Last night I watched Real Sports on HBO and I have officially had it. I am livid.
For those who didn’t see, the final banger fifteen minutes of the episode was on drugs and surfing. What Bryant Gumbel called “hard” drugs as he twiddled his reading glasses and sunk his non-existent chin into a horrible suit jacket/shirt combination. And then off to Santa Cruz where Anthony Ruffo and Flea spoke about methamphetamine and the segment reporter, also in a horrible shirt/pant combination, asked leading questions about the surf industry complacence in burying the wild addictions of its stars against the backdrop of Andy Irons’ death. Which led to their one self-righteous conclusion: Surfing needs drug testing.
This followed Outside magazine’s two exposé pieces on Andy’s death and, again, the implication that the surf industry buried truth in order to maximize dollars at the expense of Andy himself. And the same one self-righteous conclusion. Surfing needs drug testing.
Bullshit.
Surfing doesn’t need drug testing because it doesn’t need broad, meddling, top-down responses to societal problems. Surfers aren’t taking steroids in order to boost performance (save Neco Padaratz). They are partying and maybe too much and maybe too often but, fuck, since when did parenting adults become the obvious solution? Each country in which the tour stops has drug laws. Surfing doesn’t need to add more dumb red tape to an overly legislated area.
But more to the point, both HBO and Outside assume a watchdog tsk-tsk position, reporting the “facts” while not being involved in the space in any way, shape or form.
HBO’s look was an obvious piece of shit. They didn’t speak with anyone close to Andy and, while I love them both, Ruffo and Flea are outliers in Santa Cruz doing an outlying drug. Meth or ice or shards or devil dust or whatever is weird. And I know Santa Cruz and Oregon and the Ozarks and Hawaii have problems with it but, still, it ain’t the norm. Surfers aren’t ice-heads.
Outside’s was more insidious because it had the ring of truth, which is always more insidious. Mormonism also has the ring of truth. But the work was shoddy. The writer had a clear supposition before interviewing, compiling and writing. He knew what his last sentence was. He supposed Andy died of a drug overdose and he supposed the industry was at least partly to blame so he worked backward to prove it. Yellow and shocking. The writer twisted what he needed to in order to make it all fit. I know because he clearly and purposefully twisted me. Rude and small.
Even still, some armchair pundits applauded the bravery. And so, the editorial staff at Outside got what they wanted: All the feel-good whistle-blowing amazing of cracking one tough nut of a tale. The surf industry’s cursed silence! The surf industry’s wanton blindness! They got to be Woodward and Bernstein.
The only difference is they are not Woodward and Bernstein, Andy’s death was not Watergate and the story had massive holes spackled over with insinuation and even more self-righteousness.
Andy’s life, told in a moralistic “Let’s all learn a lesson from his death. Guess what everybody? Drugs are bad”-way, is cheap and tawdry. It is a bad story.
And that is just it. I once wrote, “If nobody tells a true story then what is the point?” I still believe this, firmly and passionately, but the emphasis is equal on both true and story. And the surf family did tell Andy’s story. It was told, orally, in line-ups around the world. It was told by those who knew and loved him. It was told by the surf magazines. It was told well. Beautifully.
HBO and Outside have nothing invested in our world. They know nothing and can come in and wave a stick around and beat their chests as purveyors of awesome and unbiased truth, but their perspective is worthless. They could have invested time and energy. They could have talked to interesting people. They could have come to a less ham-fisted conclusion or chosen not to have their minds made up before damning an entire industry. But they didn’t. Because they are content with spilling out the same dribble Nancy Reagan did thirty years ago: Drugs are bad. They both told bad stories. Rotten ones.
And frankly, while I am being livid, I am also livid at the surf family for not telling HBO and Outside to fuck off vociferously. So I will say it for all of us.
Fuck off. Vociferously.
