Nov 23, 2019
Red Gerard - Episode 126
Red Gerard leapt onto the world stage - by winning the Slopestyle Gold Medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. After he became a sensation in the media, quickly becoming known for his easy going attitude on shows like Jimmy Kimmel. But there is life after gold for the nineteen year old professional snowboarder. He has gone on to film the shred flick Joy with fellow Olympian Ben Fergusson and Olympic Gold Medalist Sage Kotsenberg - discovering the backcountry and sledding, as well as the resolve to be safe when accessing the avalanche prone conditions out of ski area boundaries.
We also go deep on his family - and the support
they provide him in achieving his dreams.
It is fairly safe to say, this is Red’s most in depth interview to date. Enjoy.
Shout out to the sponsors of this episode Cardiff Snowcraft and Yes Snowboards. We ask that you support the brands that support disruptive snowboard media. Find out more about these guys at their websites.
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THE SNOWBOARD PROJECT
Red Gerard Episode 126
Hosted by Mark Sullivan
Produced by Mark Sullivan
Associate producer Dustin James
Art by Aaron Draplin and Sarat
Interview Transcription:
[00:00:00] Man like Mark Sullivan, the warrior. So stay tuned for the cheating episode.
[00:00:04] Well, quite a lot of uncooperative.
[00:00:17] Just flip this off. You to get lost. Mind your own business. So dangerous.
[00:00:21] Most of them have no brakes on them when you get skiers and snowboarders together on a rainy day looking for trouble. We just like to say that we don't want them at all.
[00:00:32] This is The Snowboard Project season to the story. I'm Stowe Stowe. So.
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[00:02:08] Welcome back to the Snowboard Project. I'm Mark Sullivan. And so we're going to start out the show today a little bit. Definitely going to start out with a moment of silence for Jake Burton Carpenter. And I know that well, anyone is listening to this is probably a snowboarder. And so they have been affected directly by Jake Burton Carpenter's influence in the sport.
Mark Sullivan: [00:02:42] Ok, so on today's show, we have an Olympic gold medalist, a guy who is still a teenager, getting into the back country making snowboarding movies. You know, the world is his oyster as far as snowboarding is concerned. I'm talking about Red Jerod and Red Jerod. We get pretty deep in this interview. We talk about making joy. We talk about kind of the the interview crush post-Olympics. We talk about his family and about riding and about all sorts of things. So this is a pretty in-depth interview with Fred Gerada. Hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you.
[00:03:41] Today's episode is brought to you by. Yes, Snowboards.
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Mark Sullivan: [00:04:36] Ok. So you just had your your movie premiere, Red. Joy, tell me a little bit about the premiere. How did you decide on Hollywood versus like doing it in Tahoe or Salt Lake or in a ski town, let's say? Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:04:50] I don't really know. I think so.
Red Gerard: [00:04:53] Aaron Black and Ryan Honkey are the producers of Joy. And I think we we just kind of left it up to them and they wanted to do it in like a pretty main city.
Red Gerard: [00:05:02] Yeah. For like the first one. But on November 2nd, it's going to be in Salt Lake. And actually I think I'd like the thirty first of this month. It's in Bend, Oregon. And then I'm going to do one in Cleveland, Ohio on November 16th or the 18th or something. Right. So our idea was just to do the opening one in in a bigger city.
Mark Sullivan: [00:05:28] Were there like a lot of snowboarders who showed up, who flew in for it or traveled specifically to Hollywood for the premiere?
Red Gerard: [00:05:35] I don't know. I didn't. I mean, there's definitely some people there. Apparently, they sold out on tickets. I've heard it. But a. I think a lot of it was just people that lived in L.A. like Ex-wrestler Zion, Ray and Alex Smith.
Red Gerard: [00:05:47] They're like pro skaters. That area, which we're pretty is pretty sick to see us.
Mark Sullivan: [00:05:52] Yeah. Now, this is like your your first movie that you were like more involved than just like being an athlete filming in the movie. re-look more involved with that. Were you pretty much still a guy who was just going out and filming to try to get a good part?
Red Gerard: [00:06:07] Not I think I definitely, like all three of us, felt pretty way more involved, you know, I did the two transferal movies, but that had like eight to 10 writers and actors or something. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:06:20] But yeah, no, I think we I was is pretty cool because I was filming with my brother like all season, which was really nice. So I got to see little leaks of the movie and all that where it was a trans world. And with trans well, you know, I just saw my part and then saw the movie when it premiered.
Mark Sullivan: [00:06:39] Yeah. So what was like the concept behind Joy? Like what was like the idea that you guys kind of sat down and put together that would make this different than just like a trick part movie?
Red Gerard: [00:06:51] I know I would say, oh, like when we originally sat down, we our idea was to not just like look at just storms and where where all the storms are heading, but let's spend, you know, a month at a time in one location, like when we go to Jackson Hole and say, just go in there for a week. Let's go through let's go there for a month and sit out through the bad weather days.
Red Gerard: [00:07:15] And, you know, when it heats up, because eventually I feel like every location at times can get good and sucks. When you go to go somewhere, you're like, oh, man, shitty. He's like, let's go somewhere else. Then you go somewhere else. And all the sudden Jackson Hole is firing again.
Red Gerard: [00:07:31] You missed out on that. So I think that was our original idea. And other than that, I mean, just having it based on like the main three like me, Ben and Sage, and then having some other people come along and bring in different people on each trip was kind of our idea.
Mark Sullivan: [00:07:50] Would you and Sage wear your gold medals everywhere you went with Ben just to kind of rub salt in the wound?
Red Gerard: [00:07:56] Yeah, for sure. Yeah, that was that was definitely a nice piece of jewelry. Yeah. That's the only accessory that he couldn't get. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. No but he he had the Olympic ring too.
Red Gerard: [00:08:09] So we were just throwing around a little picked out.
Mark Sullivan: [00:08:19] It seems like a pretty cool crew and you guys are like known for competition, right, for a stage and you both at the Olympics were Ben the Olympics and other events.
Mark Sullivan: [00:08:28] But they're really from my understanding, anyway, I haven't seen the movie yet, but there isn't really a focus on competition in there. In fact, it's mostly powder.
Red Gerard: [00:08:37] Yeah, definitely. That was the main focus for they would definitely go.
Mark Sullivan: [00:08:41] Is that related to the named Joy? Like you find Joy outside a competition?
Red Gerard: [00:08:46] I don't know. I don't even know. I think Ben's age came up with the name Tyler Orton and there in summer movie. I don't know where they came up with joy, but I was in for it.
Mark Sullivan: [00:08:58] And where did you guys film like it was? Where were the trips that you guys went on together?
Red Gerard: [00:09:04] Yeah. So we start off the year in Jackson Hole and that was me then, Sage.
Red Gerard: [00:09:13] Nick Payton was there for a little bit. And then Brock Crouch as well. Mm hmm. And we were there for a while. And then from there we went to X Games and we did a little piece on that.
Red Gerard: [00:09:25] But then from there, me and Brock went to Japan and then we went back to the U.S. Open and then to Tahoe for a while and to Canada to hand it off.
Red Gerard: [00:09:40] But Ben and Sage kind of we we split up after X Games and Ben and Sage went back to Jackson Hole for a sec.
Red Gerard: [00:09:47] And then I think they went on up into Canada and then to Montana for a sec and then Madison Tallyho. And then they went back to Canada with us.
Mark Sullivan: [00:09:58] Ok. It sounds like you did a variety of different trips, went to a variety of different locations. What was your favorite trip?
Red Gerard: [00:10:06] My favorite trip was going to. I never I mean, I've always I kind of grew up there a tiny bit just because my brother Brendan always lived there and I always went out there, visit him, but go on there to film.
Red Gerard: [00:10:19] I never knew, like, how much a place actually had to offer when it came to backcountry snowboarding. It was just like pretty eye-opening to me, amany like how many good days we had there and the different varieties snowboarding. You know, you could read lines or you could build a jump or, you know, there's just some good like actually some little pillow lines and stuff. And I never thought Tato would have that.
Red Gerard: [00:10:43] And me and Brock almost spent like a month there, just really pretty hyped on the whole situation.
Red Gerard: [00:10:49] Yeah, that was a pretty crazy season as far as snowfall went last year. And Tom. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:10:54] Yeah, it was nuts. And you know, you always hear people saying about how they get that cycle where it's like snows for four days, they get sunny for three days and snows birds for days. And like I never knew that was actually a real thing in this year that it definitely and we definitely get to experience it.
Mark Sullivan: [00:11:12] Right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:11:13] Right. So was there like like one shot in particular, one jump that you built or one line that you did something they like sticks out the that made it into the movie that people can like look at and be like that was the the most fun thing that you did last year.
Mark Sullivan: [00:11:28] The the thing that you really kind of hang your hat on as far as like that was like my best run or trick or whatever of the season.
Red Gerard: [00:11:36] Yeah. Hundred percent the one this one jump that we hit in tow. Here's me and Brock and we both like it was like kind of like our first show that we built without Ben's age there. And it was me, Brad Crouch, my brother Malachi, that built it, just us three. And I don't know, I I've always had a hard time building, just like seeing the exact picture of how I wanted to turn out. And I always end up building them just with a ton of lip by that. But we built this shop and we kind of did build it with a ton of live, but ended up working out really good. And both me and Brock like landed. I think I had three tricks on it in the movie and Brock, too, in the movie. In that jump, really, it's like the best day of our year. I think it was just such a fun session and it was Amy 'tween that cycle where it snowed for days and it was like sunny for three. So it was like third day. I was actually really warm outdoors, like snow is heating up, but it was really, really sick. It was like fun. There's a lot of people there like watching the session and says is kind of cool. Right on, right on.
Mark Sullivan: [00:12:45] So when do you go out and you break off from Sage and Ben? Guys, we're a little bit older than you, maybe a little bit more experienced in the back country. Who's like the stand and trail boss, the guy who's like kind of leading the charge and like deciding like this is the jump spot.
Mark Sullivan: [00:12:59] This is where we're going to stop and we're going to start yelling, who does?
Red Gerard: [00:13:03] Yeah, I don't know. So is it between me and Brock for Sheriff Brooks sometimes as a little bit a different idea than I have? Ηe likes you tend to like the lines, I think. I think he's like a he's an AK guy.
Red Gerard: [00:13:17] I actually closet AK a guy. A closet. A exactly closet. AK guy.
Red Gerard: [00:13:22] But I don't know. I think we try to come together as both, but we also had some other people looking over us. Aaron Black, which has done a lot of all that, definitely helped us out a little bit there. And he was with us every day, so. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:13:39] Ok. Now, do you already have like. You obviously have a schedule for a tour to do all these premieres around the country, including back in Ohio. Do you have you already made plans for this season or are you going to film this season? Like, do you have a project already lined out?
Red Gerard: [00:13:54] Yeah, actually, I do. I don't really. I actually don't really know if I can totally say yet. But yeah, I do.
Mark Sullivan: [00:14:02] Martin OK. So I wish I knew more.
Red Gerard: [00:14:04] I wish I knew because I think I can, but not where are you going to be working with, like a similar crew of writers or a different a new crew of writers? I mean, can we can we dig a little bit here?
Red Gerard: [00:14:14] Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Kind of similar crew a definitely a few more. I think this movie will have more of like the movie base where all these section writers and not so much more like Joy was location based.
Red Gerard: [00:14:29] Like it started off the movie and Jackson then moved on to Todd and all that. Right. So that's how Joy was. I think this one will be more rider influence just part by far. By far. Okay. And they'll have some pretty heavy hitter writers.
Red Gerard: [00:14:45] So there are. Are there any goals that you have as far as like filming for this new upcoming project that that like things that you kind of had on your list to accomplish for last season? And now you're like, OK, I didn't get that done last year. I need to do it this year.
Red Gerard: [00:14:59] Yeah, I mean, I think so. I think maybe just trying to spend some more time on the snowboard.
