Jason Jessee

Jason Jessee is a professional skateboarder from the United States who was identified as the 24th most influential skateboarder of all time by TransWorld SKATEboarding magazine in 2011.[1] The feature documentary Pray for Me: The Jason Jessee Film was released in 2007.[2]

Professional skateboarding

Jessee's first sponsor was Powell and later Vision Street Wear, but he soon made the move to a professional sponsorship deal with Santa Cruz Skateboards. After an extended period of absence from the skateboarding industry, Jessee was once again sponsored by Santa Cruz and he helped the company during its 40th anniversary celebration.[3]

To announce Jessee's new role as a Converse Skateboarding "Ambassador"—alongside other professional skateboarders such as Kenny Anderson and Zered Bassett—a welcome video was published on the Converse Skateboarding YouTube channel in June 2012. The video features footage of Jessee's rural home, his motorcycle riding and skateboarding footage. Jessee concludes the video by stating: "I'm forty and I'm not dead yet! I feel pretty good."[4] Jessee remained a Converse Skateboarding Ambassador until May of 2018, when he was "indefinitely suspended" as details about his controversial past began surfacing.[5]

Media appearances

Alongside other professional skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Kevin Staab, Jessee was interviewed for the feature documentary Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator, about the tragedy of former professional skateboarder Mark "Gator" Rogowski—Rogowski was sentenced to prison for the rape and murder of a female friend.[6] Jessee was again asked about Rogowski in an online video interview with Hawk's RIDE Channel in June 2014 and he described Rogowski as a "creep."[7]

In May of 2018, he was featured on his first cover of Thrasher, an American skateboard magazine.[8] In April, 2018 he appeared in the film Converse PURPLE.[8]

Controversy

Beginning in late May of 2018, controversy broke regarding a documented history of Jason Jessee's use of racial slurs, hate speech, and hate symbols.[9] Evidence of this controversy was first captured in a now-deleted Slap Magazine thread and a YouTube video entitled "Jason Jessee is a Nazi."[5][8] These findings were highlighted in an article by Vice, earning the controversy widespread attention.[5] This controversy caused him to lose all of his sponsorships, including Santa Cruz Skateboards (NHS Skateboard Manufacturer & Distributor) and Converse.[9]

Jason Jessee was arrested in April of 2019 in Watsonville, CA for possession of a stolen vehicle and an illegally configured and unregistered assault rifle.[10][11]

References

  1. Blair Alley (20 December 2011). "The 30 Most Influential Skaters Of All Time". TransWorld SKATEboarding. TEN. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  2. Pray for Me: The Jason Jessee Film, retrieved 2020-03-24
  3. Powderkeg (5 October 2013). "Jason Jessee celebrates 40 years of Santa Cruz Skateboards" (Video upload). BNQT. USA Today Sports. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  4. "Converse Skateboarding: Ambassador -- Jason Jessee" (Video upload). Converse on YouTube. Google Inc. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  5. Murrell, Andrew (2018-05-24). "Skateboarding Icon Jason Jessee Is Under Fire for Use of Swastikas and Racist Remarks". Vice. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  6. "2004, 2002, English, Spanish, Video edition: Stoked : the rise and fall of Gator. [videorecording] :". National Library of Australia Trove. National Library of Australia. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  7. "Jason Jessee Speaks Chinese on Free Lunch" (Video upload). RIDE Channel on YouTube. Google Inc. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  8. "Why is Thrasher Magazine Trying to Rehabilitate Jason Jessee's Reputation?". Max Dubler. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  9. "JASON JESSEE DROPPED FROM SPONSORS AMIDST RACISM CONTROVERSY". The Berrics. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  10. "Jason Jessee Arrested on Stolen Car & Illegal Gun Charges ⋆ SKATE NEWSWIRE". SKATE NEWSWIRE. 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  11. Team, KION546 News (2019-04-26). "Watsonville man arrested for having a stolen car and illegal gun". KION546. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
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