“This could be the biggest moment of my novelty career..."

Everyday action man Ben Gravy has managed to do it again. The sober YouTuber who boasts over 200,000 subscribers is extremely well known for his many stunts featuring his trusty soft-top. He has surfed in canals, surfed in lakes, surfed in rivers and surfed in tubs but his latest feat, surfing the wake of a beastly cruise ship, was one for the ages.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas measures a wild 1,196 feet long and 219 feet wide with a gross tonnage of 248,663 and a draft of 29ft making it the world’s largest cruise ship. It boasts an aquadome for diving performances, an ice skating rink, beach club, waterpark and swim up bar plus theater, structural art installation, central park and elderly fat people.

Wow.

The vessel just so happened to be in Miami before taking off on a seven day jaunt, its 5600 passengers thrilled at the upcoming week of laziness and fatness. Gravy and band of merry men caught it as it was making its way into the Atlantic and, well, just watch.

“This could be the biggest moment of my novelty career. Right here, in front of our eyes people, she is coming in hot. The Icon of the Seas, biggest cruise ship in America.”

/the world.

Now, an important question. Have you ever gone on a cruise? If so, where and did you enjoy the experience? If not, would you like to?

Back to Gravy, though. At this point, I think he has achieved the title of surfing’s icon of the seas.

Bravo.

“You can now own a piece of Championship Tour history with a signed event winner jersey from the Lexus Pipe Pro."

Just over a week ago, the World Surf League found itself embroiled in its most serious controversy to date. The Championship Tour was in Abu Dhabi, as you certainly recall, yet eagle-eyed surf fans noticed a glaring omission. Namely, flags had been scrubbed from the competitor’s singlet sleeves. No Brazilian order and progress, no Australian southern cross, no American stars and stripes and for Tyler Wright, no pride.

The two-time world champion had added the rainbow emblem during her 2021 campaign, declaring at the time, “Today for me feels like another step in my realisation of my true and authentic self. As a proud bisexual woman of the LGBTQ+ community as well as an Australian, I’m delighted to be able to represent both this year on my competition jersey. The number change to 23 represents, to me, a new phase of my career and my growth as a human. The Progress pride flag represents a love that opened my eyes more to who I really am.”

The World Surf League added it “proudly supports Tyler in using her platform as a World Champion and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community to express a message of inclusivity. We believe surfing is for everyone and are incredibly proud of our athletes.”

Though it did not proudly support Tyler’s platform in the United Arab Emirates where same sex couplings are frowned upon.

And it is not proudly supporting Tyler’s platform in its newest offering.

As reported yesterday, the global home of surfing is offering signed memorabilia, excitedly sharing, “You can now own a piece of Championship Tour history with a signed event winner jersey from the Lexus Pipe Pro presented by YETI and the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro. Be one of only a few people who score a Tyler Wright, Barron Mamiya, Caity Simmers, or Italo Ferreira authentic event jersey. Quantities are extremely limited. Shop today!”

It might be thought that the “signed event winner jersey” might have been used in the event or, at the very least, copies of those used in the event.

Here’s Wright at Pipeline.

But now let us examined the signed $299 version currently on offer on the World Surf League website.

No pride.

No progress.

Now, do you think the World Surf League is falling in line with other corporations around these United States cutting diversity programs etc. or does the jersey simply come with an assortment of identity patches that the buyer can iron on at will?

Currently more questions than answers.