Red Gerard: [00:15:06] I get so distracted with all the toys in the back country like snowmobiling and all that, that I'll get all this me and I really want to fill that job for you. A sled around. So I think my my goal for next year with all of that is to make sure to snowboard as much as I can.
Mark Sullivan: [00:15:23] Yeah. Because you end up just riding powder on the sled.
Red Gerard: [00:15:27] Yeah, exactly. It's like so easy to look at as Bob and be like occupy you like find one thing wrong with your head and just like sticks in your head. So yeah, it's easy to get distracted and just keep snowmobiling around looking for spots all the time.
Mark Sullivan: [00:15:44] Right. So are you becoming like a sled neck?
Red Gerard: [00:15:48] I don't know. That's that's maybe more of a question for Sage. And then they can they can decide you better coming on. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:15:56] Yeah, OK. Whereas sitting learned like, how competent are you? Are you on a sled? Like, could you do like one of these like downhill to uphill turns where you're headed downhill and then you drop a foot to a foot plant and come back around and go back uphill?
Red Gerard: [00:16:10] I don't know. That's. I'd love to try, but I feel pretty confident on one for sure. I kind of grew up back in Ohio, not really riding dirt bikes, but always around motorbikes and like knowing how to work a machine like that wasn't too hard for me to learn.
Red Gerard: [00:16:31] And once I figured out the counter steering, I was like, kind of in love with it just felt really sick to do it turns and stuff and lakebeds.
Red Gerard: [00:16:39] And I mean, obviously the worst parts get stuck. But yeah, I'm an expert at that. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's the that's the easy part.
Mark Sullivan: [00:16:51] Yeah I know. Right. It's crazy because it's like it's serious. You really get the hang of riding a sled. It's like you're riding powder now downhill and uphill.
Red Gerard: [00:17:00] Yeah, exactly. It's like you almost get the same feeling on your snowmobile as you can snowboard at times. It's deep enough and whatnot. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:17:09] Yeah, totally. Okay. So are you gonna be doing a lot more sled missions this year? Zach, kind of like you're focused like going to contests and then sledding in the back country. You kind of mix it up among everything or. Or like, what's your focus for the season?
Red Gerard: [00:17:23] Like when you say sledding, do you mean like snowboarding with it? Obviously do.
Mark Sullivan: [00:17:27] Well, at least having the snowboard with you. I mean, some of us have harder times and other people like stopping and holding jumps and actually us snowboarding off the sled. But. Yeah, yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:17:37] No, definitely. So yeah, my goal is definitely to snowboard a lot more with that. But I'd say I'm definitely doing a few contests this year. I I actually really enjoy doing the contests. I I don't mind them at all. So I don't want to lose sight of those. But I'm doing a lot more a lot more film chips that are a lot more filming, I would say. And yeah, hopefully build and build some more jumps and stuff. A lot more. Right on.
Mark Sullivan: [00:18:06] Have you ever done like a film shoot, like a straight street, like gone to Quebec and like filmed in the streets of Montreal or Quebec City?
Red Gerard: [00:18:15] That's actually yeah. It's pretty funny. I have. We were watching Jordan Smalls part yesterday that just came out and I was telling my friends as I went on a street trip with that guy, actually. But I only when I say Chip, but Jordan Smalls, Theodore muz and Jesse Paul and I went like one day and I kind of hit my head like midway through. And I was like, all right, I'm actually Blackhomb is like right before the U.S. Open. So I shan't heal up and make sure as I'll get there. So I went on a small one. I haven't done too many. No.
Mark Sullivan: [00:18:49] Is that something that you want to do more of in the future, or is it something where you're like, man, I can't afford to hit my head and get taken out for the X Games? No, for sure.
Red Gerard: [00:18:59] I think so. Like, I don't I enjoy hitting the rails and stuff, too. And I think next year, that's also some dimension. I think I might try to do like one or two street trips because I do enjoy that. And I think there's like they know unless you guys have a lot of creativity that I think is really cool. So totally at least try to do one ship and see, you know, if I can come up with something cool or if it's something I like. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:19:25] And try to do one right on it. So how do you like Sage? Like I mean you you're obviously exposed to every aspect of snowboarding.
Mark Sullivan: [00:19:35] Like how do you like kind of rank in terms of how gnarly it is like or like how sick or whatever, how how bad acid is like the the street versus the the backcountry all riding versus the line type riding like the AK right versus like the park riding and resort riding.
Red Gerard: [00:19:54] Yeah. I don't know. It is hard because if each one has its own you know, its own like scary parts did not like street guys slam you know like all the time that they have that the risk of getting hurt. I feel like a lot you know, each railhead is like I feel like they can get hurt pretty easily, which is crazy. But then that country writing like maybe I mean, you stole the chance to get hurt, obviously. But the good news, you if like fluffy snow below you. But then, yeah, I deal with the chance of like being in an avalanche and all that, which is life or death. Yeah. So that can get really scary and then park riding. The good news is, I mean I don't know Cartright. I mean you can get smoked doing but I say don't know where I am, where my stand is there with like all three.
Red Gerard: [00:20:45] Which ones natoli. As I said, they're both pretty pretty gnarly and kind of scary to do. But I don't know.
Mark Sullivan: [00:20:52] Have you ever caught like a serious injury, like one that took you out for like off or more?
Red Gerard: [00:20:58] I've been really lucky. Actually, I have. I've never broken a bone, which is so awesome. Knock on wood you have, right?
Red Gerard: [00:21:05] Yeah. No, I had asthma. I'm pretty psyched on that.
Mark Sullivan: [00:21:08] Do you think that's like part of your success is like the fact that you have.
Red Gerard: [00:21:12] Been like kind of laid up on a couch for a month every season up to this point in your career. You know, because I think a lot of people like it. Like small injuries or medium sized injuries, and they kind of lose part of their season. Right. And if you haven't had any serious injuries, it seems like you've probably been able to ride almost year round now for a while.
Red Gerard: [00:21:33] Yeah, for sure. I've been so lucky with all that.
Red Gerard: [00:21:35] Now I think back. I think it's awesome. But maybe a little bit. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:21:41] I don't know how. I mean, definitely I'm almost nowhere near, you know, counting injuries during the season. I've been lucky enough where I haven't had many. So I mean, maybe that's part of my leg. Minor success.
Mark Sullivan: [00:21:54] Okay. So like, how do you like prevent yourself from getting injuries? Are you doing stretching? Do you have like a strict diet? Do you, you know, surf every day in the summertime to be in good shape?
Mark Sullivan: [00:22:05] I mean, what are you doing to like prevent injury, like ahead of time?
Red Gerard: [00:22:09] I mean, to be honest, I really don't do much. I've been shine in the last two years. I've been definitely trying to work out quite a bit during the summer and just stay really active is my thing. And not like sitting around all day like I when I'm here in So Cal right now, like the days this I like I actually like it Donner so much. You never find yourself or like, you know, I was on a really cool program this summer especially I wake up in the morning to workout with Chaske all the bond at like 6:30 in the morning and after the agard shaped like a surf sesh and then go skate for a little and then end it at nighttime with like a succession too. And I think it's really cool here, like how active you can be.
Red Gerard: [00:22:53] So I don't know if that plays into it all, but I just try to stay super active. Sure.
Mark Sullivan: [00:22:58] Right. Is it enough just to skate and surf or do you also have to do I mean, I see all these clips like Scotty James doing all these crazy like, you know, like the rope on the ground and jumping through all the steps of it and then, you know, jumping over things and balance exercise and stuff like, yeah, that stuff, too. Or you pretty much just like skating, surfing, what whatever. Fun things that'll keep you busy.
Red Gerard: [00:23:22] Yeah. I feel like I mean, I don't know how much Scotty. I know he serves actually. I think he's pretty good surfing. I don't know how much he does it, though, but I feel like, you know, Scotty does all those like workouts where the crazy balance ones know where like if you just skateboard and surf, maybe you don't have to do those crazy exercises. At least that's that's what what's going on in my head. I'm like, maybe I don't have to do all that. I can just go skate, surf and have fun. But I definitely I try to do a lot of like when I go to the gym, just a lot of, you know, body weight stuff and try to do some stretching and just shut it like namely tight like it the surround the muscles around your joints and all that and get a nice and, you know, ready for the season. Right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:24:11] Right. Now, how long have you been surfing? Because I know you're living pretty close to the beach right now, but I know you're not from the beach.
Mark Sullivan: [00:24:18] You're from Ohio via call California via Colorado. But like, how long have you been surfing?
Red Gerard: [00:24:24] I've been surfing place. That is like. I don't know. I mean, I definitely just started doing it in the last two or three years. Like every day. When I have off time. But I mean, I started like first time I went maybe five years or something. And I am still so shitty on this airport. Like even like yesterday when I was paddling out, you look around, there's like people ripping all around here, like, how do I even get to that level? I don't know how to do it.
Red Gerard: [00:24:50] So are you longboarding or short boarding?
Red Gerard: [00:24:54] I like the shortboard for sure. Have you ever been barreled? No, not really. Actually, once. I will say on a wave store one time I like I felt foam go over my heads. I'm counting out. Yeah, that's me. That's my Batchelor at their peak.
Mark Sullivan: [00:25:10] Ok. OK. So. So have you ever been on like a surf trip, like out to the mental wise or to Indonesia or someplace like that? Have you ever done those trips?
Red Gerard: [00:25:20] I want to do one really bad. I when I was younger, when I wasn't really surfing, I went on to surf trip for more, just like a vacation with Brock Crouch to Nicaragua. OK. And that was fun. It was like a couple of our friends. And then me and Gabe Ferguson were on it, too. And we really surf.
Red Gerard: [00:25:38] So we just like rented these dirt bikes and rode around the whole time while those guys were like literally getting their old and stuff.
Red Gerard: [00:25:44] Really? But then, yeah, last summer this summer, my family did a family vacation in Costa Rica. And like me, my brother brought our surfboards and definitely surf quite a bit. So that was pretty fun, but not like a Stowe.
Mark Sullivan: [00:25:57] Where would you go? Like, what's your dream destination for surfing? Is it like Mexico? Is it like Southeast Asia? Where would you go?
Red Gerard: [00:26:05] I don't know. Somewhere where I don't know enough about it.
Red Gerard: [00:26:08] I'd have to ask Brock or someone, somewhere where it is like three to like five feet or something, which is like a mellow wave recognition, sir.
Mark Sullivan: [00:26:18] Right. It's more about actually catching the waves than like just getting shanked or something.
Red Gerard: [00:26:24] It's totally about like how long my ride can be, not just like if I can get there or they're not. I just want to, like, ride the wave, I guess, you know, until the end and show you some cool cars or something.
Mark Sullivan: [00:26:36] Ok. So how do you compare like, you know, like the difficulty of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding? Because obviously you've won a gold medal in snowboarding. So maybe that's easier to you just based on your experience. But how do you compare all three of those?
Red Gerard: [00:26:52] I don't know. I mean, I think each. Like I look at what scape are doing now and like it's like saying like, I can never pinch myself to the stuff that they're doing. And I look at that was surfing, too, like I compare. I looked at we went some big wave surfing videos the other day and the like. I compare the big wave surfing to like snowboarding AK like, you know, if there was going to be a comparison, I think that that would be nice.
Red Gerard: [00:27:18] But I don't know.
Red Gerard: [00:27:19] I have no clue like necessarily why. I guess I've just been snowboarding for so long and that's been the one that I've been doing for ages. And since I was young, I would say.
Red Gerard: [00:27:32] That that's the easiest, I guess.
Mark Sullivan: [00:27:35] Right. So do you have ambition to become a big wave surfer or an AK snowboarder?
Red Gerard: [00:27:41] Probably more of a case snowboarder because I just can't see myself on a big wave surfing, honestly. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:27:51] So when do you think that you would be ready for that, do you think you need a few more years of doing backcountry boosters? You think you're ready right now? I mean, you've probably written a ton of power ready for sure.
