Skateboarder and celebrity photographer Mark Oblow visits The Nine Club podcast to discuss his overall career and contribution to the skateboarding world.
However, instead of his interview being more prominent and impactful, Oblow and The Nine Club Faced Backlash on his comments about his friend Mark "Gator" Rogowski, who was convicted of murder.
The soon deleted part where the 51-year-old described the crime as "rough sex gone wrong" got all the skateboarders and companies he's associated with damaged his reputation and apologized.
Gator's original statement tells you how he tried to defend himself in court by saying it was kinky sex gone wrong until he ultimately admits that it was a lie, that he was trying to find a way to get out of it.
Rogowski shortly pled guilty to assaulting, raping, and murdering Jessica Bergsten in 1991.
"Yesterday I had an interview air on the nine club podcast where I made ignorant and insensitive comments in regards to the murder that gator committed on an innocent young girl named Jessica Bergsten." Oblow wrote on his Instagram account.
"For 30 plus years I believed the story that I was told by Gator. I’ve always tried to see the good in people and I should’ve educated myself much better, especially before speaking in any capacity, either in public or private, about such a horrendous and senseless murder." Oblow said.
He added. "Yesterday I searched the internet to learn about the murder of Jessica, but more importantly, who she was as a person. reading Gator’s confession made me physically I'll. what Gator did to Jessica was unfathomable. It was pure evil."
"What I learned about Jessica was that she was a tall, beautiful blond young girl who was tough, savy and adventurous. She was from Arizona and by all accounts a promising woman with her whole life in front of her." He explained. "Looking at pictures of her I couldn’t help but think what she could’ve been if she didn’t cross paths with Gator."
"A loving mom, a wife or the kind of friend that’s just there for everybody. she could’ve been a doctor that found a cure for cancer, a counselor that helps kids or so many other things." He added. "Unfortunately Gator cheated not only Jessica out of those opportunities, but the world as well for taking the light which was Jessica."
"I am SO SORRY for my insensitive and ignorant comments, SPECIFICALLY to the Bergsten family and Jessica’s friends, but most importantly Jessica herself. I will always try and be better and conscious of what comes out of my mouth in the future. If anybody has any memories of Jessica they would like to share please do. I’d love to learn more. forever Jessica." Oblow said.