Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
eek
...'Pretty sad, wuzznnit. :frown
Wait a few years down the road when people our age then (well, MY age "then" anyway) look back at "old" RAP videos.:ack
Clarkson Not So Funny Spoiled My Le Mans Plans
- Thread starter D11VEJ
- Start date
...'Pretty sad, wuzznnit. :frown
Wait a few years down the road when people our age then (well, MY age "then" anyway) look back at "old" RAP videos.:ack
GTNJ
GT Owner
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
This Forum is like the weather up here in Washington. If it bores you, just wait around a wee bit. You just might not BELIEVE what shows up next. :wink :cheers.
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
snaproll
GT Owner
Top Gear is the best car show on TV IMHO. In truth, I probably bought the car because of old JC. At the end of the day, he has to entertain though. For an American car, the GT is superb, as most of us realize. JC made a good case for the car, the negatives were entertainment or tongue-in-cheek, I think.
I know this past winter has been mighty unkind in Peoria. Probably lending itself to some bitterness
I know this past winter has been mighty unkind in Peoria. Probably lending itself to some bitterness
fjpikul
GT Owner
Ok, not sure what the hell just happened ...
eek ... bur for some damn reason I watched all of them. Think I'll go flush my system with a little Alice Cooper or Whitesnake or Scorpions or something ..Talk about the time warp continuum ... :biggrin
Stormcat; Be there in a few weeks - Have Car Will Travel - give you a prompt, look forward to seeing you, how far is Tampa/Clearwater from you?
DaveJ
Sorry I have been travelling and am just catching up.
Seems odd I know about the 3 cars, but I was willing to invest in making a movie which would have complimented the car, unlike my friend Mr Clarkson, who, no matter what you might say about my idea, ensured that despite it being possible and under normal cisrumstances they might have gone for it, they turned me down absolutely cold with no explanation, until last week I had no idea why. When I saw the Top Gear stupidity show, it explained everything. I had no idea those guys could be such idiots, I am only sorry the little guys helmet saved his life a few weeks later, I could have had a laugh too - ridiculous.
There have been new cars at list as recent as last Summer. $175k for a Heritage, one of them. Anybody remember it, I called on it.
DaveJ
Top Gear is the best car show on TV IMHO. In truth, I probably bought the car because of old JC. At the end of the day, he has to entertain though. For an American car, the GT is superb, as most of us realize. JC made a good case for the car, the negatives were entertainment or tongue-in-cheek, I think.
I know this past winter has been mighty unkind in Peoria. Probably lending itself to some bitterness
HaHaHa, No, not bitter, just annoyed that I did not have the sense to see this prankster inthat particular show. I have driven a Ferrai and got 2 miles to the gallon, around a race circuit, so 4 is not bad.
I am taking mine to a couple of circuits this year, I have driven nice cars on most of Europes race tracks, including Le Mans, and its time to see what we have here in the good ol US of A.
One thing though, managed to reverse into the front of my pride and joy a couple of nights ago, my son parked it on the wrong side of my garage, after getting my garage door repaired, I was not looking - bump:
That reminds me of the Lady filling in the Car Collision Insurance Claim form, she wrote: "My car collided with a concrete post that was obscured by people waiting for a taxi".
Need to sort that out, I think you could have heard the curses I shouted, in London, when I felt the bump, . At least Clarkson didn't damage his.
:ack
DaveJ - The Monkey
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
ThatPhilBrettGuy
GT Owner
Why though? If it were some commodity car that they had to shift 10's of thousands I could see why, but they were never going to have trouble selling all the GT's at list. Like it or not TopGear gives more coverage to cars than any other show, possible any medium.
That's out of order.
Joehand1
Tungsten GT Owner
Quote
When I saw the Top Gear stupidity show, it explained everything. I had no idea those guys could be such idiots, I am only sorry the little guys helmet saved his life a few weeks later, I could have had a laugh too - ridiculous.
(removed by bony)
modertaors
remark: "example of way to much MAKERS MARK MINT JULEPS... beware of the mint, gets you every time"
Please think before posting, I would have removed this post, however, to many folks have already expressed their dismay... as do I...
When I saw the Top Gear stupidity show, it explained everything. I had no idea those guys could be such idiots, I am only sorry the little guys helmet saved his life a few weeks later, I could have had a laugh too - ridiculous.
(removed by bony)
modertaors
remark: "example of way to much MAKERS MARK MINT JULEPS... beware of the mint, gets you every time"
Please think before posting, I would have removed this post, however, to many folks have already expressed their dismay... as do I...
Last edited by a moderator:
atspeed
LAST BLU
I really don't understand the point of this thread. If you want three cars, go buy three used ones (the cars have been quite affordable in bulk for a couple of years now). No one needs to help you with that. Clarkson can't get in the way, problem solved. So what's the issue?
As far as the problems that Clarkson had with his GT, are you saying that they deliberately sabotaged the car for television including selling the car and then buying it back again, etc.? That would be interesting news.
