What's on the teevee

The Beautiful One and I were watching a new documentary mini-series on Sundance Monday night--The Staircase--which is a nifty look inside a murder investigation as it unfolds. What was even more fun, though, was what followed it this past Monday. Stoked, which portrays the rise and fall of a mid-1980s skate punk named "Gator" Rogowski, is comprised wholly of interviews with Gator's friends, cohorts, lovers, managers, and Rogowski himself. Now, skaters are not known for their eloquence, but there is one guy in this film, Jason Jesse, who virtually defines the stereotype of a surfer/skater, in that he shows little regard for grammar, diction, or intelligibility at all. Lest you think me a language elitist, though, let me add that I think this piece (which describes an overseas problem the declining Gator had with his dietary desire) is sheer poetry, in as close to word-for-word as I can get:
"Threw a total f#*king tantrum because he couldn't get fresh broccoli. Just eat f#*king corn dogs; who cares?"
See what I mean? Brilliant. I thought Jesse was a complete zero, but he certainly saved his best stuff for last.



***Spoiler (kinda) Alert***


The movie is actually a bit of a downer; Gator's skating style quickly loses its popular appeal and his life starts spinning out of control due to overindulgences in drugs and (oddly) being Born Again, both of which lead to his nearly conscienceless murder of a two-night-stand lover. Stoked is a pretty good insider's look into the skate culture of north San Diego County, directed with a light touch by Helen Stickler. Great soundtrack as well!