"American Top Gear To Go "Celebrity Direction""

[thedguy]

Originally Posted by THGL

If they're going for actors, pick some that have some automotive knowledge and/or driving skills not just the money to buy a bunch of cars.

Jason Preistly come to mind.

This man has NO personality, and I'm sorry but I question his car knowledge when he says F1 cars have engines that rev upto 200,000 (yes 200,00) rpms

[MattD1zzl3]

I think jay leno is a far less boring in a car review then even the hampster.

You just expect so much because you watch a staged, written show. When you see jay on his website, he's just talking into a camera "off the cuff". Of course its not going to be as witty or funny. Give him time to reherse and he will be just as good.

Like i said in the locked thread before, this is a case of a stepchild wanting to sabotage any relationship his mother has, if its not the original then its not going to work, over my dead body! I used to like this forum before the whole "gear" thing came up. Now i have much less respect for you all. (But there are still some cool people here)

[Raji]

Originally Posted by MattD1zzl3

I think jay leno is a far less boring in a car review then even the hampster.

You just expect so much because you watch a staged, written show. When you see jay on his website, he's just talking into a camera "off the cuff". Of course its not going to be as witty or funny. Give him time to reherse and he will be just as good.

Like i said in the locked thread before, this is a case of a stepchild wanting to sabotage any relationship his mother has, if its not the original then its not going to work, over my dead body! I used to like this forum before the whole "gear" thing came up. Now i have much less respect for you all. (But there are still some cool people here)

Given the huge success of Top Gear and a crappy track record from the network stations with things that people are passionate about (FOX's "On The Lot" anyone?), it's understandable that people are concerned about its failure.

See, I think the thing you don't get is that everyone here is going to tune in, myself included, and everyone here is rooting for the show's success. The problem is, everyone here understands what makes Top Gear so good and everyone here is watching the signs all slowly point to failure instead of success.

[bafranksbro]

You know either way I think it'll still be far more entertaining than the current car shows we have here in the US if they are considering these two such people for the cast while knowing what format they are trying to copy. Sure it won't be the same as THE Top Gear but I really don't see how it could be much worse than what we got now for car shows in the US. I can't see myself not watching it unless they get some retard on there that's all about bling or something like that which seems somewhat unlikely based on who has been mentioned so far.

[Blind_Io]

I hate Seinfeld with the fire of a thousand suns. The guy isn't funny, he's not clever and he annoys the hell out of me. He may be a car fan, but he would spend the entire show making an ass out of himself and pointing out the obvious then saying "What's up with that?!"

EDIT: To the negative rep'ing coward: Just because you disagree with someone does not mean you have to negatively rep them. If you think I'm wrong don't just give a negative rep with the comment "You're Wrong," open a dialog about it. I enjoy having my opinions challenged, it forces me to reexamine my position, but if you are a complete ninny about it and don't have the stones to talk about it then how are any of us going to lean anything. You are a spineless coward, man up and open a discussion.

[Twerp128]

Seinfeld and Leno are two of the only people I can think that would be appropriate hosts. Besides maybe, Dave Letterman (NBC lol) and Paul Newman.

Jay is already a Top Gear fan, and Seinfeld is very knoweledgable on cars and racing. But like said before, it's not necessarily about the individual hosts but the chemistry, that is what counts.

[Guitar King]

well, as a Canadian one of the things that makes Top Gear so great is the British humor we don't get over here. Now Leno is a funny man....but he is no Jeremy Clarkson

[Martin]

I think Leno not being involved would be highly surprising and a mistake. If nothing else Leno can be the "fact-book" of the presenters and able to distribute that information in at least somewhat interesting and humors way. Despite Seinfeld's reputation with Porsches I don't think he'd do well for reasons already mentioned. I'm not sure who else would work, but there should be at least one person that has a firm footing in the "journalism" world in regards to cars. In the end the people that are presenting need to have some passion or interest in cars or we have a 5th Gear situation with Tim Lovejoy again. The show will be unbearable if there is some douche who smiles and makes dumb jokes and has no grounding on why people might be so into cars.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by MXM

He's one of the biggest Porsche nuts out there. Has at least 550, 959 and 917(!) plus dosens of other significant models.