Neilda
GT Owner
The 28 cars that came into the UK were, as most here will appreciate, extremely sought after. I was on the list at Ford at one time to have new one - but they chose Grand Prix drivers and other celebrities rather than unknown folk for the 28. If I were Ford, I would have done exactly the same thing. It's a shame some of the celebs flipped their GT's, but that was always going to be hard to control.
I didn't matter how much money or hot air you had at the time, you couldn't get one - I know, I have plenty of both and I failed. I suspect the promise to make a complimentary movie would have been received with the same enthusiasm as someone offering to push a sharp pencil up each nostril.
On a related subject, I hear NBC has bought the rights to make a 'Top Gear USA' show. Interestingly, Jay Leno (who is a respected motoring commentator here in the UK - and, I imagine in the USA too) says that he wouldn't front it as he would never be as good as Clarkson. He also thinks that Top Gear is able to criticise cars in a way that would not be allowed in the USA because of advertiser and sponsor commercial concerns. So the material would lose some of the spice it has....
I didn't matter how much money or hot air you had at the time, you couldn't get one - I know, I have plenty of both and I failed. I suspect the promise to make a complimentary movie would have been received with the same enthusiasm as someone offering to push a sharp pencil up each nostril.
On a related subject, I hear NBC has bought the rights to make a 'Top Gear USA' show. Interestingly, Jay Leno (who is a respected motoring commentator here in the UK - and, I imagine in the USA too) says that he wouldn't front it as he would never be as good as Clarkson. He also thinks that Top Gear is able to criticise cars in a way that would not be allowed in the USA because of advertiser and sponsor commercial concerns. So the material would lose some of the spice it has....
Joehand1
Tungsten GT Owner
Neil I tend to agree with you that unless the Top Gear America Show was totally immune from sponsor interference, it just wouldn't work.
Also, people here tend to take their cars and bikes rather too seriously and I wouldn't be suprised if the commentator of the show got threats if they gave a particular vehicle (say a Harley) a bad review.
Also, people here tend to take their cars and bikes rather too seriously and I wouldn't be suprised if the commentator of the show got threats if they gave a particular vehicle (say a Harley) a bad review.
Neilda
GT Owner
Here's the piece from Jay....
"Like everyone in Britain I have long been a huge fan of the television show Top Gear, although we get it only sporadically here in America. You can find it on BBC America and occasionally it pops up at odd times on other cable channels. There have been rumours circulating that the show would eventually come to America. I hoped it would come with Jeremy Clarkson and the gang, but NBC seems to have bought the show and I got a call one day asking if I would be interested in being a part of it.
I do my show full time, and these programmes take a great amount of time to make, so right away I had my concerns about fitting it in. The general rule of television is that it takes an hour for every minute that you see on screen. My other fear is that the show will not be made by car people.
So someone calls me from the network and is clearly not a car person. He says: “You like cars, right?” I say yes. “Like, all kinds of cars?” Well, yes. I like all kinds of cars. Why? “Well, the network has bought the TV show . . . um . . . High Gear? Top Gear? Top Gear! Top Gear, yes. We know you like to build cars.”
I ask: what’s the plan for the show? “Well, like, one week you build a car that flies and the next week you make a car that goes under water.” So I said: you know you can’t build these things in a week.
In my mind I can just see Jeremy lambasting Americans for what they did to his show. So I think: I’ve got to run away from this as quickly as I can. So I tell him that, as much as I like the show, I try not to make my hobby my job.
I like the show just the way it is. Jeremy and the guys are extremely talented, so maybe it would be an idea to do an American show similar to Top Gear but not with the same name, because I think it would be impossible to recreate or live up to the standards of the British show.
Another problem for Top Gear in America is the biting humour and criticisms of the cars. My great fear in America is that, for instance, if Kia was our sponsor this week, we’d have to say the car was fantastic.
I said on The Tonight Show recently that the new Kia was available with a heated rear window, so if people needed to push it in winter they could keep their hands warm. Boy, the phones did not stop ringing. So imagine what Jeremy would have to put up with.
I don’t think you could be quite as freewheeling with your opinions as you can on the BBC, because sponsors pay for the programmes. Sponsors would be unlikely to embrace any criticism.
Americans don’t really see personalities like Jeremy on commercial television. They know that they have to be somewhat watered down. When Jeremy rips into some sponsor such as Ford or Chrysler, well, that’s the last time they sponsor that show. Then what you have is “the meeting” after the show, where they tell him to tone it down. That’s just not what they do at Top Gear.
Some British shows translate quite well here - The Office, for example. But with Top Gear I have such respect for the original show, I feel if they asked me to do it I would be a pale imitation of Jeremy.
It would have to be something completely different, coming from a different angle. But when you see something that’s sort of perfect as it is, it’s difficult. Are you outright stealing, trying to imitate? What are you doing? I would prefer to do a different show rather than try to copy something that works so well already.
