PINCH MY SALT

Surfing legend Benji Weatherley joins Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan on the Pinch My Salt Podcast for one of our wildest episodes yet. From Kelly Slater and the Momentum Generation to Blink-182, Tom Curren, Shane Dorian, and the legendary lost surf movie Pickled, Benji tells unbelievable stories from the golden era of professional surfing.Known for his unforgettable appearances in Taylor Steele surf films, his friendship with Kelly Slater, inspiring Blink-182's hit song "Mutt," and his role in surf culture classics like Drive Thru, Benji Weatherley helped shape the personality of 1990s and early 2000s surfing.In this hilarious and completely unfiltered surf podcast, Benji talks about Kelly Slater stealing girlfriends, the rise of the Momentum Generation, the hidden story behind Billabong's Pickled surf movie, his wild surf trips with Tom Curren, and why the WSL dropped him from a Drive Thru project.We also dive into professional surfing, the surf industry, surf sponsorships, Jack Johnson, Donovan Frankenreiter, Kalani Robb, Joel Parkinson, and what life was really like behind the scenes during surfing's most iconic era.THIS WEEK ON PINCH MY SALT:🏄 Kelly Slater Stories — Benji talks about growing up around Kelly Slater, their friendship, rivalries, and the hilarious stories that never made it into the surf magazines.🎬 The Lost Surf Film PICKLED — What really happened to Benji Weatherley's legendary Billabong surf movie? Benji reveals the outrageous St. Barts trips, Tom Curren stories, the massive budget, and why the film nearly disappeared.🎸 Blink-182 and "Mutt" — Benji explains his famous nickname, his connection to Blink-182, and how he became part of punk rock and surf culture history.🌊 The Momentum Generation — Growing up alongside Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado, and the surfers who transformed professional surfing forever.🍻 Life as a Sponsored Pro Surfer — From Billabong and Bud Light to endless East Coast surf tours, Benji reveals what being a professional freesurfer was really like.🚫 Benji vs. the WSL — Benji shares his side of the story about getting removed from a Drive Thru project after a controversial Zoom meeting.😂 The Funniest Guy in Surfing? — Benji goes completely off the rails, roasts the hosts, and proves why he's one of surfing's most unforgettable personalities.If you grew up watching Taylor Steele movies, following the Momentum Generation, listening to Blink-182, reading SURFER Magazine, or watching Drive Thru, this episode is for you.Pinch My Salt is a comedy surf podcast hosted by professional surfer Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan. We talk surfing, surf culture, professional surfers, surf industry drama, nostalgia, music, and everything ridiculous about life.SUBSCRIBE for new episodes, legendary surfing guests, behind-the-scenes surf stories, and completely unnecessary conversations.Drop a comment: What's your favorite Benji Weatherley moment, and have you ever seen the lost surf movie Pickled?#BenjiWeatherley #KellySlater #PinchMySalt #Surfing #SurfPodcast

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Did Surfline, surf cams and modern surf forecasting ruin surfing? Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan break down what’s changed about surf culture, why Surfline cameras may have killed part of the mystery of finding waves, the loss of old-school surf knowledge, soft top surfers, crowded lineups, Magicseaweed, local surf culture, surf forecasting, waterman skills and the difference between people who surf and people who actually live surfing.

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Dane Reynolds is on the hot seat as Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan break down Dane Reynolds, Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, the modern surf industry, WSL surf culture, pro surfing, surf history, Shakas, sandals, flip-flops, and what happened to the culture of surfing. Is Dane Reynolds responsible for changing what was “cool” in surfing? Did the surf industry abandon its Hawaiian roots? And is Kelly Slater officially surfing like Kelly Slater again?

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This week on Pinch My Salt, pro surfer Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan dive into surfing, surf culture, professional surfing, WSL, Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Jordy Smith, Jamie O’Brien, Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo, Jack Johnson, Tom Curren, Taj Burrow, Dane Reynolds, surf history, surf clips, surf movies, surf training, longboarding, skimboarding, surf coaching, barrels, airs, carves, big-wave surfing, Pipeline, Hawaii surfing, surf contests, surf style, and the greatest surfers of all time.

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Jordy Smith joins Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan on Pinch My Salt for an unreal conversation about professional surfing, the WSL Championship Tour, Kelly Slater, Dane Reynolds, Andy Irons, Billabong, Nike, O’Neill, Modern Collective, South African surfing, J-Bay, the North Shore of Hawaii, surf movies, sponsorship deals and one of the craziest untold stories in surf history.

