American Chopper

‘American Chopper’ ending after 10 years — EXCLUSIVE
By James Hibberd
Comments 201Add a comment

After ten years, Discovery Channel is ending American Chopper.
The Teutuls are going to build their final bikes on the network next month. One of Discovery’s most popular programs, American Chopper helped pioneer the “docusoap” reality genre and inspired a surge of gear-head shows. Chopper‘s run will conclude with the previously announced four-way bike build-off special titled The Revenge airing live from Las Vegas on Dec. 11.
“After 10 years and 233 episodes of incredible, riveting reality television, American Chopper will be ending its run,” says Eileen O’Neill, group president, Discovery and TLC Networks. “This series was one of the very first family-based reality programs on television. Special thanks to Pilgrim Studios for over a decade of great producing. The Teutuls have given us really innovative bike builds and real drama since 2002. We wish both Orange County Choppers and Paul Junior Designs the best.”
The series had a simple format — a father and son building custom motorcycles amid frequent infighting. Yet nothing about the show’s colorful history has been straight forward. American Chopper has changed networks, switched names and was previously cancelled, only to rise again.
“I have mixed emotions,” executive producer Craig Piligian tells EW.com. “It’s had a great run. We had a lot of ups and downs. There’s been so much that’s happened to this family over the last 10 years. We’ve seen them grow to a huge motorcycle shop. We’ve seen them fight bitterly. We’ve seen them sue each other. And recently we’ve seen them come together to open up a new business. I think the show has come full circle.”
American Chopper premiered as a Discovery Channel special in 2002, then launched as a regular series a few months later. In 2008, Discovery moved the show to its sister channel TLC. A couple years passed, then behind-the-scenes warring between Senior and Junior prompted TLC to outright cancel the show. Parties soon made up and in 2010 the company re-ordered the program as American Chopper: Junior vs. Senior. The series later reverted to its original title and switched back to Discovery.
“This was the first family docusoap,” Piligian says. “They put on display, for all to see, what really happens in a tight family business, warts and all. I’m really proud they were so open and honest.”
Paul Senior and Junior’s spirited attitudes helped make the show engaging for fans, but could also make things difficult behind the scenes. At one point when shooting the current final season, Piligian fired Junior and kicked him off the set. “It’s a very tumultuous relationship, not only between the father and son, but between us as well,” Piligian says. “Junior and I would have it out, and at one point awhile back, I said, ‘We’re done with you.’” The two reconciled and Junior returned to work shortly thereafter.
Given the show’s on-again, off-again history, one has to wonder: Is this really the end? Could American Chopper rise again in a year or two?
“American Chopper was cancelled before and we came back even stronger,” Piligian says. “It’s been a resilient, powerful show. Right now they’re telling me it’s cancelled. I can only comment: ‘Who knows what the future holds.’”
Here’s a preview of Monday’s episode, below. The live bike-building special includes Paul Teutul Senior and Junior will face-off against Outlaw Garage star Jesse James and Discovery Channel’s Fast ‘N Loud stars Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufman in a competition event.

********
American Chopper: Senior vs Junior Premiering on Thursday, Aug 12 (2011) at 9PM ET/PT on TLC. Have you been watching? It looks like senior wants to get back together with Junior. Senior has even email Junior. Junior emailed or was it texted condolences when Senior's dog, Gus, died. Junior won the court case but it still hasn't settled anything. I think they'll be friends again but who knows? They both realized that they're getting older and life is short. I hope they work things out.
Here's another thought ..... maybe Senior and Junior are already getting along but they are putting on a good show for television.

I always thought that Coke and Pepsi were friends and were just playing like they were competing. The prices for each are usually the same so it doesn't look like they are competing. I'm gonna Google that!






American Chopper

Category: American show: The Series Category: Reality Television

Category: Motorcycle Category: pg13 Number of Seasons: 4

Number of Episodes: 108 Cast: Paul Teutul, Sr. (Owner, Operator, Senior Manager of Orange County Choppers), Paul Teutul, Jr. (Senior fabricator), part of management staff, (kids might be reading this) disturber) Michael Teutul (General Assistant and American Chopper class clown) He does whatever his dad let's him do and then he helps disturb the (kids might be reading this) Rick Petko (Fabricator, Metal Specialist) Vince (Fabricator, Wiring Specialist) Jason Pohl (The computer guy. He helps the staff design what they want to build by making paper templates or representations of parts.) Mike Rowe (Announcer--the guy from Dirty Jobs) Paul (Senior) Teutul and his two sons are contracted by celebrities and businesses and charities to make theme-based choppers (custom motorcycles).

