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Rob Dyrdek

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Rob Dyrdek
Born
Robert Stanley Dyrdek

(1974-06-28) June 28, 1974 (age 50)[1]
Kettering, Ohio, U.S.
Occupations
  • Skateboarder
  • actor
  • entrepreneur
  • producer
  • reality TV star
SpouseBryiana Noelle Flores
Children1
Sports career
SportSkateboarding
Turned pro1991 (age 16)[2]
Websitedyrdek.com

Robert Stanley Dyrdek (born June 28, 1974) is an entrepreneur, former American professional skateboarder, actor, producer, and reality TV star. He is best known for his roles in the reality shows Rob & Big,[3][4] Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory[5][6] and Ridiculousness.[7][8] He also is the creator of the animated series Wild Grinders, in which he voices the series' main character, Lil Rob. In 2014, Dyrdek was labeled as one of the "most influential skateboarders of all-time" by FoxWeekly.[9]

Early years

Dyrdek was born on June 28, 1974 in Kettering, Ohio to Gene and Patty Dyrdek.[10] Dyrdek was involved in sports as a child and began skateboarding at the age of 11, when he received his first skateboard from professional skateboarder Neil Blender.[11] Of his early interest in the sport, Dyrdek has stated, "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."[12]

Professional skateboarding

Alien Workshop

At the age of 12, Dyrdek acquired sponsorship from the same company that Blender was a team member of and began his skateboarding career.[13] A few years later, Dyrdek and Blender quit their board sponsor and created Alien Workshop.[14] At the age of 16, Dyrdek decided to forgo his senior year of high school and instead moved to Southern California to continue with his professional skate career.[15] He would later acquire the company himself during his post-riding career as an entrepreneur.[16]

DC Shoes

Soon after moving to California, Dyrdek began to ride for Droors Clothing, a company that was then transformed into DC Shoes. which sponsored Dyrdek until 2016.[17] Both Droors and DC were founded with the involvement of highly regarded skateboarder Danny Way and, in the lead-up period for the release of the 2012 Way documentary Waiting for Lightning.[18] He was sponsored and worked with DC Shoes from 1995 until January 2016.

Other sponsors

Dyrdek has been sponsored by Silver Trucks (a company that he helped establish in 2003[19]), EA Skate,[20] and Monster Energy.[21]

Street League Skateboarding (SLS)

Main article: Street League Skateboarding

Dyrdek is the founder of the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) skateboard competition enterprise and the series has grown from a domestic to international event.[22] The league offered the highest overall purse in the history of the sport, at $1.6 million for its championship event broadcast on ESPN in 198 countries.[23] The league also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of America to develop new skate parks in California.[24] The organization was also the focus of Dyrdek’s documentary film The Motivation, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.[25]

Film and television

Dyrdek first starred in the MTV reality series, Rob & Big (aired November 2006 to April 2008), with his best friend and bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin,[26] as well as his cousin, Chris "Drama" Pfaff and friend Rashawn "Bam Bam" Davis.[27]

In February 2009, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, featuring Dyrdek, Pfaff, and his Dyrdek Enterprise staff, was first broadcast. It covered Dyrdek’s "Fantasy Factory", a converted warehouse where Dyrdek runs his businesses.[28] He also built a music studio for his cousin Pfaff inside the factory.[29] During the course of the first season, he also opened his first SafeSpot SkateSpot.[30] At the grand-opening, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa rode with Dyrdek on the world's largest skateboard.[31] Fantasy Factory aired a total of seven seasons, with the season finale airing on March 13, 2014. The show mainly featured a cast of Dyrdek, Chris Pfaff, Boykin, Scott Pfaff, Chanel West Coast, and Sterling Brim.[32] Episodes included seeing Dyrdek bitten by a shark,[33] and being attacked by a trained tiger.[34] Other stunts that Dyrdek filmed included performing the first kick flip with an automobile, filmed as a part of a television advertisement for Chevrolet.[35] As a part of the show, Dyrdek also co-invented the first “skateboard car”, and exhibited the Mustang built vehicle on an episode of the series.[36]

Dyrdek was also featured in the video games skate., and Skate 2 (which also featured Boykin). In Skate 2, the player is able to purchase an early version of the Fantasy Factory as an add-on, allowing the player to skate within the factory premises.[37] In 2008 Dyrdek appeared in the film Righteous Kill, playing the character of Rambo alongside Robert de Niro and Al Pacino.[38]

