Stab Magazine | Surfing's only billionaire gets the Stephen Colbert bump

The Grand Finale of EAST starring Harry Bryant is LIVE, presented by Kona Big Wave and Vans.

508 Views

Surfing’s only billionaire gets the Stephen Colbert bump

Words by Morgan Williamson  Mr Colbert’s an American icon. The Colbert Report was the best late night television show to run, maybe ever.  The tasteful mix of conservative actions and liberal ideals in the midst of satire, relevance and humour has always been my favourite way to indulge in current affairs. Stephen started out as a correspondent on The Daily Show with John Stewart, then took the top late night hour spot on Comedy Central with his own daily news recap. Now he’s taken the place of David Letterman on The Late Show and if it’s not apparent, I fucking adore him. Last night GoPro CEO and surfing’s first billionaire came onto the show, him and Colbert had a little chat, did a patented fist bump and learnt the story of Nick Woodman’s rise to the triple comma club. It’s hard to hate on Nick Woodman, he seems like generally good guy. He’s a frother, a little bit nerdy and has business sense. Really it’s the perfect combination for success. If you can gain anything from this, let it be a bit of inspo. Failure’s inevitable and that inevitability breeds success. Complacency’s a soul siphoning succubus and being comfortable’s only relative. “When you’re looking for inspiration,” Nick says, “you follow your passion.” As far as surfing goes, man we are stream lining into the mainstream. Surfing’s becoming a go-to, should we thank/blame Mick or the shark? I have to assume the shrinking of the bikini bottom has something to do with it. This lifestyle we live and aspire to’s no longer behind the curtain of contempt and hasn’t been for quite sometime. Is more money going into surfing a good thing? That depends who you talk to. But GoPro was corn fed on stoke and that one little camera and camera mount that gives you the I’m going to snake this guy, feeling, has turned this Nick into a fucking billionaire. He bleeds green and that must be nice.

news // Mar 8, 2016
Words by stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Words by Morgan Williamson 

Mr Colbert’s an American icon. The Colbert Report was the best late night television show to run, maybe ever.  The tasteful mix of conservative actions and liberal ideals in the midst of satire, relevance and humour has always been my favourite way to indulge in current affairs. Stephen started out as a correspondent on The Daily Show with John Stewart, then took the top late night hour spot on Comedy Central with his own daily news recap. Now he’s taken the place of David Letterman on The Late Show and if it’s not apparent, I fucking adore him.

Last night GoPro CEO and surfing’s first billionaire came onto the show, him and Colbert had a little chat, did a patented fist bump and learnt the story of Nick Woodman’s rise to the triple comma club. It’s hard to hate on Nick Woodman, he seems like generally good guy. He’s a frother, a little bit nerdy and has business sense. Really it’s the perfect combination for success. If you can gain anything from this, let it be a bit of inspo. Failure’s inevitable and that inevitability breeds success. Complacency’s a soul siphoning succubus and being comfortable’s only relative. “When you’re looking for inspiration,” Nick says, “you follow your passion.”

As far as surfing goes, man we are stream lining into the mainstream. Surfing’s becoming a go-to, should we thank/blame Mick or the shark? I have to assume the shrinking of the bikini bottom has something to do with it. This lifestyle we live and aspire to’s no longer behind the curtain of contempt and hasn’t been for quite sometime. Is more money going into surfing a good thing? That depends who you talk to. But GoPro was corn fed on stoke and that one little camera and camera mount that gives you the I’m going to snake this guy, feeling, has turned this Nick into a fucking billionaire. He bleeds green and that must be nice.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

World Number 1 Out, Green Wetsuits And Wildcards In

Live report from a stunning opening day at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.

Oct 16, 2026

Watch: ‘Grillionaire’ Starring Taj Richmond, In All Its Sticky Green Glory

The year is 2060, AI agents are patrolling the surf and stealing memories.

Oct 16, 2026

Watch: Unequivocal Proof That Cloudbreak Is The Best Wave In The World

Mikey February, James Kusitino, Tosh Tudor, Frankie Harrer, Kobe Hughes and Lungi Slabb star in…

Oct 15, 2026

A Reckoning in Surfing, and the Questions Nobody Can Yet Answer

We spoke to the AFP and French Polynesian authorities about the alleged sexual assault of…

Oct 15, 2026

Making The Fish Last: A Rip Curl Portugal Pro Preview

Seventeen years after Supertubos joined the Tour, Portugal is once again being asked to make…

Oct 15, 2026

Three Days In Texas With 40-Ish Surfers And A Pool Resembling An Obstacle Course

Watch: The 2026 Swatch Nines surf recap edit.

Oct 15, 2026

Is Drawing First Blood In A Heat Actually Worth Anything?

We ran some numbers... and asked the experts.

Oct 13, 2026

Generational Talent Qualifies For CT

And other updates from the second-to-last Challenger of the season. 

Oct 12, 2026

How A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Is Changing Surfboard Design | StabMic Ep. 34

Live from New York with Ashton Pickle and Harry Bryant.

Oct 12, 2026

CT Surfer Suspended After Receiving “Allegations Of A Deeply Serious Nature”

The surfer has also parted ways with several sponsors and their management team.

Oct 11, 2026

California’s Ritziest, Riskiest Peninsula Is Finally Underwater

"This all could have been prevented."

Oct 11, 2026

AI Surf Forecasting Has Arrived… Is It Any Good?

And what does it mean for Surfline?

Oct 9, 2026

The Top Five Stab Films You’ve (Maybe) Never Heard Of

A look through the archives.

Oct 9, 2026

Want To Win One Of Harry Bryant’s EAST Boards?

We’re giving away 10 pink and blue boards to Stab Premium members.

Oct 9, 2026

SEOTY: Australia’s #1 QS Surfer vs. The Sydney Pipeline

Whether it's the original Banzai or a knock-off, Kobi Clements is not afraid.

Oct 7, 2026

How Ashton Pickle Won Harry Bryant’s EAST, Presented By Kona Big Wave

What actually happened last weekend in NYC?

Oct 6, 2026

How Tom Curren Accidentally Baptized Japan’s Most Fabled Big Wave Spot

And why Kelly Slater missed out on naming rights.

Oct 5, 2026

DEFECT: In Conversation | StabMic Ep. 33

Dane Reynolds, Hunter Martinez, and Jake Kelley watch DEFECT and offer up its secrets.

Oct 5, 2026
Advertisement