American Chopper

They have built a cycle for Shaq, .......(list to come) Paul (Senior) is a by-the-book type of guy but he can also cause his own chaos. Paul (Junior), the oldest of two sons at the shop, is often portrayed as lazy and irresponsible. The youngest son, Mike "Mikey" is a fun-loving free spirit. He is a constant source of humour. Often times when Senior and Junior are arguing about something Mikey will come and do something silly to diffuse the situation.





American Chopper
The other shop workers include Vince and Rick. There is a student builder who works at Orange County Choppers on and off. Nubby is the contracted painter. He is responsible for painting the parts of the cycle according to the chosen theme. (There is a third son who makes appearances on the show. He has his own steel business).The father and the sons take time out every so often to destroy stuff for fun or for demolition so new stuff can be built. One of my favourite episodes is the one when Mikey gets his pickup truck stuck in his dad's swamp. His dad has a hilarious time getting Mikey unstuck. He asks one of his assistants to hook a winch to Mikey's truck to pull him out. When it's time to pull Senior tells Mikey to stay in the truck and steer. On Seniors say so the assistant starts pulling carefully but then Senior yells at his to go as fast as possible and not to stop until he says so. Mikey gets the ride of his life as he is pulled backward and bumped around wildly. Senior gets a chuckle out of this whole incident. Mikey is understandably shaken but not surprised because he knows how his dad thinks. Hopefully Mikey learned his lesson.......

Another fun episode that stands out is when Junior takes Senior for a ride in a golf cart and ends the ride by smashing the cart into the back of the warehouse. Senior is shaken but is laughing the whole way through. He knows how Junior thinks and was not surprised by the way things ended.

One time when it was decided that Mikey needed a new car because his car wasn't winter safe or just safe at all a few of the staff members took turns trying to run his old car into the ground. I believe it was Vince who tried to drive the car like a maniac and smash the car up a little. After that anyone who could get at the car with a tool did. They beat the .........(kids might be reading this) out of the car. (E-Mail me if you want some suggestions for words that might fit.)

Back to the story. Senior offers to take Mikey to the car dealer and make sure he gets a good deal. They wanted to trade in Mikey's car and get a pickup truck. They could have towed Mikey's car in the conventional way but no!!!!!!!!..... Mikey and his friend sat in his car which was hooked up to Senior's Hummer. Then when all was set Senior proceeded to drag them to the dealership. Mikey and his friend both feared for his life as they both watch as senior continued to drag them to the dealer. They got there safely and Senior teaches Mikey how to bargain. After Mikey and the salesman exchange pieces of paper with figures on them Senior breaks out into laughter and ends up surprised when the salesman accepts their terms. Junior proudly drives his truck back to the shop.--If you see the episode you will see how funny it is. Oh by the way the show is on at least once a week. Check your local listings. (There might or might not have been someone in the car with Mikey--I will have to check) The Father takes his two sons and sometimes the staff to trade shows or other events around the United States and even in other countries. They had some fun and funny adventures in France and England and some other places. They start of trying to learn stuff and they end up on many misadventures. The is a Learning Channel documentary television series produced by Pilgrim Films & Television Inc. The story is based around Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. (Paulie).

American Chopper

Paul Senior and Junior are always fighting. They have different ways of working and have different ways of scheduling work. Senior is by the book and strict; Junior is laid back. They both get the work done but hate each other's methods of getting to the end. When they were working out of the same shop they did end up getting the work done by the deadline. They even acknowledge each other's contributions. I think I heard them apologize to each other for giving each other grief.

American Chopper was originally on the Discovery Channel. It moved to TLC on December 28, 2006 beginning with and 18-hour marathon. It's first season on TLC premiered on Jan 18, 2007.



Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com


American Chopper

The main cast of American Chopper (when Senior and Junior were in the same shop) went to Brazil and met the Brazilian President, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.

On American Chopper Senior is foreman and supervises the builds and has built motorcycles himself. Mikey was (at OCC) the janitor and webmaster. He was the class clown and helped the staff relieve tension. He does that at Junior's shop now. Mikey has experience working with metal from working at Orange County Ironworks with his other brother.

American Chopper documents the personal and promotional activities of Paul Senior's and Paul Junior's staff ranging from magazine photo shoots to family holidays and custom bike shows.