AMERICAN CHOPPER, one annoyance

Greg Boston · August 23rd, 2005, 10:08 PM

Whether you enjoy the format or not, those are some talented and gifted folks. I like the water lathe. A local machine shop here has one and it's just wild to think you can get water pressure high enough to cut steel like it's butter, but it sure does and very accurately too, thanks to CNC. Fun to watch!

-gb-

Duane Smith · August 24th, 2005, 06:47 AM

American Chopper is one of my favorite shows on television; I've been watching it for years now....and to be perfectly honest, I don't have the slightest interest in motorcycles whatsoever (and I guarantee I wouldn't ride one). But I love the craftsmanship, the fabrication, the ideas, and the beauty of the things they make, and I really can appreciate the process they go through. But mostly, I like the soap-opera-ness of the show. LOL! :-P

As for the scripted one-on-one interviews, they don't bother me a bit. I've always assumed they were scripted to move the storyline along WITHOUT having to resort to v.o. narration. If you go back and watch the first couple of one-shot docs (before American Chopper was a regular series) you'll notice that they have a v.o. on them, and it almost acts as a barrier between the viewer and the on-screen subjects. The non-narrated shows are more "real" but could easily be hard-to-follow; IMHO the scripted one-on-one interviews provide that linear functionality without having to resort to narration.

2¢

Joe Carney · August 24th, 2005, 02:24 PM

I like the show, but as a rider, I would hate to ride one of those customs for any distance. They are hard tails mostly with no rear shock. Good for slow cruising the blvd for women on a Friday night, bad for your kidneys and back.

The only one I saw with a rear shock was the police special for NYPD.

Duane Smith · August 24th, 2005, 03:51 PM

I have several friends that are motorcycle riders (mostly harleys), but one friend in particular had a hardtail S&S chopper with ape hangers that he put 27,000 miles on in two years.

So it's not that they can't be ridden; it's just a question of how committed you are to riding the bike. LOL!

J. Stephen McDonald · October 6th, 2005, 06:28 AM

How could anyone watch this show and deny that we share common ancestors with gorillas?

Peter Wiley · October 6th, 2005, 08:27 AM

I remember reading that Hal Roach, who directed the Little Rascals back in the 30s, did so by telling the kids to make faces that they what worked out a name for ahead of time. So he would give a kid a direction like, "OK Alfalfa, make the bratty face" and that's how he got them to act as much as they did

I wonder if they have the same kind of system on American Chopper "OK now tell us what your concerns about this bike are . . ."

Heath McKnight · October 6th, 2005, 08:45 AM

I haven't watched this show in over a year. I guess I grew out of it.

heath

Ed Smith · October 6th, 2005, 10:35 AM

I love American Chopper. We get it over here in the UK on Discovery, currently on its third series and on the Gillette bike...

There is a spin of which is called Southern Chopper, Man I can't stand that program, yet it’s in the same format, and produced by the same people. Maybe it’s their accents I just can't adjust to.

Cheers,

Heath McKnight · October 6th, 2005, 11:00 AM

I wondered what A.C. in the O.C. would play like in other countries...

heath

Bobby Abernathy · October 10th, 2005, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

I haven't watched this show in over a year. I guess I grew out of it.

heath

Because you're watching the O.C.?!? Tell me it isn't so!

Heath McKnight · October 30th, 2005, 10:46 AM

Orange County in New York is where American Chopper is filmed.

heath

Karl Heiner · November 2nd, 2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Stephen McDonald

How could anyone watch this show and deny that we share common ancestors with gorillas?

hello stephen,

i second that

greetings

Joe Carney · November 3rd, 2005, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Smith

I love American Chopper. We get it over here in the UK on Discovery, currently on its third series and on the Gillette bike...

There is a spin of which is called Southern Chopper, Man I can't stand that program, yet it’s in the same format, and produced by the same people. Maybe it’s their accents I just can't adjust to.

Cheers,

I look at Harleys' and their clones (V-Twin choppers and Asian knockoffs) they way I view Arnold Schwartznegger...
over rated, over paid and way over the hill.

If God granted just one machine on earth a soul, it would be a Ducati.
But I love Hondas too.