Now let’s party! —Chas Smith
Related Posts
Andy’s Family
posted by Chas Smith / Blogs, Editorial / May 20, 2011
His autopsy report delayed again; our thoughts on the matter
Comments Off
Grace, Kelly
posted by Chas Smith / Blogs, Editorial / March 14, 2011
Matt Warshaw is so wrong! Terribly wrong!
who is Chas?
yeah Chas tell it like it is… Great stuff. My coffee tastes a little brighter after this read. Cheers!
This was a brilliant piece. I love this fight. Chas vs Outside and all the outsiders. Keep on fighting chas! Give em hell!
couldnt agree more with you chas. and this is good by the way. we can all only wish surfing was the counter-culture generally fucking rad lifestyle it was thirty years ago. drugs and titties and beers. no, i dont wish anymore of our heroes to fall to drugs, but i could deal with a coupla nobodies from santa cruz going down to make us look fucking tough.
it’s called journalism. i wouldn’t expect a fedora, soulpatch 40 year old skateboarding d-bag to understand. congrats to hbo for shedding light on drug addiction and surfing.
Wait a second… was that Chas Smith’s true voice coming through free of all the florid BS his normal writing is plagued with? No stretching to sound relevant, no over the top descriptions. Good on ya, keep it up. Writing about surfing works for the guy, writing about traveling the world and hanging out in Palm Springs doesn’t. Maybe he should write pissed off all the time and spare us the descriptions of his “lavish” lifestyle.
Very, very true. The last thing we need is more “government” intrusion telling us what we can and can’t do with our lives. Surfing isn’t immune from such bullshit. To each his own. Fuck these kooks.
Both Andy and Bruce were both at one time “ice heads”, Look at Bruce’s eyes in this clip, then decide for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDuxRkJH2rI
Outside Magazine , F U .
Since when did surfers ever give a f*%k what the rest of the world had to say about them? Sounds like someone needs to get wet!
Aloha
Chas sounds defensive to me. Something to hide maybe ?
Shut up Chas, you friggin’ coke head.
Chas – Great wrte-up, I feel the same exact way.
“nolan” – Are you retarded?
HBO and Outside, yes they are sooo very in to what it means to ride waves and the community around it. What a joke, go back to covering boxing and rock climbing.
Looks like another addict, trying to justify to himself that he is OK.
http://twitpic.com/658wrb
The worse surfing looks to the public, the less surfers in the lineups…I got no complaints with this..
For 1, Andy’s sponsors did cover up for him thus allowing him to take his drug use to it’s obvious conclusion.
For 2, maybe before you write an article on the subject of surfers not having drug problems you should tell your company not to run the ad for “Step Into Recoverey” at the bottom of the webpage.
BTW pro surfing doesn’t have more drug problems than normal society just some people who do whatever they want because they are “so awesome”.
We all know how Andy was to most people. Stop acting like he was the nicest guy ever.
Or “Sober College”
Chas, with all due respect- your a very bitter and jaded nincompoop. A train wreck of sorts- It’s YOU who give surfing a bad image and your employers (Corp America Btw) use you and abuse you to simply drive hits through your caustic ramblings. No one is fooled buddy- your dripping with spite, what a terrible way to live.
Spot fucking on. And I haven’t touched dugs since i was a teenager, and that was a very long time ago. Drugs are dangerous, oh? What could be more obvious? Just look at the people who take them regularly. But more dangerous is a national correctional facility business that has only money, and making more money on its agenda. Outside is a lame magazine. Basically right-wing owned, and barely even environmentally aware. Melekian is a kook who resented being a viewed as a kook by the surfers he so-called interviewed. More like condescended upon. Fuck all of them. And once again, Chas shines through. I don’t have to agree with him to know that he’s worth reading. Always.
