Epicly Later’d is a great show and a huge asset to the VBS series.  Because of its highly personal and substantially interesting subject matter, anyone who has ever picked up a skateboard and took it seriously can relate directly to every single skater featured. 

This episode featuring Mike Carroll is goes beyond the subject of skateboarding.  In what is probably the most intense and most personal episode of Epicly Later’d to date, this show has hit a new level of documentary storytelling that the show has never seen before.  Watching some of this footage causes me to feel ill and almost guilty for watching something so personal. 

And this episode says a lot about how skateboarding can literally save a life from entering complete destruction.   About how it’s an escape for thousands of kids who have nowhere else to turn, but to the camaraderie with friends that comes with the lifestyle by which they become the only family a skater can have.  Can relate to this one big time.  Great episode. 

If you were like me, and I many of you are, then you probably had a lot of questions after seeing Lakai’s “Fully Flared”. The skate movie had so many different elements of mystical surprise and wonderment. My mind was going through a flurry of amazement I think I got overwhelmed with curiosity. For example:

1. When Mike Mo got slapped in the face with a birthday cake at the beginning of his epic part, what flavor was that cake? It looked so delicious.
2. When Ty Evans’ lens got broken off due to a bail out, did he wisely keep his receipt in case such an unimaginable event took place?
3. Now that the world knows of Eric Koston’s supernatural abilities (shooting lasers out of his mouth and eyes) did his success in skateboarding have anything to do with him being part droid?

Well after the Transworld Skateboarding Awards, Transworld was smart enough to put the Lakai team in a room together to answer some questions. What Transworld wasn’t smart enough for was to ask the hard-hitting questions, like the ones mentioned above. Regardless it’s a really interesting interview. Check it!

I love politics and I love campaigning for people.  When I was eight years old, I suggested my buddy John Kraner be put on the voting ballot for “Head of the Library”.  His job would basically be the person responsible for cleaning up the reading area after library time.  Him and I campaigned by threatening most of our classmates with a punch in the arm if they didn’t vote him in.  True story.  Of course he lost because some girl ratted us out and instead we got sent to the principal’s office. 

Then there was the 10th grade in my humanities class.  One of my best friends was this kid named Ting Pong Heung.  He was an exchange student from China with a great accent.  Him and I would talk about guns the entire time in class.  When it was time to pick a homecoming king, I campaigned for him by getting our entire class of 60 to put his name on the ballot.  After the class period ended, we all walked out of the classroom chanting his name, “Ting! Ting! Ting!” True story.  Ting, if you read this, contact me dude.   I miss you.  I think he’s a police officer now.  By the way, Ting got killed in the voting. 

Anyway aside from my history of great campaigning, I’m leading a new charge.  And no it’s not for some boring national level election, it’s for the best Lakai shoe.  On the ballot is Mike Carrol, Rick Howard, Eric Koston, and Marc Johnson.  Unfortunately I associate coolness with people and my favorite skater isn’t on the ballot and that’s Guy Mariano.  So im campaigning for Guy to get his shoe on the ballot, even if he doesn’t have a signature shoe, they should make one for him.  But if you want to partake in this election, the voting begins 6/15 on Lakai’s new website.  It’s pretty fresh so you should check it out.  You can listen to each nominee give his argument as to why their shoe is the coolest.