Dumb The Story Of Big Brother Magazine Reddit

Big Brother's Little Secret: The Unlikely Tale of Dumb Magazine

Ever felt like you've stumbled upon a secret handshake among skateboarders, punk rockers, and pop culture enthusiasts? That's the vibe you get when you dive into the world of Dumb, a magazine that's as irreverent as it is influential. But how did this cult classic come to be? Let's grab a coffee and chat about it.

Enter Big Brother

To understand Dumb, we need to rewind to the '90s, when a certain skateboarding magazine was making waves. Big Brother, launched in 1992, was no ordinary skate mag. It was a wild, unapologetic celebration of skateboarding's counterculture, packed with in-your-face graphics, provocative interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence.

Think of it like the skateboarding world's equivalent of The Onion, but with more four-letter words and less political satire. It was raw, it was real, and it was everything the stuffy, corporate skateboarding scene wasn't.

Enter Jay Howell

Now, enter Jay Howell, a skater and artist with a unique perspective on the world. He was a regular contributor to Big Brother, his cartoons adding a layer of absurdity and humor to the magazine's already chaotic mix.

But Howell had a dream. He wanted to create a magazine that was even weirder, even more off-the-wall. A magazine that would make Big Brother look like Highlights. And so, in 2002, Dumb was born.

Welcome to the Dumbverse

Dumb was unlike anything that had come before it. It was part skateboarding magazine, part art zine, part absurdist comedy show. Each issue was a treasure trove of weirdness, filled with Howell's cartoons, interviews with everyone from professional skateboarders to pro wrestlers, and even a section dedicated to reader-submitted "dumb" ideas.

It was a place where you could find a serious interview with Tony Hawk sandwiched between a comic about a talking dog and a list of "The Dumbest Things Ever Said by a Skateboarder." It was, in a word, dumb. And it was glorious.

Dumb and Proud

But Dumb wasn't just a joke. It was a reflection of a culture that celebrated failure, embraced absurdity, and rejected the mainstream. It was a place where skaters, artists, and misfits could come together and say, "Yeah, we're dumb. And we're proud of it."

Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine | Rivr

And that's what made Dumb so special. It wasn't just a magazine. It was a community. A community that valued laughter, creativity, and the power of being unapologetically yourself.

Dumb Today, Dumb Tomorrow

Sadly, Dumb stopped publishing in print in 2013. But its spirit lives on. Howell continues to create art and comics, and the Dumb community remains active online. You can still find old issues, t-shirts, and even a Dumb board game (yes, you read that right).

And while the world of skateboarding and pop culture has changed since Dumb's heyday, its message remains as relevant as ever. So here's to the weirdos, the misfits, the ones who dare to be dumb. Keep being you. The world needs more of it.

Your Dumb Life

So, how can you bring a little Dumb into your daily life? Here are a few tips:

• Embrace the weird: Whether it's a quirky hobby, a unique fashion sense, or a love for all things absurd, don't be afraid to let your freak flag fly.
• Laugh at yourself: Life's too short to take everything so seriously. Learn to laugh at your mistakes, your failures, and even your successes.
• Create something: Whether it's a comic, a painting, or a list of "dumb" ideas, creating something is a great way to tap into your inner Dumb.

And there you have it, folks. The story of Dumb, the magazine that dared to be itself. So here's to you, Dumb. You were dumb. You were brilliant. And you'll never be forgotten.