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Comedian Adam Carolla has been associated with so many efforts to bring Top Gear to the United States, it must have stung him just a little to not be included in the History Channel’s adaptation of the British car show. But instead of getting mad, Carolla decided to get even. With fans of the original Top Gear largely united in their indifference to the Ferrara/Foust/Wood presenter team, Carolla is joining up with several other Top Gear rejects to create a little competition for Top Gear USA. The show is untitled as yet, but according to Variety
Carolla will star along with Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal auto writer Dan Neil, ex-NBA star John Salley and Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire website.
Intriguingly, Dan Neil has said that he was rejected as a possible presenter for an early NBC attempt at a Top Gear USA series, because he “had zero chemistry” with Carolla. So, have Dan and Adam been working on their banter in the interim, or will the Speed Channel show’s presenters suffer from the same tepid chemistry as History Channel’s? At least one thing is for certain: because the show is being pitched as a hybrid of Top Gear and Fox Sports Net’s “The Best Damn Sports Show Period,” at least it won’t suffer from the need to remain faithful to a single original series. And, as the world of cars proves again and again, competition breeds excellence. Even if Carolla’s show can’t capture lightning in a bottle, it will keep Top Gear USA from coasting on its name and British-based reputation. That alone seems to make this project worth keeping an eye on.
15 Comments on “Adam Carolla Launching “Top Gear USA” Competitor...”
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“If they made Pontiacs, we’d make fun of them too.” Okay, that actually made me laugh.
While I’m not exactly in love with Top Gear USA or its hosts, this doesn’t appeal to me at all. I’m indifferent about Carolla, but I absolutely couldn’t watch Dan Neil. And John Salley? Why?
This is at least as bad as the NBC Top Gear pilot sounded. And that got shelved for good reason.
I’ve watched Dan Neil speak in public. Has has a comedian’s sense of timing, so he should do well.
Still, my formula for a successful tv show about cars and car culture = Jack Baruth + the hottest woman you can find who loves cars and is articulate about that love.
Carolla is a genius. Also he is a legitimate car guy and it shows on his Carcast podcast. Those 2 other no names on Top Gear are just dull. You cant even tell which one is supposed to be the comedian.
I wonder if it’s Carolla’s idea/prodco, or he’s just a part of a different show. Either way, looking forward!
@FromaBuick6: Agreed. I do not get the John Salley choice either. At all.
Although Matt Farah has clearly spent way too much time in a Greenwich Connecticut-based Limp Bizkit cover-band, and frequently reduces his reviews to, “HAHAHAHAHAH! This car is FUUUUU**ING FAST! ZOMGLOLZ!”,
he has a MUCH better speaking voice than all 3 TGUS guys,
and most likely will have Instant chemistry with Adam. I can see those 2 talking like they’ve known each other for 5 years w/in the 1st week.
Who knows, maybe SPEED will blow it all somehow, History will see how good these 3 can be, and then promote them to TGUS out of the wreckage.
It’s about time somebody did something with Matt Farah. The character he portrays on his videos is kind of a vacuous, fist-pumping date-rapist but the real Matt is intelligent, passionate about automobiles, and extremely dedicated to his craft.
I think he could be America’s answer to Kazzer.
+1, whenever I’ve watched his youtube clips, while I’m ambivalent about his persona, you can tell he cares about motoring. As for his persona, I’m trying to decide if he has a Julien from ‘Trailer Park Boys’ vibe (good), or if he missed his casting call from ‘Jersey Shore’ (bad.)
As long as Leno’s not involved, I’d give it a chance.
The world didn’t need an American knockoff of Top Gear, the world already has Top Gear and nobody can do it better than Clarkson and Wilman.
It’s like American cars trying to compete or replicate European cars, they continually fail, they are trying to be something they are not. They aren’t as good as European cars and the world already has European cars. Americans should be American first and foremost.
To me, this is good news not only because it could be the death knell of Top Gear USA which is truly horrid, but it could also be a legitimately good home grown American car show inspired by Top Gear but not trying to be it or living up to its name. Carolla, Neil, Speed and the rest are free to do whatever they want with it and make their own mold instead.
After witnessing the pain that is Top Gear USA I can certainly see why they wanted Carolla to head it so badly. His personality would have dominated and lead the show much like Clarkson’s. Let’s see what he can do with free reign.
Those Speed Channel “Test Drives” were worse than Motorweek. They talked about the GS450h like it was an M5. Something tells me Speed Channel has to ruin whatever this might turn out to be.
What both shows need is a Clarkson/Hammond style rivalry. Fifth Gear has it with Tiff vs. Jason. Episodes 3 and 4 of TG US have been decent, but they are missing that critical element that makes the shows FUN.
Meh, although I hope the car used for the “Celebrity In An Affordable Car” segment is a Corolla.
(I make me laugh).
According to Adam himself on his podcast, he was actually the one who rejected History Channel’s Top Gear. At the time they began shooting it he was recording a pilot he co-developed for a sitcom for NBC and he was hopeful he would get it picked for a season.
His series was not picked by NBC and The History Channel was already shooting with Ferrara by then.
I agree that Carolla is a genius and a car nut so at least in terms of content this show should be good. Camera work will probably lack a little. I’ve never seen any show as well shot as Top Gear. And they have been on for many years now, I would think someone would have copied them by now.
Didn’t Matt Farah get busted a while ago trying to pass off a rebodied Datsun as a rebodied Ferrari 259 GTO?
Top Gear can keep my attention a times but when in comes to scripted dialog, rehearsed skits or amazing drifting demonstations clearly not performed by the hosts… I tune out. I’m guessing Adam’s show will be above that. Then a again, they have to appeal to the lowest common demominator.
My problem with this idea is… Adam Carolla. Can he be engaging at times? Sure. But then he just gets childish, and devolves into poop jokes and sexual exploitation. Har Har. If they can keep that garbage out of it, I’ll probably watch. If they let it slide down into “Adam Carolla and a couple of other guys” then I’m not interested.
Dan Neil is the best damn automotive writer anywhere today, IMHO of course. I would watch him read the phone book. Not sure if the Adam pairing would work but Dan is a winner.
No relations Ymmv
Here is my 2 cents. Keep Rutledge Wood for the southern hick angle, add Tim Allen or Chris Titus as the funny guy since both are well known car freaks, and Jack Baruth to finish it all out. Not really sure how well Jack reacts in front of a camera, but Rutledge, Tim, and Titus aren’t frightened into zombies once the camera is turned on to the best of my knowledge. Tanner has been and always will be NOT a camera personality, and Adam may be fine on a stage all alone tellling jokes, but on camera he is just awful, right along with Tanner.