Rob Dyrdek is a name in our society that needs no introduction. Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder at the ripe old age of 16, has turned himself into the most recognizable face on MTV as well as a wildly-successful entrepreneur.
From skateboarding to MTV, the man is known for many ventures. What makes a man though is the real worth within his soul, and Dyrdek’s soul is rich.
The larger the profile Dyrdek gains, the more he gives back to the community as he attempts to build the vision he sees for America’s youth. Dyrdek is currently working with his foundation, the SLS Foundation (formally known as The Rob Dyrdek Foundation) and Lunchables as they partner with the Boys and Girls Clubs to help kids lead active and healthy lifestyles.
The SLS Foundation contributes to communities by providing the healthy and sustainable benefits of skateboarding to design, develop, and construct safe and legal skate plazas around the world. Lunchables is pledging $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club over the next five years to upgrade and renovate facilities nationwide.
Driving active lifestyles and the evolution of Street League Skateboarding are his passions. Having a legalized place for youth to skate has always been of the up-most importance to Dyrdek.
I was lucky enough to speak with Rob recently about this and other interesting topics.
Rob Sabo: I understand your foundation and Lunchables kicked off the campaign on Tuesday and unveiled a newly revamped skate park at the Boys and Girls Club in Chula Vista, CA. How is everything going so far?
Rob Dyrdek: It’s amazing. The opportunity with Lunchables to step up and get with the Boys and Girls Club of America and do this renovation is amazing. Anytime I can be involved in making a proper place for kids to skate is a really big deal.
RS: Speaking of them, Lunchables has understandably been a great partner with you. Can you talk a little about them and how great they have been as a partner?
RD: A couple years now we’ve been doing a lot of work with them. The most recent being the Fully Uploaded web series where we profile athletes and personalities that are active and really cool and inspiring. The whole web series is ultimately about inspiring others to take their talents to another level by profile their stories.
RS: How can viewers enter to win a weekend in Los Angeles to hang with you and visit the set of the show Fully Uploaded?
RD: We’ve had a promotion going since May that you can sign up for at Lunchablesupld.com. You can win a trip to come out and live the Fantasy Factory life for a day. It’s a really cool program.
RS: How does it feel to use your passion for skateboarding towards a great cause and fuel the kids in our society?
RD: I think for me, anything I can do to inspire young kids is well worth it. For me, skateboarding is my outlet to stay focused and has helped me have purpose when I was young. The Boys and Girls Club allowing those kids who may not have mentor-ship or a purpose to feel inspired is very cool.
RS: You have done amazing things with Street League Skateboarding. When do you think the goals to your vision will be achieved by? Are their tangible goals or is it more of a day by day process?
RD: Yeah, I think it’s a day by day thing. With any professional sports league it sometimes takes building it for 20 years, or 50 years, or 100 years. You know, so it starts first with a master plan, and that’s what we’re really about. It started first with the sport of skateboarding, then the high level arena pro tour, and now we want to create a global qualifying system and continue to build proper competition level skate parks all over the world to create that foundation which will continue long term.
RS: When you were turning pro back as a teenager, did you ever think you’d eventually become the most recognizable face on MTV today?
RD: No…I couldn’t. I mean you’re a 16 year old kid who lives in Ohio and fully focused on becoming a pro skate boarder and there was nothing else. I never would have thought I’d end up in some weird entertainment business years later. Super random. What I like to say is you should let your dreams revolve around your opportunities, and I think that’s basically what I did.
RS: How’s Christopher “Big Black” Boykin doing these days?
RD: He’s better than ever. We’re doing another season of Fantasy Factory so we’ve been pushing the limits lately of what I believe me and him can actually get away with on television. Needless to say this season is gonna be pretty ridiculous.
RS: Any chance you’ll attempt to break his “Bananas or Doughnuts” records?
RD: No, but I did see that he was recently trying to find a doughnut sponsor, because he is a doughnut champion. I have a world record for jumping a car backwards last season, but no plans for any world records in that area.
RS: Can you give us any sneak peak on what to expect when Fantasy Factory returns?
RD: I think we’ve been really pushing the limits on like, the randomness you know, of the inter-office battles that we get into on a lot of levels from extreme bowling to monster truck work. I even shot my cousin out of a rocket...I mean, full-fledged, it was amazing.
RS: Which is the one clip on Ridiculousness that had you lose all control, laughing hysterically? I’m sure it’s a tough one to answer, but any that come to mind?
RD: There’s so many, people ask me all the time. After doing 100 episodes and about to do 30 more, there’s so many that are really amazing. Even yesterday, I was getting ready for the season and we had this incredible video of a guy on a motorcycle who slams into a car from behind and does a perfect flip off of his motorcycle and lands standing on the car while it’s still moving going about 50 miles per hour. It was the most incredible thing. It was literally like Spider Man level stuff.
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