Hump Day Gets Fresh with Nick Visconti

Food fight! Photo: Robbie Sell

While many pro snowboarders can be fit in a box, Nick Visconti lives in a world of his own, clearly filled with unicorns and gypsies and the occasional handful of glitter.  Possibly the Internet’s biggest snowboarding celebrity (more so than Pete Wast even) and certainly not afraid to be himself, Nick has had people scratching their heads for awhile now. But if you have ever had the pleasure of meeting him, you’ll know all that flamboyance and sarcasm is just part of his charm, and while he may not go the biggest or try to one-up the next guy, he’s certainly keeping snowboarding interesting.

How goes it?

I’m down in the Bay, watching my sister and brother so my parents could go outta town on a romantic get away. I just took my 13-year-old sister to her softball game and was playing with my six-year-brother. Needless to say, half the parents gave me the, “don’t give my child candy look” the other half checked in with my sister making sure I wasn’t a pedophile and I could play with the kids “correctly!”

Amazing, that brings me to my first official question actually, what’s with the flamboyance? Didn’t anyone tell you how macho snowboarding is?

Didn’t your mom ever teach you that the macho-est men and the bullies in school are actually the most insecure?

My mom died at childbirth, thanks a lot

Well, it must have been hard for her knowing that her daughter would grow and talk shit for living, she took the easy way out.

haha, I’m kidding

I know, as am I.

Not just mini shredding. Cab 5. Photo: Tackitt

But seriously you’re not gay? I mean, I checked your Myspace profile.

No, I am.

So Myspace lied?

Negative questions can be confusing for the masses… Let’s just clear this all up. I am Gay. I don’t know why there is so much confusion! Rod Stewart wrote a song for me- “Hot legs” while I was still in school. ABBA prophesied about me before I was born with”Dancing Queen,” R Kelly wrote about me in his “Trapped in the Closet” Saga and Justin Timberlake (gay as well) sang it to the world when I left him: “Cry me a River.”

You’re right. It’s so obvious. On that note, which pros do you think are most likely in the closet?

Do you want to know from my experience, or who I believe is putting on a straight front?

How about both?

Well I’ll start from my most intimate relationships and go on to one nighters… Dangerzone are all gay, So really it’s nonsense to discuss our sexuality any more. Josh Parker and Brent Oftedal are my most intimate partners. We all keep steady girlfriends so we don’t ruin our careers though.

After that, the ThinkThank Crew are ALL definitely flamers. Even the married ones — Again with snowboarding being so macho, it’s been necessary to promote straight tendencies in order to maintain a career. In fact Brooke, I’m not gonna lie, there’s no need to drop names who I think or who I know. Everyone that I come across, straight or gay, I have been with and they have then eventually denounced their “normal” ways. Many professionals have made careers on great snowboarding and image. I’m trying to get famous turning all the bros into Bras!

Artsy shot for an artsy guy. Photo: Robbie Sell

So, do you feel like you are a good influence on the kids?

Jesus has blessed me with the talent, individualism and confidence in order to withstand the darkness in this industry. I am not a perfect person, but I strive to live like Christ, I fall short constantly, I do. I’ve wronged people and made decisions that don’t shine, but in my love for God, I know that He is working for His Glory. Do I feel like I’m a good influence on kids who look up to me? Yes because I know that Jesus is the ultimate good influence and the definition of Love. The more I live like Him, the better an influence God allows me to be for his people- all of us.

Ok, what’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? Like something Jesus totally wouldn’t do?

Lied to the world about being a gay man, 15 minutes ago in this interview.

Yeah, Jesus hates the gays

Contrary to popular belief Jesus loves the gays.

Alright, what’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever convinced someone else to do?

Making me a professional snowboarder.

Summer camp livin’. Photo Robbie Sell

Are you super stoked for snowboard camp?

I am more than excited

More?

More: Summer shredding, Cosmic Rays. Boarding Babes, Brewskis, Tank Tops, No Shirt, Hipsters, Cripplers, Inspiring young minds, Making a dime, Skateboarding’s not a Crime, Living in Love, No showers- just rough. Sweat, Ice burn, Dropping- my turn. Gourmet Food, My best doods, Going to sleep, Let me check that footy- a lil bo peep?

What’s your Windells dream feature got in store?

Unveiling cosmic insight into the ancient mysteries of Egyptian Technology

Is Humpy fucking it up at all cause he actually likes to go in the air when he snowboards?

The Egyptians wouldn’t have been able to create the pyramids with out mad labor. My idea wouldn’t be possible without the labor going into to Tim’s idea. And with both as one, the ancient wisdoms shall be revealed.

Sounds intense. Will you be at Windells all summer or do you have other plans?

Noo, I love camp but I love summer more. I’m going to be vagabonding through out the world. Feel free to dispense your coins in my hat, donations are much appreciated.

Flat landings? Photo: Tackitt

I guess we should talk about Dangerzone too, so why is it called Dangerzone?

I went to a Kenny Loggins concert, got epicly hyped on “Highway to the Dangerzone” then all the web edits Josh Parker and I did since forth were deemed “Dangerzone.”

How involved are you in the day to day of the site? Are you responsible for editing and updating, or are you just the eye candy?

My focus is really not on the actual website, my priority for Dangerzone is web media (webisodes) produced. Although we have many female viewers, the majority of Dangerzone viewers are male snowboarders– so with the earlier segment of this interview in mind– “Eye Candy” might be a very appropriate word for male viewership.

Which episode this season was your favorite?

My favorite episode was “Hot Tub Shred Machine”

‘Cause you got to hang out with dudes in a hot tub?

You know me too well. That was a pretty quick response… you’ve apparently watched hot tub shred machine more than once.

Really any time I get to see guys with their shirts off….
So I’d say you were an early adopter of the whole web video thing, do you think it has changed snowboarding for the better?

It’s hard to give a negative or positive connotation to web snowboard media. It has changed snowboarding. Snowboarding has always been about progression, we see it in the technologies introduced in snowboard design, snowboard lifestyle and fashion, and snowboard marketing.

The cool thing about wearing flourescent is you always stand out. Front 7. Photo: Tackitt

Are you still bothering to film for a full-length video even though you are famous on the Internet?

Bothering? No. I am elated for the opportunity to continue filming a full-length video part.

Won’t the footage seem like old news by the time it comes out?

I don’t have time to answer these engaging subjective movie questions anymore, I have to make my brother and sister dinner. I’m over wasting my time with you, no one goes on Yobeat anyways.

Though Nick claims he doesn’t care, you can follow his adventures at http://tahoedangerzone.com/