The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #1477 - Tony Hawk
CHAPTERS
- 0:02 – 1:08
Skateboard as an extension of the body (and public attention)
Joe opens by noticing how effortlessly Tony handles his board, prompting Tony to describe skating as second nature and even a practical way to get around town. They joke about the absurdity of Tony being “stealthy” on a skateboard and the constant requests he gets from strangers.
- •Skateboard control becomes automatic after decades of repetition
- •Using skating as transportation and navigation in cities
- •Being instantly recognizable while skating in public
- •Common fan requests like “do a kickflip!”
- 1:08 – 3:10
Viral contraption boards, street vs. vert risk, and learning to fall
They pivot to weird “transforming” boards seen online and the injury risk behind rail and gap skating. Tony explains how skateboarding split into different disciplines and why he personally backed away from heavy street impacts.
- •Social-media-driven novelty tricks and specialized setups
- •Street skating’s higher impact vs. technical low-impact ledge skating
- •Why Tony avoided handrails after repeated ankle rolls
- •Falling technique and injury realities in skateboarding
- 3:10 – 4:40
How skateboarding evolved: Dogtown, empty pools, and the insurance crash
Joe asks how skating progressed from simple riding to today’s technical tricks. Tony traces the lineage from surf-inspired Dogtown pool skating to the shutdown of skateparks due to insurance costs, which pushed skaters into the streets.
- •Dogtown/Z-Boys influence and surf emulation
- •Late ’70s/early ’80s boom of skateparks
- •Insurance/liability shutting parks down
- •Street environment becoming the new ‘skatepark’
- 4:40 – 5:18
The internet levels the playing field for new skaters worldwide
Joe and Tony discuss how YouTube and online clips accelerated progression and changed who can get noticed. Tony emphasizes that talent no longer needs a Southern California or New York pipeline—consistent output from anywhere can build a career.
- •Online video exposure accelerates progression and trends
- •Geography matters less for discovery and sponsorship
- •Content creation as a path to recognition
- •Skate careers emerging from unexpected places
- 5:18 – 6:34
Becoming ‘the’ name in skating: longevity, X Games, and the 1999 video game
Joe compares Tony’s recognizability to Lance Armstrong’s in cycling, asking how Tony became the face of skateboarding. Tony credits surviving multiple waves, founding a company, the X Games spotlight, and especially the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game as the turning point.
- •Longevity through skateboarding’s boom-bust cycles
- •Starting a skate company (1992) and staying active
- •X Games as mainstream reintroduction
- •Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (1999) as the major inflection point
- 6:34 – 12:27
Teen pro life: turning pro at 14, buying a house at 17, and money mistakes
Tony recounts how informal ‘turning pro’ was back then—just checking a box on a contest entry. He shares stories about earning real money as a teenager, buying property in high school, and blowing cash on status purchases before his dad pushed investing discipline.
- •Early ‘pro’ status was informal and scene-based
- •Powell-Peralta/Bones Brigade origins and team dynamics
- •Buying a duplex while still in high school
- •Financial naivety: cars, gadgets, and the tanning bed story
- 12:27 – 15:18
Skating’s downturn: being labeled a ‘dinosaur’ and scraping by in the early ’90s
Tony explains the harsh industry shift when vert fell out of fashion and street took over, cutting his royalties dramatically. He describes freelancing with video editing and doing low-paying exhibitions just to keep skating and pay rent.
- •Vert skating losing cultural relevance to street skating
- •Royalties collapsing and the ‘fad’ perception
- •Freelance video editing and odd jobs to survive
- •Keeping identity and motivation rooted in love of skating
- 15:18 – 23:16
X Games growth, mega ramps, and the reality of concussions/CTE risk
They revisit how ESPN’s Extreme Games evolved into the X Games and why vert is a spectator-friendly format. The conversation turns serious as Tony and Joe discuss concussions, Tony’s history of being knocked out, genetic risk checks, and modern approaches to brain health.
- •Why ESPN favored vert: visibility, drama, and spectacle
- •Mega ramp progression and infamous wipeouts (Jake Brown)
- •Tony’s concussion history and proactive genetic testing
- •Supplements, recovery awareness, and changing risk tolerance
- 23:16 – 29:55
COVID-era California: masks, closures, and skateparks filled with sand
The discussion shifts to pandemic life—confusing guidelines, political polarization, and daily friction over masks. Joe and Tony criticize the decision to dump sand into skateparks, arguing it simply pushes skaters back into streets and public spaces.
- •Conflicting COVID guidance and social tension around masks
- •Event postponements and uncertainty for travel and promotions
- •Skatepark closures and the ‘sand’ tactic as bureaucratic overreach
- •Unintended consequences: more street skating and crowding elsewhere
- 29:55 – 44:26
Training, aging, and injuries: neck issues, pelvis fracture, and pool-based rehab
Joe presses Tony on strength and conditioning as an older athlete, while Tony describes skating as his main fitness and swimming as a staple. They dive into wear-and-tear issues—especially Tony’s neck and a major pelvis fracture—and discuss rehabilitation strategies, including pool work like elite fighters use.
- •Skating vs. structured training; swimming as low-impact conditioning
- •Chronic neck ‘whiplash’ and bodywork routines
- •Pelvis fracture from a loop ramp and confidence rebuilding
- •Pool resistance training and joint-preserving workouts (GSP example)
- 44:26 – 1:17:16
Skateboarding tech limits, longevity in the sport, and creating new tricks at 52
Joe asks about equipment advances, and Tony explains how construction hasn’t radically changed—maple ply decks still dominate—due to feel, price, and adoption hurdles. Tony discusses skating into his 50s by refining to technical ramp skating, then shares how he recently created a new “never been done” trick under time pressure.
- •Why skateboard materials remain mostly maple ply (cost/feel/weight)
- •Challenges of carbon fiber and ‘reflex’ response in decks
- •Aging in skating: narrowing risk and increasing technical focus
- •NBD best-trick concept and Tony creating a new trick ‘yesterday’
- 1:17:16 – 1:42:54
Skateboarding’s global reach, Olympics debates, and Tony’s ‘outsider’ journey
Tony explains skating’s worldwide spread—from Ethiopia to Skateistan’s girls programs—and how the Olympics will use street and park disciplines for accessibility, not vert. He reflects on being mocked early for “circus tricks,” later being called a sellout after the video game, and how those experiences built resilience and clarified his definition of success.
- •International growth: Ethiopia scenes and Skateistan in Afghanistan
- •Olympic format: street + park, vert excluded for accessibility
- •Judging criteria: difficulty, flow, speed, height, and course usage
- •Handling criticism: ‘circus skater,’ ‘cheating,’ and ‘sellout’ labels
- •Success as doing what you love—and finding roles beyond being ‘the best’
