Caught Up with Shaun White
lgallagher
- September 10 2008
- 5,255 views
- 60 comments
I went out to Park City a couple weeks ago to check out Shaun’s new video game. Shaun White Snowboarding will be hitting shelves in the next couple months and the video game company Ubisoft brought a bunch of us out to PC for a media release party. In all honesty I’m not much of a gamer, but if video games are your thing, you’ll be hyped on this one. The graphics are insane, the objective is simply to shred, and it’s as true a representation of snowboarding as an animated game can be.
In the two days I was there Shaun did 23 interviews. Three of which were with snowboard media outlets. The other twenty were with video game journos. And despite the mind-numbing Q&A schedule, Shaun was his jovial, joke-cracking self first interview to last. It was my first time hanging with him and I have to say, for someone who drives a Lambo, hangs with Elton John, and was dubbed “The Coolest Kid in America,” he’s a pretty down-to-earth dude. —L.G.
Photo:Liam Gallagher
So first, give me a run down of the game?
Well we’ve been working on the game for two years. It was fun, but a crazy learning process. I didn’t have any idea what goes into a game. There’s a lot. There’s hundreds of programmers working on it day and night. Its been really cool lately because the closer you get to the launch is when everything really starts to ramp up. So now is when I get to really see it all coming together.
It was fun building this game from the ground up because there was just so much to decide about. Like where I wanted to go with the game; do I have everyone ride as me, are you competing against me the whole game. I thought it was a cool scenario to have me as a friend and just kind of guide you along. And you just play as you. So you get to pick your board, you get to pick your stuff and it’s really fun in that way.
And my goal from the start was to keep it somewhat realistic to snowboarding. I was trying to have a kid that’s never been to the snow or never been riding to get a little inkling about what it’s like to do it. And a little taste of what the cultures like.
You do a lot of interviews, what’s the one question that you get asked the most?
That question (laughs). No, just kidding. I saw that in a movie. No, the one I get the most is probably ‘Do I like snowboarding or skateboarding more?’ How am I supposed to answer that. It’s like asking which one of your kids you love more (laughs).
Photo:Liam Gallagher
Do you ever get nervous about doing any interviews?
I do but I don’t, you know what I mean. I feel like I’m a pretty level-headed person. I’m a pretty normal person. Being on TV representing something that’s way larger than me is a pretty humbling thing, so I try and portray it that way.
And it’s cool, but it’s also a lot of pressure, ‘cuz I don’t want to say something that makes me sound like an idiot and then have people think that all snowboarders are idiots. I don’t want to wreck what snowboarding is.
How is it balancing all these different directions you’re pulled in?
It’s madness. Yeah it’s a little crazy, ‘cuz the game is such a huge massive project, and we’re doing the clothing with Target. And it’s hard..because they’re really fun outlets, but you have to do ‘em right. I felt like I had enough time to put a lot of effort into the game. So I was flying all over the place to put help put it all together. I’d do the voice over stuff in LA, and I’d fly to Montreal to do motion capture stuff, and just tons and tons of stuff.
Photo:Liam Gallagher
And what about outside of developing the game, how is it balancing all the different things you have to do, do you ever get any time to just chill?
Um…I don’t know. It’s weird, ‘cuz I don’t know any different. You know I started snowboarding at six, was sponsored at seven and pro at 13. I started traveling at 12. So any normalcy left the picture at 12. So I’m pretty good at juggling a lot of things. But, I try and take a little bit of time every summer just for myself. Now is the time of the year when I get to take a little bit of time off. And just take a pure vacation.
Do you ever wish you could be anonymous?
Sometimes, but really the fun times outweigh the bad times. It’s always a give and take, you know. I’ll say this, I can understand why people might loose their cool. If I had not signed autographs and had a bit of exposure before the Olympics, then everything after the Olympics would’ve probably freaked me out. But, it’s been fun. It makes some things a lot easier. Like, it makes getting reservations at restaurants a lot easier. Or you get to sneak into the clubs. I’m so busy, but it’s everything I want to do. The way I look at is, that it’s a lot of really awesome problems to have.
