Rob Dyrdek
 Dyrdek on April 24, 2010 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Stanley Dyrdek |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | June 28, 1974 [1] Kettering, Ohio, United States |
| Residence | Hollywood, California |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 135 pounds (61 kg) |
| Website | www.dyrdek.com |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Skateboarding |
| Turned pro | 1991 (age 16)[2] |
Robert Stanley "Rob" Dyrdek (born June 28, 1974) is an American professional skateboarder, actor, entrepreneur, producer, philanthropist, and reality TV star. He is best known for his roles in the reality shows Rob and Big, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness (TV series).
Contents |
Personal life
Rob Dyrdek was born in Kettering, Ohio to Gene and Patty Dyrdek.[3] Dyrdek was involved in sports as a child and began skateboarding at the age of 11 when he received his first skateboard from professional skater Neil Blender – known for being the pioneer of bringing art to the skate world.[4] He says of his early interest in the sport "I was a pretty driven young man. I was so focused on becoming a pro skateboarder. I would sit in school and think about all the tricks I was going to do, then I’d get out of school and skate until they made me come inside."[5] At the age of 12, Rob acquired sponsorship from the same company Blender rode for and began his skateboarding career. A few years later, Dyrdek and Blender quit their board sponsor and created Alien Workshop – Rob’s current board company.[6]
At the age of 16, Dyrdek decided to forgo his senior year of high school and instead moved to Southern California to pursue his professional skate career. Soon after moving, Dyrdek began to ride for Droors Clothing, now known as DC Shoes – where he also began his exploring entrepreneurship through shoe design and launching various short-lived companies including a Hip-Hop record label and a skate shop.[6]
Dyrdek has one sister, Denise, and his cousins Christopher "Drama" Pfaff and Scott "Big Cat" Pfaff (Drama's older brother) are featured in Rob and Big and Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.[7] He also has two bulldogs named Meaty and Beefy.[8]
Career
Television
Dyrdek first starred in an MTV reality series, entitled Rob & Big (aired November 2006 to April 2008), with his best friend and bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin as well as his cousin, Chris "Drama" Pfaff. After three seasons, Boykin's long time girlfriend had a baby and caused him to leave the show. In February 2009 Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, featuring Dyrdek, Pfaff, and his Dyrdek Enterprise staff, was first aired. The "Fantasy Factory" is a converted warehouse where Dyrdek runs his many entrepreneurial ventures. It also features a large indoor skate plaza, Rob's personal office with "bat cave" parking garage, a foam pit, and numerous basketball hoops in various places around the inside of the factory. He also built a "hands of God" music studio for his cousin "Drama" Pfaff inside the factory. During the course of the first season, he also opened his first SafeSpot SkateSpot with the sponsorship of Carl's Jr. During the grand-opening, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa rode with Dyrdek on the world's largest skateboard. Dyrdek was also featured in the video games skate. and Skate 2, along with "Big Black". During the days of Rob & Big, they were featured in an episode where they were actually going to the EA building to shoot for the game. In Skate 2, the player is able to purchase an early version of the Fantasy Factory on the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store as an add-on, allowing the player to skate within the factory premises. He made a movie entitled "Street Dreams" in 2009.
