feeble-mindedness. It was the start of a terrible
three years of my skateboarding life. But it all
worked out. I have no regrets.
Do you use any hair products?
If my hair is long I use some grease to slick it
back. Murray's or Tres Flores hair goo. I rarely
wash my hair, but when I do I use whatever
Deanna has in there. Since my neck injury, which
shaved some hair off of my head, I have been
using some Boitin shampoo from the health food
store. It's supposed to help hair grow faster.
Stupid, huh?
Are you upset about the potential for a perma-
nent bald spot on your forehead?
Yes, that's why I use the shampoo. I would deal
with it if it was the case, but it is already growing
back pretty well.
Did you used to be a hair hider?
No. In high school for about
three months I had kind of
long hair. I NEVER put it in a
ponytail, and I never tucked it.
into my hat. It just flapped out
the back of the backwards cap
like normal. When I had long.
bangs I would keep them
slicked back in my Schmitt Stix
painters cap. My friend a long
time ago had short hair but
wished I was long so he could
be a Fabio and get girls. He
would pull his five-inch-long
hair back into a ponytail that
was less than an inch long. We
called it a "Jer" because his
name was Jeremy, and then we
would fuck with him by "slap-
ping our hair into a Jer" and
acting like a ladykiller.
Do you ever talk to your
dad anymore?
I have not talked to my dad
since he bailed my mom,
brother, and I for an 18-year-
old babysitter. I think he vis-
ited once after the divorce, but
that was about 18 years ago.
He's probably dead. I wonder
if he knows who I am?
What's the most self-indul-
gent thing you do?
Food, Internet, time-wast-
ing. I indulge on food all the
time. I spend money on good
food now to save money on
doctor's bills later. I waste my
precious time whiling away.
hours in front of the computer
screen making my eyes blood-
shot. There are so many thing
as much as the Leica to keep it real. I don't see my
house as lavish because it took 12 years of skate-
boarding my ass off to be able to get that.
What were some of the best items you got in
your send-something-in contest?
Just funny photos. I never got what I wanted. I
still want kids to send in photos from their par-
ents' hidden drawers of their naked brothers
and sisters, etc., but it never happens.
Are you still friendly with Jason Lee?
No. Christian Kline sent me some old nega-
tives of Jason and I skating together, and I
printed one up and sent it to Jason. I know he
got it because a mutual friend told me he men-
tioned it. But we have not talked for quite a
while. We are both very busy in our respective
Backside ollie.
to do and I just waste my time indulging in crap.
What's the most lavish of your possessions?
I suppose the most ridiculous thing I own is a
Leica camera. It was over two Gs, and that
embarrasses me. I put tape over the logo so
nobody knows what kind it is. But it is the best.
camera for what I do. It's small and quiet and has
the best lens you can get. I still use my Canon
AE-1 with a shoestring lace as a camera strap just
worlds. I don't expect much from him, just as I
hope people don't expect much from me. I'm
lazy and busy at the same time-on top of run-
ning a company, skating every day, and being an
art fag. I see all of his movies and read magazine.
articles about him. It's funny. I'm happy for
him. When he gets really big I will publish a
horrific exposé about the early and terrible
Jason Lee and make millions.
What was it like to be outside of the World
Industries circle in its peak? Did you ever want
to be a part of all that?
Actually I wasn't outside of it at all. I rode for
Gizmo wheels and Ghetto Wear clothing back
then. I skated with Jason Lee when he was riding
for SMA Rocco Division and I was best friends
with Jeremy Klein when World was at its
height at least the height I'm thinking of, the
Rubbish Heap days. Deanna lived on the same
street as Steve Robert (the guy with the first part
in Rubbish Heap) and we skated together all the
time. Rocco wanted me on the team but I was too
into Schmitt Stix and New Deal. Plus even
though we were all friends I don't think Jason,
Jeremy, or Ron Chatman would have wanted me
on the team. Rocco would
give me boards all the time
and I would trade them in
for Chris Millers. I felt very
much a part of it.
When was the last time
Deanna went out filming
with you?
