US pro-shred Louie Vito has claimed that he is “stoked” to be writing for People magazine, the US equivalent of Heat or Closer.

The magazine, which is mostly aimed at women, usually features the likes of Nicole Richie’s baby and articles entiled Fall’s 12 Must-Have Trends. So what has young Mr Vito done to deserve such illustrious company? Well, he’s appearing on the TV show Dancing with the Stars – the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.

The show, which will see Vito competing with a professional dance partner against 16 other ballroom dancing couples, will be aired for the first time in the US on September 21st, but Vito has been given a blog by People magazine before the first airing so he can share his experiences with its readers.

Whether or not the move into the mainstream limelight is a good thing for Louie, his Olympic qualification campaign or the sport of snowboarding is still very much an open question. But whatever the case, it certainly appears that he is enjoying his new celebrity status – as we these videos we found earlier this week suggest.

Vito is, of course, no stranger to controversy, having been busted for weed possession in New Zealand earlier this summer. Many people in the snowboarding community may feel that heading into mainstream showbiz is his most controversial move yet.

Photos: People Magazine