Red Gerard: [00:28:02] Like last year, we we did had one day in Canada, which was a pretty good little warm up. Not as big as Alaska and all that. But I don't know if I'm necessarily completely ready for that.
Red Gerard: [00:28:16] I had a lot of fun stuff that in Canada, but I honestly I really like to go out and build jumps in, like look for little poppers and pillows and stuff. That's like I feel like it's my type of snowboarding a lot. Yeah, I really like to like I mean it was really fun doing all the healthy stuff and is cool being in a healthy.
Mark Sullivan: [00:28:37] Was that your first time in a heli?
Red Gerard: [00:28:39] It was my second time. I did like one just free lap heli haliday in New Zealand. It's really sick.
Mark Sullivan: [00:28:46] Ok, so how would you describe like heli boarding to people who have never done it before?
Red Gerard: [00:28:51] It's I mean, it's pretty sexy, just like you're in a helicopter, which is insane. I like love that.
Red Gerard: [00:28:57] But basically they just like for us, we were hellion around in our L.A. pilot had like a couple ideas of where we wanted to go. So he would take us to that range and we'd just like a couple spots.
Red Gerard: [00:29:10] We landed at the bottom, looked around. Everyone pointed out their lines. And then we would take the heli up and go over the lines, which is really cool. You get to see it like almost like in a riding perspective in the helicopter when they go over it, because that's like something crazy.
Red Gerard: [00:29:24] And back in chains, like everything's so different when you're actually riding it.
Mark Sullivan: [00:29:28] Right. You can look up at it and it's like it looks one way looking up at it and it looks nothing like it. Looking down from the top.
Red Gerard: [00:29:35] Yeah. One hundred percent. Exactly. So you kind of got that was like a big plus. You got to like look at it as you like if you were writing, you know.
Red Gerard: [00:29:45] By.
Red Gerard: [00:29:48] I mean, that's kind of it. You just like buzz around an AK or whatever looks fun you whenever you think it shoots edge. That's what you're you're right.
Red Gerard: [00:29:57] You know, like, I guess I like to plan out some escape crowds. If an avalanche were to happen, which is really scary to think about.
Red Gerard: [00:30:05] I'm terrified of avalanches, but the right car with the right ways to go about it. I think they be safe.
Mark Sullivan: [00:30:13] So are you looking forward to doing more heliing this season? Are you? Is that something that you're like, OK? I want to keep doing this and learn more about this side? Or you kind of like that comes my way. I'll do it. Or is it something we're like my thing. I want to get healthy again.
Red Gerard: [00:30:27] I think I'm right in between there because I'm like, I'm down to go do it again. But it's not one of my priorities. OK.
Mark Sullivan: [00:30:34] What are your priorities in snowboarding? Are you more interested in, like filming, like just the sickest video part or like winning another X Games medal or like going to the next Olympics and defending your Gold Medal? Like what? What do you like seeing as like your goals inside of the sport?
Red Gerard: [00:30:50] Right now, I would say kind of both of them, honestly. I'm going to try to split my time pretty evenly and hopefully I can do it, manage it pretty good now. But I'd say they're both pretty equal. I mean, I would love to win an X Games medal.
Red Gerard: [00:31:06] I haven't done that yet and I would honestly love to go to the next Olympics, too. That was a really cool experience. I'd love to do it again, but I definitely want to sell my shit too because I have a lot of fun doing that and I really like the idea of how you can make your party your own. A lot of times in contests that's like the bomber. You can't make your contest. You're on your own because you know, the the course only gives you so much. And with that country you have a whole whole mountain ranges of your own creativity to go to do and your how to meet how you want you look.
Mark Sullivan: [00:31:41] Right. So so where do you get like this creativity from? Like, what are you looking at to like? Are you watching skate videos and being ICOM? Maybe I can take a little piece of that trick or I mean, what were you kind of getting influence from? Because you're already at like this cutting edge of the sport where basically it's like there's no one who's already done the tricks in front of you. Now used to be five years ago, you could watch video and be like, I want to go learn that trick. And now you're like, you don't know all their tricks. And so now you have to create new ones. So where do you get that inspiration from to create new tricks?
Red Gerard: [00:32:13] I mean, let's see for a contest run. My idea is just it's like it's a hit, such a high peak. I'm not really at the point where, like, I don't really want to, like, invent new tricks or anything. Like, I don't really want to do that. I'm more to the point where, like, I want to start having the part features built differently and get the average three jumps out of the contest scene and just to try to take different lines throughout the course of it that way. But with. With that, can you found that I'm just kind certainly get into it. I don't really know. I'm just trying to fill a really good part. Owners then. I don't really know where my creativity is at there.
Mark Sullivan: [00:32:55] Ok. So like, let's say that you had your own contest and you could design your own slopestyle course. What would read Jarod's slopestyle course look like in comparison to like what you would see in current slopestyle courses?
Red Gerard: [00:33:13] I think my slips, of course, would be something that both typewriters and slopes our writers would write in, and it would kind of be what do Toure is doing right now, let them modify the super pipe. But I think maybe have it a little bit more slips out like, you know, in that way. But no, I think it would have a couple of half its and then a couple of slopestyle features and maybe it ended off with like one big quarter pipe or one big wall read.
Red Gerard: [00:33:42] I've written down like a few ideas more in depth of that. But I think you know, and the gist of it all, a contest where it hits Bode half-white and slopes down and rails as well.
Mark Sullivan: [00:33:54] Now with the rails, do you see the current rails as kind of like skate style rails or as wakeboard style rails like on the classics?
Red Gerard: [00:34:04] Yeah, I never really thought of as wakeboarding, said Stowe rescues like waypoints. It rails are massive, right. They're really kind of big. Yeah. In stuff, but I kind of signed on type of rails.
Mark Sullivan: [00:34:14] Right. It's like you're kind of dislike you. Yeah. Right on it. Right there isn't like a lot of. Yes. Is not to make it on.
Red Gerard: [00:34:20] Yeah. I kind of see it as that honestly. Like when you go to axioms and shit like those rails are massive, they're like huge and. Right. Definitely not. Escape was dile I would say. But like sometimes they can be created.
Mark Sullivan: [00:34:35] Would you change the real setups in these slopestyle courses to be more skate style than just like just these massive kind of spectacle style things that look good on TV?
Red Gerard: [00:34:45] Yeah, I think so.
Red Gerard: [00:34:45] I think I would include a lot more training with the rails, you know, maybe having one on like a half pipe wall or something like that. Not just yet. You know, the average down bar, I think would maybe be a thing or something.
Mark Sullivan: [00:35:01] So maybe a little more technical as far as like how you get on the rail and how you get off the rail.
Red Gerard: [00:35:06] Totally. Yeah. I don't think I'd be anything massive not wait for rail or anything. I think it would just be, you know, a more creative approach or something more creative. Wherever creativity and where the rail is placed. Right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:35:22] Ok, that makes sense. But I'm not sure.
Red Gerard: [00:35:24] I'm totally just free with that. No clue. These are only thoughts that I had.
Mark Sullivan: [00:35:29] Ok. I mean, to be cool, though, to see you like draw out your designs and like, really, like, have you know, your influence because obviously you're qualified. You've won the Olympics. So I think your opinion matters. And it would be cool, though, to see kind of your take on like what an ideal slopestyle would be and see like how these park builders would react to actually changing the terrain and making it like make the terrain progressed. Because I don't think we're going to go much further than like 16 backside, 16 triple by my.
Red Gerard: [00:36:01] You know, I mean.
Mark Sullivan: [00:36:03] What's your favorite trick to do? My 14s. Or is it honest that I love the backside 360.
Red Gerard: [00:36:12] I think it's a really fun check. But I actually think I think the park builders would love to do it. I mean, I have to imagine I've talked to a lot of them. I've talked to Chris. Chris Gunnerson and all that. But I think that they would actually love to do it.
Red Gerard: [00:36:29] It's your standards with F-5s and all that that you like to qualify for the Olympics. There's actually a appreciators a certain way that, of course, has to be right.
Red Gerard: [00:36:38] And that's why I like I love showing up to like to do tours and stuff when it's not Olympic year because they're always they're not under any qualifications, then it's just a building.
Mark Sullivan: [00:36:48] Right.
Red Gerard: [00:36:49] I mean, me as a park builder, I would think that I would want an open canvas just to go make some stuff.
Mark Sullivan: [00:36:55] Ok, so what's your favorite kind of event? You have these kind of standardized fice events where they have three real three jumps. You have like a X-Games where it's just these massive gym, massive features and like gym session style qualifiers, finals. And then you have like the Dew tour, which is kind of a hybrid, but with like really creativity in the courses, which is your favorite, what do you gravitate to?
Red Gerard: [00:37:20] My favorite, my two favorites are due taun U.S. Open.
Red Gerard: [00:37:23] I think do tours try some really cool creative stuff and it's pretty cool.
Red Gerard: [00:37:30] And then I think the U.S. Open like every year, they just they do more stuff that I think more contests look at and they start to try and do. And like I think even like this year will be a crazy year for I think there'll be some really new stuff. And I actually made a solid peach. But I think it'll be a really cool year for all that. And they're always at the front line for creativity courses and they they kill it.
Mark Sullivan: [00:38:03] Thanks for to noon to another episode of The Snowboard Project. I'd like to ask you guys to rate review and subscribe to the snowboard project. You know, all those reviews, all those ratings make a difference to people's ability to search and find our podcast just out of the blue. So we really do appreciate you guys taking the time to rate review, subscribe and tell your friends about The Snowboard Project. Thanks.
Mark Sullivan: [00:38:46] Ok. Well, I want to change subjects here. I have some questions, you know, about the Olympics, but actually not the same questions you've been asked before. Because I've seen air interviews of them. There were a lot of them. Right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:38:57] You did a lot of interviews and that's actually the same.
Red Gerard: [00:39:00] Yeah. Right. It's like, OK, you know, 18 of your family members were there. We knew you forgot your jacket. Right.
Red Gerard: [00:39:07] We have you know these things, right, Billy? Yeah. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:39:10] All these things are like the kind of common knowledge, but it's like, what was it like? Like after winning, like in all of this? And then what was like the interviewer tour like? I mean, you've probably never done anything like this. I've never seen anything like this. It is like 50 interviews in a week. Right. What was that like? How did that go down? Can you describe that? Like that scene with next week after winning gold was like.
Red Gerard: [00:39:35] Yeah, it was not. It was even like the next week. It was like the next 24 hours is crazy. So, yeah, I did that.
Red Gerard: [00:39:43] And then I light up until that moment after my run like I after I won. Like I still thought the Olympics was just like in X Games the whole course.
Mark Sullivan: [00:39:54] And I now I know like where the Olympics gets his big name because of how many. I think it's because of how many.
Red Gerard: [00:40:01] And like all these interviews and stuff and all the publicity around it makes it the Olympics, you know? Yeah, it's definitely not the cause or anything because I mean, that course was actually pretty cool, is definitely more creative. I thought I thought I was sick when I was pretty sick.
Red Gerard: [00:40:15] The real sections were pretty sick and there were definitely. Yeah. Interesting. Joe takes on the jumps, too, like you did that like over like from a transition over the rail at reentry in the rail section.
Red Gerard: [00:40:25] That was. Yeah. Yeah I know. That's exactly what I thought. Like I like out of all courses. There's definitely more plain ones that you know like that. Yeah. You know, top three most creative at bottom. So I. After that I went into like just so many interviews that day like twenty four hours of it almost just go and did some interviews at that mountain. And then did my drug testing all that.