Jordy Smith is a World Junior Champion, X Games gold medalist, two-time World Title runner-up, Olympian and one of the longest-running surfers in modern Championship Tour history. In this episode, Jordy opens up about growing up in South Africa, becoming one of the most hyped young surfers in the world, being called “the next Kelly Slater,” traveling and surfing with Sterling Spencer as teenagers, competing against Kelly Slater, his legendary Modern Collective section, Dane Reynolds, the golden era of surf films and what professional surfing was really like behind the scenes.

But the wildest story might be Jordy Smith’s LOST SURF MOVIE.

Jordy and Sterling spent months traveling through South Africa, the Maldives, Australia and beyond filming what was supposed to become Jordy’s breakout surf movie. Then his relationship with Billabong fell apart, the hard drives disappeared, Jordy says he spent nearly 10 YEARS trying to track down the footage—and he still hasn’t seen it.

Then came the $500,000 lawsuit.

Jordy talks about being a young rookie, coming from very little money in South Africa and suddenly facing a lawsuit so massive that his parents were considering selling their house and cars. It’s an incredible look behind the curtain at the surf industry during one of its biggest eras.

We also get into:

Jordy Smith vs. Kelly Slater and whether Kelly was ever overscored
The Jordy Smith vs. Dane Reynolds era
Modern Collective and Jordy’s insane surfing in 2010
Why Jordy turned down Nike 6.0
Flying to Nike headquarters on Phil Knight’s private plane
The truth behind the Michael Jordan rumors
O’Neill, DVS and huge surf sponsorship deals
Growing up surfing South Africa and Hawaii’s North Shore
J-Bay and Jordy’s rise through professional surfing
Andy Irons and the legendary Billabong surf team
Mikey February and South African surf culture
Why the surf industry changed
Core surfing vs. mainstream surfing
Surf shops, local shapers and the old surf industry
Jordy’s plans after the Championship Tour
Chasing undiscovered waves around the world
The origin story of “YOU KNOW THE RULES”
And why Jordy might be one of the funniest surfers alive.

This is one of those episodes where surf history, surf culture and stories from professional surfing collide. If you grew up watching surf videos, following the ASP / WSL World Tour, watching Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Dane Reynolds, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Jordy Smith and the generation that defined modern surfing, you’re going to love this one.

Leave Jordy some love in the comments and tell us: WHERE IS THE LOST JORDY SMITH FOOTAGE?

Subscribe to PINCH MY SALT for more long-form surf interviews, surf history, surf culture, comedy, professional surfing stories and conversations with some of the biggest names in surfing.

#JordySmith #Surfing #PinchMySalt #WSL #KellySlater #ProfessionalSurfing #SurfPodcast #SurfCulture #DaneReynolds #ModernCollective

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Gabby Reece joins Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan on the Pinch My Salt podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about Laird Hamilton, the WNBA and women’s sports, Title IX, transgender athletes in sports, Nike, Tinker Hatfield, MTV Sports, Florida State volleyball, big-wave surfing, surf culture, fitness, family, relationships and life behind one of surfing’s most recognizable couples.

Gabby Reece opens up about how she met Laird Hamilton while interviewing him, the early days of their relationship, helping Laird navigate the business side of big-wave surfing, and becoming what Pinch My Salt calls the “Momfather” of surf culture. Gabby also tells the story behind her Nike signature shoe designed by legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, her days on MTV Sports during the rise of extreme sports, her volleyball career at Florida State, and how she went from growing up in St. Thomas to becoming one of the most recognizable female athletes of her generation.

The conversation takes a serious turn when Gabby gives her perspective on the WNBA, women’s sports, Title IX, biological differences in competition, transgender athletes and protecting opportunities for young female athletes. As someone whose own college opportunity came through athletics, Gabby explains why the debate matters to her and why she believes the conversation has become unnecessarily political.

Gabby also talks about training, health, aging, raising daughters with Laird Hamilton, what their family is actually like behind closed doors, and why surfing will probably always be Laird’s “girlfriend.”

And because this is Pinch My Salt, things eventually go completely off the rails.

Gabby reveals whether she was Laird’s “sugar mama,” talks about her Playboy shoot, jokes about starting an OnlyFans for her size-12 feet, and tells the hilarious story behind a naked Body Issue photo shoot with Laird where he was VERY unhappy about the situation.

