If you were like me, in your youth, you were into skaters. I remember running home every day after school to whip out my GameCube and play Tony Hawk: Pro Skater trying to get past the skate park level to by finding the last tape (fun fact: I never did).
I had posters of Tony Hawk and Bam Margera on my wall, and I loved, loved, loved boys with wallet chains and sweatbands on their arms (cut me some slack, I was 14). Nowadays, not many people talk about Tony Hawk, nor know what he looks like–as he’s not on many posters as his 50-year-old self.
Maybe you’d recognize him like this…
But, not like this.
It turns out, not many people recognize Tony Hawk without a skateboard or helmet in hand–and, he’s pretty sick of it. But, what should you do when you’re one of the most famous skaters in the world and no one recognizes you? You should tweet about every single experience, of course.
Tony Hawk, the pro-skater, has been tweeting all of the times people have no idea who he is and, prepare to laugh.
Well, this just got awkward.
TSA agent (checking my ID): "Hawk, like that skateboarder Tony Hawk!"
Me: exactly
Her: "Cool, I wonder what he's up to these days"
Me: this— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) March 21, 2017
Wrong sport.
guy at restaurant: "you famous?"
me: I think that depends on who you ask
him: "anyone ever tell you that you look like Tom Brady?"
me: never— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 17, 2017
I guess he’s not really your favorite.
To clarify: my legal name is Anthony
TSA agent checks my ID, looks at me, looks at ID, looks back at me quizzically and loudly says
"Tony Hawk's my favorite skater"
Me: I’ll tell him.— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 21, 2018
CRAZY.
TSA agent (staring intently): I’m trying to figure out who you look like before checking your ID.
Me: ok
TSA: that cyclist Armstrong!
Nearby agent: that ain’t Lance Armstrong
Me: he’s right
TSA: oh you look like that skateboarder (checks ID). Same last name too! Crazy!
Me: crazy— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 21, 2018
Really? REALLY?
Woman on plane retrieving her luggage in the overhead:
"Who's skateboard is this? It's blocking my bag"
me: that's mine, you can pass it here
her: "It's yours? You ride it?
me: yes
her: "Are you any good at it?"
me: sometimes
her: cackles maniacally, exits plane— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) April 16, 2018
How sweet.
Dude at gas station in Iowa: "Anyone ever tell you that you look like a young Tony Hawk?" He is my new favorite person.
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 17, 2014
But, then, there are the ones who do recognize him–and it’s just as awkward.
…crickets.
guy on escalator: Hey are you Tony Hawk?
me: yes
him: you still skate?
me: yes, quite often
him: but you're not that recognizable!
me: I'm not sure what that means… but you recognized me, so here we are
him: [blank stare]
– escalator ends –— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 12, 2018
Ha. Ha.
Flight attendant checking overhead bins, sees four skateboards
Him, jokingly: "is Tony Hawk on this flight or something?"
Looks down, sees me
Him: "I guess he is"
????— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 13, 2018
Here, here!
Guy at grocery store:
"you ever get mistaken for Tony Hawk… or are you Tony Hawk?
Me: both!— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 14, 2018
Next time if you think someone may be a celebrity, you can always just Google a recent photo of them to see–just saying. Sorry, Tony, you deserve better.