I remember reading his Carrera GT review back when it came out, and it was very nicely written.

EDIT: Oh, here it is: http://www.944fest.com/Media/Jerryskids.html

That's a fantastic article, thanks a shitton for posting it.

That being said, I don't think they should have any famous people host it. Leno and Seinfeld are funny, but to Top Gear's level? Not a chance, it's a whole different plane for those two. This isn't a late-night existential situation comedy, it's a hokey motoring program with 3 down-to-earth and wholly believable guys who just happen to have the greatest job in the world, and never forget it.

C'mon. 400 million people in America and there's gotta be three average Joes who get along perfectly and have gobs of enthusiasm. Hell, me and two of my petrolhead friends could volunteer (but I'm busy making a movie with my girlfriend Kiera Knightley about the story of a cowboy secret agent astronaut who has to shoot Russian mobsters in the face with a harpoon gun, on the moon. It's based on my autobiography).

[Blayde]

Seinfeld comes off as an enthusiast, but not a Petrolhead capable of hosting a whole show. Leno might work, but he might just wear suits to everything and do jokes.

What they need are three people who a] know each other (vaguely or by rep at least) b] can do on the fly humor c] know as much, or as little as cars as the TG boys.

I recently started watching that really corny show Vroom Vroom . Looks like a TG parody, but they have enough enthusiasm to pull it off and it looks fun, that's what they need here

[Momentum57]

I am sure that this is nothing more than speculation, although that said I think that Jerry if offered the opportunity would bite. Jerry is a down to earth guy from what I have heard and in my opinion would be great at presenting. The other thing is that with these two they could have enough power to carry the program till it got its feet on the ground.

[MattD1zzl3]

Originally Posted by Raji

everyone here is rooting for the show's success..

I'm not so sure that this is true. I think most here want it to fail.

Originally Posted by Raji

The problem is, everyone here understands what makes Top Gear so good and everyone here is watching the signs all slowly point to failure instead of success.

And if NBC was responsible for putting the show together you'd be right, but the BBC and the original top gear team are getting involved in this project, i'm sure they wouldnt let their good name be tarnished without a fight. (And i dont think there even is a fight, every executive interview i've seen says something like "This show isnt what we're used to, but we like it". So its not more of the same network crap. I havent seen a single "sign" that it will fail.

[Blayde]

Some of us (me included) would love to see the show flourish, then people will forget Fifth Gear and watch the three best programs on TV (Gear, TG and Oz TG)

[bafranksbro]

They would be big names that would draw in normal people, the people that will end up being the ones needed for ratings to be high enough to pull in ad money. It wouldn't be viable for NBC without the ratings no matter how good it may seem to us.

[bartboy9891]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

I hate Seinfeld with the fire of a thousand suns. The guy isn't funny, he's not clever and he annoys the hell out of me. He may be a car fan, but he would spend the entire show making an ass out of himself and pointing out the obvious then saying "What's up with that?!"

I don't think Seinfeld is funny, but then again I don't really like Leno that much as the host of his show. But Leno would probably make a decent TG host, Seinfeld could be the same.

[Elmo187]

Patrick Dempsey gets killed off on Grey's Anatomy and then signs with NBC and Gear and plays the Stig.

now THAT is a great idea.

[ricochet]

Spoke to a producer today, he said that he had stated incorrectly that TG was going to go a "Celebrity Direction."

We now return this thread to wild speculation, already in progress.

[Whappeh]

So this entire thread was pointless, then?

[Raji]

Originally Posted by Whappeh

So this entire thread was pointless, then?

lol well shit!!

[Momentum57]

Discovery channel tried to do this a while back with three regular guys.

“Bruno, a professional drag racer with casual tales of crashing at 230mph; John, the super keen jock, blessed with quaint 'sir and m'am' good manners that only Americans can do; and Johnny, a former reality show winner with a nice line in weird humour.”

The pilot must have been offal, and I can see why, they didn't have a person who actually was on TV before. Remember that all of Top Gears host had been on television. May stands out as the one with least experience but did have some experience and im sure had coaching. Hammond and Clarkson had a reserve of experience and im sure goes to their professionalism. I just hope they don't bother with anyone who does not have either acting or news background and on screen time.