Did you know that Mark Twain’s name wasn’t really Mark Twain?
Twain was a pen name for a Mr. Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Kind of like how Marilyn Monroe was a stage name for Norma Jeane Mortenson. Even Charlie Sheen is just a tiger-blooded moniker for a guy born and raised Carlos Estevez. Snowboarding has a handful of these, too. These larger-than-self aliases. Pseudonyms, per se. Like DC Mountain Lab’s star guest Renee Renee. The high-flying, backpacked Fridge. And, of course, the infamous East Bumfucc.
Jake Aaronson, aka East Bumfucc, in Albany, NY last winter while filming his independent project, "FUCC CITY." | Photo: Elias Parise
I couldn’t help but laugh reading Google’s AI-generated responses to “Reasons for using a pseudonym.” The list began with “Professionalism: A stage name can be easier to remember and pronounce.” I know for a fact that professionalism was not what Jake Aaronson had in mind when he chose the nickname East Bumfucc.
For the past several years, Jake has presented himself to the snowboarding world under this crude alias. It all began with changing his Instagram handle to @eastbumfucc in the late 2010s. Jake will be the first to admit that his digital stage name was originally meant to be nothing more than an angsty middle finger to corporate entities and conformism. Regardless of its nature, Jake stuck by the name, and it spread.
“New York City got a dusting of snow mid-December, so you know I had to go out and find something. I hit up my friend Elias Parise, a still and motion photographer living in the area, and he pinned me a sick jersey barrier spot on a hill—one he's shot his homies skating before. While looking around the area, I found ‘The Truck.’ I quickly sniped a photo from the bottom and sent it to Elias. He laughed and sent me a photo back that he took of his homie Duncan Rowland 50-50ing the lookers-right side over the knuckles at the end of the truck. The wind was ripping super hard and blew my tripod over, breaking my camera. Luckily, we had plenty of extras, and I’m hyped on how things turned out.” – Jake Aaronson | Photo: Elias Parise | As seen in the feature "Back in the New York Groove" in Issue 23.1.
That’s in large part because his snowboarding has been undeniable. East Bumfucc Jake made a lot of noise out of Mission Ridge, WA, alongside his friends, Andrey Trofimov and Austin Visintainer. They produced their own videos, “EASTBUMFUCC SHITHOLE,” a street focused film, followed up by “FUCCVIZZ,” the latter showcasing Jake and Austin’s prowess in both the streets and backcountry. Throughout this time, Jake was consistently dropping park clips that garnered hundreds of thousands of views on social media. Using that eye-catching, head-scratching handle, he amassed a dedicated fanbase. The success of the videos and standalone clips helped catapult Austin toward filming with veteran pros like Johnny O’Connor and Mike Ravelson. Jake’s notoriety led to him further carve out his own lane in the snowboarding industry, putting all his energy into creating independent videos.
Although his project’s names would remain rather ridiculous, over the years Jake steadily refined his vision for East Bumfucc… pun most certainly intended. With the support of his zealous followers, Jake successfully launched his very own sunglass company, FUCCS by East Bumfucc. Contrary to the doubts of many, he’s managed to continuously grow the brand, using it to help fund his various video projects. The sunglasses company is just one of countless examples in which Jake has made things happen in his own unconventional way. Kind of like when he shot an entire backcountry video part by himself using dad cams and tripods.
While it may not be the most high tech approach to filming snowboarding, Jake Aaronson manages to get a lot of great clips using a dad cam and a tripod. The video quality it produces combined with his editing and music choice gives "FUCC CITY" a nostalgic feel mixed with progressive riding. | Photo: Elias Parise
The 30-year-old just released his latest self-made video, “FUCC CITY.” It’s yet another project Jake put together almost entirely on his own accord. Last week we got on the line with the man, myth and legend himself to get a sense of what the fucc going on with this one.
The Snowboarder’s Journal: Tell us about your latest project. This one is called “FUCC CITY,” right?