Dyrdek made a movie entitled Street Dreams in 2009. The idea was developed by Rob and Nino Scalia in response their belief that modern films focused on skateboarding were not realistic enough. Dyrdek and then Scalia completed the script over the span of six months. While pitching the script he decided to fund the film with his own money. He also appeared in the film as one of the main characters.[39]

In 2011, Dyrdek appeared in Jackass 3.5, in a scene with Johnny Knoxville.[40] Later that year, on August 29, 2011, Dyrdek started another show with the MTV network, called Ridiculousness, where he comments on internet videos that are mainly mishaps.[41] Dyrdek hosts this show alongside two friends, Chanel West Coast and Sterling Brim.[42]

In 2012, Dyrdek was on the TV show Punk'd—Justin Bieber tried to execute a prank on Dyrdek and failed.[43] Dyrdek was also featured in the 2012 documentary, Waiting for Lightning, about his friend and fellow skater Danny Way.[44]

Through his production company Superjacket Productions he has produced Ridiculousness; as well as the CMT series The Dude Perfect Show,[45] based upon the work of the eponymous Internet video comedy troupe;[46] Crashletes and Jagger Eaton's Mega Life on Nickelodeon;[47] and Snack-Off.[48] In December 2017, Dyrdek will be a television judge for the talent show series Amazingness. His production company produced the show.[49]

World records

Dyrdek set twenty-one separate Guinness World Records for skateboarding as part of his former show Rob & Big. Big Black also set two eating records on the show: most bananas eaten in one minute and the most number of powdered donuts eaten in three minutes.[50]

As part of the Fantasy Factory series, Dyrdek set the record for the largest skateboard (according to the Guinness World Records website, it is listed as the "Longest Skateboard in the World"), but, according to the "World Records Academy" website, this was broken in 2010.[51]

Dyrdek's personal bests—some of which have since been surpassed—include:

  • Longest 50-50 rail grind: 100 feet 5.75 inches (30.62 m) (2007, WR)[52]
  • Longest board slide: 100 feet 5.75 inches (30.62 m) (2007, WR)[53]
  • Highest skateboard ramp jump into water: 10 feet 8 inches (3.29 m) (2007, WR)[54]
  • Farthest reverse ramp jump by a car: 89 feet 3.25 inches (27.21 m) (2014, WR)[55]

Business career

Dyrdek’s first business was Orion Trucks. During his time with DC, Dyrdek began his exploration of entrepreneurship through shoe design and this led Dyrdek to launch various short-lived companies, including a hip hop record label and a skate shop.[14] Dyrdek's properties have included Wild Grinders (an animated series on the Nickelodeon network),[56] and Street League Skateboarding (SLS).[22] In addition, Dyrdek has partnerships with various brands, including Rogue Status (with musician Travis Barker).[57]

Wild Grinders, a fictional cartoon skate crew, is Dyrdek's venture into toys based on him and his group of childhood skateboarding friends.[58] Dyrdek is also the founder of the business incubator Dyrdek Machine,[59] and acquired DNA Distribution, the holding company of Alien Workshop, before returning the company back to its founders.[23] Dyrdek is also an investor in the UFC,[60] Beach Whiskey (where he also serves on the Advisory Board),[61] Beatbox Beverages,[62] and Stance.[63] In 2017 Dyrdek became a cofounder of Black Feather Whiskey.[64] Dyrdek is also a co-founder and board member of Ultracast,[65] which has partnered with NASCAR to produce live 360 virtual reality broadcasts.[66]

Race horse owner

In an episode of Fantasy Factory, Dyrdek jockeyed a race horse for his friend Joe Ciaglia Jr. This led to his own run as a race horse owner, owning up to thirteen horses at a time during his career. His horses have raced in stakes including the Breeder’s Cup.[67][68]

Rob Dyrdek Foundation

Dyrdek founded this foundation in 2003, and it has merged with the SLS Foundation. This foundation builds legal skate parks for skateboarders in their communities. This cause is close to Dyrdek because of the ties he has with being a professional skateboarder. Practicing this sport is hard for most people because street skating is illegal in most communities and these communities often do not have legal skate parks available. Dyrdek believes that "the skate plaza is essential to the future of skateboarding."[69]

