Tony Hawk shares his ultimate mistaken identity experience: 'maybe this is where it all ends'

Tony Hawk's ongoing mistaken identity joke just hit its apex.
Tony Hawk might just be the least-recognized well-known person on the planet. The iconic skateboarder is now in his 50s, but his legendary status in the skating world—and video game world—has made him a household name. His face, on the other hand, is a different story.
For years, Hawk has shared hilarious stories of people telling him he looks like Tony Hawk. These mistaken-but-not-mistaken identity incidents happen so often that Hawk has made a running joke out of it, often playing along with people's "Hey, does anyone ever tell you you look like Tony Hawk?" inquiries. Sometimes he tells people he actually is Tony Hawk and they don't believe him. Sometimes he just says he gets that all the time.
Tony Hawk fans know the joke well, so sometimes they purposefully tell him he looks like himself just for giggles. But a recent elevator interaction combined the ongoing saga's greatest hits, and may just be, as Hawk says, "where it all ends."
Hawk shared the story on Twitter.
"This just happened, and maybe this is where it all ends," he wrote. "Got on an elevator with 3 people. One guy (with his wife), sarcastically: 'anyone ever tell you…' and stops. Me (amused): yes, but you're the first today. His wife: 'I'm sorry, I tried to stop him from doing the joke."
Cute, but then it got extra funny.
This just happened, and maybe this is where it all ends:\nGot an elevator with 3 people.\nOne guy (with his wife), sarcastically: \u201canyone ever tell you you\u2026\u201d and stops.\nMe (amused): yes, but you\u2019re the first today.\nHis wife: \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I tried to stop him from doing the joke\u201d— Tony Hawk (@Tony Hawk) 1649306465
The elevator stopped and the couple got off on their floor. Then the third person on the elevator asked what the joke was. When Hawk explained that he gets "mistaken" for Tony Hawk, the guy said, "Haha you do look like him!" and then exited the elevator, leaving Hawk standing there alone and perplexed by what just happened.
It's like the guy unintendedly came up with a perfect punchline to a joke he didn't even know existed. You can't even write this stuff.
(elevator stops, couple exits to their floor)\nOther guy: \u201cwhat\u2019s the joke?\u201d\nMe: I get mistaken identity a lot\nHim: \u201cmistaken for who?\u201d\nMe: Tony Hawk\nHim: \u201chaha you do look like him!\u201d\nElevator stops again, he exits on his floor. I am left alone, heading upwards & feeling perplexed— Tony Hawk (@Tony Hawk) 1649306466
People loved the perfect storm that occurred on the elevator, and shared other fun Tony Hawk mistaken identity jokes.
\u201cWhy?\u201d Took me out— $emptythatwallet (@$emptythatwallet) 1649353098
You should enter a Tony Hawk look alike contest and see what you place— Henny Stabler (@Henny Stabler) 1649323039
Apparently Tony Hawk is completely unknown without a skateboard in hand.\n\nLeft: You look kinda like some guy I recognize\nRight: Holy sh!t, you're Tony Hawkpic.twitter.com/7qTzib8yqe— The Jewish Ginger Resister (@The Jewish Ginger Resister) 1649349301
time to bring back this hit tweet https://t.co/4X1c5G1jdO
— 🌿𝕊𝕒𝕞𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝🔮🐊 (@Samwell_0) April 7, 2022
It's the 'Tony Hawk paradox'— FI Guy (@FI Guy) 1649336435
And apparently, Tony Hawk isn't the only famous-but-not-like-Brad-Pitt-famous person to deal with this kind of thing.
So\u2026 like \u2026pic.twitter.com/xa1ScJf8XH— Alf (@Alf) 1649352996
Good times. Keep on being your cool, awesome self, Tony Hawk—whether people recognize you for real or not.
BTW, there's a new documentary about Tony Hawk called "Until the Wheels Fall Off" that just premiered on HBO. Check it out:
- Two girls head to the Olympics for skateboarding at age 12 - Upworthy ›
- Tony Hawk helped create a song for an autistic teen who is soothed ... ›
- People not recognizing Tony Hawk as Tony Hawk is the most ... ›
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.