Last night, I caught the season premiere of American Chopper Senior vs. Junior on TLC. I don’t know what it is about this show, but it’s like a train wreck. I can’t stop watching it. I don’t know why you would want to air your dirty laundry out there on TV, but people eat it up. And I guess it wouldn’t be reality TV if there was no drama.
In the new series, they pit father against son, as they both compete to see who can build the best bikes. It should be interesting, as Paul Sr. doesn’t do much building and Paul Jr., who has a great eye for design, came and went as he pleased and held up a lot of bike builds.
I am pretty excited about this show, as it will really expose the people who make the bike builds happen. I have always liked Rick a lot. He is an incredible fabricator, and seems like an all around good guy. Vinnie is coming back to work with Paulie, with fears about the abuse he took when he worked with OCC in the past. Both of these guys are amazing bike builders, and I think they kept this company going. If it weren’t for them, I am sure quite a few bikes would never have been completed.
It will be cool to see how things progress as the series goes on. I imagine there will be some pretty cool bikes that come out of this, and hope that it doesn’t end up being the predictable ‘father and son make up and re-unite” scenario at the end. That would be a huge let down.
What do you think of the show? Who’s side will you be on – Junior or Senior? Love it or hate it?
I watched this show and it was depressing. Paul Sr. has some serious mental problems. He seems so completely wrapped up in his own ego and celebrity, he’s okay with sacrificing his own son. There appears to be not enough glory in the world for him to share with anyone else. Jr. is a son he should be proud of. Jr. is a truly gifted designer who’s ideas have made OCC a world class brand, and Paul Sr. insists it’s all his own doing. Even with the split, any normal father would be celebrating his son’s attempt at independence and want the best for him. But no, Sr. overtly mocks his son’s efforts in front of the whole world. I wish Jr. well and every criticism Sr. has about his son, well, he only has himself to blame.