Personal life

Dyrdek has one sister, Denise. His cousins Christopher "Drama" Pfaff and Scott "Big Cat" Pfaff are featured in Rob and Big and Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.[70] He also has two bulldogs named Meaty and Beefy, and Pomeranian dog named Gretchen Weiner.[57]

Dyrdek became an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church in order to perform his sister's wedding in December 2011.[71] The ceremony, which was featured in an episode of Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, took place at the Fantasy Factory in Los Angeles. He became engaged to his girlfriend Filipino–American model Bryiana Noelle Flores after proposing to her at Disneyland. They married, and had their first child in 2016.[72][73]

References

  1. ^ "Rob and Big " Cast " Rob". MTV. Viacom International Inc. 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  2. ^ Kat Noel (14 December 2006). "Rob Dyrdek On Pro Skateboarding". Forbes.com. Forbes.com LLC. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  3. ^ Neal J. Leitereg (16 August 2012). "Mini Horse Not Included: MTV's Rob and Big Home Lists in LA (PHOTOS)". Realtor.com. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  4. ^ Fetus (5 May 2010). "Big Black vs Rob Dyrdek?! Ego Problems?! Should MTV Give Black His Own Show? Vote Now!". radioplanet.tv. radioplanet.tv. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  5. ^ Brandi Albahary (2013). "SHOWS Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory". MTV Press. MTV Networks. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ^ hollywoodtv (25 September 2012). "Rob Dyrdek parties at the Fantasy Factory - Hollywood.TV" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. ^ Philiana Ng (10 September 2012). "MTV Renews Rob Dyrdek's 'Ridiculousness' for Third Season". Hollywood Reporter. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  8. ^ Lynn Hoppes (2013). "Rob Dyrdek Talks Differences of Show with 'Tosh.o'". ESPN Page 2. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  9. ^ Joey Betancourt-Florez (15 February 2014). "Top 15 'Most Influential' Skateboarders of All-Time". Sports. Fox Weekly. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Bio". AOL Television. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  11. ^ Transworld (21 December 1999). "NEIL BLENDER INTERVIEW". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  12. ^ azTeen (August 2010). "ROB DYRDEK AND HIS LATEST CREATION COME TO THE VALLEY". azTeen Magazine. azTeen Magazine, LLC. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  13. ^ Rob Dyrdek: 15 Things You Didn’t Know (Part 1) at the Wayback Machine (archived August 15, 2017)
  14. ^ a b "How I Did It: Rob Dyrdek". Mansueto Ventures LLC. 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  15. ^ "America's Skateboarding Entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek Ties the Knot - College News". www.collegenews.com.
  16. ^ Navera, Tristan (January 14, 2015). "Rob Dyrdek's company buys Miamisburg building". Dayton Business Journal. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ "RIDE Channel". YouTube.
  18. ^ ridersmatch (6 December 2012). "Waiting For Lightning - Rob Dyrdek Bonus Cut - DC Shoes" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  19. ^ "Silver Trucks". Skately. Skately, LLC. 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  20. ^ "Skate 2 - Rob Dyrdek interview". ESPN.com. 30 October 2008.
  21. ^ Adams, Susan. "How A Millennial With No Business Experience Or College Education Created Streetwear For The Masses".
  22. ^ a b TWS (13 March 2013). "STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING 2013 WORLD TOUR EXPANSION". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  23. ^ a b Jessop, Alicia. "Rob Dyrdek Expands Entrepreneurial Reach To Present Largest Winning Purse In Skateboarding History".
  24. ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Ridiculousness Empire of TV Fun". 3 October 2014.
  25. ^ "Questions and Answers From Tribeca: Rob Dyrdek".
  26. ^ Star-Exponent, Culpeper. "starexponent.com - Your Hometown Newspaper". Culpeper Star-Exponent.
  27. ^ "Rob & Big" – via www.imdb.com.
  28. ^ Terrace, Vincent (30 August 2010). "The Year in Television, 2009: A Catalog of New and Continuing Series, Miniseries, Specials and TV Movies". McFarland – via Google Books.
  29. ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory: Dra Dra Drama Beats (3/8/09) - - ent13". 9 March 2009.
  30. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Debuts His New Public Skate Plaza". Archived from the original on 2017-11-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ Wilson, Bernie (17 December 2009). "Dyrdek unveils latest skate park" – via The Boston Globe.
