Some people use Twitter to start wars. Tony Hawk uses it to troll himself. If you’re a millennial, you’ve probably played, or know someone who played, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game. You most likely remember the headlines after he landed The 900 at the X-Games and the ensuing commercials with Tony Hawk endorsing things like Bagel Bites.
Me in 10 years (or sooner) trying to reclaim my @BagelBiteLife sponsorship pic.twitter.com/J80BaxhNkh
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) January 4, 2018
But Tony Hawk isn’t the young guy we remember from the epic coverage in the ’90s and early ’00s, and his tweets prove it. He hit his big 5-0 a year ago, and he’s turned comedian since retiring from pro-skating. Check out all the times he entertained us on social media after being misrecognized in real life.
TSA agent (checking my ID): "Hawk, like that skateboarder Tony Hawk!"
Me: exactly
Her: "Cool, I wonder what he's up to these days"
Me: this— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) March 21, 2017
TSA agent (staring intently): I’m trying to figure out who you look like before checking your ID.
Me: ok
TSA: that cyclist Armstrong!
Nearby agent: that ain’t Lance Armstrong
Me: he’s right
TSA: oh you look like that skateboarder (checks ID). Same last name too! Crazy!
Me: crazy— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 21, 2018
Guy at grocery store:
"you ever get mistaken for Tony Hawk… or are you Tony Hawk?
Me: both!— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 14, 2018
Woman at airport: "My husband told me you're an awesome something something. Are you?" Me: "Yes, in fact it's the title on my business card"
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 15, 2013
Went to a convenience store on my way to skate, approaching counter with water & Advil (I’m old), clerk sees me: “you look like someone”
me: oh yeah?
him: “what’s your name?”
me: Tony
him: “last name?”
me: Hawk
him: “you are him?”
me: yes
him: “no charge, but you owe me a selfie”— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 19, 2019
In NYC, guy cutting meat at deli looks up with confusion:
“you freaked me out, I thought you were that guy from the movie Ghost”
me: Patrick Swayze?
him: “No, his friend that betrays him”— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 13, 2019
Pulling up to drive-through window, girl starts to read back my order and stops herself: “you’re Tony Hawk?”
me: yes
her: “can I tell everyone?”
me: I suppose
her: “yo, we got Tony Hawk at the window!”
voice from kitchen: “Who?”— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) April 21, 2019
Guy approaches me while standing in line at coffee shop in Cancún.
Him: my friend says you are a famous person. Is that true?
Me: that depends on your definition of fame
Him: will you show up on Google if I search your name?
Me: yes
Him (typing into phone): you are Tony Stark?— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) April 3, 2019
Guy asks for a picture with me, woman nearby says “I don’t know who you are”
me: I don’t expect you to
her: what do you do?
me: I’m a pro skateboarder
her: are you from Huntington Beach?
me: no, I’m from San Diego
her: so you’re not that guy with red hair that won the Olympics?— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) October 27, 2018
me: sitting near my gate, waiting to board
guy: sits next to me & shows me his phone with pictures of me visible
him: "Is this you?"
me: "yes, but some are less than flattering"
him: "I'm gonna tell my son"
me: "that you did a Google search?"— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) October 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/tonyhawk/status/1017899264238850050
To clarify: my legal name is Anthony
TSA agent checks my ID, looks at me, looks at ID, looks back at me quizzically and loudly says
"Tony Hawk's my favorite skater"
Me: I’ll tell him.— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 21, 2018
guy on escalator: Hey are you Tony Hawk?
me: yes
him: you still skate?
me: yes, quite often
him: but you're not that recognizable!
me: I'm not sure what that means… but you recognized me, so here we are
him: [blank stare]
– escalator ends –— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 12, 2018
guy at restaurant: "you famous?"
me: I think that depends on who you ask
him: "anyone ever tell you that you look like Tom Brady?"
me: never— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 17, 2017