Quite some time. Probably
since Jamie Thomas got on
Toy Machine.
Talk about the death lens.
The "Click it to Huge"
lens? Whenever you need a
trick to look bigger than it
is, you can always just
"Click it to Huge."
Have you invented any tricks?
I reckon I may have
invented the "pivot shove-
it" (see New Deal 15-1
minute
1989-90).
promo circa
Do you care if you ever
win the world champi-
onships again?
Yes. I would like to. I
always wanted the back-
to-back title. I have won
it twice, so I have had a
chance at back to back
twice. The first time I
got fourth, and the sec-
ond I got second by at
fraction of a fraction of
a point to Chris Senn.
That's almost back to
back but no cigar. Then
Brian Anderson just
walks right in and does
it first try. Fuck.
What's your best flip trick?
360° flips, nollie heels,
switch heels, backside 180°
heels I can do them all but I guess they never
end up in video parts. I need to practice them
more for sure.
What about switch tricks?
Switch frontside shove-its and switch heelflips
are pretty much it.
Have any gay skaters come to you for conso-
lation through letters or in person?
No.
Talk about the adverse reaction you got from
the Ed-Haters game.
A group called GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian
Association Against Defamation) got pissed
about the game, saying it sent a bad message to
people who played. The game had me saying
I'm a fag, and you are supposed to kill me. I
agreed with them; that game could be seen as
propagating the anti-gay hysteria that is going
only half of it is bad. So the other half I like but
don't purchase.
What's your take on skateboarding's affection
for hip-hop and its accoutrements?
Skateboarders are a group of people. I like
to think of all skateboarders as a unified clan.
The cool part of it is that in the clan you can
be ultra-dope or fully heshed out and still be
part of it. The fans have their opinions and
Talk about the impossible lipslide. Were you
the first? Would you be where you are without
the impossible?
The way I see it, it could have gone either way.
I was skating with Jason Lee a lot when flatland
skating came in. We both learned 360° flips and
impossibles. He took a liking to the tré-flip and I
to the impossible. Sometimes I wish we chose
differently. I still like it. It's a hard trick and not
"I WANT NO PART IN HARMING ANYBODY IN
THIS WORLD. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT99
on worldwide. Since I had no part in making
the game or putting it on the Net, I told them I
was not part of it and I would try to get it taken
off. They were impatient and wrote Tum Yeto
up in one of their newsletters, and we got tons
of junk mail and pissed-off letters. Tod Swank
was affected the most. It sucked. They hurt
someone who is sympathetic to their issues in
the very unsympathetic world of skateboard-
ing. I still stand by my opinions, though, that
the game was harmful to them, and I want no
part in harming anybody in this world. I don't
have time for it.
What's your favorite hip-hop song?
I guess I don't have one that I know the name
of. Is old Public Enemy hip-hop? Brian, Brad,
and Elissa play hip-hop all the time on tour and
favorites according to their tastes. Most kids
I know and friends I have can respect a very
hard Stevie Williams ledge trick just as much
as a John Cardiel 20-stair 50-50. People
should do whatever they want-I do what I
want. I like certain types of music better than
others just like anybody, so I respect that and
want the same respect. I'm more of a
hesh/punk myself in a time where it seems
like most skaters are into hip-hop. That's
fine; I don't mind being in the minority.
When the time comes where you get vibed or
beat up for not wearing or listening to the
right shit, then skateboarding is in trouble
like it was in 1992.
Would you rather be famous or rich?
Famous.
that many people do it. I might have been the
first person to do it to lipslide, but you never
know... I had never seen it before.
Which is sketchier, the skate world or the
art world?
Both worlds are very sketchy, which makes
me believe that all worlds are sketchy, because
humans are sketchy. The art world is WAY
more fake. That's why I do what I do in that
world, but stay firmly planted in my real
world-the skate world.
Where do you want to be when Thrasher turns 30?
Rich but charitable? Famous but down to
earth? Still skating, but not pro? I don't know,
really, and that is scary and exciting at the
same time.
MACHINE
-Michael Burnett