Photo:Frode Sandbech
Are there any celebrities you’d really like to meet or any you’ve met that you fanned out on?
You know I’m cool with people that are actors, that’s rad, but I’m more stoked on meeting musicians. I think it’s way harder to create music. You’re making something out of nothing, you know. I like those creative personalities.
Are there any musician you still want to meet?
Yeah, any member from Zeppelin would be sweet.
Zeppelin’s your favorite band?
Yeah.
Do you have a favorite Zeppelin song?
No, I kinda dig ‘em all. It’s like Michael Bolton you know, I kinda like ‘em all. (Laughs)
Photo:Liam Gallagher
Tony Hawk said that when his video game came out, the money he made off that thing is what allowed him to retire. Now that yours it about to drop is retirement anything you’ve even thought about?
No, shit I’m 21. The way I felt after the Olympics was like “Alright I’m just getting started,” so now it’s like, what do I want to do next. I’m gonna do whatever I want to to now. I feel like I’m just getting going. Especially with skateboarding.
How is it competing against all those vert dudes? Did you ever feel any animosity from them when you started in on the scene?
It was a little weird just ‘cuz I was a new guy. Maybe it was because I was a snowboarder, but I think a little bit of it was them thinking I didn’t need to be there. But I think a lot of it was just because I was new. If you’re breaking into a group of guys where the top ten at any event are the same dudes every time it can throw a wrench into some peoples program. But that was kind of awesome. I like giving people a hard time.
Do you think you’ll ever hit the mega ramp?
Maybe, I don’t know. I think that what those guys are doing is amazing. The fact that they launching this huge jump on a skateboard and doing sevens is incredible. But the thing that I don’t like about it is that it’s portrayed on TV in a sort of daredevil way. People want to tune in to see people break themselves and that’s a bummer, because we’ve worked really hard to get away from that and make people realize that it’s a legitimate sport that takes a lot of skill and practice and a certain mindset. And then the biggest story out of X-Games last summer was that Jake Brown almost died. And that’s scary to me, I don’t think we should celebrate that.
But on a personal level, do you have any desire to throw yourself off that ramp?
Um…no, not really. (Laughs)
Photo:Liam Gallagher
And with all this money you’re made from snowboarding, have you given any thought to some sort of foundation or charity?
Yeah it’s actually in the works right now. I actually went down to Rwanda, about a year ago and we visited these orphanages and schools and brought ramps and I did a little demo. It wasn’t meant to inspire them to want to start skating or anything, because that would be ridiculous, but it was just more about showing them something fun that we do in the US, with the hope that it’ll take their mind off all the crazy stuff going on around them. And we ended up sponsoring one of these villages. We helped them build a well.
But I’ve also been thinking about doing something with a heart association, because I had a bunch of open heart surgeries when I was younger. I really love the concept of giving back. I’d love to create something. I’d say within the next year or so something should be up and running.
Which snowboarder or snowboarders do you admire most?
The guys having the most fun. I think Danny Kass has a blast when he’s riding. I dig his style. He doesn’t care, maybe deep down he cares, but it doesn’t seem like it. He just has fun. And I think that’s part what makes him so cool. He’s got great style. I like Pat Moore too. And Heikki Sorsa is insane.
Photo:Adam Moran
Do you have any ambitions to do more backcountry riding?
Um…yeah, but probably not in the next couple seasons, with the Olympics coming up I’ll just be riding a lot of pipe.
Photo:Adam Moran
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September 19th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Fifth…
September 19th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
ohh third
September 19th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
shaun white is a spoiled rich bratt that makes way to much money
September 19th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I do not think people are sell outs for creating video games.
