Five Favorite Parts With Shari White

Portrait by Norma Ibarra
Interview by Farran Golding

Was almost about to lose out on the “one of these a month” goal we try to pull off every year (to no avail), but here’s the March edition just in the nick of time. Three for three, baby!

The latest moodboard comes from videographer, Mess Skate Mag editor, and obviously incredible skateboarder herself, Shari White.

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Jason Lee – Blind Skateboards: Video Days (1991)

When I was younger, my best friend who I started skating with was named Jason Lee.

We used to look up Jason Lee’s videos, and he was on TV too with My Name Is Earl, so his was one of the names I remembered.

He’s funny, he’s a character. He has a style that’s a bit “of an era.” The way he skates, a few people [at the time] had that thing with shove-its and big spins where they don’t really pop. They just spin the board around and their whole body follows.

The approach to spots reminds me of when I started skating. Schoolyards and carparks was what I grew up with. It seems like he wasn’t thinking about what it would look like once it was edited and put together.

Elissa Steamer – Toy Machine: Welcome To Hell (1996)

Probably a lot of us girls would pick this one.

I forget when I first saw it. Definitely when I started skating, but I mostly watched whatever my friend watched because he had all the videos. So I don’t remember watching this a whole lot.

Back when I was 14, it was about skinny jeans and maybe more of Marisa Dal Santo’s style. Her, Vanessa Torres and Amy Caron were more of what I remember. I revisited this one when I was a bit older, around 20, when I’d moved to Canada and started to connect with the women’s scene. I always remember the slam and I’m like, “Oof…” It’s an interesting “ender.” I wonder if she found it funny, or if she didn’t know that was going to be it?

Nelly [Morville] has a part in the Limosine video [Paymaster] and it’s short like this. Just the best shit with cool spots, cool style. I don’t think parts need to be four or five minutes. Less is more.

Alexis Sablone – Converse: Seize The Seconds (2020)

It’s her best part. Ever.

She kickflips into the triangle spot that Elissa ollies and switch flips that Miami spot that she kickflipped. Those are definitely an ode.

I didn’t know who Alexis was until later on, really. I started skating around 2004, and I don’t know if I had seen her Wonderful, Horrible Life part. I became more aware when she was skating contests because I was friends with Vanessa and Amy and she was skating in those, with them. That’s where I started to follow her and she came out with some newer footage after that.

She just keeps getting better and better, there’s no stopping her. She does it all. Even what could have been a cheesy TV thing – everything just comes across so sick.

The two kickflip slams in a row – and like with Elissa’s part or even Nelly – seeing a slam is really sick and inspiring. Her line at the Museum spot with the kickflip nose, the switch flip and kickflip in Miami — she plays her strengths.

Kevin Shealey – “Yak The Vibes” (2020)

I was on Thrasher one day looking at what was new, and clicked this part not knowing who he was. What drew me in was the Title Fight song [“Where I Am”]. I’ve been obsessed with them and I listen to their albums over and over. Then that part came up and I was like, “Holy shit. Whoever this is, they’re cool.”

I was sitting down a week later with Frank Mare and he was like, “What have you watched lately?” I said to check this out and he goes, “Oh, that guy’s going to work for us.” I ended up meeting Kevin on the street in L.A., then a month passed by, and he started at Vans.

He lands tricks with that, “Oh my god, I can’t believe it” look in his face. I really like that, you can tell he’s putting everything into the trick he’s trying. Some people land stuff, straight-faced, like, “Yeah, I meant to land that…”

There are some gnarly slams, like on a lipslide he scorpions the ground. Classic bail and no make. I love it. He’s tall, but spots still look big.

Kyle Seidler – “Kyles P4rt” (2021)

Kyle’s my friend. I think I’ve known him for ten years.

If you’ve skated with someone, you know how much effort they put in. When he’s getting mad, to me it’s funny in a loving way. Knowing someone and then seeing their part feels a lot different. I like the filming and editing by Matt King, it’s really original. He’s been filming that way for a long time and I think he’s underrated.

The wallie up to wallride nollie, that’s a cool spot. I like the part where he dances with the dog, the boneless to smith grind is sick and the ender is too good.

It’s just an all around good selection of tricks, spots and music. And he’s a good guy. He’s a full-time photographer, so I’m hyped he put this together and has a sick little part.

Previously: Nick Jensen, Tony Hawk, Naquan Rollings, Jack O’Grady, Josh Wilson, Maité Steenhoudt, Jahmir Brown, Una Farrar, Chris Jones, Mason Silva, Beatrice Domond, Mark Suciu, Justin Henry, Breana Geering, Sage Elsesser, Bobby Worrest, Nik Stain, Anthony Van Engelen, Dom Henry, Bing Liu, Andrew Reynolds, Cyrus Bennett, Jacob Harris, Jamal Smith, Paul Rodriguez, Gilbert Crockett, Ben Chadourne, Tom Knox, Louie Lopez, The Chrome Ball Incident, The Bunt, Lacey Baker, Andrew Allen, GX1000, Brian Anderson, Gino Iannucci, Josh Kalis, Sean Pablo, Wade Desarmo, Chris Milic, Chad Muska, Hjalte Halberg, Danny Brady, Bill Strobeck, Aaron Herrington, Jerry Hsu, Brad Cromer, Brandon Westgate, Jim Greco, Jake Johnson, Scott Johnston, Josh Stewart, Eric Koston, Karl Watson, Josh Friedberg, John Cardiel, Pontus Alv, Alex Olson, Jahmal Williams