James Emory · November 19th, 2005, 01:53 PM

Well, if you ever wanted to know what goes on behind the cameras at OCC, you can find out Monday night at 10 p.m. on Discovery. I saw the Sony Z1 being used a few times as well as the larger broadcast cameras. Discovery repeats its programming later in the evening if you miss the first run.

James Emory · November 22nd, 2005, 08:06 PM

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/am.../outtakes.html

October 6th, 2005, 06:28 AM	#20
J. Stephen McDonald Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 909	How could anyone watch this show and deny that we share common ancestors with gorillas? __________________ Steve McDonald https://onedrive.com/?cid=229807ce52dd4fe0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/ http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

October 6th, 2005, 08:45 AM	#22
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I haven't watched this show in over a year. I guess I grew out of it. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 6th, 2005, 10:35 AM	#23
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	I love American Chopper. We get it over here in the UK on Discovery, currently on its third series and on the Gillette bike... There is a spin of which is called Southern Chopper, Man I can't stand that program, yet it’s in the same format, and produced by the same people. Maybe it’s their accents I just can't adjust to. Cheers, __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

October 6th, 2005, 11:00 AM	#24
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I wondered what A.C. in the O.C. would play like in other countries... heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 30th, 2005, 10:46 AM	#26
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Orange County in New York is where American Chopper is filmed. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

August 23rd, 2005, 10:08 PM	#16
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Whether you enjoy the format or not, those are some talented and gifted folks. I like the water lathe. A local machine shop here has one and it's just wild to think you can get water pressure high enough to cut steel like it's butter, but it sure does and very accurately too, thanks to CNC. Fun to watch! -gb-

August 24th, 2005, 06:47 AM	#17
Duane Smith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 234	American Chopper is one of my favorite shows on television; I've been watching it for years now....and to be perfectly honest, I don't have the slightest interest in motorcycles whatsoever (and I guarantee I wouldn't ride one). But I love the craftsmanship, the fabrication, the ideas, and the beauty of the things they make, and I really can appreciate the process they go through. But mostly, I like the soap-opera-ness of the show. LOL! :-P As for the scripted one-on-one interviews, they don't bother me a bit. I've always assumed they were scripted to move the storyline along WITHOUT having to resort to v.o. narration. If you go back and watch the first couple of one-shot docs (before American Chopper was a regular series) you'll notice that they have a v.o. on them, and it almost acts as a barrier between the viewer and the on-screen subjects. The non-narrated shows are more "real" but could easily be hard-to-follow; IMHO the scripted one-on-one interviews provide that linear functionality without having to resort to narration. 2¢

August 24th, 2005, 02:24 PM	#18
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	I like the show, but as a rider, I would hate to ride one of those customs for any distance. They are hard tails mostly with no rear shock. Good for slow cruising the blvd for women on a Friday night, bad for your kidneys and back. The only one I saw with a rear shock was the police special for NYPD.

August 24th, 2005, 03:51 PM	#19
Duane Smith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 234	I have several friends that are motorcycle riders (mostly harleys), but one friend in particular had a hardtail S&S chopper with ape hangers that he put 27,000 miles on in two years. So it's not that they can't be ridden; it's just a question of how committed you are to riding the bike. LOL!

October 6th, 2005, 08:27 AM	#21
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	I remember reading that Hal Roach, who directed the Little Rascals back in the 30s, did so by telling the kids to make faces that they what worked out a name for ahead of time. So he would give a kid a direction like, "OK Alfalfa, make the bratty face" and that's how he got them to act as much as they did I wonder if they have the same kind of system on American Chopper "OK now tell us what your concerns about this bike are . . ."

November 19th, 2005, 01:53 PM	#29
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	American Chopper - Behind the scenes special! Well, if you ever wanted to know what goes on behind the cameras at OCC, you can find out Monday night at 10 p.m. on Discovery. I saw the Sony Z1 being used a few times as well as the larger broadcast cameras. Discovery repeats its programming later in the evening if you miss the first run.

November 22nd, 2005, 08:06 PM	#30
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	American Chopper Discovery Promo Outtakes http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/am.../outtakes.html