Mad Hueys keep it real as empire keeps on growing

THE Coast trio behind The Mad Hueys — the local version of America’s Jackass — continue to work day jobs despite their company’s rapid expansion.

THE Gold Coast trio behind The Mad Hueys — the local version of America’s wildly successful Jackass — continue to work day jobs despite their company’s rapid expansion.

Founders Joel Scott, Damon Nichols and Shaun Harrington, whose online clips of their weekend surfing and fishing antics have gone viral, left this week for Bali.

The World Surf League event they co-sponsor with Bali venue Komune starts today.

BEST OF THE GOLD COAST: PERSONAL TRAINER

Shaun and Dean Harrington at Currumbin Beach. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The trio plus Shaun’s brother, Dean, will compete along with pro surf star Taj Burrow and big wave rider Dean Morrison, who The Mad Hueys back.

The Mad Hueys — all married with kids — head off secure in the knowledge their burgeoning empire is in safe hands back home, revealing they now employ “four to five staff” to run a merchandise factory with attached shop in Burleigh Heads.

A month ago they also launched their own beer brand — sourced from a boutique brewery in Tweed.

Mad Hueys caps, T-shirts and other clothing now sells online around the world.

We have a few beers with The Mad Hueys — Coast Weekend inside Saturday’s Gold Coast Bulletin

Damon told the Bulletin on departure from Brisbane Airport yesterday: “We can’t believe what has happened the past two years. We never thought it would end up where it is.

Shaun Harrington on Burleigh Point enjoying a beer that the Mad Hueys have created. Photo: Kit Wise

“We’re not business people, that’s why we still keep our other jobs because we don’t know if it’s going to end tomorrow. We can’t project the future. We’re just having fun with it while it lasts and whatever happens, happens.”

Damon is a plant operator for a construction company, Joel is a Channel 9 cameraman and Shaun is a plasterer.

The Mad Hueys Sean Harrington, Joel Scott and Damon Nicholls in their boat on the Tweed. Picture: Tim Marsden

Damon adds: “It’s hard to juggle. We try to do (Mad Hueys) on the side but it’s a deadset 24-hours-a-day business now.

“We have people helping ... but we work five days a week, the weekends are booked out too and we all have families. So it’s never-ending but in a good way.”

Their popularity was supercharged in January last year when a video of Shaun free-diving with a tiger shark and wearing just a birdcage for protection made global headlines. The stunt was overseen by a shark fisherman but almost ended up going wrong when the shark appeared to charge Shaun.

They’ve also filmed Dean bungy jumping off a bridge using surfboard leg-ropes.

Shaun and Dean Harrington at Currumbin Beach and, right, Mad Hueys Shaun Harrington, Joel Scott and Damon Nicholls on their boat on the Tweed.