Red Gerard: [00:40:53] And then I went like this in this car car ride down to the media center and I was there prior to like 12 or 1 a.m. I think just doing back-to-back interviews. And that's where you saw those 50 you know, the 50 interviews, the same exact questions. It was just like hopping from each station to each station, you know, is a massive it was like being in a Lowe's just full of interview, interview people, you know, like each race, like CBS or whatever had their station, ESPN had theirs. It was like being a different photo booth.
Mark Sullivan: [00:41:27] And then what? That next day actually is pretty chill. I like I listen until it's well, I got to go up and watch the women's slopestyle, which was really cool. And then right after that was done, I went back down to the coastal side of the Olympics, which was like a two hour drive.
Red Gerard: [00:41:45] And did went to their media center and did all theirs.
Mark Sullivan: [00:41:49] And by this time I was a chauffeur and like the handlers going everywhere with you in that kind of thing.
Red Gerard: [00:41:55] Yes, sort of. Sort of.
Red Gerard: [00:41:56] It was just mainly like my brother Malakai and my agent Ryan Rocchi. And then there was like a little media team set up for for all that that was controlling it. Mm hmm. And then that next day I flew back to America, went to L.A. for I did like three interviews there, which was the Jimmy Kimmel one. Mm hmm. And then I was a good interview.
Red Gerard: [00:42:22] Oh, thanks. I mean, people felt different.
Red Gerard: [00:42:24] There's like some people that didn't like it. Some people did like it.
Red Gerard: [00:42:28] But yeah, it was it was thought I was doing the snowboarding. I thought you came across like a snowboarder. That's what I get, right?
Mark Sullivan: [00:42:34] Yeah. And then the people that weren't snowboarders didn't like it.
Mark Sullivan: [00:42:37] So you weren't polished enough for them. It's like I'm 70 gaborik.
Red Gerard: [00:42:41] Exactly. I'm jet lagged as hell right now. I'm so I hate. But. And then from there I went to New York for two days and did like Good Morning America and all that and did those and then went back to the Olympics and no more interviews.
Red Gerard: [00:42:55] When I went back to Korea, I was like a.
Red Gerard: [00:42:59] I show is just getting ready for big air. There is one more time. You know, but my I wish I like after doing the contest and after settling down like I was so already, like complete, you know, after winning slopestyle that I was going back.
Red Gerard: [00:43:12] I didn't even care how I did it. Big and big air. You know, I actually ended up making finals. I was like, oh, my God.
Red Gerard: [00:43:19] Like, kinda like, oh, almost a little bummed at the time. And like making finals and like, I don't even know what to do, you know, like I have I don't have enough shakes for Big Bear. Like, I have no clue. But I wish I was a little bit more focused going into it.
Red Gerard: [00:43:32] Like once I settled down I I kind of realizes like, dang, that would've been cool. You know, try to go for another medal or something.
Red Gerard: [00:43:40] But yeah, but maybe like I didn't have the pressure on you like to the same degree. And maybe that's also why you made finals, you know.
Red Gerard: [00:43:49] Yes. Like 100 percent. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:43:51] And I lose your time zone. Like what? Did you stay in like Korea time when you went back to America? Did you try to stay in the Korean time zone? I do. I got so messed up. I went to Korea. I was just on the way there for like a week and a half, two weeks. Like most of the Olympics. I was jetlagged.
Red Gerard: [00:44:07] Yeah, yeah. Not I was pretty good. I mean, I went back to America, was super jetlagged, waking up at like 2 a.m. and stuff. But I didn't. I just kind of dealt with it like I just did it all. It wasn't that bad.
Red Gerard: [00:44:20] Like going back to Korea was super easy for me because I felt like I still was a little down at times and I never really adjusted.
Red Gerard: [00:44:27] Like I remember waking up at like like in New York, waking up like 3:00 a.m. and I called my girlfriend at the time, which was she's over. She was over in Korea. So I never really adjusted. I felt like. But, yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:44:43] Do you feel like a little bit weird about the fact that you had like another contest at the end of the Olympics and you won the gold, but then they're like, OK, we're going to take you out of the Olympics, take you out of the way from your friends. And now you have to go on this tour and jump through all these hoops. It's like, yeah, you know, dance, clown dance. Right. You did that for a week and then you're like, oh, get back into the mindset of competition and Olympic victory right now.
Red Gerard: [00:45:06] It was a little bit weird, but I was actually so psyched at the time, like, yeah, I was like all sick. I get to go back to America like this can be so fun. Just guys like I love on trips, like I I love going back home and stuff.
Red Gerard: [00:45:18] I love taking the time and, you know, going back home.
Red Gerard: [00:45:22] But it was weird coming back into it like my head definitely was a little bit like, you know, outerspace and all that. And I think if I was more focused, I would have made more of like a stretch to say, like, I'm good at like, I don't I don't want to go back to America.
Red Gerard: [00:45:40] I want to stay focused for a big error. But I just wasn't really like took it all there for Big Bear. Right.
[00:45:46] So they put the decision partially in your hands, whether you do this whole media gantlet EPU room.
Red Gerard: [00:45:52] Yeah, it's pretty 50/50 for sure. Like I think I could argue did to go.
Mark Sullivan: [00:45:56] Ok, so what was the first meal that you had after winning your gold medal in America? What was like the thing you're like, okay. I can't wait to have Taco Bell or whatever. What was it, dude?
Mark Sullivan: [00:46:05] I think it was to pull away. Honestly, I have no. I'm trying to think. I think is viable. Yeah. Really?
Mark Sullivan: [00:46:12] So you're Donner maybe you maybe like.
Red Gerard: [00:46:14] Yeah, maybe even room service. I can't really remember. I know once I got the first thing I did when I got back from Korea after Big Bear we went on like a whole other media tour, but it started in L.A. again.
Red Gerard: [00:46:25] The first thing I did when I got off the plane, I went straight edge. Okay. Nice. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [00:46:30] What do you think of the food in Korea? I thought the breakfast was a little bit crazy. Yeah. Yeah, I like the food there, but it was definitely different, you know.
Red Gerard: [00:46:39] Yeah, for sure. Definitely was a little different. I thought his Big Bear the Korean barbecues. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:46:46] Like the ones in the athletes village. I thought I thought that the village food was not that great, but we were super lucky. The US team had like their own USA house which left athlete village.
Red Gerard: [00:46:57] There's like a bus leaving every 15 minutes and they were always cooking up food for us, which is really nice of them. All right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:47:04] So you could get something anytime you want. That was actually like healthy. Good. Do they have, like me? Exactly. The athlete village.
Red Gerard: [00:47:11] It was it was a weird scene like the they had at anything you want. It was like a world class one.
Red Gerard: [00:47:16] it was like you could get like sushi. That was not that great sushi or like pizza that like totally tasted like, you know, I got it was out of a frozen freezer. But then like Hailie and Kyle Mac. But I was in America doing my like inbetween contests. They went down to the coastal one night, the coastal athlete village, how much the eating place there. And they said the food there was like fantastic.
Red Gerard: [00:47:41] And they loved it. Really, really. But the mountain wasn't that good.
Mark Sullivan: [00:47:45] I guess you got the short end of the stick up in the mountains.
Red Gerard: [00:47:48] So yeah, I guess that was pretty mellow though I think in the athlete village because it's like people who were in the media.
Red Gerard: [00:47:55] We don't get to go into the athletes village. So I'm just curious. Like what? Sassine, like, what's your accommodations like where you're staying?
Red Gerard: [00:48:02] Accommodations were a little interesting, we were actually pretty squished. It was like me and Kyle Macro's shared a room. But in our apartment building, in the same building, it was like Chase Josie and Jake Pates were in the room right next to us. And then Ben Ferguson was there in Ryan's day. So Chris chording were in a room, those really small apartments with like 30 rooms in each apartment. But it was cool where with like we knew everyone. We had a really good squad. It would have been different if it was like you roomed up with someone that did like bobsledding or something, you know, because everyone was in the same building, like we had a USA hotel. Basically, it was like a tower, you know, just rooms in it. That was all USA. So school then to Paris up with their friends and stuff.
Mark Sullivan: [00:48:50] Did you guys get in to any run in with the authorities? I mean, I know you guys are snowboarders and I know that you're out to have a good time as well. And after the pressure was off, I guess you were probably caught up in this, the media crush after that and probably on your best behavior, I would imagine as well, because all eyes were on you. Did you get into any trouble or have any.
Mark Sullivan: [00:49:12] Like, you know, hijinx over in South Korea? No. Let's see.
Red Gerard: [00:49:21] No, no, I didn't actually in like, you know, any time I was messing around, my whole family was there. So I went to hang out with them. And that was actually the best meal I had was with my family and some Korean barbecue. Right now, everyone was so fire.
Mark Sullivan: [00:49:37] Everyone knows it. Like 18 of your family members were there. I think your brother was at the top of the half pipe or the slope style rate before you dropped in. Is that correct?
Mark Sullivan: [00:49:49] Your brother? No. He was in because he was so hard to get your attention since I write a lot of data in there, but he wasn't. But I remember Frankie Chapman was there, which is really cool.
Red Gerard: [00:50:01] He's like one of my best buds. OK. That was said to have them up there. But now they were all down on the bottom. It was so hard to get your attention.
Mark Sullivan: [00:50:08] Something right. I mean, it's pretty, pretty gnarly. But who.
Red Gerard: [00:50:13] Who were the family members that came out? Obviously, your you have a big like God direct family. But then, I mean, not 18 brothers, sisters and parents. So who were the people there from your family? Let's talk about your family for a few minutes, because you I think in a lot of your interviews, you're like, hey, man, I'm stoked. My family's here. Right. Let's talk about your family being there and pay them the respect they deserve.
Red Gerard: [00:50:34] Yeah, totally. So all my brothers and sisters, there's seven of us, including me and then my mom, my dad and then my cousins were there.
Red Gerard: [00:50:44] And then basically, I think was. Just my cousins.
Red Gerard: [00:50:50] Other than that, which is basically like we were we were on a really tight family, like my cousins are basically your brothers and sisters and stuff, and we're always spending Christmas together in a few of my cousins live like 30 minutes from where I'm at right now.
Mark Sullivan: [00:51:04] So we hang out with them like every weekend and stuff. So are they snowboarders, too?
Red Gerard: [00:51:09] Yeah, everyone Stowe was not as much as I do, but it was nowhere.
Red Gerard: [00:51:13] All right. So let's talk about that. Like, how did you actually, like, learn how to snowboard? I understand that your older brother kind of taught you how to ride at a very young age.
Red Gerard: [00:51:24] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My older brother and my dad, I think from what I can remember, my dad, just like we're in Whistler Blackhomb only family trip was super. Yeah. I think they remember this, but my dad used to just carry me up the hill because he wanted in lift tickets for me and just send me down the hill. And I remember moving out to Colorado the first you removed out here. I thought I was such a king on us. No, we're back in Ohio like ribbon on nails. Got here, went up a chairlift. I was like, oh, my God, these men are so much bigger. And we're just bombing down the whole hell and sliding my sliding to my butt. And if I did that for like the first seven, 10 days out here and then I finally learned to like link some cars.
Mark Sullivan: [00:52:06] So do you learn how to ride a bike first or how to snowboard first?
Red Gerard: [00:52:11] I think it was kind of both that same year, too, it was two years old, that was a big year for me apparently because I learned how to ride this little dirt bike that we had, this little Honda 50 and a bicycle. That same year. And so it's skateboarding and snowboarding.
Mark Sullivan: [00:52:26] So how did you actually like what was the impetus to actually move from Ohio to Colorado? Because I don't really you know, I don't understand how that happens. I would like a whole family picks up and moves like across the country, you know?
Red Gerard: [00:52:42] Yeah. It wasn't even it definitely wasn't for me by any means. It was. My mom, just like my brother Brandon, went to Crestview Academy in Colorado and my mom and dad did like a couple, two years in a row. They did like visits to him out there and they loved it a lot. My mom hates when I say this, but she was hit. I was is like a little bit like a midlife crisis sort of thing where she has had to get out of Ohio because I'm in the winters is like it can get pretty ugly. Pretty depressing. Depressing. Sorry, depressing. Yeah. Just so dark. And, you know, it's like really cold and so dark.
