He helped invent modern street skating and built a footwear empire before being tragically sidelined by bloomin' onions and Coors party balls. Read The Gav's heroic tale of redemption here.

He helped invent modern street skating and built a footwear empire before being tragically sidelined by bloomin' onions and Coors party balls. Read The Gav's heroic tale of redemption here. —Michael Burnett

As seen in the October 2013 mag.


What was the best part of being a fat ass?
With no question, eating like a Little Leaguer. I enjoy food that my children eat. My food of choice is a microwavable pot pie. Lately what I would do was order, from a taxi service, bottles of wine to my house. So instead of calling a cab to take me to go purchase food and beverages, I’d just have them go shopping for me. Two bottles of pinot grigio to wash down a Swanson turkey or chicken pot pie. Microwave two minutes and then pop it in the toaster oven to get a nice cripsy edge. Four of those, two bottles of pinot, go to bed and wake up to nice pretzel with cheese. Nacho cheese is critical to a man’s diet. It’s critical to have an ample supply around the house if you want that bloated look.

It’s been mentioned before that you seemed to carry the bulk of your weight in your face. Why was that?
Yeah. Definitely. I think alcohol has a tendency to bloat you and I think most of the food I was eating was high in sodium so that helped with the bloat. My face and head are naturally built like a beach ball. So I guess with the high-sodium diet it was like putting more and more air in a balloon.

What was the breaking point that got you off the fat ass program?
I quit drinking. So as soon as I quit drinking the attraction to those comfort foods went away. Seriously, when I would golf or be out in the sun and see my fat shadow I’d think, “Seriously, this has to stop.” I literally couldn’t look at myself anymore like that. I had to stop.

Were you worried that you couldn’t be “The Gav” without a beer in your hand?
Absolutely. I don’t want to get too heavy, but it’s fun to have a beer with the guys but when the other guys would leave and go home and have a normal life I would keep it going for five days. That led to nachos, pizza boats, chicken tenders, bloomin’ onions. But when you start taking care of yourself you don’t want to do that stuff. You start to get your self esteem back. When you look good and you’re not all hungover you build up some confidence and you don’t have to drink.

I barely recognized you you’re so goddamned buff. What’s your program?
I completely changed the way I’m eating. Lots of protein, salads. I’ve lost 40 pounds in four months. No soda, cheese, no white carbs. Then I exercise three or four times a week. That’s it.

How are your kickflips now?
I’m going to start skating again. I feel light again, man. I was basically carrying four gallons of milk around on me. I’m inspired to go skateboarding. We’ll see if the balance is there.

What has been people’s reaction to your radical transformation?
I went to Girl for the first time since losing the weight and Rick walked right past me. He turned back and I looked him in the eyes and he gave me that full grin; that full skeletal Canadian look, eyes wide. Rick Howard didn’t recognize me. I’ve know the dude for 30 years and he walked right past me! He was probably thinking, “Wow. That looks like the guy I kicked off 15 years ago.”

So what are you working on now?
Knox hardware. Daewon, Vincent Alvarez and Chris Cole are on the team. It’s a hardware company with a printables collection. And we’re doing skateboard pillows—full graphics on a skateboard-shaped pillow. We’re doing that with Chris Cole, Daewon, Guy, Christian Hosoi and Sean Malto. It’s something different that nobody is doing. Who wouldn’t be psyched to have a Hosoi pillow on their bed?


Tim Gavin starred in 1992’s "Tim and Henry’s Pack of Lies" before becoming one of the founding members of the Girl Skateboard team. He later helped start DVS and Matix while simultaneously becoming a total fat ass.



Frontside flip, 1996   Photo: Mountain