When someone asks you if you know who Bam Margera is, the first thought that probably comes to mind isn’t professional skateboarder. Most likely known for his daredevil antics in shows such as Jackass and Viva La Bam, Margera most likely isn’t recognised as well as he should be for his skating talent. Margera was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania as Brandon, but after his grandfather nicknamed him Bam at the age of 3 the name seems to have caught on. Unsurprisingly, he acquired the nickname after his habit of running into walls; traits that would carry on throughout his life and subsequently contribute to bringing him worldwide fame and success. Margera is a member of Team Element, the demonstration team for Element Skateboards, who also sponsor well known pros such as Bucky Lasek, Chad Muska and Mike Vallely. Along with Element, Margera is also sponsored by Destructo Trucks, Speed Metal Bearings, Electric Visual, and Fairman’s Skateshop, which is located in his hometown of West Chester. What makes Bam so different to other pro skaters is that he was able to combine it with other things that he enjoyed, for example he made a series of videos for his band CKY (Camp Kill Yourself), which included skating, stunts, and general risk taking, all filmed around where he grew up. Moving onto his personal life, Margera was at first engaged to Jenn Rivell; a divorced single mother six years his senior. Despite the appeal of being her toy boy, trouble in paradise ended the relationship in 2005, with Margera filing for ‘Protection from Abuse’ after she allegedly broke into his house. He further claimed that she had expressed irrational and aggressive behaviour towards him including stealing computers and vandalising his house. But, luck was not on Bam’s side as the judge dismissed these claims as hearsay. Other interesting facts arose, such as the breakup being caused by Margera’s infidelity after rumours spread that he had slept with pop star Jessica Simpson. However, Bam seems to be getting his relationships back on track as he is now married to childhood friend Melissa ‘Missy’ Rothstein, and the events leading up to their wedding was shown on the MTV series ‘Bam’s Unholy Union’. In true Margera style, he was forced to fork out $13,000 in damages after leaving the hotel in Dubai where they celebrated their honeymoon, although he seemed fully prepared to be handed the bill, “I’m inviting the Jackass crew. If something doesn’t get broken then that’s not right.” As of today, Bam resides in “Castle Bam”; situated in Wawaset. The house has an all gothic theme, a skate park in the driveway, and 14 acres of land which I can only assume will be used for endless amounts of reckless pranks. So whether Bam Margera is renowned for his skating or for his pranks, he has certainly managed to make a big name for himself on the scene, and is someone aspiring skaters can look up to, not only for his skill, but for adding that extra risk taking flare to his tricks.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Skater Biography #2 - Bam Margera, written for the page www.demonfactory.com/skater.html
When someone asks you if you know who Bam Margera is, the first thought that probably comes to mind isn’t professional skateboarder. Most likely known for his daredevil antics in shows such as Jackass and Viva La Bam, Margera most likely isn’t recognised as well as he should be for his skating talent. Margera was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania as Brandon, but after his grandfather nicknamed him Bam at the age of 3 the name seems to have caught on. Unsurprisingly, he acquired the nickname after his habit of running into walls; traits that would carry on throughout his life and subsequently contribute to bringing him worldwide fame and success. Margera is a member of Team Element, the demonstration team for Element Skateboards, who also sponsor well known pros such as Bucky Lasek, Chad Muska and Mike Vallely. Along with Element, Margera is also sponsored by Destructo Trucks, Speed Metal Bearings, Electric Visual, and Fairman’s Skateshop, which is located in his hometown of West Chester. What makes Bam so different to other pro skaters is that he was able to combine it with other things that he enjoyed, for example he made a series of videos for his band CKY (Camp Kill Yourself), which included skating, stunts, and general risk taking, all filmed around where he grew up. Moving onto his personal life, Margera was at first engaged to Jenn Rivell; a divorced single mother six years his senior. Despite the appeal of being her toy boy, trouble in paradise ended the relationship in 2005, with Margera filing for ‘Protection from Abuse’ after she allegedly broke into his house. He further claimed that she had expressed irrational and aggressive behaviour towards him including stealing computers and vandalising his house. But, luck was not on Bam’s side as the judge dismissed these claims as hearsay. Other interesting facts arose, such as the breakup being caused by Margera’s infidelity after rumours spread that he had slept with pop star Jessica Simpson. However, Bam seems to be getting his relationships back on track as he is now married to childhood friend Melissa ‘Missy’ Rothstein, and the events leading up to their wedding was shown on the MTV series ‘Bam’s Unholy Union’. In true Margera style, he was forced to fork out $13,000 in damages after leaving the hotel in Dubai where they celebrated their honeymoon, although he seemed fully prepared to be handed the bill, “I’m inviting the Jackass crew. If something doesn’t get broken then that’s not right.” As of today, Bam resides in “Castle Bam”; situated in Wawaset. The house has an all gothic theme, a skate park in the driveway, and 14 acres of land which I can only assume will be used for endless amounts of reckless pranks. So whether Bam Margera is renowned for his skating or for his pranks, he has certainly managed to make a big name for himself on the scene, and is someone aspiring skaters can look up to, not only for his skill, but for adding that extra risk taking flare to his tricks.
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