Skateboarding icon Tony Hawk meets yet another person who kind of knows who he is

Tony Hawk acknowledges the crowd at the California Hall of Fame ceremony on Dec. 10, 2019, in Sacramento.

By Chuck SchilkenStaff Writer

Dec. 31, 2020

12:07 PM

He’s the star of a popular and long-running video game series.

He has appeared in one of the “Police Academy” movies, an episode of “The Simpsons,” a “Weird Al” Yankovic music video and scads of commercials.

He has been a household name for decades.

But somehow at the same time, nobody seems to know who he is.

Hawk took to Twitter on Wednesday night to relate his latest encounter with someone who kind of knows who he is. This one was with a woman handling the paperwork for him and two of his children at a COVID-19 testing site:

at a Covid testing site (wearing masks), handing over paperwork for me & two of my kids:
woman looking over papers: "okay... Anthony, Keegan and Kadence... Hawk? Are you guys related to Tony Hawk?"
me: yes
her: "Are you pulling my leg?"
me: no, we are all directly related to him
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) December 31, 2020

“woman looking over papers: “okay... Anthony, Keegan and Kadence... Hawk? Are you guys related to Tony Hawk?” he tweeted.

“me: yes

“her: “Are you pulling my leg?”

“me: no, we are all directly related to him.”

To be fair to the woman, Hawk was wearing a mask at the time (presumably one of the facemasks we’ve all been wearing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, not the elephant costume he wore as a contestant on “The Masked Singer”).

And she was probably way too busy to realize that “Tony” is usually short for “Anthony.”

But this kind of thing seems to happen to Hawk all the time. And he loves sharing the stories on Twitter.

To clarify: my legal name is Anthony

TSA agent checks my ID, looks at me, looks at ID, looks back at me quizzically and loudly says
"Tony Hawk's my favorite skater"
Me: I’ll tell him.
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 21, 2018

Guy at grocery store:
"you ever get mistaken for Tony Hawk... or are you Tony Hawk?
Me: both!
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 14, 2018

At Disneyland with kids, waiting in line for churros. Girl in front of me: “you look like Tony Hawks”
me: really?
her: “yes”
me: Is that good?
her, nonplussed: “I guess so”
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) June 15, 2019

Approaching ticket counter, agent looks up and exclaims “I know you... you’re a famous... person... or sports guy... skateboarder! And your name is...” (glances at my ticket)
“Anthony Hawkins!”
me: close enough
her: my son would love a picture with you
me: Is he here?
her: no
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 24, 2019

Follow up: I asked him his name and he said Irving. I told him my name is Tony, to which he replied sarcastically “like Tony Hawk haha”
and then he left.
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) October 31, 2019

In front of @WonderfrontFest vip gate, waiting for my kids to arrive so I can give them their wristbands.
Guy on bike: “is this the stage where @OFFICIALSTIG is playing and
Tony Hawk is skating?”
Me (with kneepads on) yep
Him: “where is the main entrance?”
Me: around the corner
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) November 25, 2019

At a drive-thru, waiting on my order, looking at phone. Guy at window: “you kinda look like Tony Hawk”
me (turning towards him, assuming he is in on the joke): “haha, cool”
Him (looking disappointed): “well, from the side you do. Here’s your food.”
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) October 24, 2020

At @Tillys with my daughter, waiting for her by dressing room, mask on.
Guy folding clothes nearby: “Anyone tell you that you look like Tony Hawk?”
me (looking over, expecting sarcasm but realizing he’s serious): you have no idea
him: That’s cool, he’s cool
me: thanks!
him: huh?
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) August 12, 2020

Of course, Hawk also is recognized quite a bit, and he also tweets about some of those encounters as well. Those usually aren’t as amusing, but this one is pretty amazing:

Just finished surfing, standing on the sand drying off. VERY small child nearby:
“Mommy, effant!”
I turn to see him and his mom looking at me.
His mom: “can he take a picture with you? He loves the Masked Singer”
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) May 23, 2020

Sports

Chuck Schilken

Chuck Schilken is a multiplatform editor and sports writer for the Los Angeles Times.