BAM! Margera lands at Browseabout Books

It was noon, Saturday, Dec. 5, as more than 500 fans formed lines snaking through the aisles of Browseabout Books, eagerly searching for a sign of Bam Margera’s arrival.

At the front of the line were Bam fans Sam Ratner, 11, big sister Claudia and friend Nicole Viscount, who had claimed their spots hours earlier. Holding books, Sam also brought a Bam Element skateboard to be signed by his idol.

They talked about their favorite Bam stunts. For Claudia it was when Bam threw a Hummer over the side of a cliff to see what would happen. For Nicole it was when Bam set off fireworks in his dad’s car.

“My favorite part was when Bam turned his home into a skate park,” Sam said. “Especially how he went down through the kitchen and over the fireplace!”

The next early arriver in line, Thomas Stewart, agreed. A devout follower of MTV’s “Viva La Bam,” he laughs, “At the beginning they say, ‘Do not try this at home!’ Who would try that at home?” Thomas asks.

“Bam!” someone calls out.

Halle Cannon, who drove down from New Jersey the night before, says she made her mom watch the episode when Bam turned his home into a skate park.

“I keep telling my mom I want to raise a kid like Bam,” says the 17-year-old. “But for now I really want to have a Bam-style scavenger hunt where people have to do things like get a piggyback ride from a cop!”

The perpetrator of some of the most inane, absurd stunts imaginable, Bam Margera is – above all else – incredibly successful. The nationally recognized pro skater is also the co-creator and co-star of MTV’s “Jackass” and “Jackass, the Movie,” grossing over $100 million in worldwide ticket sales, creator of the CKY video series featuring skating, pranks and stunts, which has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide, and host of “Radio Bam” on Sirius Satellite Radio.

When Bam’s parents, Phil and April Margera, enter the store, a hush falls over the crowd, except for Sam, who yells, “You’re awesome!” About 15 minutes later Bam arrives and some young girls start crying. “I love you Bam,” is heard in a wave as he passes by. In front of the star, almost everyone becomes speechless, forgetting the questions they were going to ask, the witty things they were going to say. He graciously greets each one of them, signing books, pant legs, shirts, skateboards, cell phones and even an apple.

After the last person has been greeted, Bam finds out that his publisher has nearly sold out his book, “Serious as Dog Dirt!,” since its Nov. 17 release. He autographs the last books remaining at Browseabout for the people who could not make it that day.

“It was an incredible experience,” said Browseabout Manager Susan McAnelly. “Things could not have gone better, and we are very fortunate to have been able to obtain some additional copies of Bam’s book before the book signing.”

The book is a mature publication that examines all facets of Bam’s fast-paced life and career in a very candid and graphic way. It was little wonder that many adults were getting autographs, intending to hold the book for their children to have in years to come.

Browseabout, which also has signed copies of April Margera’s fabulous and funny cookbook, “April Cooks – ‘There’s an Alligator in my Kitchen,’” is open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. through Dec. 24. Information is available by calling 226-2665 or visiting the store online at BrowseaboutBooks.com