  32. ^ "Counting Down YOUR Top Five Picks For Best-Ever 'Fantasy Factory' Episodes".
  33. ^ "'I Escaped Jaws': Real Shark Attack Survivors Share Their Harrowing Stories (VIDEO)". 7 August 2013 – via Huff Post.
  34. ^ "Until Deathbox Do Us Part - Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory - MTV". MTV.
  35. ^ "Skateboarder Rob Dyrdek kick-flips a Chevrolet Sonic for ad".
  36. ^ "Video: Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Rob Dyrdek create world's first skateboard car".
  37. ^ "Skate 2 introduces 'Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Plaza' DLC [update]".
  38. ^ Dargis, Manohla (11 September 2008). "For Two Movie Titans, a Long-Awaited Clash" – via NYTimes.com.
  39. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Street Dreams Interview - TransWorld SKATEboarding". 14 May 2009.
  40. ^ "TV host's awesome wedding proposal".
  41. ^ 6/29/11. "Ridiculousness | Trailer | Video". MTV. Retrieved 2013-01-08. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  42. ^ "Ridiculousness". IMDb.
  43. ^ The Hollywood Reporter (21 March 2012). "Rob Dyrdek on Getting Punk'd by Justin Bieber" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  44. ^ "Thrasher Magazine - Waiting For Lightning: Dyrdek Bonus Cut". www.thrashermagazine.com.
  45. ^ "Dude Perfect Series Coming to CMT".
  46. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (3 September 2015). "CMT Greenlights Series for Viral Sensation Comedy Group 'Dude Perfect'".
  47. ^ "Jagger Eaton's Mega Life - License! Global". www.licensemag.com.
  48. ^ Weigle, Lauren (10 July 2014). "'Snack-Off': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
  49. ^ Petski, Denise (9 November 2017). "MTV Confirms 'Amazingness' Talent Competition Show With Rob Dyrdek".
  50. ^ "Rob and Big Ep. 305: Guinness World Records". MTV. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  51. ^ "Largest skateboard - world record set by California designers". World Record Academy. World Record Academy. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  52. ^ "Longest 50 - 50 rail grind on a skateboard". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  53. ^ "Longest board slide on a skateboard". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  54. ^ "Highest skateboard ramp jump into water". Guinness World Records. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  55. ^ "Video: Rob Dyrdek sets reverse car jump record". Guinness World Records. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  56. ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Wild Grinders". Wild Grinders. Nickelodeon. March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  57. ^ a b "Bio". Dyrdek.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-22. Retrieved 2013-01-08. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Interview". ESPN.com. 4 June 2009.
  59. ^ Roof, Katie. "Tony Hawk, Rob Dyrdek tell us why skateboarders make good startup investors".
  60. ^ "UFC releases list of 23 new celebrity owners – and it includes a bunch of friends of the program". 30 September 2016.
  61. ^ "Whiskey Maker Beach Whiskey Closes $7.5M Series A Funding Round". 26 May 2016.
  62. ^ Ho, Ky Trang. "BeatBox Beverages - pg.3". Forbes.
  63. ^ Chapman, Lizette (5 March 2015). "Luxury-Socks Startup Stance Raises $50M to Expand Into Underwear".
  64. ^ "MTV's Rob Dyrdek Co-Founds Black Feather Whiskey - BevNET.com". BevNET.com.
  65. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Announces Venture Studio". SGB Media. September 19, 2017.
  66. ^ "NASCAR debuts Live VR, 360 video for fans from Homestead-Miami Speedway". NASCAR. November 14, 2017.
  67. ^ "Athleticism and adrenaline: the NFL's Jackson and MTV's Dyrdek on the thrill of horse racing".
  68. ^ "Dyrdek hopes lucky shoes bring title".
  69. ^ "About Us". Rob Dyrdek Foundation.
  70. ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory - Episode : This Is Not Mom-Certified - Video, Photos - MTV". 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  71. ^ "Rob Dyrdek Becomes a Minister, Marries Sister on MTV's Fantasy Factory". Prweb.com. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  72. ^ "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory Ep. 506 | Full Scale, Full-Fledged, Certified Minister | Episode Summary, Video, Photos". MTV. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  73. ^ "Rob Dyrdek, Wife Bryiana Dyrdek Welcome Baby Boy". 11 September 2016.
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