It is just to bad that you or I do not have the talent to be able to be featured on a video game. I do not know any one that would not be totally stoked on having a game made after them. These guys inspire kids to take up the sport.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
you guys that hate on shaun white are so weak. so you might not be into his type of riding. maybe you like street stuff, maybe pow. but, shaun rides better than you, makes more money than you, has sex with hotter chicks than you do, and probably just straight up has more fun than you. stop being bitter.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
My favorite thing is to see all you little haters call anyone that is successful at what they do a sellout. shaun White rips in the pipe and made a millions doing it…sellout. Some kid from the ghetto goes to college and gets a good job…sellout. You little haters have no concept of what real life is. Just snowboard, have fun, and represent the companioes that you like.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I guess giving respect is way to hard for you guys so you just hate because its easy
September 19th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
and by the way….. its weird how all you haters are the first ones to read the Shaun White interviews
September 19th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I totally agree with you.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Man, like shaun white or hate him but u gotta respect what hes done for himself and for the sport. He rides PIPE, thats jsut what he does so i dont blame him for making the most of his oppurtunities! Who wouldn’t it.
RESPECT…
September 20th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Steve, Really, Sellout, Sweet, Tirade and NZshredder all make good points. Imagine if you were the best at something since day one, you wouldn’t want to lose either. But he should give props, although look at who his favorite rider is, DK, a dude who has beaten him on numerous occasions.
Everyone sells out, its called GROWING UP and if you don’t, then you’re just stupid. Get paid while you can, who wouldn’t want to drive a lambo and bang hawaiian tropics models, oh unless you are above that of course.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:24 am
i think the last question sums him up the best. Hes just a competitor not a snowboarder. A celebrity, rockstar, athlete. Not a snowboarder.
September 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
i have an idea. Instead of shaun white training for a million years to go to the olympics so he can win again (even though danny kass can come close, and hardly train at all) he should train to fight lucas magoon in a cage fight and then whoever wins really is the coolest and best snowboarder in the whole world and all kids should worship him. So everyone will either be ghetto gansta thug, or super sweet hottie pipe jock. Then the problem will be solved and everyone will know who’s the best.
September 20th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
travis c has the best idea in the snowboard world.one thing though that can improve this miraculous scheme would be to add a pro who rocks really tight pants in their, kooley or lnp, maybe sexton. three shreds representing three different steezes, every man for himself, battling to the death. then everyone will either be thugged the fuck out, tight pants flannels and headbands, or a jockey athlete. then we can stop bitching about fashion and pros, and get back to slashin snow. gggggeeeeaa. word
September 20th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
swash i love your addition, i bet we could market this and make bank. At first i thought that kooley was the for sure candidate, and then i remembered that he used to be ghetto gangsta baggy pant bad a$$ like in his part in shakedown, now he is tight pant slim jim. So maybe he wouldn’t really know who to fight for because he is a little confused???!!! So i think that joe sexton is our best bet.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
in this interviews shaun actually didnt come off as a douche… sick. Also in response to other comments: kooley was gangster as shit when he was my coach at hcsc in like 2000 or some shit but he still shredded with the same giant amount of steeze reppin tall dudes to the fullest, and id also like to say, even though i love the dude, why is it that danny kass can try hard as hell to get a show on mtv and be the next bam but “core” snowboarders still think hes the shit. if your gonna hate on shaun hate on danny just as bad if not more.
September 21st, 2008 at 1:06 am
coming out with a clothing line for target kind of classifies him as a sellout
September 21st, 2008 at 1:12 am
UMMMMM… snowboarding is about having fun so i think the fights are a bad idea….unless of course we make like a WWF videogame about snowboarders fighting…. nahh f@#$ tht i just wanna shred
September 21st, 2008 at 3:44 am
come on guys, stop hating on everything the guy does.
hes ripping in the pipe like no one else, and there arent many who can do it better, so props to him being so good.
imagine if one you haters were a pro, and you worked you ass of to get pro, how would feel if you saw a someone hating on you?
September 21st, 2008 at 6:27 am
spoiled brat? he’s earned his own money dimwit
September 21st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I don’t understand all this hating on Shaun. He has an insane amount of talent, I love to watch him compete. I don’t have the cash to spend on Shaun’s Burton gear and I doubt the Target stuff is my style but I don’t care if people want to spend their money trying to look like Shaun. I would like spend my energy trying to ride like him. Shaun sounds pretty cool for a guy with such a crazy life.
