Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Part of The Nitro Circus Crew?

The crew from Nitro Circus have jumped out of your televisions and onto the big screen with their adventurous and appropriately titled debut, “Nitro Circus: The Movie”. Bringing along their signature flare for the dangerous, the questionable and the hilarious, the action is especially intensified by its in your face 3D effects.

As always, don’t try any of their stunts at home, at work or on vacation. But if you’re wondering what it would take to join in the fun, Nitro fan favorites Jolene Van Vagt and Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham gave me the lowdown on what to expect when being a part of such a rowdy family of extreme sports enthusiasts.

A SLIDING SCALE OF BIG AND COLORFUL BRUISES

Jolene: “My biggest bruise started on my wrist and ran all the way up my arm, towards my back. It took a few weeks to heal and went through the color process of bruising. The light ones go into the darker ones and it’s always very pretty!”

Wheelz: “Hmm, you know. I actually don’t bruise very easily. It’s rare that I ever get a bruise.”

THE ACCIDENTAL SWALLOWING OF NASTY FLUID

Jolene: “With a lot of the stuff we do, it surrounds water or water beds and we’ve been around some pretty nasty water. (And) you’re thinking ‘I don’t want that going into any orifice of my body!’ But once you’re in the middle of the stunt, the water is the last thing you think of until the stunt’s over and you’re like, ‘what did I do, oh god that was disgusting.”

Wheelz: “I just did a thing when I back-flipped onto a dirty slip-n-slide and I swallowed the grossest water of my life.”

WHILE SAFETY IS NOT GUARANTEED, LAUGHING IS

Jolene: “(Laughing) We have a Nitro protocol. We laugh at inappropriate times and we’re fully aware of it. We do it to each other all the time so we don’t take offense to it. Generally when somebody new comes in (and something painful or bad happens to then) and they get laughed at, they really don’t take it so well. I guess we’re a little messed up in that sense. We understand there’s got to be lightheartedness at what we do. When stuff goes wrong but somebody’s okay, you’ve got to see the humor in it. Right?”

Wheelz: “(Laughing) Personally I laugh the second someone is hurt, it’s just kind of natural. But as you get closer and see what’s going on, you tend to adjust.”

NO SAFETY NETS. NO SISSYS. EXCEPT MAYBE TOMMY

Jolene: “I know Tommy is gonna be mad at me for this one. He’s the hardest one to convince to do a stunt. A lot of us are more amped for a stunt, but with Tommy, he’s the one who needs more enticing. In the film you get to see the softer side of poppa bear. You’ll appreciate the outcome.”

Wheelz: “Maybe I saw Tommy cry, but I think it was cause he was happy.”

GUILTY PLEASURE THEME SONG IS ESSENTIAL

Jolene: “I’m wide range with music but I have roots within punk-rock (Social Distortion, Face to Face). Then I have a guilty pleasure – 80s hair bands. It’s been a tradition since I started with Nitro Circus whenever I have to do a live show, or a big stunt or anything that makes me nervous; I definitely listen to ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ by Def Leppard.

Wheelz: “Dropkick Murphys are definitely one of my top favorites. Punk or classic rock is always good. But (in terms of guilty pleasure)… I do like to wear my sunglasses at night.”

EMBARRASSMENT IS LIFE

Jolene: “Oh hell, we always try to embarrass each other.”

Wheelz: “I’m trying to assess what’s not embarrassing.”

Nitro Circus: The Movie is out now!