Joined: August 01, 2007 Posts: 111 Location: Missouri
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:18 am Post subject: Top Gear Usa... with adam carolla?
I tried a search here on samba, and found nothing so i thought I'd give it a post.
Ok, so i just saw a magazine cover with "Adam Carolla to host "Top Gear" in fall on nbc.. now, it didn't mention anything about it being a US version of a UK show. one of which I'm a fan. thats not what irks me, Adam Carolla? and wait.. Top Gear US?
I like top gear for a few reasons. its funny on occasion, serious on occasion, and just plain neat. the only thing that im against is their hatred of the beetle. but its easily iced over.
but i have this "Man Show, Part 2" vibe coming from the idea. I have nothing against adam carolla, but i just see this taking a successful idea, and ruining it in the long run. not because of adam carolla, but because thats what american TV does to British shows.
its probably because i just cant stand most "hollywood" pop culture.
but what do YOU think? _________________ no more VW's at the moment
Joined: December 02, 2003 Posts: 914 Location: Sudbury, MA
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:42 am Post subject:
Top gear is a great show. I always get a good chuckle when watching it. The bit about not liking the beetle doesn't really bother me. If your country was bombed to hell you have right to take issue with cars made by the bombers.
Jeremy Clarkson is brilliant, funny, whitty and he can drive. I don't know if that can be said for Mr. Carolla. Of course Clarkson is also one of the biggest ego maniacs alive. I suppose this is what makes him so complelling to watch. Richard Hammond and James May temper this ego with their humor and contrasting points of veiw. This is one of the reasons the show works so well.
What bugs me about top gear (pun intended) is the needless America bashing. Yes I know we are not popular and the whole world hates us but it gets old after the tenth time EVERY episode.
Even with that -- I still love the show.
I some how doubt an American version could work. We don't have access to all the great cars that Europe gets. There are so many models and manufacturers that never make it to our shores.
.02 _________________ 1964 Type 1
1967 Type 1
1998 Jetta III Wolfsburg
Joined: May 18, 2003 Posts: 5218 Location: West Valley City, Utah
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:43 am Post subject:
The only way a US version could work is if they had a personality host the show that is well known into cars. A car guy. Adam Carolla is not that guy.
Love him or hate him, Leno (or someone like him) would be a great host for a show like that. If you watch the segments where he's talking about a car, you can get the vibe that he is REALLY into it and gets into the details. Maybe not Leno himself, but somebody with that same passion for automobiles is what it would need to make it. _________________ Eric Allred
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 1997 Location: Raleigh, NC
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:54 am Post subject:
Eaallred wrote:
The only way a US version could work is if they had a personality host the show that is well known into cars. A car guy. Adam Carolla is not that guy.
Love him or hate him, Leno (or someone like him) would be a great host for a show like that. If you watch the segments where he's talking about a car, you can get the vibe that he is REALLY into it and gets into the details. Maybe not Leno himself, but somebody with that same passion for automobiles is what it would need to make it.
Contrary to popular belief, Adam *is* into cars, and knows his stuff... additionally, it's gonna be called 'Gear'.
Leno didn't accept the gig, cause he's smart. There was also talk of getting Seinfeld, but he turned it down too. _________________ Cheers,
Dave
Joined: August 01, 2007 Posts: 111 Location: Missouri
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:36 am Post subject:
i think they might have turned it down because it just seems like it's not going to work.
and with the America bashing on top gear, yeah, it gets old, but they bash a majority of the "pop culture" from America. and most of us here aren't really huge fans or followers of pop culture, or else we'd be asking "pimp my ride" to do our cars or we'd be a "ford" or "American muscle" site, not a classic VW site. _________________ no more VW's at the moment
Joined: June 30, 2004 Posts: 1904 Location: Philly - Yo!
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject:
They have asked Jeremy Clarkson to host the show in the US, but he's not interested in living here. Top Gear USA would work about as well as the American remake of Ab Fab.
Joined: March 07, 2004 Posts: 8613 Location: Southampton U.K.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject:
Actually, Jay Leno occasionally writes a motoring column in The Sunday Times here in the U.K. and often stands in for Jeremy Clarkson reviewing new supercars when he's away.
Joined: December 02, 2003 Posts: 914 Location: Sudbury, MA
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject:
John Moxon wrote:
Actually, Jay Leno occasionally writes a motoring column in The Sunday Times here in the U.K. and often stands in for Jeremy Clarkson reviewing new supercars when he's away.
Joined: May 18, 2003 Posts: 5218 Location: West Valley City, Utah
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject:
V0LKSWAGENSRULE wrote:
Contrary to popular belief, Adam *is* into cars, and knows his stuff...
But that's the problem/hurdle that they'll have with it. People into cars are only going to be drawn toward shows hosted by someone they know is into cars and will want to hear them talk about them.
Ask most people, and Adam is the Loveline or ManShow guy. It's going to be hard to get past that and taken seriously if he doesn't do a wicked job at it. It will be tough.
I don't think it will make it. I hope it will though. _________________ Eric Allred
Joined: August 15, 2003 Posts: 2472 Location: NorthCarolina,USA
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject:
Seb67 wrote:
What bugs me about top gear (pun intended) is the needless America bashing. Yes I know we are not popular and the whole world hates us but it gets old after the tenth time EVERY episode.
The real reason for the bashing is because the US is #1 in everything and every other country wants to be like us.
They simply can't contain their jealousy and lash out as a way to vent their frustrations.
What bugs me about top gear (pun intended) is the needless America bashing. Yes I know we are not popular and the whole world hates us but it gets old after the tenth time EVERY episode.
The real reason for the bashing is because the US is #1 in everything and every other country wants to be like us.
They simply can't contain their jealousy and lash out as a way to vent their frustrations.
That's what makes it fun............lord knows we've bashed the heck out of them,,,,,,,,,,time and time again
Carolla is a big car buff. I think he'll do fine in an American version.
It will be tough to stand back and give a US version a chance though, as the Brits are so fantastic with it.
The problem is that it is a BBC show in the UK. No sponsers. In the US, we're looking at NBC. Ford is a HUGE sponsor of NBC. Conflicts of interest are sure to arise.
Their biggest mistake so far, even more so than Leno or Seinfeld, is not letting Dan Niel of the LA times on due to lack of on-camera experience. That cat would be a hell of a host.
Much of Leno's regular automotive content is ghost written, but he is an icon for car buffs everywhere.
Joined: August 13, 2003 Posts: 1763 Location: connecting the dots
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject:
The Brits have a way with humor _________________ my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'83 MB 300CD, '89 MB 190 2.6 5 speed, '93 Volvo 240, '68 Volvo 144s and yeah, '01 NB turbo
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