Skateboard culture has always had a strong opinion about staying true to the scene and avoiding anything that feels too commercial.
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At the same time, real life has bills, responsibilities, and people to take care of. That tension came up again during a recent conversation on the Chente Ydrach and Victorino Stylo podcast where pro skater Bam Margera shared his thoughts in a very direct way that got people talking.
He did not dress it up or try to sound perfect. He kept it simple and spoke from experience about what it is like to get older in a world where skating can take a back seat to earning a living.
During the podcast, Bam talked about how opportunities outside skating can come in fast and sometimes for a lot of money.
He mentioned how even something small like a one day sponsorship deal can end up paying more than expected.
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In his example, he spoke about getting paid for a simple promotional job and how easy the money felt at the time.
He pointed out that people in skating might call it selling out, but his response was that life is not always that black and white.
From his point of view, if a deal comes along that helps cover your responsibilities, it is worth thinking about seriously instead of worrying too much about what others will say.
He said that if someone wants to give you a million dollars for one day of work like getting a deodorant sponsor, he didn't hesitate to snag the opportunity and said, "It was probably the easiest money I've ever made. Skateboarders would say "Bam sold out" and I say to any skateboarder, if you get any weird deal whether it's like colgate toothpaste just go for it, feed your family."
He also reflected on getting older in skating culture.
He explained how the younger generation keeps progressing fast, with younger skaters doing more difficult tricks and bigger gaps, while older skaters naturally slow down in age.
In his words, the industry can move on quickly, and at some point it becomes less about status and more about making sure your life is stable outside of skating.
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We at ShreddER have often spoken about the tension between protecting skate culture and watching it grow into something more commercial. Bam sits right in the middle of that conversation because of his past, his career, and how open he is about the choices he has made.
What comes through in Bam’s comments is a simple idea. Life changes, and priorities shift.
There is nothing wrong with caring about what people think, but there is also nothing wrong with making choices that help you support yourself and the people around you.
At the end of the day, every skater finds their own path.
Some stay close to pure skating culture, some take different opportunities, and many do a mix of both. What matters most is building something steady for yourself while staying honest about your own situation.
Keep moving forward in a way that makes sense for your life, not just for opinions from the outside.