Red Gerard: [00:53:24] And my dad can work from home, from home. So it was a pretty easy thing to do. The first year we just rented a house and kind of brought everyone out there for the winter. And then we did that for a couple of years and we went out there in the winter and then went back to the summers, did that for three or four years.
Red Gerard: [00:53:45] And then one year we just stayed out there full time. And eventually my parents ended up selling the house in Ohio and buying a house out there.
Mark Sullivan: [00:53:54] Cool. You know, my mom actually came from a big family, like kind of like yours. And it struck strikes me that like every kid in that family is like different. Right. They all have different flavors. They all went on to do different things in their life. What is it like? What is your what do all your brothers do? Like what is Creighton do right now?
Mark Sullivan: [00:54:14] Where's he at? Core?
Red Gerard: [00:54:18] Honestly, they should know this. And I kind of do. He's like. He's like. And his lawyer's assistant, which I'm probably saying that really wrong and has some title. But he lives actually back in Cleveland. He's lucky with his jobs every month. He gets like he gets like 10 days off every month. So he'll usually go back out to Colorado and go hang up my parents because he he's slowly turned.
Red Gerard: [00:54:46] I think get out of Cleveland a little bit. Right. And then Trevor works for fall shoes and Malachi works. I mean, he's a film or he's he's filming the then our next year project as well.
Mark Sullivan: [00:55:00] But any and Trever, live with you right now in Oceanside.
Red Gerard: [00:55:04] Yeah. Yeah. They live. Yep. And then what? So then, yeah. Chi also helps out with my sister.
Red Gerard: [00:55:13] She does. My sister's a food blogger. She Bone zone business called half a Tavis. Right. And my brother Malik makes all of her videos over food and all that.
Mark Sullivan: [00:55:25] Really? She's like famous. So she's like in certain circles, she's more famous than you.
Red Gerard: [00:55:30] Oh, she's way more famous than me. And she. She kills it. She, like, has almost a million Instagram followers and all that and really always is flying to New York and find Ali and stuff on talk shows like every day.
Red Gerard: [00:55:41] And people love love her. He has got to check it out. There is less than you know.
Mark Sullivan: [00:55:46] But what's the best meal she's ever made for you? Because I assume she knows how to cook.
Red Gerard: [00:55:51] Pretty good. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [00:55:52] And I've been trying again to cook, too, as I've done, like, you know, living in my own house. Now, I've been trying to get into it, but she. The best to try this one. It's been going around in the family for a while. It's pretty easy. But she's potato chip chaikin. Get some chicken crush ups and potato chips and put LONGERGAN over the college meal.
Red Gerard: [00:56:14] But it's pretty fiery. I love it.
Red Gerard: [00:56:16] And she makes amazing, amazing dishes, though, like really good pastas and all that. And her sweets are unbelievable. I like your desserts.
Mark Sullivan: [00:56:26] And that's Teagan, right?
Red Gerard: [00:56:28] That's Teagan then Brandon.
Red Gerard: [00:56:30] He is like a manager of a shipping warehouse in L.A. that is now wife.
Red Gerard: [00:56:39] It's his like his wife's sister owns this business and he runs the shipping department of the business.
Mark Sullivan: [00:56:44] So how does he feel about having a younger brother who is like an Olympic gold medalist?
Red Gerard: [00:56:51] I think he loves it.
Red Gerard: [00:56:53] I don't know.
Red Gerard: [00:56:54] I actually cannot really tell you anything they ask them, but I think he likes it. I love when he likes. There's a couple of contests that he'll fly out for.
Red Gerard: [00:57:03] And like, it's funny seeing him snowboarding isn't really. He lives in L.A. now and doesn't snowboard as much as he used to. It. Do it, runs it, and then like I was sleep on, like how good he was. All right.
Mark Sullivan: [00:57:16] Ok. So I imagine that your family is, like most others, their sibling rivalry. Right. And so all of your family's snowboard zoĂ. And so, you know, I remember this very distinctly when I actually considered myself least on my own, had better as a snowboarder than my older brother.
Mark Sullivan: [00:57:32] When did you get better at snowboarding than Trever, Brendan Chye and Crighton?
Red Gerard: [00:57:39] I don't know. I would say when I got better than Chi Chi was my main competition and his younger brandnew was out of reach.
Red Gerard: [00:57:48] Yeah, yeah, he was too good. But I got better than Chi Chi like had some unfortunate injuries and all that from snowboarding when he was younger. And I think he'll save. And I just passed him on to one of his injuries out of that. Well, I just came home and I was a little bit older than him or something.
Red Gerard: [00:58:07] And then, Brandon, I know that you could eat.
Red Gerard: [00:58:10] That's a question for him.
Mark Sullivan: [00:58:13] He'll never forget that day.
Red Gerard: [00:58:15] Yeah, he's still sleeping. He thinks he is the better one still.
Red Gerard: [00:58:18] Yeah. You've got you've got some other hardware to contests that.
[00:58:22] Yeah. You know, but he's pretty good at arguing. He's the arguer of the family. You can win any argument so.
[00:58:29] Well you think you're winner and legal brother Creighton would be the better arguer.
[00:58:33] Yeah he is. But he sleeps. He's real quiet about it. He's the, you know, really low key about everything. He just kind of hangs out. Okay. Okay. Cool.
[00:58:43] Yeah. And Trevor still writing to write.
[00:58:46] Yeah. Yeah. All right. He actually just flew to Colorado today. He's going to get some work out there. And you snowboard, too.
Mark Sullivan: [00:58:54] Cool. So. So when does your season actually begin? Like, when are you like, pack in your bags from Oceanside and being like, this is winter time now. I'm now in snowboard season.
Red Gerard: [00:59:07] I think it kind of already happened.
Red Gerard: [00:59:10] I always feel like it happens like right when we go to New Zealand, but I think it realistically full time happens like when we go to go to Europe for all those training camps.
Red Gerard: [00:59:21] So you're going to have to start talks at the end of the month. Stuff like that. Yeah. I flew from Europe to like Joy for the premiere there. So you guys are stomping ground park session. That's awesome.
Red Gerard: [00:59:34] Yeah, I did that. And I feel like that's where it always starts. And I'm supposed to fly back to Europe all. On the thirty first of this month. But I don't know. The snow's a little low over there so we'll see if it everything goes there. But yeah I'd say where are kind of started.
Mark Sullivan: [00:59:49] I feel like you ever get sick of like going back and forth to Europe or like cross the world, jetlag, everything. I mean, you're like, I've got to come back for a few days and I got to go over here for three days near a different time zones and locations, languages, foods, all that stuff. Do you ever get sick of that?
Red Gerard: [01:00:06] Dude, totally. I mean, like all the time, especially when I'm over there, like, I feel like I was younger, I used to deal with that, like I feel like I remember myself. I go to Europe with the U.S. team for like months on end and like, loving it, you know, like 9V going to leave when I like when we are leaving. And now I'm over there for like ten days and like I'm ready to be home. And a big thing for me with all that, it's just like if I had the option to leave early, like paying the is to change your flight and go home early helps me out a lot or not even change the cost. But leaving the location of like sore SFAE or something and going down as Erik like two days early and spending my time in Zurich instead of, you know, up in the mountains helps me out a lot. But pre-Iowa, does it mean like when you have to go to places and the place you get my airline miles and all that and you can look forward to that.
Mark Sullivan: [01:00:59] Did did winning the Olympics change your like financial outlook in life?
Mark Sullivan: [01:01:05] Like what kind of impact did that have?
Mark Sullivan: [01:01:07] Did you like having all these major sponsors just flooded so you could make decisions like to go to zerk for two days and you had a little more freedom to travel the way you wanted to to go to where you want to, because people are like a little more accommodating of an Olympic gold medalist, let's say, than not. Did that also change like your sponsorship deals and your financial situation as well?
Red Gerard: [01:01:28] I mean, I honestly like maybe a little bit, but I I don't really know. Like, I feel like. Did you get my distance? I got one for personal, not one that was out there, but who I always leave it all up to my agent.
Red Gerard: [01:01:46] They made one for you that you got to have that you have under article or something. Gotcha.
[01:01:51] Yeah, exactly. Not one that they like advertised. I think Chloe Kim got that one.
Red Gerard: [01:01:55] You were in competition with Chloe and they're like, oh, she's.
Red Gerard: [01:01:59] Yeah. Any time I'm in competition with her, I'm like, OK, I know where this is headed. Right. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:02:06] Like, she deserves it. She's killers. Yeah. But yeah. Yeah, I don't know.
Red Gerard: [01:02:11] I always just try to keep that up to my age and stuff and focus on what I what I know how to do right now.
Mark Sullivan: [01:02:19] Do you have like you obviously have an agent Runke. Do you have like a financial manager and do you have a manager as well. Like obviously Runke is making all these deals from you. You have someone who's like telling you like, okay, here's what you should be doing and this is what you should be getting ready for. Like actually managing your time. Yeah. Versus like managing your your financial wherewithal.
Red Gerard: [01:02:39] Yeah. Yeah. A little bit. I mean I. My brother Malik does a lot of that for me. He's really good with all that and kind of plans a little bit of my season and what I should be doing whenever I've questions was area a full on manager.
Red Gerard: [01:02:55] But yeah, I definitely definitely lean lean on him a lot. For all that he it manages my schedule on because it's just random stuff that pops up and then he kind of looks at some of that like denies some of them and you know, whatever is going to be better for my head. I think he's got the best interests.
Mark Sullivan: [01:03:16] Do you and your brothers still fight?
Red Gerard: [01:03:18] Because I know that I know my brother the time. OK.
Red Gerard: [01:03:22] I guess the last argument you got in with your brothers that got heated all the time.
Red Gerard: [01:03:29] Every time.
Red Gerard: [01:03:30] But Brandon, with Brandon and we're always on family vacations, I'm always arguing with Jesse, like on an argument in person. And he's argumentative person. So it's like if something pops up, it's no brainer. Like, Oh, I know that. Like, I know that for a fact we'll go at each other for days. Really and.
Red Gerard: [01:03:47] Yeah. Well now guys, I'm getting like little fights but nothing. Nothing too bad.
Mark Sullivan: [01:03:51] Just answer age. The bigger the fights.
Red Gerard: [01:03:54] Yeah. Like we're always getting in fights here. So that's like never has changed.
Mark Sullivan: [01:03:58] Ok. Do you guys what? You're 19. How old is. How old's Brendan now.
Red Gerard: [01:04:05] Twenty eight or nine. He's getting close to 30. He's getting older. OK.
Mark Sullivan: [01:04:12] So there's like some distance. Like, how old is your oldest brother? How old is your younger sister?
Mark Sullivan: [01:04:17] Like, what's the range? It's nuts. Yeah. My younger sister is ten or eleven and my older brother is.
Red Gerard: [01:04:24] Oldest brother is.
Red Gerard: [01:04:26] Like thirty six, I want to say thirty five, thirty four. OK. Somewhere in that range. Yeah, I got it.
[01:04:33] There's a lot of kids. But spaced out quite a bit. A heavy space for. Right on. So is it strange having a brother who's like.
Mark Sullivan: [01:04:45] You know, I mean, literally from a different generation than you, I mean, you're all gathering as a family, but it's like you have one brother who's 15 years older than you and a sister who's almost 10 years younger than you, you know?
Red Gerard: [01:04:56] Yeah, a little bit. But like I say, we'll make it together. Like the people, the person that like I get along with the best and have like sometimes the most fun.
Red Gerard: [01:05:03] Bonwit is my oldest brother. And just because really is the best is also positive. But everything in life is all about having a good time. And I think that like all the cool stuff that like I get to do.