Charlie Smith, what are his journalistic credentials? At time he sounds like he should live in West Hollywood and others he is a wannabe fashionista. Sorry to attack Charlie but he is attacking anyone that has a different opinion that his. All the details about Andy Irons have not been revealed. That is a fact. Pure and simple. A fact. For just the tip of the iceberg only 2 stints in rehab were confessed to by Paul Naude and Graham Stapleberg. That is not true and they know it. They called Andy’s “walk about” in Australia a get away and time to just surf and start training with Parko. Where was Andy really? Why was he there? Was there a 3rd rehab stint in Australia at a top secret location? Follow up on that one Charlie. When Andy left that area/rehab he went straight to West Australia for a Movie/Video trip. It was very well documented what trip that was. The footage of him on that trip strongly suggested he was not over his addictions. People on the trip were shocked how quickly he found drugs even in West Australia. These are FACTS. Not rumors or gossip or bullshit. Why can’t people come clean on this and much, much more? Put it to rest with the truth and no further questions will be asked. The more you lie you more lies you need to make up to cover up the original lies. Charlie, do you know all the facts yourself? I doubt it. But why are you so pissed if anyone wants the truth instead of the lies and bullshit? Look into where Andy stayed during his so-called walk about and you will start to open the door on lies still being told by Billabong.
I love this “surf family” shit. Chas Smith is the redheaded step child of the surf industry, both inside and out. People laugh at you/about you behind your backs and in front of your face. You’re a joke.
Do you really want to know what the “surf family” is saying about Andy’s death “in the line-ups”, as you put it? People are saying he died of drugs. Period. They are saying that if he didn’t die of them directly on the night of his death, then they presuming that his repeated use of them contributed heavily to his early demise.
Do you know why people are presuming this, Chas? They are because fluffy “journalists” like you are skirting the issue. Rather than dealing with facts and stories that only industry “insiders” like you would know, you instead dodge the issue and try to make hero pieces out of everything. Yeah, Andy was a great guy (to some people), but he had his issues. PLENTY OF THEM. But you don’t want to discuss that. For some reason, that would be like shitting on his grave or something to deal with the reality of things. But people could LEARN from it if you discussed it intelligently and factually. Andy could be way more impactful in his death that he ever was in his life, if you just chose to address the issue directly. But instead you do these froofy pieces and try to talk slick.
Don’t blame HBO for trying to take a stand when no one in Andy’s direct industry will do the same. You could have beat them to the punch, but now you have no one to blame but yourself.
subscription cancelled
I wholeheartedly agree that surfing does not need drug testing, and that the drug issues with Andy and the SC crew are independent from the sport of surfing. Nobody’s winning contests or title they shouldn’t be because of their drug use..that I know of..
On the other hand, the media of surfing – or as I’ve heard, the ‘branding’ of surfing, is very conscious of keeping itself from publicizing the negative aspects of the professional surfers lives. Be it personal respect, a ‘tight-knit’ community, or desire to maintain the carefree, all about waves, bikinis, and fun atmosphere, I’ve noticed a few omissions over the years. Aside from the drug examples, it wasn’t until Malia Jones was actually married to Luke Stedman that I realized she wasn’t with Conan Hayes anymore..and the recent interview with Conan in NY stayed miles away from that topic…and is Machado still married? Fuck if I know…I understand these aren’t the stories that people want to read when they pick up a surfing mag, but when there’s a gap between the interests of the surf media and the reality of the surfing world, outsiders like Outside and HBO will sloppily come in to fill that gap to the chagrin of core surf community..
do you know no one that works in government have to test for drugs i know i have many friends in office. so even talking about a drug problem in surfing by one person is like listening to the boy cry wolf. these are adults who surf waves as tall as buildings who sometimes do the most impossible things i’ve ever seen. if drugs are involved that makes it even more hard to believe i live in hawaii i know ice heads they don’t eat they don’t take baths all they do is get high.as adults we were raise here in america to work hard and play harder their work is their play and i applaud them for a breath taking job well done and i say thank you
Agree or disagree with Mr.Smith, you cannot deny that he is bad at writing. We’re on the same page there, opinions aside. However, I did laugh really hard when he quoted himself, a hallmark of the true craftsman.
