WIPING BUMS AND WIPING OUT

Carl wears cap and t-shirt by Creature and trousers by Independent

If you live in the UK and are into skating, you’ll know 27-year-old Carl “Potter” Wilson. Despite the fact pro skaters make brands like Etnies look cool, you shouldn’t believe the hype. Most of them also have to do mind-numbing jobs and worry about cash. We spoke to Carl about his part-time bum-wiping job and his love of wanking.

Vice: Who are your sponsors?
Carl Wilson: I ride for Creature Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Etnies Shoes, Jessup Griptape and Ricta Wheels. I was on Duffs shoes for about five years, Eastpak bags, Death Skateboards… I had a promo video out on Death, or two.

Carl wears cap by Creature and t-shirt by Independent

What is it like doing a really regular, average job and then, in another aspect of your life, being really successful?
I wouldn’t say I’m really successful… it’s just the way it is, I guess.

Do you not find it a weird transition?
No, not at all. It’ just normal.

A lot of people tend to only have one or the other.
It’s just what you have to do to get by, you just have to deal with working and getting on with it.

Tell us about the part-time job when you’re not skating.
I look after old people and children with autism.

What’s an average day of work like?
Hell.

Why did you choose that as a part-time job, instead of a more common option, such as bar work or retail work?
I needed some money, and you get more doing what I’m doing. That’s originally why I started it but I actually enjoy it now. It’s quite fun.

How did you get into it?

My mum works at an old people’s home and I needed a job, so she sorted me out. I was a bit like, “Not sure about this… wiping bums, I dunno.” But I gave it a shot and it didn’t really bother me, so I ended up staying there for too long, on minimum wage. Then I left and now I get paid well.

Is it sometimes a nice relief to work and get away from the pressure of being a performer?
No, work sucks, working is shit. I don’t want to work. I work as little as possible.

What are the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your job?
The most rewarding moments are when you work with the kids and they have a good time, and you get to places like Thorpe Park and have a laugh with them. The shittiest times are when they head butt you, try and rip your eyes out and throw shit at you, stuff like that really.

Career skateboarding has a fairly short lifespan – what do you plan to do when it’s over?
Wank. Move to a hot country as soon as possible, live on the beach, then go for a skate, and sip margaritas and have cold beer on the beach. I’d probably get another job, just for a laugh. I wouldn’t give up skateboarding ever, I’d just do something different, something interesting.

Is skateboarding a profession?
Don’t even think about getting sponsored – that shouldn’t be part of it. Just go out and have fun and skate. Being sponsored is just a big bonus, it helps because you don’t have to pay for stuff. Well, you do in a way, as you pay with your blood and bruises. You should just skate for the fun of it and the feeling you get from it – that’s why I do it. Oh, and the causing trouble.

How do you balance the bum-wiping and skateboarding?
I work for an agency, so I can work when I want. So the only time it clashes is when I injure myself and then I can’t work because I’ve hurt my leg and can hardly walk or I’ve skated so hard I can’t get out of bed the next day.

What’s the worst injury you’ve ever got from skating?
A fractured elbow– it’s pretty lame. But when my friend hit his head in Poland and was throwing up for two days, we’d told him not to worry about it, but when he did go to hospital he had to have brain surgery.

Aren’t you scared of getting injured if your friend could of died from brain injuries?
We were for five minutes, we were like, “We’re never skating drunk again.” Then the next day we were hammered and skating again.

So, let’s talk fashion – no sponsors allowed! What other brands do you like?
Volcom. The image of the brand is really cool, the clothes are sick, the fit of the clothing is really good and the quality’s pretty good. I got an Innes jacket, actually, when I was sponsored by them for a little while. It was an army parka sort of thin – that was pretty dope.

Er, what happened to no sponsors? So you can’t live off skateboarding?
Well, you can but you have to have a lot of sponsorship by the right brands. That’s why even a lot of the pro skaters have part-time jobs and are on the dole. Because, depending on who you ride for, you generally don’t really get paid much in the UK. You might get some royalties, but you’ll probably sell 300 boards a year if you’re lucky – you’re going to make five hundred pounds off of that, maybe a thousand, tops.

What do you like about being a known skateboarder?
Mainly, I like the fact that you can travel anywhere in the world and pretty much instantly make friends straight away. Within ten minutes of meeting people they’re offering you a place to stay, and you go out, get hammered, have a good laugh and end up making a lot of really good friends all around the world. That cliquey kind of thing sucks too though, but that’s my main dislike about it.

What do you like to do when you’re not skateboarding?
Wanking, drinking, golf, playing guitar and having sex.