September 21st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
i don’t know much about the guy other than what he does in front of a camera(tv is manipulation if you didn’t know) but he seems like a kid who can rip shit up, in just about all fields so i’ll give him respect with that. I couldn’t give two shits about what he does with his earnings, nore what he does on his own time, as much as i can care about who you are and what you do. read an article, here an interview, see a show….. and that’s it. It ain’t you, no harm done, then let them move on. Worry about yourself. Drop your thoughts and go ride….that’s why i do it!
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 am
ever noticed how shaun doesn’t go out of his way to have a style like tight pant or baggy gansta gear, he just wears outwear that fits properly. shit people may call him a pipe jock but if you’ve seen the white album and the burton vids he kills it at rails and jumps better than most. plus he can beat bucky and PLG in a vert comp. he lives a more exciting and fun life than everyone thats commented on this site, so i guess thats a good enough reason to hate right??? jealous, sure am i know i’d love to do what he does snowboard and skate all around the world and get paid enough to drive a lambo.. dammm i hate him because he truly is living the dream!!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:15 am
I love everyone that hates on him. You guys are a joke, so he makes a lot of money, do you hate Tony Hawk? He also is still a pretty mellow dude, and pretty much put snowboarding on the map. A tiny thank you for making snowboarding what it is should probably be thrown his way.
All these fucks who think snowboarding should stay some underground sub-culture are retarded. The more exposure the better the mountains will be, the better the products will be, the better the coverage will be, the better snowboarding will be.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
hating is lame, but anyone who rides pc knows that he is a big d bag. he always treats us mere mortal shreds like shit, and thats not cool, who helped him get where he is by buying his product? kid rips, i am not saying he doesnt, but really he isnt that cool
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 am
Lucas Maggon does some cool shit but that kids a tard.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
yah right. he had everything handed to him. there is no way in hell a 13 year old kid could be pro if he didn’t have mad hook ups. you can’t tell me a 13 year old kid is better than a 25 year old vet.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
where’s the backcountry photo’s taken. Looks alot like the BC interior (Revelstoke Area).
September 22nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
He might be able to ride a snowboard but not a blonde or brunette! Spoiled rich kid who never went to school.
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Ok I admit that White is a nothing but a pipe jock but for better or worse you could also argue that he is the driving force behind making snowboarding a mainstream sport. I dont think you can call a guy a sellout for trying to make as much money as he can as fast as he can. We would all do the exact same thing if we could rip like him.
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
even if hes a spoiled brat, you haters took
time out of your day to go to this page, devoted to
Shaun White, and commented on him.
Ya’ll just jealous and pissed off
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
he’s from southern california born and raised you dumbass!
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
To all you haters….it is called jealousy! Stop hating
September 24th, 2008 at 7:21 am
i respect the tomato but he needs to accpet the fact that its possibel for other ppl to b better than him when he faces other riders like danny D. and danny K. and looses, accept the fact go out and find new things to work on that will make him win
September 25th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
He made Target a direct competitor to every single independantly owned skate/snowboard shop. f uck him
September 25th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
well maybe if you open up ur fuckin eyes u would realize he is the BEST!!