“I once wrote, ‘If nobody tells a true story then what is the point?’”
Dan, Luke Stedman cheated on a pregnant Malia Jones, and needless to say isn’t a very loved person on the North Shore recently. And Rob Machado’s wife basically went nuts and took the kids back to Renunion.
Nope, don’t hear about those things, do we? Are we not supposed to question why this once solid family man is suddenly “drifting”? I guess we’re not part of “surf family”.
@wyatt Are you four years old? You fight like a four year old. Get a clue, man. I don’t like all of Chas Smiths stories but this one was actually really well written. And Huter Thompson quoted himself all the time. Do you have an opinion on what he said four year old?
It’s hilarious that in our age, people of the public, who are in no way, shape or form connected to these pros, feel such a false sense of entitlement. That we, the mob, have the right to know the most personal details of these pro’s lives. And that, when the mob rules so, we shall burn them at the stake, publicly, for their personal matters. It’s fucking backwards. And don’t gimme that bullshit about, “they made the choice when they became pro, that they’d be scrutinised, etc.” This ain’t hollyweird. This is surfing. Machado’s family situation is not your business. Nor are Andy Iron’s personal, inner battles.
Name one pro surfer who went to college, or hell, even art school… Not the sharpest crayons in the box…
When will you writers/industry understand this one fundamental truth? PERSONALITY trumps RESULTS. We are here for the attitude, the shitty drawings, the stupid tweets, the stories…
Yes, AI’s death was a terrible loss to surfing. Why it happened should be nobody’s business but his family and closest of friends. There are so many incredible surfers out there. Why doesn’t Surfing Magazine focus on actual surfing instead of beating the dead horse that is drugs and surfing/AI’s death?
To think that drugs(obviously not steroids) aren’t a problem in
To think that drugs (obviously not steroids) aren’t a problem in surfing is laughable.
So the issue is that they get drug tested?! Pro surfers get paid, this would make it a ‘professional’ sport where big business pay their way. Once you get paid you are an employee. If they don’t like it quit the tour and get a job. Lots of big corporates (banks, law firms etc) have introduced random drug testing of their employees because reports of rampid drug use in the workplace.
Drug test them and be done with it. I can’t see what would make someone so ‘livid’ about the notion of drug testing.
Good for you Chas. Now that you’ve had it, you can beat it.
Iron’s family, Billabong, Surfing, Chas Smith, etc., had ample opportunities to tell us AI’s death was none of our business. Instead, they lied, spun and preserved the value of the brand. Now Chas Smith is livid?
Surfers are adults. There are druglaws. That, right there, should be enough. So what if surfers party, the ones who win the world titles are the ones who know how to keep it balanced (fanning, kelly, parko and even Andy when he won)Wilson just said in an interview that he realised that he needs to focus on surfing and not all the backstage crap inorder to get through heats. That’s what the kids hear. No one thinks that you can win on the tour while being bombed out of your mind. HBO needs to shut up, or do their research properly. There is a reason they didn’t talk to anyone close to Andy. I am disgusted that the story of Andy Irons is becoming a “drugs are bad, kids” story. His story should be about passion, about doing what you love and going for your dreams, all in.
Besides, if they wanna talk about drugs and sport, how about talking about that bull**** tour de france Biking thing. It’s one big comp about who can drug themselves the most, then deny that they ever did it and then 15 years later admit that they did it. Talk about a bad image.
Media regarding surfing and drug use makes no difference in my life, nor will it ultimately affect whether the ASP tests its surfers. Surfers, on the whole, are statistically more likely to abuse drugs than other populations (there are good research articles to support this assertions) and it speaks to something interesting about us, which again does not affect my surfing experience. It is interesting, very interesting, that AI did so many drugs, frankly because drug abusers are interesting. I have no loyalty to surfing as a sport, other than environmental responsibility.
TED, you da man!
