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''American Chopper'' is an American
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1 ...
series that airs on
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television. The series centers on
Paul Teutul Sr. Paul John Teutul (born May 1, 1949) is the founder of Orange County Choppers, a manufacturer of custom motorcycles and the focus of the reality television series ''American Chopper''. Teutul first appeared on the show with his sons Paul Teutul ...
(frequently called ''Senior''), and his son
Paul Teutul Jr. Paul Michael Teutul (born October 2, 1974) is one of the stars of the American reality television series ''American Chopper''. He started working for his father ( Paul John Teutul). Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator. Prior to this, he ...
(also known as ''Paulie'' or simply ''Junior''), who manufacture custom chopper-style motorcycles.
Orange County Choppers Orange County Choppers (OCC) is an American motorcycle manufacturer and lifestyle brand company based in the town of Newburgh, located in Orange County, New York, that was founded in 1999 by Paul Teutul Sr. The company was featured on '' Amer ...
is in
Newburgh, New York Newburgh is a city in the U.S. state of New York, within Orange County. With a population of 28,856 as of the 2020 census, it is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown metropolitan area. Located north of New York City, a ...
. The contrasting work and creative styles of the father-and-son team and their resulting verbal arguments were the series' hallmark until 2008 when an explosive argument led to Paul Jr.'s termination and departure to start a competing chopper company, Paul Jr. Designs. The series originally aired on
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
beginning in March 2003. In December 2007, the series moved to Discovery's sister channel TLC, starting off with an 18-hour marathon. Its first TLC season premiered in January 2008. Season 6 began in April 2009 but the series was canceled by TLC in February 2010. In July 2010, TLC announced that the Teutuls would return in a new series, '' American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior''. Senior vs. Junior premiered on TLC but was soon moved to Discovery halfway through the first season. Discovery Channel announced that the show would end with "The Chopper Live: The Revenge" show on December 11, 2012 after 10 years.


Featured staff

The OCC fabricators and mechanics such as
Paul Teutul Jr. Paul Michael Teutul (born October 2, 1974) is one of the stars of the American reality television series ''American Chopper''. He started working for his father ( Paul John Teutul). Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator. Prior to this, he ...
, Rick Petko, Nick Hansford, Christian Welter, and former employees Vincent DiMartino (who left OCC to start V-Force Customs in 2007), and Cody Connelly (a
BOCES The Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES //) is a program of shared educational services provided to school districts by the New York State Legislature. History BOCES owes its origin to a state legislative enactment authorizing the f ...
student intern who has since joined DiMartino's business), create dozens of custom motorbikes.
Michael Teutul Michael Joseph Teutul (born November 26, 1978) is an American television personality who appeared on the reality programs "Orange County Choppers" ''American Chopper'' and ''American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior''. Early life He is the younges ...
, usually referred to as "Mikey", serves as the shop's custodian and webmaster, and provides comic relief to the show. He has been seen doing metal work occasionally, as one of his early jobs was working at Orange County Ironworks. Also featured occasionally is Danny Teutul, the second oldest child, who succeeded Paul Sr. as the owner of Orange County Ironworks. Danny visits to do contracted work for the OCC facilities. The show also documents their personal and promotional activities ranging from magazine photo shoots to family holidays and custom bike shows.


Original series (2002–2010)


Series overview


Fantasy Bike Contest

During season 3,
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
sponsored a contest in which four winners received OCC motorcycles. Custom bike features were specified by the winning fans, who sent in videos expressing their reasons for wanting a bike. The contest winners were (in episode order): Jeff Clegg (''Corporal Punishment''), Susan Morisset (''Female Snake Bike''), Joseph McClendon (''Custom Hog''), Bryan King (''Vertebrate Trike'').


Paul Jr. leaves Orange County Choppers

Following regular disagreements with his father, Paul Jr. was fired from the shop in late 2008. In January 2009, TLC served a notice of default due to Paul Jr.'s absence. Paul Jr. then returned to OCC briefly as a contractor, but left finally in April 2009 in order to start his own design firm, Paul Jr. Designs. Paul Sr. then exercised a contractual option to purchase Paul Jr.'s 20% share in OCC, and subsequently filed a lawsuit to force the buyout. The case remained ongoing while a valuation of OCC was performed.Mahler, Peter A. (May 10, 2010)
"Business Divorce, American Chopper Style"
''NYBusinessDivorce.com'', Farrell Fritz, P.C., Attorneys at Law.
On December 14, 2010, Paul Jr. won his appeal of a lower court ruling forcing him to sell his 20% ownership of OCC to Paul Sr. Paul Jr.'s appeal asked that the agreement to sell be ruled invalid, so Paul Jr. will continue to own 20% of OCC until a fair selling price is agreed to. Paul Jr. has also filed a counter-suit laying out massive fraud on Paul Sr.'s part in dealing with Paul Jr.'s interests at OCC. The suit seeks $100 million in damages along with court-ordered controls over the company's finances to prevent further fraud. After a one-year non-compete clause ended, Paul Jr. opened a motorcycle design company in April 2010. TLC then commissioned a 7th season titled '' American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior'' which features both OCC and Paul Jr. Designs.