September 25th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
so if target came up to u and gave u ur own clothing line and a shit load of money, u would turn it down? HELLO!!!!!! TURN ON YOUR BRAIN!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
i dont have anything to say except YOUR A FUCKING DUMBASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
THANK YOU aslijhdf
September 25th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
so he’s a pc, BIG FUCKING DEAL!!!!!!! if they offered u a sponsorship i bet u would take it the way u would be getting paid
September 25th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
first of all, the only reason he goes back to re-do his run even if it doesnt count is because he knows he can do better and he wants to land a good run. sencond of all, he’s not a crybaby, he works hard at his game unlike u do u stupid fucker.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
i give shaun white props for making a name for himself, but he has taken talented snowboarder to a “TV” spoiled brat. Also i find it sad that every non boarder is a fan of shaun whitey just because they haven’t seen true kick a.s snowboarding. And the people that say about how we are haters, what hypocrite’s
September 26th, 2008 at 1:15 am
I love how all the haters go on this site…read the interview…click on ads…buy stuff at target…buy burton boards and so on. So i guess all the movie stars are all sellouts too? Wait i think il stay doing community theatre instead of acting with Angelina Jolie. Wait i think il stay in the minors intead of going to the Majors. Wait i think il ride The Creek instead of riding at the X-Games. Son i have a $10million 5year deal with target…we want to sponser you. Nah…il remain jobless n just ride the creek forever…dont want to sell out to my hommies. Dumb haters!!! pop your pimples and grow the fack up. You haters are just jealous coz you just flat-arse broke. Shaun is awesome…enough said.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I walked up to shaun after winning the Burton Superpipe at Stratton march 2008…asked him for a pic…he said no problem man. He held up a peace sign and clicked. He was so happy about winning. He was like laughing at himself and acting like a happy child. Nothing fake about it. Real Genuine!!! All your haters keep practicing your 3s n 7s n 9s n 1040s so you can “sellout” too. Then all the ‘tards will hate you too. Thanks for posing with me bro…that was really cool of you. Got pics with Jake n Terje too. A couple of other “sellouts”
September 26th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
That’s a seriously legit point.
By getting with Target he’s competing with local shops.
Your local skate/snowboard shop and mine.
By working with Target Shawn White is hurting our shops, and HURTING THE SPORT!!!
THAT BASTARD DOESN’T REALIZE WHAT HE’S DONE!!! He really has sold out… I didn’t want to believe it, but he did.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Dont be a hater…….. Shaun White is a beast and you kids need to get over yourselves
September 26th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
uhh…yeah in his case, definitly……dont be a hater….haters arent real snowboarders
September 26th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
i agree with the kid above me…………if you knew you could do better than why not do it again……snowboarding is a self satisfaction sport……..you guys need to chill…..haters arent real snowboarders
September 26th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Screw you guys…..shut the hell up and learn how to be real snowboarders
September 28th, 2008 at 1:38 am
couple things wrong with that kid. one he may win a lot, but that is just cause he knows two tricks (fs and bs 1080). Two his style is so wack. its a relief to see some one float a 5 or 7 after him, and maybe even get upside down. Three. snowboarding isn;t about money. there is no way i would sell out to target. not in a hundred years. why would you want bed sets with you all over them. and computer sponsor? lame. he should try a turn in pow, or maybe even hit something other than a pipe or park jump. i hate how snowboarding is bcoming so competitive and too much of a sport. REMOVE IT FROM THE OLYMPICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 28th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
snow is fun..
September 28th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
nuf said^^^^^^
September 28th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I dunno with with all the bogus stuff thats happened at whistler and snoqualmie I think the more legitimate riding is perceived the status of our parks will be protected, we kinda need all that positive exposure to keep things growing. I totally remember when I was younger and our terrain park was way small and off on a super flat part of the resort. With the growth of riding the park has been more than doubled and has some primo pitch now. So i guess go land on your neck, sue the mountain and make your millions, or maybe shred a bunch, get tossed around on the contest circuit and then make your millions that way.
September 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Real snowboarders dont spend their time blogging online, poser.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:26 am
i’m not so stoked on shaun
November 19th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
well i havent read all the comments…yet….but just think….like one guy said if you were the best you wouldnt want to lose either. but shauns got balls.i have alot of boarding friends that have been doing it for years. and i know for a fact that only half of the people can land a 1080 in pipe! now you guys need to get over yourselves. wow……and one more thing you haters…stop. shaun didnt just say o today im going to be a pro snowboarder. he worked hard for his stuff he has now.
December 5th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
What is this shit?
seriously tws
every fucking time i come to this site i have to come across this douchebag’s smug smirk plastered all over.
we get it dude you have money. stop gettin all up in my grill.
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