Jekyll & Hyde

When it comes to dealing with endemic ski media, it’s a well-known fact that most pro skiers aren’t as savvy as the A-list celebrities who spend their days dodging paparazzi in high-speed chases on Sunset Boulevard. They know when to keep their mouths shut. Sometimes, pro skiers don’t. While doing an interview, they sometimes forget the friend they’re talking to is actually a scumbag journalist, who will publish everything they say. As a result, they say some funny shit, and since they said it, and we think it’s funny, we publish it. Sometimes, their sponsors get upset about this, which prompts them to get upset at their athletes, who in turn get upset at us for printing the funny shit they said. In an effort to curb this, and offer less cookie-cutting interviews, we thought it would be fun (and funny) to fire up a new series here on Forecastski.com where two athletes from different walks of skiing life interview each other, because that way, all bets are off. The first dynamic duo up for the task are two lifelong friends: halfpipe Olympian Justin Dorey, and X Games Real Ski Backcountry bronze medalist Joe Schuster. —The Editors

Dorey: For anybody out there who doesn't know, I grew up competing with you until a few years ago, when you decided to throw in the towel and focus 100% of your time and energy on filming. Why’d you give up?

Schuster: Well when we were competing together you were super stoked because you were winning all the comps (laughs). I on the other hand was hoping for top 10 finishes, which eventually got frustrating, and I wanted to focus on something else. Since I’ve been filming full time I have never been happier and have had as much fun as I do right now. It was the best decision of my life.

Dorey: You recently got a pro model ski. Who was dumb enough to give you one, and how important was that to you? Does that mean that you've 'made it'?

Schuster: Liberty offered me a pro model, which is something I have always dreamed of. It wasn't something I felt I needed to achieve in my life, but the fact that it’s happened feels pretty amazing. Shit, I hope it means I’ve 'made it'!

Dorey: You’ve filmed with Super Proof Inc. for the past two years. How’s that experience been for you, and do you have to smoke cigarettes if you want to be a part of that crew?

Schuster: Super Proof has been awesome the last couple of years. We've gone on some super cool trips, I’ve gotten to ski with my best friends along with some of my idols, and we've made some super unique and cool movies. And yes, you do have to smoke cigarettes, at least in front of the camera.

Schuster: Well at first I was super embarrassed about the video, and then the more I watched it the funnier I thought it was, to the point that I thought everyone else should see it too. Go check it out at instagram.com/joe_schuster.

Dorey: Being that you have a much cooler brother (Cam Schuster) who’s a sponsored skateboarder, and another even cooler brother (Jan Schuster, aka Young Buffalo), who’s such a wild and crazy snowboarder, how have those sports influenced your skiing, and how do you feel about skiers being heavily influenced by those two sports?

Schuster: People can be influenced by whatever they want; it doesn't matter what their influence is. As for me, I have been influenced by both sports several times before and probably will be again, but I'm also influenced by tons of things that aren't even sports. It’s not something I can answer without going on for hours and hours. (Editor’s note - Good thing he didn’t go on for hours, because according to our Google Analytics, skiers prefer watching videos to reading on the Interweb)

Schuster: I don't really know, but basically when my mind is tired it just shuts off without any hesitation. I had to learn that the hard way by falling asleep while driving this past year, but hopefully that doesn't happen again.

Dorey: Having braces and head gear as a kid is sick and gets you unlimited chicks, not to mention bunch props and respect from everyone in high school. So obviously I would get head gear again if I could.

Schuster: You’re one of the only people from the Okanagan in our age group that is still solely focused on competing. Why do you think that is, and do you still enjoy it?

Dorey: I've been focusing on competing for almost ten years now and still love it, although my mentality has changed a lot since I started. During my first few years on the tour I was a total shit show. I would party every night before the events and rarely land any comp runs. Then when I was 18 or 19 I got asked to join the National Team, which at the time included Mike Riddle, Matt Hayward, Roz G and Sarah Burke, and was coached by Trennon Paynter. Joining the team really helped me keep my shit together, and I started landing runs and podiuming at events. Once I started hitting podiums I realized how dope this shit is. Over the years, I realized that it isn't just hitting the podium that I love, it's the lifestyle, travel, and most importantly the friends I get to hang with all year. I'm so damn lucky.

Dorey: I'm assuming that to most people this question would seem like a no-brainer, because the Olympics are a far bigger event. But I'm torn between the two. I grew up watching ski movies and X Games, and there was no chance of freeskiing being a part of the Olympics back then, and as a kid I thought Olympic sports were kind of whack, though my views have changed since then. X Games will always mean more to me than the Olympics because winning X Games was my childhood dream. Going to the Olympics in 2014 completely changed my perspective and made me respect the Olympics and all the sports involved, but at the end of the day I think I'd have to say that winning X Games would be more important to the kid inside of me.

Schuster: We all know you love your food dripping in sauce. If you had to pick no sauce or no sex for a year, which would you pick?

Dorey: Life is not worth living without sauce.

Schuster: You recently played live guitar at a small bar. Is that something you might actually pursue? Can we expect more live shows by Justin Dorey?

Dorey: I hope so! Playing and singing in front of people still scares the shit out of me, so I’ve got a long way to go, but I'd be hyped to start getting into that.