Other legal issues

As of May 26, 2009, OCC is the defendant in a legal action filed by artist Justin Barnes, who alleges that his original designs were copied on merchandise without his permission and appropriate compensation. In July 2009, Cody Connelly sued OCC and Paul Teutul Sr., seeking damages for misappropriation of likeness, breach of contract and fraud. He claimed the show used his likeness in posters, coloring books and other merchandise after he left it in 2007. Connelly also claimed that he never received " the old school chopper" that he helped design, though Paul Teutul Sr., said it would be his in one episode of the show.


Cancellation and Senior vs. Junior

On February 6, 2010, TLC announced that American Chopper's season finale scheduled for February 11 would also mark the end of the series, stating, "The Teutuls will always be a part of the Discovery family and we congratulate them on a tremendously successful series run." On April 7, TLC announced the Teutuls would return for a new series. The new series, '' American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior'', chronicles the aftermath of Paul Jr.'s departure from OCC and his construction of a new custom chopper company across the street from younger brother Dan's Orange County Iron Works. It premiered August 12, 2010 on TLC. In December 2010, ''Senior vs. Junior'' was moved to the
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
, the network ''American Chopper'' originally debuted on. In Canada ''American Chopper'' started on January 8 on TLC and moved to Saturday nights at 10 p.m. On February 7, 2011, Paul Teutul Jr. announced that ''American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior'' had been renewed for a second season and would return spring 2011. On November 21, 2012, Eileen O'Neill, president of Discovery Network, announced the show had been cancelled. The final episode aired December 17, 2012.


First series spin-off: ''Senior vs. Junior'' (2010–2012)

''American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior'' is a
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1 ...
spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
which premiered on the TLC channel on August 12, 2010. The show chronicles the rivalry between
Orange County Choppers Orange County Choppers (OCC) is an American motorcycle manufacturer and lifestyle brand company based in the town of Newburgh, located in Orange County, New York, that was founded in 1999 by Paul Teutul Sr. The company was featured on '' Amer ...
(OCC) owned by
Paul Teutul Sr. Paul John Teutul (born May 1, 1949) is the founder of Orange County Choppers, a manufacturer of custom motorcycles and the focus of the reality television series ''American Chopper''. Teutul first appeared on the show with his sons Paul Teutul ...
and his son
Paul Teutul Jr. Paul Michael Teutul (born October 2, 1974) is one of the stars of the American reality television series ''American Chopper''. He started working for his father ( Paul John Teutul). Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator. Prior to this, he ...
's newly opened motorcycle business Paul Jr. Designs (PJD). The second season continued with brand new episodes that aired on Monday, August 29, 2011 at 9pm EST on
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...
. The third season began on February 13, 2012. The fourth season premiered, September 3, 2012. November 16, 2012, the Discovery Channel announced the cancellation of the show. The final episode aired December 17, 2012. Paul Teutul posted a picture of himself with his father and brother Mike all posing in front of the Teutel bike that junior and senior built during season 4.


Series overview

The cast makes an appearance on Season 2, Episode 3 "American Chopper Gun", of ''
Sons of Guns ''Sons of Guns'' is a reality television series that aired on the Discovery Channel between 2011 and 2014. The series centers on Red Jacket Firearms LLC, a Louisiana-based business that manufactures and sells custom firearms to law enforcement, se ...
'' where the crews collaborate on a dragon-themed gun. This episode coincides with ''American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior'' Season 2, Episode 2 "Big Guns".


Opening

The introduction is narrated by both Paul Sr. and Paul Jr.: The fourth season (returning to ''American Chopper'') intro is narrated by Paul Sr. and Paul Jr.:


Second series spin-off: ''Orange County Choppers'' (2013–2014)

''Orange County Choppers'' is the second spin-off series of the ''American Chopper'' franchise. The show ran for one season on CMT with a 2-hour "pilot" and eight episodes between August 18, 2013 and January 11, 2014. The series features Paul Teutul Sr. and his team as they fabricate some of the most complicated choppers of their careers. Evan Favaro is hired as Creative Director and proves his leadership ability and building skills at the shop.


