Kelly Slater on Baywatch and Rivaling Andy Irons: Sitdowns

At this point, Kelly Slater is pretty much synonymous with surfing. The 11-time world champ stopped by the VICE Sports offices to sit at the bar and talk shop. He touched on the animosity between different surfing cultures (East vs. West vs. Australia) that existed in the late-80s, his miserable time playing "Jimmy Slade" on Baywatch in the early 90s, and what he remembers about his friend and rival Andy Irons.
Click here for more Sitdowns: bit.ly/1sPGKpj
Subscribe to VICE Sports here: bit.ly/Subscrib...
Check out the VICE Sports beta for more: sports.vice.com/
Follow VICE Sports here:
Facebook: / vicesports
Twitter: / vicesports
Instagram: / vicesports

[@PinstripeJim]

Rad interview! He used to be criticized for being so public and a near-celebrity figure and he didn't let it get to him. He's just another guy on the water that happens to shred better than the rest.

[@EdwinLap]

He changed a lot as well over the last 15 years. He was a dick in the late 90's and early 2000's. My buddy did the Drive Thru South Africa with them and said that Kelly was such a prick at that time. I always liked him though.

[@darylwilson1915]

His mum forced his hand on baywatch. But hey he did pam Anderson in her prime 👍

[@ZipSnipe]

Great interview,Kelly is a kool guy even when I sprayed him once at Ponce Inlet back in the day when he was just a grom( He of course returned fire with a Niagra Falls lip smack that drowned anyone in its vicinity especially me) and very politely he paddles back out with a smile on his face and asked me how did I like that? lol classic !!!

[@travisbarrettrudd4768]

greetings from flagler beach

[@chiztrix]

R.I.P Andy.

[@ckurthy]

Great piece, although I wish it were a bit longer. I love Kellys insight into the pro surfing world.

[@cerealkilla8930]

Agreed, Chad. Excellent piece. Kelly's humility is a nice change from some other athletes' personalities.

[@claytonbrown994]

Cereal Killa
Humility? He was bragging about having a better record heads up against a dead man

[@DajoVandenBussche]

RIP Andy !

[@frankyfritzer1547]

Andy straight launched that air @ 4:22!!! We need to remember all the people on the North Shore of Kauai (Andy's home) who have been devastated by the recent flooding!

[@jameslaspesa6834]

Two of the best surfer's of all time!! rip Andy , go with god..

[@portlock88]

Kelly will always be the 🐐 GOAT! We will always love and miss AI.

[@michaelknight2721]

Kelly is an awesome surfer,I remember him in Baywatch

[@mayjunee]

Always very interesting to listen too.Only big surf name who can really explain the whole deal...

[@jefeleal]

Kelly é o cara.

[@neverbytheday]

Anyone know what the two main tracks are in this?

[@birdmanbl]

What a great clip so cool thanks so much for posting

[@michaelsisinni6301]

Thank you for this interview

[@fl1ghtskool]

Anyone know the name of the intro song?

[@jwiese100]

I actually think its pretty cool that he was part of baywatch.

[@kylewattssurfing3266]

Awesomeness

[@michaelcoleman8088]

Enough time has passed that Kelly should admit the loss to Andy that everyone watching seen. A good time would had been at 3:00 in the video when how Andy handled it, but no mention of what triggered it ( the biggest rip off in the sport ). Baywatch wasn't as much of a sellout as this due to concern of sponsors.

[@shanehawker4177]

RIP Andy

[@cliffcurtistruth]

For all of Slater's motivational discussions he usually seems alone and not particularly happy or excited about anything. Probably could change that plain surfing robot character look if he changed up the game and grew his hair back. Just a suggestion

[@KT-ed8hj]

Wtf are you talking about?

[@DaleFerreira-pk7pf]

Kelly secretly has to be glad that Andy isn’t around to match or top his record. Of course he has to come across as Mr Cool

[@chrisgines998]

Is this the Vice New York office?

[@djizzah]

The King

[@colindavis8123]

legend

[@VICESports]

Kelly Slater on competing surf cultures, Baywatch, and fellow friends and rivals. More Sitdowns coming soon. Click to subscribe: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-Sports

[@gonzalopatino8314]

Vice should do a bjj documentary

[@jeffmays7192]

I seriously doubt that anybody knows the game of pro surfing and how to use it to his advantage like Kelly and doubt there will be for years to come..

[@Alex_Smit]

SHARK!!! 0:07 - 0:09 on the right

[@odin8010]

Nice eyes

[@surphkid11]

+Alex Smit not a shark its another surfer on the back of the wave.

[@defdog7515]

@@surphkid11 no its not it is Kelly surfing with dolphins th-cam.com/video/HBklS2vYEPo/w-d-xo.html

[@goddamaddog]

so weird to see Kelly sitting at a bar

[@beardedbatman225]

bad ass athlete, bad ass dude.

[@shaneherring6162]

I love my mate

[@BatuSmoka808]

AI Forever.

[@dedelabinouze5110]

Competition is the disease of the freeride sports.

[@taoist32]

Sports are based on competition. Don't call it a sport, then.

[@dedelabinouze5110]

taoist40
Damn what a poor world it would be if you were right.
In freeride, there's "free", and free doesn't go with competition.

[@djizzah]

I know what you mean

[@Juan-lu6nh]

Song 2:12 ?

[@toddosborne9409]

Bruce Irons

[@defdog7515]

fascinating

[@sammyhamawi6407]

Afrojack ft massari on youtube

[@bradjennings8714]

Why cuss?

[@onefodderunit]

Kelly Slater is of Syrian descent and friend to Palestinians.

[@ChinHo1969]

And his mother is Irish settled in the U.S.

[@onefodderunit]

ChinHo1969 Ah. Celtrabian.

[@Eisonhawk]

fyi - the stars are other just people's memories , the just -N- good ones... "make a touchdown action, "OUTSIDE ONLY!" #ripstars

[@nicholaskennedy9776]

AI forever!

[@shnazit]

hot

[@teresascott7006]

-----VRRNARIICHEHHHEOOHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCC777777777777HHEPNITIALKBEXIAGHEIIINITIALKBEBABABE3 THIRD POWER