So you don’t find it “interesting” that Melekian talked to the fella who partied with Andy Irons the night before he died? Is it not interesting that Billabong spokespersons told media that he was on an IV drip in Miami that night and felt comfortable distributing a worldwide press release that irreversibly and falsely attributed his death to Dengue Fever before a coroner’s report was even in the making…? Is it not interesting that no dr. or report has come remotely close to mentioning Dengue Fever as a conributing factor in his death?
Is that not an interesting story? Does it not warrant investigation?
Blatant lies make the blatant truth anything BUT uninteresting.
chas smith you clueless kook. so just add water and pour and you are a surfing journalist? not so fast. its obvious you are new to the game or one completely unqualified to speak on a subject that is much deeper than your peanut brain offers.
drugs and surfing…sh-sh-sh…dont talk about it? chas-you idiot this has been going on far too long. when outside and hbo discuss this subject, what if one 12 year old kid read the article or saw the episode and it actually influenced them to stay away from drugs, and live a healthy life-have a career and family and surf daily, is that so bad? this subject matter has been hidden away by the surfers- mags-industry and big wigs. chas you are a kook and deserve to be slapped.
@Wyattt I am neither fighting nor am I four (I’m five), but in answer to your question, yes, I have an opinion. I opine that this piece – as with all his previous pieces – is so hopelessly clunky, self-satisfied and pseudo-stylish that whatever point it hoped to make had no real chance of survival..smothered to death by ineptitude. There is a tragic, transparent insecurity about his phrasing and he’s contrary like a college sophomore…for the sake of disagreeing and nothing else.
Truth be told, I have a strong stance on the core issue here, but Chas Smith stirs nary a nerve on the topic. Instead, he makes a man weep for the written word and laugh, laugh for the wrong reasons. HOWEVER, he is just a kid and I bet sooner than later he grows up and embraces economy of – and grace with – language.
To simplify for a simple mind: I wouldn’t turn to Jack Johnson for insight on world hunger. I want some brain-dead poetry for a BBQ, sure. Anything more weighty I go elsewhere. Chas is qualified to comment on the role of a press org like Tiger Woods is qualified to comment on string theory and subatomics. Which is to say, not at all.
And your name has too many Ts in it.
Dear Chaz and Travis,
A few things to clarify if you have the time:
1. Are you ever going to write anything with any journalistic value or do you just like to hear yourself talk?
2. Did you happen to call Peter Davi about the meth thing….oh yeah, that’s right, he died…in the water…with high levels of meth in his system. Nevermind, why don’t you hit up Eggers or Archy or Christian or Uncle Derek to see what their stance is….oh yeah, they might crack you in your non-existent chin. At least Outside dared to ask a few tough questions.
3. So what your saying is we should embrace drug abuse and partying so all of the young, happy, healthy, frothing grommets can get lost down a dark, dark road? Great idea, what a spokesman you are.
4. Why haven’t they fired you yet?
I’d be embarrassed to write something like this, and I’d be even more embarrassed to be the editor of a magazine that publishes stuff like this.
Pros “personality” is talked up and sold ,over and over again when it is POSITIVE , Mobs family featured in a ton of adver/edi-torial and then then he was the Drifter ? What happen ? None of our business , now that it is negative. Next time around it’s going to be a very hard sell. Stick to the act and heat results and it’s a great story . Looking for life hero’s in athletes is a fools game.
This is the most interesting discussion, intellectual debate I’ve seen, maybe ever for a surfing, modern playground of the Internet. It’s not just angry late night posters purging hatred. Fuck all of you retards who think Chas can’t write. He is a genius for just making some of you use your brain for a blip. Here is the part all the putrid angry stupid neanderthals don’t get. Your not smart enough for him. He writes with a spine. Everone else who publishes does with a name. All you obscure haters post as ghosts. Here is someone defending Andy while acknowledging his challenges. To suggest that surfers probably shouldn’t be stereotyped to the mainstream as ice heads and drug addicts. Drugs are fucking everywhere. In you cabinet, on your bed stand, , in your cocktail, in your teenager.
