Where the Locals Sk8 is a skateboarding podcast hosted by Richard Ayala aka Sk8Cho and co-hosts David Peralta (Episode 2) & Victor Castillo (Episode 1), better known as “The Couch Boys”. Taken from their YouTube channel “…a podcast where we get to know local skaters around the world and give viewers a chance to know local skaters on and off the board” they launched their first episode on Dec 1st, 2022 and have been consistent with it being that they just launched episode 72 and is been exactly 72 weeks since the first episode, meaning they haven’t skipped a single week and this is something to celebrate. Is hard to be consistent, so I want to commend them for being able to post content about local skaters around the world week in and week out.
I met Sk8Cho a few years ago through The Nine Club, as that podcast became bigger and bigger there was a core of fans that followed along the growth and a lot of us would continuously see each other in the comments, once the live show began we then saw each other in the chat and little by little built a community that is commonly know as “Ol’ Buddies” – I’m met a handful of them in person, skated with some, hung out with others and overall just had a great time connecting with these Ol’ Buddies. Sk8Cho is one of them, we’ve skated a handful of times and often see each other at skate events so when he started his podcast I was invited to be on it, and funny enough another Ol’ Buddy Glenn “Stix Champion” happened to be in town at the time all the way from the UK so I gave him a ride and we hung out all day with Sk8Cho and filmed episode 8 (Glenn) and episode 9 (Me). That was back in January of 2023. At that time they had one camera, one microphone, two lights and the couch boys didn’t really participate much since they didn’t have a microphone and Victor couldn’t make it so I only got to met David.
I’ve kept in touch with Sk8Cho since then and have paid attention at the consistency and growth of the podcast, I’ve seen some skaters that I run into all over Los Angeles like Ron Resureccion and Jeff DeChesare, more Ol’ Buddies like Ryan Kulla and Doré Kattrell (Goddessgrafx) and some skate legends like Jeremy Wray and Vinny Ponte be part of the show and feel comfortable sharing their skate life. I’ve also paid attention at how the quality of the video has improved, lights are brighter, sound is better and the host and co-hosts have found a great flow and confidence in what they’re creating. We recently reconnected to do this review and I got to spend a day with Sk8Cho, Peralta and Victor to skate first and foremost, get some behind the scenes content and to ask them a few questions for a change, to put them on the spotlight like they have done for so many skateboarders in the last year and a half. And they also asked me to comeback for another episode, number 72. To me it only made sense to feature the crew behind this awesome podcast, because we share an essence with Sk82live and that is to bring light to those skaters that do it for the love and will continue to do so until the wheels fall off.
Interview by Andres Alfonso
The Host – Sk8Cho
First question, let the people know what city you repping? (this is how their podcast starts)
Born and raised in Whittier CA.
What’s the idea behind Where the Locals Sk8?
To get to know local skateboarders on and off the board
What made you want to start a podcast?
Peralta would see the bar area and say “this would be perfect to shoot a podcast” so that got me thinking, we should interview local skateboarders.
Who do you work with? How did the couch boys tag along?
David Peralta and Victor Castillo. Victor has a Cannon Rebel T3I then his neighbor gave him a Sony NX5U. David then bought a soundboard. I purchased the mics, lights and also a Sony NX5U for a second angle. Of course this all was throughout a year.
Most podcast we listened to have a crew and they usually have a nickname so since they sit on the couch during the show we call them “The Couch Boys”.
What have you learned about podcasting since starting (first episode was posted on Dec 1, 2022) until now when you just launched episode 72?
In the beginning we had some issues of course we were learning on the fly. Mistakes will happen just roll with it and keep pushing forward. Also takes dedication to stay consistent. And making a checklist to go over helps. But we still always learning.
What have you learned about yourself during this time?
I was never really comfortable in front of a camera especially talking but I’m used to it now.
What do you consider a successful episode?
A successful episode to me is when the guest is excited about the interview. We want the skater to have a good experience.
What’s the process? How do you schedule people? How long are the interviews? How long does the editing process take? Who edits? How do you promote an episode once is done?
We shoot in Whittier CA. Sometimes we shoot two episodes in a day.
This is the process:
• We scheduled a guests on the weekends usually on Sundays.
• I’ve used Instagram to invite guests, in person at skate parks, and skate shops.
• We shoot from one to two hours
• The camera cuts are edited as we record thanks to Ryan Kulla donation to the podcast, we got a Mini Pro ISO and Peralta does the rest on his laptop then uploads to YouTube.
• We promote the episodes on Instagram and I hand out stickers at skate parks and events.
What has changed in the process from when you first started until now?
We increased the interview time, Couch Boys now interact with the guest. We try not to curse for the first ten minutes, but that’s hard to enforce. I heard it helps the algorithm. And added a crazy question bowl.