Jake Aaronson: Exactly. This is my fourth solo production, and I think eighth video part. I produced, directed, edited and—obviously—featured myself again. I try to have each video tie in with some type of theme. I did a whole East Coast project, “EAST BUMFUCC,” two years ago. That was all around the East Coast. Then I did a Tahoe project. This past season, I specifically wanted to do city-oriented areas, and kind of stay close to home.
This video is dedicated to your dad, who recently passed away. What was his name? What was he like?
Marc Lawrence Aaronson. He was a lot like me, that’s what everyone says. He basically did everything his own way. He started up his own company, dedicated his life to skiing and snowboarding, and was just very passionate about living life. The two places that he loved the most, Boston and New York City, are the two cities I was [mainly] filming in.
In "FUCC CITY" Jake wore his late father's old workwear as part of it being a tribute to him. R.I.P. to Marc Lawrence Aaronson. By the way Jake talks about you, you were a real one. | Photo: Elias Parise | As seen in the feature "Back in the New York Groove" in Issue 23.1.
Where are you from originally?
I grew up south of Boston, MA, in Needham.
You were once an academy kid, right? Competing in Dew Tours and all that.
Yep, I was at Waterville [Valley Academy, NH]. I went when I was 14 years old and was there until I was 18. I was Rookie of the Year at Dew Tour in 2012, and I did World Championships. I used to do all the contests. I was sent to China, Finland and Russia. Super sick; it was insane. I had one year where I did really well. I was 16. Then, 17, I did awfully. By 18, I was like, “I'm done competing.”
Is that when you moved to Washington and started riding Mission Ridge?
First, I moved to Colorado for a year, and I didn't really meet anyone out there. I was riding every day. That summer at Mount Hood [OR] I met Ryan Finder and the Wyld Instinct crew. That was in 2015. We all moved into a house in Wenatchee and lived there for two or three seasons.
Jake in Buffalo, NY in 2023. | Photo: Ben Shanks Kindlon | As seen in "Low Bridge, High Banks: Knocking off the Rust in Buffalo" in Issue 21.1.
Wyld Instinct eventually disbanded, with everyone in the crew going their separate ways. But you stayed at Mission Ridge. During that time, you changed your Instagram handle to @eastbumfucc. What’s the story behind the name?
I come from the East Coast, we were also east of the Cascades in Washington… and during the time I created it, I wanted something with shock value. Something that's in your face. It was all those things together, really.
Austin Visintainer and I started making heavy videos together. I set this goal in my mind that we could kind of start our own movement within snowboarding. Obviously, my path has changed a lot along the way.
How has it changed?
I’ve grown up, and with that, you know, things start to differ. It started out as just a basic “fuck you,” then it turned into me creating the brand out of it.
Jake repping shades from his very own sunglasses company, FUCCS by East Bumfucc, while filming for his latest video, "FUCC CITY." | Photo: Elias Parise
Do you have other jobs outside of snowboarding right now?
I don't. The snowboarding and the brand are doing very well.
What made you move back to the East Coast?
Honestly, I feel like I was there for too long. I had set myself up with a pretty nice situation where I was selling weed to the East Coast. I had connections over here, and then, basically, 2017 or 2018, I got a DUI. I stopped selling weed and doing all that stuff because I was paranoid. I don't want to get fucked with anymore. Then my rent started going up, so all these things just kind of piled up. I was like, you know, it's time to move back home.
But after being in Washington where there’s an abundance of snow… Being here in Queens, New York, we really only have the resort, and two or three weeks out of the winter—if you’re lucky—to snowboard in the streets. Sometimes it’s like, we’re really struggling out here.
Yeah, East Coast snowboarding can be tough. But one aspect of your East Bumfucc videos that I love is that they showcase how a single snowboarder can make so much out of so little. For instance, sometimes you’re dropping directly into street features when there isn’t even enough snow to build a proper lip. What are you trying to demonstrate with that sort of snowboarding?
The whole scope of the projects is very minimalistic. I don't really have a budget going into these things. I just scrape together whatever I have. Even when I would build a drop in ramp, it was with wood I found at my house. My dad would help me build it with whatever he had laying around. Everything that I've done has been as simple and minimal as possible. The riding, too. It’s kind of wherever, whenever.
