Yo-Yo’s in the Wall Street Journal

Mary Pilon contacted me a few weeks ago about a story for the Wall Street Journal on “yo-yos”. We did a quick interview, but I didn’t have my hopes up about making it in the paper. After all, I’ve been contacted 3 other times by the WSJ for various stories, but was never actually included.

I was pleased to discover that not only did I make the cut, but the article hit the front page! Here’s my quote from Mary’s WSJ yo-yo article:

Brian Roberts, better known in the yo-yo world as “Doctor Popular,” is holding on to 100 Bolt yo-yos that he custom designed out of a high-grade plastic called Celcon that’s impossible to shatter. Mr. Roberts, of San Francisco, also sports a flaming yo-yo tattoo on his left arm. His right arm is so much larger than his left, because of yo-yoing he says, that the sleeves of some of his T-shirts are too tight.

Mr. Roberts once sold a “Silver Bullet 2” yo-yo to a man who had recently been robbed at gunpoint while working at a gas station in Minnesota. The Bullet is known for its sharp edges, high-end metal body and fast spin. “His boss wouldn’t let him get a gun,” he says. “I think he thought he was a ninja.”

That’s right, I got quoted about ninjas in the Wall Street Journal!!

For the record, I don’t think anyone would actually consider my tattoo “flaming”. It’s hella-hetero.

I’ve asked Mary about finding the pointillistic yo-yo portrait, which she says are called “hedcuts”, online. If she sends me a link, I’ll update the post, but I’ve posted a scan of the yo-yo hedcut image from the front page article:

wsjyoyo01

Mary also sent me links to some of the artists responsible for the hedcuts, which are so closely identified with the WSJ’s front page:
http://www.sprouls.com/portfolio/wsp/index.html
http://www.nolinovak.com/
http://www.randyglassstudio.com/


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Comments

4 responses to “Yo-Yo’s in the Wall Street Journal

  1. envisiongroup Avatar

    Congratulations on making the front page! Very cool! ~ @envisiongroup

  2. MrTriscut Avatar
    MrTriscut

    Thats really awesome!!

    One question though, whats the deal with your Bolt yo-yos? I was hoping to buy one but, now I don't see them for sale on your site any longer. Are you not selling them any more?

  3. DocPop Avatar

    I've pulled the Bolt's off of my site… they are all mine now! Gotta horde 'em all.

  4. Isis Duo Avatar

    Talking of Bolt, Bolt is really turning things around setting new records in running!!

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