Cars are my hobby. Television is my job. When you make your hobby your job it becomes a whole different thing. For me, my great release from any sort of pressure is to go to my garage.
I have a friend who was an attorney but always wanted to open a hot-dog stand. So he opened a hot-dog stand and it was doing okay. Then he opened one on the other side of town and that was doing okay but never really did well. Then he ran between the hot-dog stands and the law practice and he lost all three of them.
So I go to my garage and I shoot my web pieces (see www.jaylenosgarage.com) and we talk about the cars. I do it for free - there’s no money in it. We just passed 27m hits, so it’s quite popular, and that’s what I like to do. It’s great fun because it’s like sitting with a bunch of car friends. I don’t want it to be my job."
"Like everyone in Britain I have long been a huge fan of the television show Top Gear, although we get it only sporadically here in America. You can find it on BBC America and occasionally it pops up at odd times on other cable channels. There have been rumours circulating that the show would eventually come to America. I hoped it would come with Jeremy Clarkson and the gang, but NBC seems to have bought the show and I got a call one day asking if I would be interested in being a part of it.
I do my show full time, and these programmes take a great amount of time to make, so right away I had my concerns about fitting it in. The general rule of television is that it takes an hour for every minute that you see on screen. My other fear is that the show will not be made by car people.
So someone calls me from the network and is clearly not a car person. He says: “You like cars, right?” I say yes. “Like, all kinds of cars?” Well, yes. I like all kinds of cars. Why? “Well, the network has bought the TV show . . . um . . . High Gear? Top Gear? Top Gear! Top Gear, yes. We know you like to build cars.”
I ask: what’s the plan for the show? “Well, like, one week you build a car that flies and the next week you make a car that goes under water.” So I said: you know you can’t build these things in a week.
In my mind I can just see Jeremy lambasting Americans for what they did to his show. So I think: I’ve got to run away from this as quickly as I can. So I tell him that, as much as I like the show, I try not to make my hobby my job.
I like the show just the way it is. Jeremy and the guys are extremely talented, so maybe it would be an idea to do an American show similar to Top Gear but not with the same name, because I think it would be impossible to recreate or live up to the standards of the British show.
Another problem for Top Gear in America is the biting humour and criticisms of the cars. My great fear in America is that, for instance, if Kia was our sponsor this week, we’d have to say the car was fantastic.
I said on The Tonight Show recently that the new Kia was available with a heated rear window, so if people needed to push it in winter they could keep their hands warm. Boy, the phones did not stop ringing. So imagine what Jeremy would have to put up with.
I don’t think you could be quite as freewheeling with your opinions as you can on the BBC, because sponsors pay for the programmes. Sponsors would be unlikely to embrace any criticism.
Americans don’t really see personalities like Jeremy on commercial television. They know that they have to be somewhat watered down. When Jeremy rips into some sponsor such as Ford or Chrysler, well, that’s the last time they sponsor that show. Then what you have is “the meeting” after the show, where they tell him to tone it down. That’s just not what they do at Top Gear.
Some British shows translate quite well here - The Office, for example. But with Top Gear I have such respect for the original show, I feel if they asked me to do it I would be a pale imitation of Jeremy.
It would have to be something completely different, coming from a different angle. But when you see something that’s sort of perfect as it is, it’s difficult. Are you outright stealing, trying to imitate? What are you doing? I would prefer to do a different show rather than try to copy something that works so well already.
Cars are my hobby. Television is my job. When you make your hobby your job it becomes a whole different thing. For me, my great release from any sort of pressure is to go to my garage.
I have a friend who was an attorney but always wanted to open a hot-dog stand. So he opened a hot-dog stand and it was doing okay. Then he opened one on the other side of town and that was doing okay but never really did well. Then he ran between the hot-dog stands and the law practice and he lost all three of them.
So I go to my garage and I shoot my web pieces (see www.jaylenosgarage.com) and we talk about the cars. I do it for free - there’s no money in it. We just passed 27m hits, so it’s quite popular, and that’s what I like to do. It’s great fun because it’s like sitting with a bunch of car friends. I don’t want it to be my job."
BigsGT
Tungsten GT Owner
Thanks for posting that article. I went to Jay's site and I'll bet you can't say anything remotely negative with regard to GM. Kind of like a giant GM commercial over there.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
Jay's points were right on, too.
"I said on The Tonight Show recently that the new Kia was available with a heated rear window, so if people needed to push it in winter they could keep their hands warm. Boy, the phones did not stop ringing."
:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl
"I said on The Tonight Show recently that the new Kia was available with a heated rear window, so if people needed to push it in winter they could keep their hands warm. Boy, the phones did not stop ringing."
:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Jay has a very special relationship with the General. Every year at SEMA in the GM Booth there is a special car, this year it was a Vette, last year a 32 Ford, the year before the rear drive 1000hp Olds Tornado...
I enjoy Jay's column in OCTAINE magazine.
I enjoy Jay's column in OCTAINE magazine.