I like to film myself in that sense, too. In a way, it goes along with that whole simplistic mindset of not having too much going on, and not so much pressure. It’s just me filming myself and not having any outside pressures altering my decisions.
Jake really will see rideable features where no one else will. Even if that means dropping directly into, no lip necessary. It's interesting to see a rider who can hit double corks but spends a lot of time experimenting with spots that most wouldn't even bother with. | Photo: Ben Shanks Kindlon | As seen in "Low Bridge, High Banks: Knocking off the Rust in Buffalo" in Issue 21.1.
Is that why you like to film solo as opposed to with a crew?
Yeah. Over time I've felt like I can film myself with less pressure and more fun. Not everything, obviously. There are spots where you definitely need a spotter, or it'd be nice to have a second angle, or a photographer, which I got very lucky with this past season.
I've kind of experienced every realm of snowboarding, and I know what I like. I also know how to go about filming, and not just filming, but like, how to ride certain things and do it in a more fun way instead of going out with a crew and scaring the shit out of myself. You know how it is. You can get scared as fuck in the streets, especially if you're with the wrong people.
That’s when you make bad decisions. Peer pressure.
Exactly. When I’m by myself, I’ll take my time. I can throw extra snow and make things safer for myself. I have the time to do that, because no one else is there hustling for a clip. I don't feel rushed.
“The morning at the bank in Yonkers [right] was rough. There was a lot going on, both mentally and physically—bystanders, bikers, and cars. One person slipped into my tripod, almost knocking it over. Luckily, Elias [Parise] was right there to catch it, saving me from that struggle." -- Jake Aaronson | Photo: Elias Parise | As seen in the feature "Back in the New York Groove" in Issue 23.1.
You’re never going to get into the flow state feeling rushed.
Exactly. The way I describe it is like: If the music's playing, you're not even thinking about it—the music is just playing. As soon as the music stops and you take a second to think, everything becomes quiet. Silent. That's when I'm like, “This is not the right thing.”
Do you ever feel scared to be out there filming video parts by yourself?
Yeah, I've definitely scared myself. But I feel like I get so confident with doing it over and over again that I get comfortable. Things can go wrong, and they probably will. But like… I don't know. I guess I get too comfortable and confident sometimes.
Yeah, yeah. It's a balance though, right? Because you’ve got to be comfortable and confident to land your trick.
Exactly. As soon as you tense up or hesitate, those are the two things that you try and avoid. I guess it's like, turning your brain off, in a sense. I don't know. I've been snowboarding for so long that it’s second nature for me. When I go out and skate by myself, I don’t try to do anything that difficult. But with snowboarding I like to push myself, and I feel more safe and secure doing it.
Jake Aaronson hitting frontside boardslide through the elbow before pretzeling into the bank in Yonkers, NY. | Photo: Elias Parise | As seen in the feature "Back in the New York Groove" in Issue 23.1.
Your risk tolerance is much higher on a snowboard. All things relative, you going to hit what I see as a bigger spot solo is on par with someone less experienced hitting a smaller spot by themselves.
Yeah. More experience, more knowledge. But there’s definitely a love hate relationship with going out in the streets. You have the cops and people that are not fucking with it. But what gets me the most hyped are the people that see you out there that are backing it.
What do you hope people take away from this latest video, and East Bumfucc in general?
With this video specifically, I wanted this one to be dedicated to my dad. I was utilizing his old work garments as a tribute to him throughout the whole project.
And… I don’t know. I wouldn’t recommend anyone try to do what I'm doing or to go about doing anything that I'm doing. Solo filming in the streets or starting your own brand or doing any of that shit, because it is not easy. So, I guess take what I'm doing with a grain of salt.
Jake in Upstate New York. | Photo: Elias Parise
It sounds like it's been pretty fulfilling, though.
I’ve made it out to be. But you’ve got to throw your whole life at it.
Where I want this to go is making snowboarding look cool, just making snowboarding look rad. Also, making snowboarding more accessible. From the beginning with East Bumfucc I’ve just been trying to make snowboarding seem more accessible, and more fun.