I wonder if the 'sobriety narrative' that is being told again and again with all these skate interview podcasts might oddly be romanticizing drug and alcohol abuse. I'm talking about the classic story of a pro skater who is out of control with substance abuse who gets his act together, and how happy he is to be sober and healthy now.
Reynolds, Wenning, Greco, Ellington, Goatmouf, Boulala, Spanky, Lizard King, Neen (basically the whole OG Piss Drunx except Dollin) plus so many others... I'm glad they got their lives together, but these heartwarming tales of overcoming addiction are all have a prerequisite of getting fucked up in the first place.
Nobody gives you props for not getting hooked on drugs in the first place, which I get cause avoiding drugs entirely doesn't make for a compelling narrative. But I can see kids hearing Grosso's Nine Club and not being turned off from drugs.
The sobriety narrative is appealing... have a great time on drugs or drinking, have a brief dark spell, and then be a hero with interesting stories to tell by making a sober comeback.
Seriously, only the tales of friends dying from overdose, or the reality of what Boulala (and now Corey Kennedy) will be going through for the rest of their lives as the result of their intoxication, are actual deterrents. If Hubbard died from heroin, as embarrassing as that is, it should be known if just to let young skaters know that not all skate addicts make comebacks.