Celebrity Byte

Have you played this game against any other pros?

I haven't played with too many people because it's just coming out, but I've played it a lot with the team that built the game and those guys are probably the best players in the world. I know they're a lot better at the game than I am. I definitely need to get my own copy of it and play on my Xbox 360.

More huge air from Danny at the Skateboard Big Air Final at X Games XI.

Can you talk about how you've seen the skateboarding culture evolve?

I've been skating professionally for almost 20 years, and from the time I turned professional until now the world of skateboarding has changed. In the late '80s it was on its way to becoming mainstream, but then it died off in the early '90s. There's always been a real, true underground skateboarding scene since the '50s. Despite all of the mainstream exposure or publicity, there's a true core of skateboarders who will never go away. X-Games really shed the light on skateboarding and it's become, along with Moto, one of the most popular events at X-Games now. Skateboarding has influenced all of the other genres inside of extreme sports. Most of the youth culture is driven by the skateboarding fashion.

What are your thoughts about skateboarding being in the Olympics?

I have conflicting opinions on that. There are pros and cons to it. Skating has always been about going against anything traditional or mainstream. The X-Games is gobally viewed as the Olympics. Skateboarding has maintained its core roots to keep it edgy and a little different and if you throw it in with sports like hurdles and ping pong and water ballet, it's not as appealing to me. I personally think the Olympics need skateboarding more than skateboarding needs the Olympics. The industry is mature enough and there's enough money to be made by everybody, why does it need that type of exposure at this point?

I'm driven by things that I think are almost a fantasy but have a potential for reality.

Danny defying gravity during a practice run for the Skateboard Big Air contest at X Games X.

How do you come up with these ideas like jumping the Great Wall of China or bomb dropping the Hard Rock Casino guitar?

Just from years of manifesting in my head. Out of all of the things that I've done with my life, I've spent the most time in this area. I have to keep it interesting and as creative as possible. And I have to keep it challenging so it's rewarding spiritually and mentally. I'm driven by things that I think are almost a fantasy but have a potential for reality. That's what drives me.

Are there challenges out there that you still want to accomplish?

I want to continue down the path of the unknown and find where the boundaries lie so that when I retire from skateboarding I know I went as far as I possibly could go with that. I don't want to ever look back and regret not reaching the goals I wanted to reach.

When do you retire from skateboarding? Is it something you can do your whole life?

Definitely not. I mean at a certain level, but not at the level I'm doing now. I'm 33 and I work out like a mad man to stay in shape enough to be able to endure the physical abuse. But I don't know how long...it could be one bad injury. That's the one thing you're always up against...the one injury that can end it all. I've had so many injuries, probably more than most skaters. I'd say 50 percent of my last 10 years of skateboarding has been in rehabilitation. It's an unwritten rule in skateboarding that that day will come. My motivation to keep it going will be there for a long time.

Will it be nice to know that when you do retire you can at least still keep doing this in the Skate videogames?

That will be nice. I can fantasize about it and then go play the videogame an make it happen.

And not have to worry about injuries.

And not have to worry about injuries, except for maybe blowing your thumb out.

Or getting carpal tunnel.

Yeah.