ELISSA STEAMER
W
hat was your first photo in Thrasher?
It was at the girl's contest. It was a
crooked grind on a ledge.
Is Skate and Destroy still important?
Definitely. That's what you're supposed to do:
skate and destroy.
What about Skate and Create?
Nah, I'm over that.
What have you been doing since your interview?
Slacking.
Exciting things have been happening for you.
Yeah.
Did you get a raise after that?
Yeah! Put Ed in his place on that one.
What else?
I moved up to Hollywood. Everyone moved up
from Huntington so I decided I'd better go too.
Do you skate more up here?
Yeah.
You got a car, too?
A Neon. But I peaced it out and got a 4-Runner.
You got a brand new 4-Runner?
Yeah.
Paid for in cash?
Yes.
That's video game loot, right?
That's right.
And now you have a shoe?
Yep. It just came in this week, so go buy it.
Are they good for boys and girls?
Yes. Seriously, they're the best skate shoes I
have ever skated in. Scotty Copalman says
they're good, Chief says they're good.
Everybody who's ridden 'em says they're
great. They're sporty looking but they skate
real good, too. I just wanted to make it bigger
so they don't look so much like a slipper.
More like a hiking boot, with better thickness
and texture.
Not so much like a banana?
Right. Exactly. No bananas.
Are you living the single life these days?
Like a motherfucker.
No fiancees? A lot of people are getting married
these days.
Yeah, Erik got married the other day.
I heard a rumor you weren't going to do those
girl's contests anymore. Is that true?
Yeah. I wasn't, but they just kept on uppin' the
ante, so... It's a good investment to spend a day
down wherever they are.
It's been said you got ripped off at that
Vancouver contest. Any comments?
I don't care. Player haters. I mean, I don't
know. Ed told me that if you win every time,
they start hating on you. They judge you dif-
ferently. The same thing used to happen to
Tony Hawk, Ed says.
Some of those girls are getting pretty
good, huh?
Yeah. There's this one little girl out there
who's good. I don't know her name, but she's
pretty good.
Are you happy the other girls are getting better?
C'mon, you know my story. They get better, but
I get better too.
Was it weird having your mom at the Wilshire
rail the other night when the cop came?
It was fun; she was psyched 'cause she hasn't
dodged the police in like 20 years or something.
And then Minnick jumped in the ride too and
was goin', "Yo, niggas!" or something like that.
What are you working on?
It's hammer time from here on out. I just
filmed for the Baker video, so now I've got to
start work on the Toy Machine video. It's time to
get down to business.
What are some impulse buys you've been
indulging in now that you're rich?
I don't really impulse buy that much—but just
clothes, like real expensive clothes.
Like designer skirts?
Yeah, like out-on-the-town gear, Harley
boots and stuff.
What celebrities have you seen?
Ah, all of them.
Bud Bundy?
No, but, like, Kevin Spacey, Woody
Harrelson. Just loads of them. You see
one like every four days.
Why do bartenders always want to cut
you off so fast?
I don't know! Did you see the other night?
Yeah. I've seen you cut off like four or
five different times.
I don't know. I guess they can just see in
my eyes that it's not going to be a good
thing if they keep giving me drinks.
What's the best part about being rich?
I'm not rich like Woody Harrelson or
Al Pacino or anything, but the best
thing about being rich, really, is it's a
good feeling to walk into a place, all
scummy, and know you have more
money than the people who are in
there. Money for nothin', except ripping
my body apart.
What are your plans for the future?
I've got plans. I want to make enough
money off of this so I've got a house, a
boat I've already got a car. And just
retire. Not do anything-go fishing.
Do you see yourself in skating for awhile?
Yeah. Well, at least until my Etnies
contract runs out.
-Michael Burnett
Intal Plans
Budw
Warner ave
California 2000
Elisan Steamer
looking in the fridge
IF YOU WIN EVERY TIME, THEY START
HATING ON YOU. THEY JUDGE YOU
DIFFERENTLY. THE SAME THING USED
TO HAPPEN TO TONY HAWK"
Kickflip over the rail down 10.