Red Gerard: [01:05:16] Like when I tell him about it, he kind of freaks out about it like more than I do. And I'm like, this is way too cool to have like that. I really like to share these things easier said with nice.
Mark Sullivan: [01:05:27] So what is it like a Gerard family gathering look like? I mean, do you start getting Gerarded? Do you put on the Cleveland Browns game? I mean, what does it look like?
Red Gerard: [01:05:37] You just said it right there. Yeah, yeah. It's like a mix of what everyone saw at the Olympics to the Cleveland Browns to a couple arguments popping off and.
Red Gerard: [01:05:52] Sub it's honestly like just a big gathering, like if you can just manage in a big gathering.
Mark Sullivan: [01:05:58] Is how many cases of beer at a good Gerard family gathering a lot, honestly, like I couldn't even tell you then. But let's see the last one in Costa Rica, there is multiple store ships every day.
Mark Sullivan: [01:06:14] Really? OK. So who's gonna puke? Centralia Police. Oh, who's pre-code first?
Red Gerard: [01:06:21] My brother Brandon. He's got that one dialed and he's got that one down. And he's known as the Big Brother. So, yeah, it all amounted to. It's funny is his wife Lindsay is like, you know, they'll be late night. She'll just be telling stories all the time about how like a different drug story or something. Really? OK. It's hilarious. It's just fun. Fun times. Yeah, right on.
Mark Sullivan: [01:06:48] So where do you see yourself like going with snowboard? Do you have ambitions in the sport? Like, okay, you've accomplished I mean, on paper, what most people would say are like the highest goals that you could achieve. You got a gold medal.
Mark Sullivan: [01:07:01] You know, you. Yeah. Here on the national team, you've had a one off Wheaties box, I guess, sort of, you know, what are your goals like long term personal where you want to pro model, you want to have your own video production company sponsor kids. I mean, what would you want to do, like with your life and snowboarding? To me, they like every opportunity, anything you could want to do is going to be laid out for you.
Red Gerard: [01:07:26] Yeah, I mean, I know I'd say it's something I'm trying to figure out right now, which is, you know, maybe try to look a little bit at my future. But one thing that like has always interest me is like, you know, I definitely I just want to be like the like the snow whereases. Getting Writer of the year would be like a really cool thing. I think that would be awesome.
Red Gerard: [01:07:47] K. Rider of the Year. Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna dove into this a little bit because we can figure this out right now. Get some good goals and you know, totally.
Red Gerard: [01:07:55] Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:07:55] But I wanted it to be like a for a couple more years. You know, it choose nowhere that films video parts, you know. Does the contest see and I would love to win an X Games gold medal or not. Not X games. You'll not just X Games medal in general. I think that's always something I wanted to do as a kid. But I love just to keep them on video parts. And then something that's always interested me was like being, you know, an interview person. What what's that call like? That's a professional term for that. A journalist. A journalist.
Mark Sullivan: [01:08:28] Yeah, I think you're right. You make a good interviewer. You know, you really have an easy way of dealing with it, you know? Yeah. So I do appreciate that. And also, by the way, in all of those interviews you did. post-Olympics, it's like men. You actually just stepped into all these weird, crazy situations, like what was the craziest interview you had? Like, what was the craziest like situation you got thrown into right after the Olympics? I saw it. It's like NFL video with these guys who are like football players.
Mark Sullivan: [01:08:57] Yeah. There's so many of us.
Red Gerard: [01:08:59] There's so many of them, for sure. The one that always got me, you know, the shark tank shell. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:09:04] Yeah, that's true. As in like some New York building some interview and they like jumped into my green room. I was like literally sleeping on the couch. So jet lag and this is even an interview situation. But I talk to them for a while. I was like, I am literally just talking like billionaires. I.
Mark Sullivan: [01:09:22] I said, OK, I've got this idea for this amazing product.
Red Gerard: [01:09:26] No. They said they said they're like, you got any idea? Like, if you ever got any ideas, like, hit me up, here's my card and it's a hit.
Mark Sullivan: [01:09:35] I'm never gonna be anything. But what about like starting a snowboard company?
Red Gerard: [01:09:39] Like I mean, there's certain people like Jeremy Jones. Let's say he would be like the the most direct account put us through.
Mark Sullivan: [01:09:44] Hey, you got a whole you got a whole business right there between your brothers and your family. You've got a whole staff of people right there that could run a snowboard company with you.
Red Gerard: [01:09:53] Yeah. I'm saying it's no company.
Red Gerard: [01:09:56] I maybe, maybe in the long term. But I don't. I don't know if I can ever do it.
Red Gerard: [01:10:02] Okay, let's go. You know, a lot.
Mark Sullivan: [01:10:04] Yeah. And the journalism, that's a little bit harder. Like how how do you, like see journalism moving forward, though? It's like I'm doing interview with you here right now. But there's now Instagram. There's videos. I mean, where is snowboarding journalism going? Because if you're gonna be a journalist here in the future, I need to know where to start setting my sights for the future.
Red Gerard: [01:10:23] Yeah, I don't I don't know. Like I look at Jackman, Charlie, I don't even know if he's like a journalist necessarily. But I think that he does a kind of cool in a way at times.
Mark Sullivan: [01:10:34] Yeah. It's like purchase tonality turned journalist, right?
Red Gerard: [01:10:38] Yeah. Yeah, I don't. But it's it is weird because it's like, you know, where is journalism going? Necesary is like how I mean to know it's like Instagram.
Red Gerard: [01:10:49] I think Instagram is just ruined. So many things. And especially in snowboarding, like video parts and stuff, it's like everything's just like an Instagram video now. Like I get even like it's like my news and like stuff that's going on around the world from. From Instagram.
Mark Sullivan: [01:11:03] So I thought it's such a crazy thing that, you know, that we're gonna break this interview up into a one hundred Instagram posts.
Mark Sullivan: [01:11:10] Each one has an answer. Yeah, that's what I felt like. The show, all the joy stuff.
Red Gerard: [01:11:15] I was like and we are breaking this up into like a lot of Instagrams right now.
Red Gerard: [01:11:21] Right. And you're going to REI's average it like 100 different ways and like have a new clip to drop every day from now until next year, I guess.
Red Gerard: [01:11:29] Something to eat. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
Mark Sullivan: [01:11:32] It's like it's like the whole process of making the movie. But then there's the whole process of like repackaging the content. One hundred different ways.
Red Gerard: [01:11:40] Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Just how long can we push yourself.
Mark Sullivan: [01:11:44] So where do you think Instagram will go. Like what do you think. Like the answer is for that stuff.
Red Gerard: [01:11:50] So I can't see it. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:11:51] I mean I mean you probably have an Instagram. Do you manage your own Instagram page or did someone else do?
Red Gerard: [01:11:56] I do. I do. Yeah, I do my own. But then like my brother Malka does all my posts basically. Okay, like all the all the ones that I have to get done and all the sponsored ones, he does that. And then I'll make some all the random like dumb ones. You see those ones are usually me.
Mark Sullivan: [01:12:12] Okay. Okay. So. So do you have like a strategy for Instagram or are you just kind of like, oh, that was cool posts up reserve like, okay. On Mondays at 8 a.m., I I dropped this thing and then I engaged with people after they they interact with me. So I get the best all algorithm hit or something like that or. Yes.
Red Gerard: [01:12:29] Like kind of having I just kind of throw it up a little bit.
Red Gerard: [01:12:32] Like I think when my brother Malcolm does it, he knows he's not totally like that, but he'll look at like the best time or something like p.m. is like I'll post it then or something. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:12:43] So it's a little bit of strategy. Okay. And you get back to the journalism thing here for a minute like so let's say you're now a journalist, you've been a professional snowboarder.
Mark Sullivan: [01:12:53] Your career is kind of you have a lot more accomplishments, Donner all those other boxes when the next Olympic gold medal. Who is gonna be your first interview? Who do you want to sit down with and ask questions to?
Red Gerard: [01:13:06] Someone that's going to throw some like really different responses, you know, like especially just going through the all the Olympic interviews and stuff and send the same old stuff like I have so much respect for the interviews that happen or it's just like talking about weight and stuff. You know, something so out of the ordinary. So someone that's going to say something different would be my first my first interview, which I have no clue would be.
Mark Sullivan: [01:13:29] He takes him, takes some time and think about it.
Red Gerard: [01:13:32] But if you don't, you don't know who that person would be or maybe not off my head.
Red Gerard: [01:13:39] I wish I.
Red Gerard: [01:13:40] I'll get back in an hour and say, OK.
Mark Sullivan: [01:13:42] Ok. Like all kind of questions. Would you ask what would be your first interview question on your first major interview? What's your opening question? How do you crack the ice?
Red Gerard: [01:13:51] Oh, God, I have no. Oh, I see.
Red Gerard: [01:13:56] That's where that's where my journalism would go right back to like that average interview. You know, I like first. First question would just be something that I would not be psyched about. Ask any. No, sir.
Red Gerard: [01:14:07] I feel like I have to grow up a little bit more and think about how I would want to take my my actual journalism in the route that I would actually want to pursue myself as being. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:14:19] Ok. So. Yeah. So like, you know, like if I were to ask you a crazy question, would you be able to answer it?
Red Gerard: [01:14:26] Like like, you know, would you rather if you had to lose one limb, what would it be?
Mark Sullivan: [01:14:33] One Len Yeah, one lane what which one is that includes fingers and all that are just focus on lands.
Red Gerard: [01:14:41] You cut off the whole hand. But yeah, I don't know. I haven't thought this through very much. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:14:47] I think the other two like are reserved for. Okay. I'm talking big lane.
Mark Sullivan: [01:14:53] Ok. I have nowhere really to take this question. Maybe you're not going to be able to double fist. OK, that's gonna get in the way of double fisting beers just so you know. True.
Red Gerard: [01:15:02] So that's a problem. Yeah. Yeah. No, I cannot do that.
Red Gerard: [01:15:04] You gotta think it through all the way over. No, Edward. Forty hands. No.
Mark Sullivan: [01:15:09] Yeah. Okay. Okay. Here's another crazy question. Beer, liquor for the rest of your life.
Red Gerard: [01:15:16] Once I turn twenty one off the record. Beer. OK. OK. Let's see, blondes are brunettes. Who?
Mark Sullivan: [01:15:30] I'm not biased.
Red Gerard: [01:15:31] You know, like I've never been like, oh, I just like blonde, blonde girls. I like it. I like everything, you know. Oh, well, I don't really matter with hair.
Mark Sullivan: [01:15:40] Right. Both at the same time, maybe.
Red Gerard: [01:15:43] Yeah. OK. Let me ask you this. That's a plus.
Mark Sullivan: [01:15:46] Did it become a lot easier for you? Because I knew how awkward I was when I was your age. Is it easier for you now that you have a Gold Medal to meet girls?
Red Gerard: [01:15:56] I actually read.
Red Gerard: [01:15:58] I have a girlfriend. I had a girlfriend like this whole time, so I haven't even. Yeah, basically. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:16:04] Yeah. Is it Hayley Langlands.
Mark Sullivan: [01:16:06] Yeah. Yeah. OK. Well congratulations. Or some time. Yeah.
Red Gerard: [01:16:10] She's great. So it's like. Yeah I don't really have a dad. Does any girls.
Mark Sullivan: [01:16:16] Are there any like jealousy issues where you're jealous of her traveling across the world or she's jealous of you. Going to fly to New York to have big time interviews or something like that. And people everywhere you go kissing your ass.
Red Gerard: [01:16:28] No, I mean, not too much.
Red Gerard: [01:16:31] She's got such cool stuff going, though, she's got like, you know, she's got cool stuff coming out with all of her sponsors and stuff. And I'd say sometimes I'll get jealous with that and whatnot. But it's cool that we get to live the same life necessary, you know? We both get to travel around together, which is really sweet.