From Nike and MTV to volleyball, women’s sports, WNBA controversy, big-wave surfing, Laird Hamilton, Shane Dorian, fitness, marriage and surf culture, this is a side of Gabby Reece you probably haven’t heard before.

Subscribe to Pinch My Salt for more surf stories, interviews, comedy and conversations with some of the biggest personalities in surfing and action sports.

#GabbyReece #LairdHamilton #PinchMySalt #WomensSports #Surfing

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Jack Johnson joins Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan on the Pinch My Salt Podcast for a hilarious, wide-ranging conversation about surfing, music, Hawaii, Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, John John Florence, Willie Nelson, Ben Harper, G. Love, Rob Machado, songwriting, touring, fame and the stories behind some of Jack Johnson’s biggest songs.

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Why is everyone mad at Kolohe Andino? This week on Pinch My Salt, Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan break down the Kolohe Andino drama, the backlash inside surf culture, his comments about the modern surf industry, and why some surfers are questioning the former Target and Nike-sponsored pro surfer’s new direction. We get into Kolohe Andino’s surf film, the criticism that it was heavily inspired by an older Joe G. surf movie, the “core lord” complaints Sterling says started coming in, and the bigger question: can a surfer who benefited from huge mainstream sponsorships now criticize what surfing has become?

From Kolohe Andino, Target, Nike and surf industry politics to Tom Curren, Kelly Slater, Jamie O’Brien, John John Florence, Dane Reynolds, surf brands, pro surfer sponsorships, surf films, surf media, vlogging and the loss of mystery in surfing, this episode gets into what “core” even means anymore. Sterling and Ryan debate whether Kolohe is being hypocritical, whether the surf world is being too hard on him, and whether he’s actually one of the few surfers trying to bring creativity, style and real surf culture back.

The boys also get into Tom Curren’s legendary surf aura, why so many modern pro surfers feel overly branded, the rise (and possible death) of the term “core lord,” Gen Z surf culture, social media algorithms, surfing vlog content, and whether pro surfers should control their own careers instead of relying completely on surf brands.

Then things go completely off the rails.

Sterling discovers he may be becoming the Tony Hawk of surfing, the guys talk Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, Reddit, John John Florence, Florence, Former, Outerknown, starting their own surf brand, and why the modern surf industry looks completely different from the Billabong-era surf world they grew up in.

Later, Sterling gets surprisingly deep about growing up as a traveling pro surfer, spending years chasing waves around the world, the brutal Gulf Coast summer flat spell, and watching surfers constantly chase swell from Hawaii to Indonesia, Tahiti and Fiji. The conversation turns toward Nathan Florence, surf travel, getting older as a surfer, Sterling’s brain injury, fatherhood, grief, forgiveness and learning how to actually slow down.

Basically: Kolohe Andino drama, surf industry politics, core lords, surf brands, pro surfing, surf culture, questionable life advice and two cousins trying to figure out if surfing has completely lost the plot.

Subscribe to Pinch My Salt for weekly surf news, surf culture, surfing stories, pro surfer interviews, comedy and the important conversations nobody else in surfing is brave—or dumb—enough to have.

#KoloheAndino #Surfing #SurfCulture #SurfPodcast #PinchMySalt

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Brad Gerlach joins Pinch My Salt to break down Kelly Slater at Teahupo’o, the wild WSL Tahiti contest, Seth Moniz’s huge win, Felipe Toledo in heavy surf, big-wave surfing, surf competition, judging, surf technique and what really separates the best surfers in the world. Brad Gerlach — former world #1 and world title runner-up — gives his perspective on Kelly Slater’s brutal Teahupo’o wipeouts, how Kelly adjusted his technique, changed boards and went straight back into some of the heaviest waves of the event.

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We get into Kelly Slater surfing at 54, Teahupo’o, Tahiti surfing, WSL competition, Seth Moniz, Felipe Toledo, Pipeline, big-wave surfing, professional surfing, surfboard design, Firewire surfboards, competitive surfing and surf coaching. Brad also shares stories from competing against a young Kelly Slater, including beating Kelly after Slater dropped a 10-point ride, and explains why Kelly’s ability to adapt in dangerous waves is still on another level.

