Magnificently haired pop artist Andy Warhol (famously) once said: “In the future, everyone will have 15 seconds of fame.” Fast forward a few decades, and social media has made celebrities of everyone. Including their dogs. And we literally mean their dogs. Trident is following several pooches online, as well as several felines. Probably more than actual celebrities as a matter of fact. Indeed, Trident couldn’t care less about the goings-on of the Jenners and the Kardashians, and we suspect neither do you, dear reader. This is a core surf website after all, and what do we care about so-called celebrities? Although, it’s nice to see Toledo’s air clips. And the Florence brothers’ slab surfing. And the Raglan Surf Report.
Yep, let’s face it – we all fall prey to starry eyes when it comes to personal heroes, whether we like it or not. Although in 2024 “influencer” is considered an actual job and Trident is not convinced these minor players should be considered anyone important, let alone stars. Rolling eyes emoji.
Social Media celebrity versus… ?
Anyway, thanks to the net and more specifically the socials, Warhol’s words ring 100% true. You’d be hard pressed to find someone without a digital footprint. If you did, that would probably only be because you were kidnapped by them and forced to live in their underground bunker. Perhaps surviving only ‘coz they occasionally feed you raw liver. Ja, your captors may have no digital presence and would’ve confiscated your phone, but at least they provide you with exquisite skin cream.
Ok, we’re veering a little off the point here.
Ok, so. Well into the twenty-twenties, anyone can be considered famous. Are you literally buddies with each of your Facebook friends, or your Instagram followers? TikTok? Do people even use Facebook nowadays? Steam? Twitch? You gotta be kinda well known in one of those new fangled things.
Surf spots are the Cheers of your local community.
However there is always one place where – Cheers-like, everyone knows your name. And that my friends is your local surf spot. Now, we know what you’re thinking – good grief Trident, you really dilly-dallied around getting to that point – but we’re nowhere near done yet. Assuming you have a local spot and you’re not a surf nomad, what makes this haven for catching waves unique when compared to other sports? Give it some thought.
Is it the fact that surfing can’t be compared to other sports in the first place? Well, yes and no because let’s be fair – each sport out there is unique. Sure, Formula One and Golf have only the fact there are winners and losers in common for example, but like surfing – they are essentially solitary pursuits.
Look, we’re not gonna belabour the obvious unique aspects of surfing, coz that’s just lazy. But one truly exceptional thing that can happen to surfers is the fact you can share the lineup with a celebrity at any point. And although it happens super regularly, we don’t necessarily even mean surf royalty.
Namedrops.
Chris Hemsworth surfs, and he does so pretty well actually. Lewis Hamilton surfs, and not so well. Siya Kolisi has tried it, and Trident has shared the lineup with famous rugby players, cricket players and minor SA celebrities on occasion.
You see, the basic nature of surfing allows the common man to rub shoulders with stars. Sure, during say – the J Bay Open (RIP 2024), you may just be inside paddled by Ethan Ewing. You may even be seated next door to Toledo during an early dinner, or you may just have Kelly Slater trying to bum wax from you in the parking lot. But you’re just as likely to meet stars that aren’t from the surf world in water, unlike most other pursuits.
Did you see who just snaked you?!
You’re extremely unlikely, for example, to meet your mates for a half-arsed Sunday kick about in the overgrown park only for Renaldo and Neymar to rock up and join you. You’re equally as unlikely to bugger around after a few pints at your local putt putt course, only to have Tiger Woods ask you for some pointers. Chances are, you won’t be seeing Hamilton at your local Go Kart track either.
And when was the last time you played a game of tennis at your understaffed club while Federer and Nadal were warming up on the court next door?
One of the most overlooked yet commonplace aspects of surfing’s many unique characteristics is the surf spot itself. A place where you can literally meet anyone. Even Nelson Mandela had heard of Kelly Slater. Let that sink in for a minute. Our former president knew all about surfing in a country renowned for the quality of its waves. Maybe If he’d been released a few years earlier, he would’ve taken up surfing. Who knows – you could’ve been barrelled alongside Madiba.
