Robbie McKinley’s skate career was born and bread in the West Los Angeles scene during the time period that Jonah Hill’s Mid90s is set. Since he was there, McKinley has an interesting perspective on the accuracy of Hill’s account of this pivotal time in both of their lives. He gives it his stamp of approval, and recounts some memories of Hill from that era in the latest COCI interview from Transworld.
I asked the other Hot Rod locs about Jonah (Hill) and Mid90s. Any good Jonah stories?
I watched the movie solo. It was a pretty literal description of my childhood. They took a few liberties here and there but as far as the skating, the Courthouse scene, talking to the bums, jumping fences and all that was super on point. Even the little party was almost exactly like the shit we used to do.
Yeah, we’d bust out our best Polo fleece jacket and try to hook up.
Exactly. The music too was perfect. As far as Jonah I just remember him coming in and (Dan) Druff would always be like, “Jonah the Jew” and Jonah would do that little kid laugh, kind of embarrassed. I saw him at the Rod (Hot Rod Skateshop) maybe right after Superbad (’07). He had already moved to New York and he had slimmed down a bunch. I was like “Jonah what’s up dude? I saw you in that movie. That’s rad you’re doing your thing.” He was still cool then and then funnily enough when Mid90s premiered I got a weird email to my old yahoo email address saying like, “You are invited to the premiere of Mid90s… Log in for VIP tickets etc…” I never responded and I’m not even sure if he sent it but if he did, thanks Jonah.
Head over to Transworld for more on McKinley, and what’s been up to since his 2010 Bobshirt interview.