Mark Sullivan: [01:16:48] Do you consider it a long distance relationship or you travel enough during the season where you're together that it's not really a long distance relationship?
Red Gerard: [01:16:58] I consider it that, but like she she had gives her shoulder surgery this summer. Like going to New Zealand at now is a pretty long year since for we we're not having like her on a trip and all that.
Mark Sullivan: [01:17:10] Ok. Do you have any advice for people in your situation like how to make that kind of relationship work? Like what is your secret to the success of like staying in a relationship? You know, sometimes with long distance, sometimes with not some both of you are kind of like well known and famous. Like what? What helps you, like have a relationship and maintain a relationship?
Red Gerard: [01:17:33] What helps me, I mean, I feel pretty lucky.
Red Gerard: [01:17:35] Just because she's I've known her since I was like so young and like before we even date was really good friends in a sense.
Red Gerard: [01:17:43] So it was just like pretty pretty easy for me. And like, you know, if if we were to break up or something, it would even be a weird thing. Like, I think we would just be really good friends all time.
Red Gerard: [01:17:54] Yeah. You're not going. I know. Or at least until it happens.
Mark Sullivan: [01:17:58] Yeah. Yeah. Because they'll be traveling together.
Red Gerard: [01:18:01] Yeah. I have no clue about relationship advice. I know. I'm 19 years old. I got nothing.
Mark Sullivan: [01:18:07] Ok. Well, I figured, you know, maybe you would have some because you got the Gold Medal. And I think that might help me, but I'm never gonna find out.
Red Gerard: [01:18:14] Yeah, yeah. Yeah, totally.
Mark Sullivan: [01:18:18] Ok. So. So when do you move to Tahoe? When are you going up there?
Red Gerard: [01:18:23] I'm actually technically already moved in. I spent like ten days up there before I went to south Spain and all that.
Mark Sullivan: [01:18:31] What are your roommates up there?
Red Gerard: [01:18:35] My roommate's up there, I'm just living by myself. But up in like in the winter and stuff like my brother Malachi, I'll live up there. I definitely have some friends that come up and stay. But I'm not necessarily going to do the roommate thing. I think like maybe Christmas and New Year's and all that. I'm just going to try to rent it out for like a month or two.
Red Gerard: [01:18:54] Right. And hopefully I won't have to do a roommate thing.
Mark Sullivan: [01:18:57] Right. So where are you going to do your most laps in Tahoe this year? Like what's going to be your home resort up there?
Red Gerard: [01:19:05] My home resort will be I don't know. Hopefully the backcountry.
Mark Sullivan: [01:19:10] I like that answer. Although, you know, I'm sure there's a lot of resort operators and park builders up there who are going to try to vie for your attention with your board.
Red Gerard: [01:19:20] Yeah. But it will be boreal mountain for if I'm a you know, if I'm going to go right resort. I like Boria. I love I really am not back in Vail Resorts these days. Also, why not? Why not? I just think I think they sucked it. I think they're trying to take away, you know, train parts from. From the mountains and stuff and.
Red Gerard: [01:19:40] Ok, we got to get into this for a minute.
Red Gerard: [01:19:43] Yeah. Easy Woodward resorts and powder and all that. I think that those guys are killing it over there and they are trying to do the opposite of take away park riding snowboarding and fullfill resorts is like those are all your home mountains.
Red Gerard: [01:19:57] That's like Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone. Yeah. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:20:01] So what are they doing? That's like taking away from like from the sport. Like how is what moves are they making that's actually detracting from the sport and sort of contributing to its advancement?
Red Gerard: [01:20:12] I mean, I've heard. Well, I mean, holy crap. I know a lot of mountains, you know, lift tickets around Christmas time or massive. I know that.
[01:20:19] But like two hundred dollars a day this year. So, you know.
Red Gerard: [01:20:22] Yeah, that's what I'm saying right there. It's Vail Resorts. Like those lift tickets are insane.
Red Gerard: [01:20:27] Like, I don't know what Copper's prices are and when all of that. But I know, like, you know, they they offer cool, cool deals in the in the fall and all that for Lib Tech for season passes. But I I've heard rumors that like Villers or is this trying to at Keystone and Brak like take away, you know, their five year plan. Is that like no part or train park or anything really. Which is a massive Bode. Right.
Red Gerard: [01:20:53] I think they'll be a Yeah. Or two or a sport. And I don't know, I I've been working with powder and wood word resorts lately and I've just I've been back in their whole their whole vibe over there and like the Woodward Park City that's happening right now, like that's going to be the biggest game changer ever.
Red Gerard: [01:21:12] I've been spending time out there just because we're doing like a Redd's backyard thing at three resorts this year, Copper Killington and Park City.
Mark Sullivan: [01:21:21] What is that? Which is Red's Backyard.
Red Gerard: [01:21:23] It's going to be this little like Hike Park for this year. Hopefully Roboto in the next year. But this little hike parks that like you don't have to paid that copper. You're not gonna have to pay any money. You have to sign a waiver and you can show up. It's like right by the half-pipe, right. Like in front of the shoot. Forget the bar that's in front, but like right on the main mountain incline or something.
Red Gerard: [01:21:45] Yeah. Show up and you sign a waiver and you can hike the park for free and and do all that. And that can be the same thing at Killington and Woodbury Park City.
Mark Sullivan: [01:21:56] Wow. That's pretty cool. Whose idea was that?
Red Gerard: [01:22:00] Well, I mean, the Reds backyard idea that came from like my brothers. And then this one this one came from Ryan Rankin.
Red Gerard: [01:22:08] My mom actually, my mom is she's super. She's all about like given back to the community and so on. So my I tried my best to doing it, but my mom really liked the idea of not having to pay for Christmas and all that. Those times a year's not having to pay $200 for a ticket, that a kid can just show up to the mountain and hike some rails and not have to, you know, pay that massive fee.
Mark Sullivan: [01:22:34] And then you'll be putting in a Honda 50 each of these resorts eventually.
Red Gerard: [01:22:40] Yeah. Yeah. Hopefully a little bit more of an upgrade from the Honda Fiesta. But yeah. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:22:44] Are you still running that thing?
Red Gerard: [01:22:46] 50? We've upgraded actually it's we got like an all electric one now really at the backyard. You say plug it into a wall. Flip a switch. It's pretty easy.
Red Gerard: [01:22:56] Wow. That was the first. That was a real change. You won that thing. That dirt bike maybe had like another month in it by the end of the year. Right. Right.
Red Gerard: [01:23:04] I mean, it's pretty cool having your own rope tow in your own backyard. You know that. It's like a dream.
Mark Sullivan: [01:23:26] So let me ask you this. Like you focus like your whole life pretty much on snowboarding, right? I mean, it ticket as good as you've gotten, as young as you have gotten there, you've had to focus a lot of your efforts towards snowboarding. So let me ask you this. It's like if snowboarding was for some reason taken away from you, for some reason, like you couldn't snowboard again, what would you want to do?
Red Gerard: [01:23:51] I don't know. See, like I was on the plane, I was going to Zurich or whatever the other day. And I sat down next to this guy and he was asking me about what I do and all that. And he's that. So what if you were to get hurt the next day, which is such a realistic thing?
Red Gerard: [01:24:04] I'm like, I have no clue what I would want to do. You know, I've always thought about it a little bit, but it's definitely not a realistic thing where that can happen in the snap of the fingers of like you, your job. In a way that quick. So I don't know. I think I'd be. Have no, I don't have too much of a clue, but it would be really cool stay in the snowboarding industry or in the action sports industry. So something like that. But I don't know. I mean, I think it has to go to school and do some things.
Mark Sullivan: [01:24:40] Yeah. OK. So so now that you're going to Tahoe, new season starting.
Mark Sullivan: [01:24:46] You got your your plan for the year. Do how long term are you actually planning things out like. Are you planning through the entire season or are you planning for all the way through the next Olympics? Are you planning for your entire snowboarding career? Like how do you plan into the future? What kind of goals do you set out there for yourself and how long range are you actually like looking into the future?
Red Gerard: [01:25:10] Well, I plan for I mean, I plan probably my each year for contest things, you know, like I know what contests imagine next year. I plan for that for filming. I had no clue. You know, just depends on where the storm is heading. But I mean, my long term, my goal, I guess I'll kind of plan for the next Olympics. Just saying in my head, like seeing where my headspace is at, if I want to go to the next Olympics, I'll go there, which I do, you know, loves to make that team again. Button that I really try not to plan too many things that I like to definitely just like live by the moment. What's that? Carpe diem and roll over later.
Red Gerard: [01:25:52] Seize the day. A moment. Yeah. Live in the moment. Yep.
Mark Sullivan: [01:25:56] Ok. So you know, every year it seems like in snowboarding the bar gets raised right. As far as progression goes where you see like what do you see like a winning run in slopestyle looking like in 2022.
Mark Sullivan: [01:26:12] I don't know. I mean, I feel like we're at a point where it's pretty like you're not going to see a lot more tricks happening.
Red Gerard: [01:26:17] New checks happening in twenty twenty two.
Mark Sullivan: [01:26:20] What is he perfect look like? I mean I'd say I think a lot of people ask me that. The courses have to throw different obstacles in as far as all that. But they try to be a perfect meal. I like to 16 or something then Iran around all that. But if the is the course goes in the way, I would want to go.
Red Gerard: [01:26:42] We'll see more bringing it back to just some 10, 80 years out and depending on what what's what the course offers.
Mark Sullivan: [01:26:50] So basically the course would become more challenging by the terrain design where you wouldn't just be able to pop the biggest gnarly spin that you have in your bag of tricks. And so you'd have to actually be more technical with your writing.
Red Gerard: [01:27:04] I think yeah, I think that would be my goal. OK. And the way that I would see it happening. But I mean, other people have different thoughts, too. Right.
Red Gerard: [01:27:17] I mean, would you start your own contest series with with these newly designed type of courses or do you think that's something that. Because I know Danny Davis has done the Peace Park and we've seen other writers kind of the supernatural. True. Natural with Travis Rice. Would you. Is that something that you would consider doing if these courses don't evolve to what your vision of slopestyle snowboarding is? Would you actually take it on yourself to make it reality free for your friends and competitors?
Red Gerard: [01:27:46] I think that I I think I maybe like when I'm older, I wouldn't want to do it right now. But once I have things more like you figured out, I guess I would consider something like that. But I don't even know if I'd be necessarily. You know, the typical podium thing, like, I feel like it could just be like a stand up thing, like piece park or just not even like a thing or just like a session.
Mark Sullivan: [01:28:14] Yeah. But I mean, more so than maybe any other slopestyle besides you and Sage. It's like you've benefited from that podium. You know, it's like you're remember the guy who landed on top of the podium at the Olympics, which is arguably the biggest prize in the sport. And you're saying that like you don't actually like contests with podiums. You like a jam session and a standout?
Red Gerard: [01:28:36] I do. I am kind of saying that, but I actually do. I love doing contests. I don't mind them at all. Like have a lockout. I'm doing them. And I think the pressure that comes off them is kind of cool. Like I felt like at times I can snowboard a little bit better off than that.
Red Gerard: [01:28:51] Yes, I am saying that right now, but I do I actually don't mind that a lot.
Red Gerard: [01:28:56] But if if it were to keep going that way, my idea would be to change up the course. You know, if you're going to. Yeah. One, two, three. Stowe. It would be to change up the course. Right. But I'd also. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:29:11] I mean it seems like you're one of these guys who actually thrives under pressure just based on the fact the first 14 you pulled was in the finals of the contest. You won the gold in your third run right. At the Olympics. And so a lot of your biggest victories or successes has come really when you've been under the most aggressive, most pressure as an athlete. Do you think that that's something? How did you learn how to, like, step up in those situations?
Red Gerard: [01:29:41] I just feel like at times it it works and whatnot. Like, I feel like I don't really have a total answer for that. Just like I like when it comes down to that moment, I'm like, I know like for the Olympics shows, like I travel all the way out here, like I just want to land or run.