Series overview


December 2014 special

On December 11, 2014, Discovery Channel aired an ''American Chopper'' special under the title "American Chopper: Shaq Bike", which featured the building of a chopper for former NBA star
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greate ...
. It focused on the original Orange County Choppers business, with no sign of Paul Jr., though
Michael Teutul Michael Joseph Teutul (born November 26, 1978) is an American television personality who appeared on the reality programs "Orange County Choppers" ''American Chopper'' and ''American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior''. Early life He is the younges ...
(listed as a vice president) did appear and interact with his father. While there were a few new family members and fabricators, the crew at the shop appeared to be the same as the cast of the ''Orange County Choppers'' series, including Evan Favaro. According to Paul Sr., the Shaq "Man of Steel" bike is the biggest in OCC history. The specs: 48-inch handlebars, 6-inch rake, 23-inch front wheel and 20-inch rear wheel on a stretched frame.


Original series revival (2018–2019)

A revival of the series aired in the spring of 2018 on Discovery Channel. According to the series Facebook page, the new season premiered on May 28, 2018 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. A preview of the first episode of season 11 entitled "Welcome Back" aired on March 1, 2018. The episode featured the return of the Teutuls after ten years of their rocky father-son partnership, catching up to speed with Senior and Junior's separate lives and motorcycle businesses. At Orange County Choppers, Paul Sr. gets a two bike deal with Okada Resort in
Manila, Philippines Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
. Meanwhile, Paul Jr. works on a bike for Buffalo Chip Campground in Sturgis, South Dakota. Both come together when Junior asks his father to restore their
Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
bike which had been vandalized and then sold at an auto salvage auction.


Series overview


August 2020 special

On July 28, 2020, it was announced that a TV special titled "American Chopper: The Last Ride" would premiere on August 4, 2020. The 2-hour special featured Senior and Junior who, over a decade, finally collaborate on building a bike together. This is the first time in series history that Orange County Choppers and Paul Junior Designs come together for one client. For one last time at the old OCC shop, they build a chopper for ABC Supply Company, the largest roofing and siding company in the U.S. However, they only have eight weeks to complete the bike because their original garage in Montgomery, NY is planned to be demolished.


Release


Home media


Other media


Video games

Due to its popularity during the first seasons, ''American Chopper'' inspired two video game titles. The first was ''American Chopper'' by
Activision Value Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
, released for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on ...
, PC and
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...
on November 23, 2004. The second, ''American Chopper 2: Full Throttle'' by Creat Studios was released for the
Nintendo GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
,
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on ...
, and
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...
on November 16, 2005. A video pinball arcade game made by Incredible Technologies, Inc. reached on-site play testing but was never released.


Meme

A series of memes were made using frames from the argument between Paul Teutel Sr. & Paul Teutel Jr. in season 6 episode 1. The meme format features captions placed over the two men in certain frames during their argument. The captions usually show some common argument in the current culture.


Parody

''
American Body Shop ''American Body Shop'' is an American comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from July 8 until September 19, 2007 that revolves around a dysfunctional body shop in suburban Phoenix, Arizona and the accident-prone crew that works there. The sh ...
'', an improvisational
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
shown on Comedy Central from July 8 to September 19, 2007, is a parody of ''American Chopper''. "''Body Shop'' creator makes dent with DIY gambit"
Reuters. TV.com. July 9, 2007.


Azeroth Choppers

''
Azeroth Choppers ''Azeroth Choppers'' was a weekly web series by Blizzard Entertainment that ran from April 17 to June 5, 2014. It featured Paul Teutul, Jr. (''American Chopper'') and his company Paul Jr. Designs building motorcycles based on Blizzard's long-ru ...
'' was a weekly web series moderated by Blizzard Entertainment that featured
Paul Teutul Jr. Paul Michael Teutul (born October 2, 1974) is one of the stars of the American reality television series ''American Chopper''. He started working for his father ( Paul John Teutul). Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator. Prior to this, he ...
and his Paul Jr. Designs (PJD) team. The web series was shown between April 17 and June 5, 2014. It showcased the two motorcycle builds based around each of two factions, Alliance and Horde, in the MMORPG ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the '' Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azer ...
''.


Accolades


See also

* Orange County Choppers bikes


References


External links

* *
Pilgrim Films American Chopper Website

American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior official website
* * {{Former TLC Programming 2003 American television series debuts 2010 American television series endings 2000s American reality television series 2010s American reality television series Discovery Channel original programming English-language television shows Motorcycle television series PlayStation 2 games Xbox games TLC (TV network) original programming Television shows set in New York (state) Television series by Lionsgate Television American television series revived after cancellation 2018 American television series debuts