WHILE SOME
KID THREW A SKATEBOARD AT ME FOR
3 1/2 HOURS.
AND THEN HE HAD A TEMPER TANTRUM
AND RAN HOME.
I HAVE LAID IN STUFF.
I HAVE LITERALLY LAID IN STUFF,
LITERALLY.
I GOT UP -- LIKE, I WAS JUST
LAYING IN- SO YOU'D
BETTER TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
YEAH.
>> LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE,
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO NEXT?
>> I MEAN, I KNOW I WANT TO KEEP
SHOOTING PHOTOS, KEEP MAKING
VIDEOS.
I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING THAT,
AND I'LL PROBABLY -- I WANT TO
BE LIKE RICHARD AMIDON, WHO,
LIKE-HAD A HEART ATTACK AND DIED
ON A PHOTO SHOOT.
THERE'S SOMETHING SO ROMANTIC
ABOUT THAT.
LIKE, YEAH, I'M LIKE 90 TRYING
TO CLIMB THE FENCE TO TRY TO
SHOOT AND I DIED.
BUT I'M DOING THINGS ON VICE
SPORTS WHERE I INTERVIEW PRO
ATHLETES.
WE TALK ABOUT -- LIKE, I DID A
FENCER WHO WENT TO THE OLYMPICS,
MILES WATSON.
HE WAS A RAD DUDE.
IT WAS KIND OF COOL TO JUST TALK
TO HIM ABOUT FENCING.
HE, LIKE, IS TRYING TO CHANGE
THE SPORT.
AND I WAS LIKE, DUDE, THAT'S
RAD.
LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST
SPORTS THAT WAS EVER IN THE
OLYMPICS.
HE'S, LIKE, CHALLENGING THE
NORM, SAYING, LIKE, NO, WE CAN
MAKE THIS BETTER, DUDE.
LET'S CHANGE SOME OF THESE
RULES, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY
DOPE, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S AN
AMAZING THING.
HE'S YOUNG AND HE'S A GOOD GUY.
AND YOU KNOW, SO, IT WAS
DEFINITELY FUN, LIKE, WORKING
WITH HIM.
>> DO YOU ALREADY HAVE THE OTHER
SEGMENTS PROGRAMMED?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'LL BE?
>> ONE I'M EDITING RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH PRO
ATHLETES, SO THEIR SCHEDULES
CHANGE.
I'M NOT LOIS LANE TRYING TO GET
A SCOOP.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHATEVER
ISSUES THEY HAVE.
IT'S LIKE, OH, YOU'RE A FOOTBALL
PLAYER?
YOU'RE FROM EAST L.A.?
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW?
LIKE, I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT'S THE
MOST STUFF I'VE SEEN?
BECAUSE I GREW UP IN NEW YORK
AND I'D BE COMING OUT TO THE
CITY TO SKATE AND WE'LL GO TO MY
FRIEND HAROLD'S ON 13th IN LIKE
THE EARLY '90s AND THE '80s WHEN
YOU WEREN'T GOING DOWN THERE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SO, IT'S LIKE, SOME CRAZY STUFF,
YOU KNOW?
LIKE, I WANT TO SEE, I WANT TO
KNOW ABOUT YOUR CRAZY STUFF IN
L.A., BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THAT.
>> YOU THINK IT WOULD ACTUALLY
BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AS OPPOSED
TO BAD BEHAVIOR.
>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT
TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE FAIL, AND I
JUST DON'T, MAN.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE PEOPLE FAIL.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO WIN.
MAYBE THAT'S JUST KIND OF A
WEIRD -- LIKE A FAIRY TALE KIND
OF VIEW.
>> NO, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S REAL.
THAT'S REAL.
>> WHY CAN'T EVERYBODY JUST WIN?
WE COULD ALL WIN.
YOU KNOW?
I DON'T WANT TO SEE PEOPLE FAIL.
LIKE, I AM JUST NOT -- WE SEE
TMZ AND ALL THIS CRAZY STUFF.
PEOPLE JUST WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO
FAIL.
AND I JUST, I DON'T, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?
I WAS TALKING TO ANOTHER FRIEND
OF MINE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE
DO BUSINESS, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S
JUST LIKE, BECAUSE MY FRIEND WAS
WORKING ON THIS BUSINESS PLAN,
AND THE GUY HE'S TALKING TO WAS,
LIKE, YOU'RE LEAVING MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS ON THE TABLE AND THIS
AND THAT AND THAT'S NOT HOW IT
WORKS.
AND HE'S LIKE, IT DOESN'T HAVE
TO WORK LIKE THAT.
IT CAN MAKE THE WAY I'M SAYING
IT.
AND HE'S LIKE, YOU'LL MAKE LESS
MONEY.
AND HE'S LIKE, I DON'T CARE.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT KIND OF
MENTALITY, I KIND OF LIKE THAT,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW,
EVERYBODY I FEEL LIKE IS LOOKING
FOR A QUICK BUCK, YOU KNOW, AND
IT'S JUST LIKE, LET'S BUILD A
BRAND, LET'S GET IT REAL BIG AND
SELL IT, AND THEN LET'S DO
SOMETHING ELSE.
LIKE, WHY?
LIKE IAN McKAY, A SINGER WHO IS
JUST A HUGE INFLUENCE ON MY
LIFE.
HE'S NOT ITALIAN.
BUT HE HAD A QUOTE, AND I'M
GOING TO PARAPHRASE IT, BUT IT'S
SOMETHING LIKE, IT'S ALL ABOUT
BUILDING SOMETHING AND MAKING AS
MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN AND THEN
SELLING IT AND DIVERSIFYING.
THEN HE SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE
LINES OF IF YOU HAVE A BAKERY
AND YOU'RE SELLING BREAD AND
PEOPLE ARE BUYING IT, JUST KEEP
MAKING MORE BREAD.
I'M LIKE, I LIKE THAT.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE MAKING PEOPLE
HAPPY AND YOU'RE MAKING A
LIVING.
THAT'S THE THING.
IT'S JUST LIKE PEOPLE WANT
EVERYBODY TO FAIL AND I'M JUST
LIKE, NO, LET'S ALL WIN.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE SAYING,
RISING TIDE RAISES ALL SHIPS?
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
DOING THIS WITH US.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS
EPISODE OF "ITALICS."
I'M LUCIA GRILLO.
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
For more infomation >> Message for your night 4 May - Duration: 0:43. 
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