Hog brawl
By MICHAEL STARR
Last Updated: 10:37 AM, April 7, 2010
Posted: 1:57 AM, April 7, 2010
The new show, “American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior,” begins filming next week and will premiere in August.
It focuses both on the original Orange County Choppers business run by Paul Sr., and Paul Jr.’s startup bike shop.
The new shop, Paul Jr. Designs, is located across from the original OCC shop in Rock Tavern, NY, near OCC’s Newburgh site.
The hook? Father and son haven’t spoken in over a year, ever since Senior fired Junior from the family business.
The split effectively ended their long-running reality show. TLC axed “American Chopper” last February and, in an ugly legal battle, Senior is demanding the return of Junior’s 20 percent stake in OCC. After a brief reconciliation, Junior rode out his one-year non-compete clause and moved into his new shop last week. Father and son remain at odds, with no resolution in sight.
“I’m always hopeful for a reconciliation, but sometimes these things happen for a reason,” Junior told The Post yesteday.
“Even though you never want dissension in any family, especially with your father, this has allowed me to break out and do things on my own.”
Senior also says he’s moved on — to a point.
“Junior seems to say all the time he’d like to reconcile, but the thing of it is, he’s never come to me with that,” Senior told The Post. “I’m happy he’s making an attempt to go out on his own, but I don’t feel he’s ever really followed through with anything in his life.”
“But this way, if he fails, he can’t say, ‘My dad made me fail.’ ”
The resurrection of “Chopper” will be good news for fans of the show, including “Late Show” host David Letterman.
“Letterman e-mailed me when he heard the show was going off the air and said, ‘What am I gonna do now, Paul?,’ ” Senior says. “He was devastated.”
It remains to be seen how “Senior vs. Junior” will play out, but series executive producer Christo Doyle says there’s no formula on how much air time the two competing shops will get per episode.
“This is a very bitter situation that runs really deep — at times I feel I’m a family therapist and not a producer.”
Hope this is better. The bickering will be a lot less. I’d still like to see BBO come back.
These RUBs suck. Watching a documentary on underwater basket weaving is better entertainment. The blind change the channel because it stinks.
I wonder if these two ever stop to think if they are being manipulated by the network to be at each others throats? It’s plain obvious that TLC is exploiting this feud. Shame on them.
Father and son relationships are always on the old man’s terms. Paul senior needs to get control of his huge ego and decide if he is willing to do what it takes to achieve reconciliation or not. Every son wants his father’s acceptance and approval. If the old man cannot accept that his son’s are seperate individuals and not carbon copies of himself and then scorns them at every opportunity then he is seriously fugging up. Nuff of that, I’m more interested in the builds and especially the custom metalwork than the soap opera scenes.
Just my two cents worth.
It would be nice if the old man would show his feelings for his son like he does for the dog. I’m sure the kid would like thick , juicy steak.
Paul Jr, You were the talent. He was the EGO. Don’t mistake the two and you will rule. Keep on rollin!
Paul Sr is a very bad example of a parent. He is so insecure, he ran off all his children and all the good help like Vinny. Sad he cares more for his dogs than his kids!
go for it paul jr, your old man needs too chill out..