Chas, while I agree that surfing should not have drug testing, it is an empirical LIE to say that that meth use is secluded to a couple of big wave chargers from Santa Cruz, and that Andy’s death was accidental. Andy’s death was a tragedy, and a lesson to be learned about how fragile our heroes really are. Word on the mean streets here in the hub of “Big Wave Surfing”, is that you can only count the people who don’t use meth on the entire big wave tour. I personally know many common faces to this magazine from that are regular users during the big wave season, which goes to beg the question,”are those guys on drugs” who are taking off on these monsters? Unfortunately, the fact is, probably. Whether from Nor-cal, So-cal, SA, or Hawaii. The fact is, when you feel invincible (one of the benefits of meth) you become quite capable of a high level of performance. The “roids” of surfing. In fact, for those of you who don’t know, that is one of the slang terms for the drug. The surf companies, as I have expressed before, have benefitted greatly from meth use, and should be held accountable! I for one, will never support companies that I know who are knowingly covering up surfers who have addiction problems associated with meth, heroin, and coke. I believe there are many things that have been accomplished in surfing the last decade or so, that might not otherwise have happened, but because people were incredibly high doing so. So Chas, though we agree about drug testing, never interpret that with agreeing with you. You are an idiot, a blight to this magazine, a shame to surfing, and a total poser, and your positions are unthought through and a complete shame. We have all lost too many friends because you represent an industry that will allow young men to entirely destroy their future for finite moments of glory that will soon be forgotten. I look forward to seeing you in the water up here. While I won’t beat you up, I look forward to how frustrated you will end up by the experience. Keep baggin on SC and I might change my mind. Shut up and bail, kook! By the way Mik, don’t let your respect for Andy’s capabilities diminish your core values! You of all people know better…
By the way, Ruffo should be put away for life, and get a full prison experience just based on the under age girls lives he has ruined for thirty years. You are a kook too! Go to jail, you deserve it…
Great justification, Sammy. Try you kids! I’ve saved mine from the cliff dwellers so far…Chas is not smart, he is a smart ass. What, being cynical is smart? Ask yourself this, has surf culture gotten any improvement from a single thing he has written?
Another great article! This is what surfing has been missing for about 10 years! A real commentator and critic we can appreciate and who tells it like it really is!
Thank you Chas
I thought you didn’t have time to read the Outside piece. You were partying on the beach or something.
Riddle me this: the top tier surfing needs to be pay-per-view windmill. It’s basically all what I see not going on around me. Associated. I mean I’m from the gulfcoast & I paddled all the way from Uppers to Lowers, today just to see if I could do it… I loved it. Not enough paddeling in the waters thease days as far as I’m concerned. Cut it out, Cut it up & Cut the deck. PLEASE Flip his script. I would personally pay to see any number of my favorite surfers (male or female), or any random number of super stylish surfers ripping it up doing their surfing the only way that they know how – fully going off anywhere, anyday… For just their own projecting thrill & love for it all & truth be told – only in their signature wake; I would love to reaccount & tell that story from my perspective & would love even more to share it with the entire, tired, non-surfing or surfless starved world & repeat telling it over & over, passionately time & time again. Again, any damned story will never even matter squat unless a singular message of love is truely involved. The greatest story of all may never be told until everyone respects where they each & everyone are from & from onward where each & everyone is going… Phillip Andrew Irons has made a lil’ individual Christmas all year long (perhaps beyond for the ‘sum’ of some) to every dear “top 44 traveling pro surfer” at each & every stop on tour all be it 1 higher rank/seeding. Andy’s seed is his flare. Andy turned us all up to ’11 all by himself. It is a fire inside, a story of LOVE. Are you invited? I Love Andy Irons no matter what the noise is returning to heaven. Go off or Go Home Home Box OfficePHUCS