What’s your favorite thing about doing a podcast?
Favorite thing is getting to know all these local skaters from all over and becoming friends outside the studio. Giving them a platform to share their stories and promote anything they are coming out with. Hangout talk skating, still skate, used to skate, skate brand, we want to hear your story.
What’s been your favorite moments in this time?
In the beginning we would shoot not knowing the mics were off and thinking we had gold and have to reshoot, but we learned from our mistakes and can laugh about it now. But another favorite is when Jeremy Wray made time to shoot episode 16 and it dropped on my birthday, that was special to me.
How did you meet Jeremy Wray?
We all knew Jeremy from 411VM and of course the water tower gap. I would go visit his brother Jonas when he would do “pop ups” to sell Wraybros merch in Huntington Beach CA and we became friends. Jonas would invite me on skate sessions and I felt super blessed to be a part of it. I even helped Jonas fix their mini ramp to surprise Jeremy when he got back from a family trip. We still have a Thanksgiving tradition skate sesh we do every year.
Where do the locals skate?
My local is my driveway at the house. Went to La Habra a lot throughout the years, but lately skating at La Puente with the Couch Boys.
The Couch Boys
Co-Host – David Peralta
How did you get involved with Where the Locals Sk8?
I got involved after Victor and my self had been talking about starting a pod cast but didn’t know what to do it on, at this point to we had already brought it up to sk8cho about doing a podcast. A few months went by and sk8cho told us he had an Idea for a podcast where we interview local skaters and I like so I was down for it.
How did the name “couch boys” come about?
I came up with the idea for the couch boys because of trunk boys from the chocolate team and also from how the nine club had Kelly hart and Roger Bagley. originally the couch boys was supposed to be Victor and my self reviewing local skater skate parts to try and give the average person and idea of how much work it takes to put a part together also to give the skater more exposure.
What’s your favorite thing about working on a podcast?
My favorite thing about doing the podcast is getting to know the skaters we interview and how they got into skateboarding especially when we interview skaters I have been skating with all my life because who has actually sat there and thought about how some one you skate with got into skating and what struggles they went thru just to be able to skate, or even how they were inspired to skate maybe by a skate video or a neighbor or some random skate they saw do a trick and it blew there mind.
You both have been guests (episodes 1 & 2), how different is it sitting behind the camera vs sitting in front of it?
Going from doing an episode to now sitting as a co-host is crazy when I did my episode I was so camera shy, I had all these things I was going to talk about during my episode and as soon as the camera turned on my mind went blank and I also found out I was camera shy too hahahah. Being behind the camera is funny when you see people go through the same thing so I just try to make them feel as comfortable as possible even before we start filming I try to get to know them to get an idea of what to bring during the show incase they forget.
What have you learned about yourself during this time?
I feel like that one thing I learn about my self is that I didn’t realize that I didn’t have the same passion for skateboarding. But after doing the show for a year and listing to all the different interviews and way people see skateboarding it sparked that passion back in me aging to learn to just have fun with it. Its not serious I started skating because it was fun and now I lam back at my roots of having fun with it.
What’s your favorite thing about skateboarding?
Being able to go out and forget about all the real life drama and struggles from adulting. It’s like you go out skate and there are no worries in the world just the good time your having with your friends and all the great memories we get to make. I may be in my 30’s but skateboarding keeps me feeling like I am still 14.
Co-Host – Victor Castillo
How did you get involved with Where the Locals Sk8?
After having the first episode, we shot the second episode with David Peralta. I sat on the couch working the camera. The third episode both Peralta and myself sat on the couch to work the camera and help Sk8cho (the host) keep the conversation flowing.
How did the name “couch boys” come about?
We sat on the couch so the name came from there. Peralta was the one that came up with the name.
What’s your favorite thing about working on a podcast?
Favorite thing about the podcast is getting to know the guest.
You both have been guests (episodes 1 & 2), how different is it sitting behind the camera vs sitting in front of it?
The only difference between sitting in front of the camera against sitting behind it is that we don’t have all the spotlight on us and the host isn’t asking us questions.
What have you learned about yourself during this time?
I learned that we can connect with other skaters and work together.
What’s your favorite thing about skateboarding?
My favorite thing about skateboarding is that it gets me out of the house, it’s a work out/exercise, and I get to meet people and go places I’ve never been to.
Make sure to watch and subscribe to Where to Locals Sk8 on YouTube.com/@WheretheLocalssk8
Follow them on Instagram.com/wherethelocalssk8
Follow each member of where the locals skate on Instagram:
Host Sk8Cho – Instagram.com/og_sk8cho
Co-Host David Peralta – Instagram.com/zombiewolf90
Co-Host Victor Castillo – Instagram.com/listoassfoo