Red Gerard: [01:29:56] And that's what I always say during every contest.
Red Gerard: [01:29:58] It's just like, let me just land a run. And then after that, it's not up to me. And I think that's helped me a ton. Just saying that in my head, so much of it is just mental. So I don't really know how that all works, but.
Mark Sullivan: [01:30:14] Ok. Let me ask you this, because maybe I can tap into this a little bit more. But it's like I see you wearing headphones when you're right. You're listening to music. I take it.
Red Gerard: [01:30:24] No. I mean, during practice as well. Not one of snowboarding in a contest.
Red Gerard: [01:30:28] No, not in the final. OK.
Red Gerard: [01:30:30] So well, just like nobody around. I will. But not not when I'm doing contests.
Mark Sullivan: [01:30:34] Ok. So does music play a role in you learning tricks or evolution?
Red Gerard: [01:30:39] When I'm learning tricks. Yeah. But it depends on like the ones like I'm a Chris Corning's headphones the other day and I know that he loves to listen to his music. Full blast doesn't want to hear anything. Right. And like other super noise canceling. And I hate that. Like I had to come out early. I only listen, I want to hear from really like I want to hear what's going around really bad.
Red Gerard: [01:31:01] And that's why I don't do it in a contest is because I really want to hear what's going on and hear the wind and all that. But what I'm learning shakes out. The only reason why like I'm wearing them is just because I want to have that. The way the you know, the vibe of that music. You know, I want to have that pumped up.
Mark Sullivan: [01:31:21] Right. What kind of music are you going to listen to when you're practicing or learning new tricks? Is it a specific genre or band or is it just like what you listen to on the way the mountain where you're stoked on in that moment?
Red Gerard: [01:31:32] Yeah, it's just kind of once they've done that moment like. Of rap playing one song, then the next song will be, you know, like just some rock n roll or something. But a lot of the music that she really gets me hyped up is that kind of depressing at times. You know, like kind of snowboard parts, songs will get me hyped up and then I listen to some rap the next hour and it's all over for sure.
Mark Sullivan: [01:31:54] Ok. So what are you listening to right now? Like what's in your playlist right now?
Red Gerard: [01:31:59] You'll see me play this right now. Definitely some rap. I you know, I think it was a.
[01:32:09] The art of flight or something, but they had this this one song, it's definitely more harder of Cobram and I'm really like I really like that a lot.
[01:32:18] So do you go out of your way to listen to snowboard movie soundtracks, to get stoked, to go riding sometimes?
Red Gerard: [01:32:24] Like this song called The Black Angels is a young man. That is what it's called.
Red Gerard: [01:32:29] And that song like I'll put down on January and you check that one again. Maybe more than I need. All right.
Red Gerard: [01:32:38] But definitely like just some rap song, that young thug or something is on the right ones.
Mark Sullivan: [01:32:46] So you mentioned like listening to the wind earlier. Like how you want to end the wind definitely has an effect in Big Bear end in slopestyle. Have you ever been like forced to drop into a slopestyle course where you weren't actually feeling it because of the wind and they're like, OK, it's your turn dropping next nextweek go. And you're like, yeah, I don't really want to go right now.
Red Gerard: [01:33:08] I think I have been. But there and you do have time. Like, I think people always forget about that. You have like you can say, even if you're a I called up, I'm waiting for the wind. I think I've always just dropped because as family, I'm late for the wind right now. It's like maybe if it's blowing , but time I get down to the jump, there won't be wind.
Red Gerard: [01:33:28] And if I were away, you know, like it's say, I can't control the wind. I have no clue. Right.
Red Gerard: [01:33:34] I always just drop whenever you do have time. And I feel like I have been sometimes forced into that. But it's just a nice start. Anyways, it's you're going to do your run anyway, so you might as well just go home.
Mark Sullivan: [01:33:49] Right. Have you ever been affected, like taken out by the wind where you're like just like a gust hits you and you're like thrown off or whatever?
Red Gerard: [01:33:57] And I've gotten pretty bodied actually just from that, like, really in that way. But like the first to run the Olympics, like I felt that was all wind. I'm pretty sure. I mean, yeah, I definitely felt the wind. Those two rounds is a really windy day there.
Red Gerard: [01:34:12] I know it's it's pretty crazy that like all the round the venue at the Olympics. So like during the girl slopestyle, it was like blowing hard that morning and it was hard during the guys event. But like, I just remember being like, oh, man, they can't do an event today.
Mark Sullivan: [01:34:24] This is crazy.
Mark Sullivan: [01:34:26] I look around the venue and the hillside across from the venue is covered with wind turbines.
Mark Sullivan: [01:34:32] I'm like, oh yeah. They put those there for a reason, huh? Like it's windy here, right? It's real windy there, dude.
Red Gerard: [01:34:38] Every tap into that mountain. They did a test event there. Do. And it was windy there that day too. As many other competing, you know, it was just a windy setup.
Mark Sullivan: [01:34:48] Is that the biggest challenge you generally face in competition is like it for in terms of like conditions. It's really the wind that's going to have like a effect on on your ability to ride well or is it like part course design?
Red Gerard: [01:35:01] Sometimes the wind, sometimes the snow conditions. I mean, what's going to have a big effect? I won't say.
Red Gerard: [01:35:07] I would say the biggest thing in my me, I think he chose different.
Red Gerard: [01:35:10] Like, I don't mind if it's snowing out. I think the wind is really big and I hate that. He adds, The biggest thing for me is the wind, but I'd say other people think knows the worst. But I actually kind of like when it's snowing out, I'm like it kind of gives you that that had that like mindset.
Mark Sullivan: [01:35:29] Your head rides up if it's, you know, it's snowing. And so if I fall, you know, maybe it's because it's numb in its largest my writing.
Red Gerard: [01:35:37] He gives you a nice little excuse. Yeah. Yeah, maybe a little excuse. You know, right on.
Mark Sullivan: [01:35:43] Right on. OK, so throw you've been down there in Southern California for a while. Do you get to go and visit your sponsors while you're down there? Do you go and visit the magazines while you're down there? I mean, what else do you do until really.
Red Gerard: [01:35:56] Yeah. Yeah. Transworld skateboarding or Transmode offices have a crazy skate park there, so.
Red Gerard: [01:36:02] Right. My brother used to work there. So we go there all the time and we still go there. MARK COLVIN And they're just obviously.
Red Gerard: [01:36:10] So let's get there and then I go to Oakley in Lake Forest.
Mark Sullivan: [01:36:14] How do you describe their building? Because people have no idea how crazy that places.
Red Gerard: [01:36:19] I know, right? Just a massive bunker. Places place is nuts. But yeah, love going there. Like picking out the crazy sunglasses. That's really fun.
Mark Sullivan: [01:36:26] Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:36:27] What do you think of like the the whole like the design of that place? Because it's almost like a like the movie Alien, like some H.R. Geiger type of like spaceship of birth or something postmodern.
Red Gerard: [01:36:40] Totally. Yeah, I know. Every time I went there, I was really young and I had like crazy thoughts about it. Now I know there I just feel like I'm like so used to go in there. But it really is nuts, especially inside. Like, everything is just massive in metal. Like it's everything's metal and just massive.
Red Gerard: [01:36:58] Yeah. Now it seems like you're like one of the top guys on the Oakley team who are the other guys that are like on the Oakley team and like what? What's the deal with Oakley and having. All the top athletes in terms of snowboarders.
Mark Sullivan: [01:37:12] I think they make great product.
Red Gerard: [01:37:15] And I also mean, they do they make great product. I think they've always had a really cool team. And that's the reason why I went over to clichés, because they they have a history of just having a team.
Mark Sullivan: [01:37:28] It seems like at times they do a lot for the riders, you know, which I'm all about, and even the Oakley, which I'm bound I got to attend. But those seem fun and seem cool. But my some my favorite writers on Oakley right now, it just hangs at Sage Kotsenberg.
Red Gerard: [01:37:49] Nik Baden's on this is yeah, there's there's some good riders for sure.
Mark Sullivan: [01:37:55] Do you have any like pro model type gear? I know it's a goal for a lot of riders is to have signature products either aboard. And I know I know Burton doesn't make like a lot of pro model boards, but do you have any signature products in the market today or do you have the goal of having signature proxies getting involved with the design process for snowboarding gear?
Red Gerard: [01:38:16] Yeah, I don't even know if I can like say any of this, but like, I think like my Olympic gear, I think I'm hopefully a Oakley signature goggle does.
Mark Sullivan: [01:38:31] I hope you do, too. Yes. Yeah. But no, no, like Burton and stuff. I always have ideas and they're super cool. Like with they are, you know, a third me, I was do these roundtables, they get the U.S. Open and stuff or we help design all this stuff which is really cool. That's pretty rare fluids. Right.
Mark Sullivan: [01:38:49] So four years in a row, you've told them they've won the one improvement I could see as a pro model for me. And so me and getting the message after about four or five years.
Red Gerard: [01:38:57] Yeah, exactly. And for the whole team, I'm just saying. Yep, you guys need to make me a pro model. No, no, not really. Yeah. I wrote cause the max. I love the custom that. Yeah.
Mark Sullivan: [01:39:12] They want to make you an equal but it works right on.
Mark Sullivan: [01:39:15] So. So you don't have the ambition of like being a product developer getting into that side of things necessarily a little bit benign as a profession.
Red Gerard: [01:39:24] I'm more just like there's like a couple pieces that I would like to make, like have maybe like a line but never like to develop a whole company's outerwear and all that.
Red Gerard: [01:39:36] No.
Mark Sullivan: [01:39:36] Ok. So, you know, you've had this like expansive and successful career in snowboarding. And I think there's a lot of kids out there that look up to you. And so maybe you can give them some advice and like how they should approach snowboarding and how they should perceive the sport in terms of like how they're going to get the most enjoyment out of it. Because it occurs to me that you're still having fun, despite all the pressure, despite all the people out there kind of like pulling you in different directions. It just occurs to me that you're still having a good time. So what advice do you have for kids to get the most out of the sport?
Red Gerard: [01:40:10] I mean, my advice is like what? What I did when I was younger, I rode my brother's high road, my friends.
Red Gerard: [01:40:17] And that's what I do to the day. You know, I am on the east numbering team. Ideal of a coach necessarily. But like one of my coach, my coaches like my best friend, you know, he's a great guy. Both of them are really great guys and they're fun to ride with. So, I mean, my my thing is, surround yourself with people you like to be be around and surround yourself with. Snowboarders that are better than you if you want to take it to the next level. I always grew up a snowboarder is that we're ripping and doing shapes that I wanted to do. And eventually I kind of Cardiff, you know, rode with them to the point where I could do the tricks that they were doing. I think that I'll be a lot, but never take it too seriously. Snowboarding is never like, I guess it is Olympic sport, but I never did take it just years because it's not worth it. Just snowboarding, you know, like some football. You.
Red Gerard: [01:41:07] You know, you don't have these concepts that are making you do it and stuff. I guess you do. But just have fun.
Mark Sullivan: [01:41:14] Cool. Well, thank you so much for your time here today. Read. You are an incredible athlete. Also, though, a great person. Right. And that's the thing that impresses me. Like when you won the gold at the Olympics, I was like, cool. There's a good representative for the sport of snowboarding in that I didn't see you as a guy. You took it like so seriously that you wouldn't have fun with it. And I think certainly the example that you've given to kids is like someone who really enjoys the sport, enjoys what he does, and and has a great time with the sport of snowboarding.
Red Gerard: [01:41:46] So thank you, Mark. Thank you for having me on. They appreciate is fun. Yeah, cool.
[01:42:25] You know what, I can't stand like when all these people like, oh, I listen to this podcast, .
[01:42:36] You know what you're doing? Doing nothing unless you listen to The Snowboard Project. Season 2, end of story. Forget about it.