Brad Gerlach has spent decades studying surfing at the highest level. From Tom Curren, Dane Reynolds and Michael Peterson to today’s WSL surfers, Brad breaks down style, technique, creativity, confidence and why surfing should be judged as more than just athletic performance.

We also talk about the controversial side of competitive surfing: judging, commentary, wave selection, commitment at Teahupo’o, Felipe Toledo in heavy waves, Seth Moniz’s underdog Tahiti victory, and whether professional surfing is properly explaining what the world’s best surfers are actually doing.

Brad also takes us inside Wave Ki, his surf training program, where he studies footage and teaches surfers how body position, foot placement, confidence and creativity can completely change the way they surf.

PLUS: Kelly Slater’s surfboards spark a debate after his broken board appears to have a stringer, leading to a conversation about Firewire surfboards, custom surfboards and what Kelly is actually riding.

If you love Kelly Slater, Teahupo’o, Tahiti surfing, WSL, surf podcasts, professional surfing, big-wave surfing, Pipeline, surf history, surf technique, surf coaching, competitive surfing, Dane Reynolds, Tom Curren, Seth Moniz, Felipe Toledo or just hearing surf legends talk honestly about surfing — this episode is for you.

Comment below: What was the craziest moment from Teahupo’o?

Subscribe to Pinch My Salt for more surf stories, surf news, legendary surfers, WSL discussion, surf history and ridiculous conversations with Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan.

#KellySlater #BradGerlach #Surfing

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Jamie O’Brien, Pipeline, Pipe Masters, core surfing, Catch Surf, soft-top surfboards, surf culture, YouTube surfing, Red Bull, North Shore Hawaii, Backdoor, Ben Gravy, Jack Johnson, Rob Machado, Kelly Slater and the future of the surf industry — this episode of Pinch My Salt goes straight into one of the biggest debates in modern surfing: what does it actually mean to be a “core surfer” anymore?

Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan react to Jamie O’Brien’s comments about sponsored surfers, being core, chasing swells, making money in surfing and the evolution of his career from Pipeline legend and self-produced surf movies to YouTube, vlogging and the Catch Surf soft-top era. They debate whether surf YouTube and soft tops helped grow surfing or changed surf culture for the worse, how JOB influenced the next generation of surf creators, why traditional surfboard design still matters, and whether the surf industry has traded progression, style and craftsmanship for clicks, viral videos and easy money.

The boys also get into Jack Johnson trying to connect them with Jason Momoa, Rob Machado’s legendary hair, Kelly Slater, surf-industry sycophants, Instagram surfer culture, old-school surf fights at Lowers and Trestles, surfboard design, environmental concerns around foam and soft-top surfboards, and why surfing still needs to protect the magic that made everyone fall in love with it in the first place.

Jamie O’Brien has been one of the most influential surfers of his generation — from Pipeline and Backdoor to his early self-produced surf films, DVDs, viral surfing videos and massive YouTube career. But has the rise of surf influencers, vlogging, soft tops and viral content changed what being a professional surfer means?

Sterling also tells the story of surfing Backdoor with Jamie years ago and trying to convince him that the future was the internet — while Jamie was still making money selling surf DVDs.

Plus: hardboards vs soft tops, Catch Surf, Ben Gravy, Blair Conklin, surfboard progression, old-school surf culture, North Shore stories, surfing fights, growing up in surf shops, the future of surfing, keeping surfing core and the eternal question:

Can you make money in surfing without selling out?

Welcome to Pinch My Salt.

👇 LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS:
What actually makes someone a CORE surfer?
And have soft tops been good or bad for surf culture?

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Jamie O’Brien, Jamie O'Brien podcast, JOB surfing, Jamie O’Brien Pipeline, Jamie O’Brien Pipe Masters, Pipeline surfing, Backdoor surfing, North Shore Hawaii surfing, core surfing, core surfer, surf culture, surf industry, professional surfing, pro surfer, surfing podcast, surf podcast, surf YouTube, surfing YouTube, Catch Surf, soft top surfboard, soft top surfing, foam surfboard, Ben Gravy, Blair Conklin, Jack Johnson surfing, Rob Machado, Kelly Slater, Jason Momoa, surfboard design, surfing history, surf movies, Pipeline surfers, Hawaii surfing, surf influencers, surf vlog, surf industry podcast, surf comedy, Pinch My Salt, Sterling Spencer.

#Surfing #JamieOBrien #PinchMySalt

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