World records
Dyrdek set 21 separate Guinness World Records for skateboarding as part of his former show Rob & Big. Big Black also set two eating records for the show; most bananas peeled and eaten and most powdered donuts eaten in a set period of time.[9] Since Dyrdek set those 21 world records, several have since been broken. In Fantasy Factory, Dyrdek also set the record for the largest skateboard after he found the current record holders undeserving of the record.[10] Although, according to the GBWR website it is listed as the Longest Skateboard in the world. Dyrdek's personal bests, some of which have been broken since he recorded them, are:
- Consecutive front-side ollies: 46 (2007, WR)
- Ollie big spins: 12 (2007, WR)
- Consecutive nollie kickflips: 73 (2007, WR)
- 360-degree kickflips in one minute: 12 (2007, WR)
- Heel flips in one minute: 15 (2007, WR)
- Consecutive ollies: 215 (2007)
- Nollie kickflips in one minute: 22 (2007, WR)
- Longest stationary manual: 49 seconds (2007, WR)
- Switch frontside kickflips in one minute: 9 (2007, WR)
- Longest 50-50 rail grind: 100 feet 5.75 inches (30.62 m) (2007, WR)[11]
- Longest board slide: 100 feet 5.75 inches (30.62 m) (2007, WR)[12]
- Highest skateboard ramp jump into water: 10 feet 8 inches (3.29 m) (2007, WR)[13]
Sponsors, brands and partnerships
Dyrdek is sponsored by DC Shoes, Alien Workshop, and Monster Energy. Dyrdek's properties include Wild Grinders, Street League Skateboarding, The Rob Dyrdek Foundation and Megahorse Racing. In addition, Dyrdek has partnerships with various brands including Bill My Parents, ISX(TM) (Instant Scoring Experience) and DTA Rogue Status with musician Travis Barker.[8]
Wild Grinders, a fictional cartoon skate crew, are Dyrdek's first venture into toys based on him and his group of childhood skateboarding friends. The line consists of six characters. Dyrdek also pioneered the iSX, Instant Scoring Experience, which he hopes will revolutionize the way skate competitions are held. He is the creator of the Street League Skateboarding - a professional skateboarding contest offering the largest prize purse in skateboarding history and is also broadcasted live on ESPN and ESPN2.[14] Dyrdek also has his own signature TAG Body Spray scent called Make Moves. A fraction of the profit will go to his charity organization, The Rob Dyrdek Foundation.[15] Rob has also partnered with Chevrolet for the launch of the new Chevy Sonic. As part of the launch campaign, Rob performed a "kickflip" with a Sonic which was a full 360 degree rotation off a ramp and over the world's record largest skateboard which he also created. He performed the stunt at Six Flags Magic Mountain. [16]
References
- ^ http://www.mtv.com/shows/rob_and_big/season_3/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=9588
- ^ Rob Dyrdek On Pro Skateboarding
- ^ "Rob Dyrdek Bio". AOL Television. http://television.aol.com/celebs/rob-dyrdek/680090/biography. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Neil Blender Interview". Transworld Skate. http://skateboarding.transworld.net/1000011444/magazine/neil-blender-interview/.
- ^ [http://www.azteenmagazine.com/band-reviews.php?article=750 "ROB DYRDEK AND HIS LATEST CREATION COME TO THE VALLEY"]. AZ Teen Magazine. http://www.azteenmagazine.com/band-reviews.php?article=750.
- ^ a b "How I Did It". Inc.. http://www.inc.com/inctv/2010/02/how-i-did-it-rob-dyrdek.html.
- ^ Parents and sister
- ^ a b Dyrdek.com Bio
- ^ Rob and Big (Season 3) | Guinness World Records | Episode Summary. MTV. Retrieved on 2009-04-18.
- ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory (Season 1) Episode: No Mandals". MTV Networks. 5 April 2009. http://www.mtv.com/shows/fantasy_factory/season_1/episode.jhtml?episodeID=151403. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "Longest 50 - 50 rail grind on a skateboard". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Longest50---50railgrind-on-a-skateboard/107771.htm. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Longest board slide on a skateboard". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Longestboardslide-on-a-skateboard/107775.htm. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Highest skateboard ramp jump into water". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Highestskateboardrampjumpintowater/107742.htm. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Newman, Debbie (22 October 2009). "Calling All Smellies! It's Time You Body-Spray Bonded With Rob". MTV Remote Control Blog. MTV Networks. http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/2009/10/22/calling-all-smellies-its-time-you-body-spray-bonded-with-rob/. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ Mullane, Corey (December 2011). "When Dyrdek Dreams to Kickflip". SonicInsider.com. http://www.sonicinsider.com/content/when-dyrdek-dreams-kickflip-256/. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
