The hit series “American Chopper” will be ending this month showing its final episode February 11. Having been on the air for the past six years the popular show will be saying goodbye to its loyal fans.
“American Chopper” which shows the lives of the fun-loving Teutuls has become one of the more popular shows for TLC. While the show originally started out on the Discovery Channel back in 2003 the show moved over to TLC in 2007.
The hit series shows the lives and interactions’s of Paul Teutul Sr. former merchant marine, and his two sons Mikey and Paul Jr. as they manage their business, “Orange County Choppers” in Newburgh New York.
In addition to the show’s focus on their business the show also centered in on the relationships between the Teutuls which often resulted in heated arguments that at times ended in physical fights which brought much of the comedy to the show.
While TLC is sad to see them go they congratulate the Teutuls on their successful show for the past 6 seasons. As of recently Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. are involved in legal issues involving their business including a December lawsuit by Paul Sr. Paul Jr. left in April to pursue full time employment with OCC.
Paul Sr’s ego was the black comedy of the show that was about the interaction of the family. Especially Paul Sr’s outrageous reaction to his two reasonable but eccentric sons. The motorcycles were the back story. The craziness and the arguring were the real attraction. Paul Sr’s is so full of himself that he is willing to scarafice his family for his self image.
The show has no appeal without Paulie and his brother.
I hope the family cna find their way back together, life is short.
I agree totally. Without Paulie, the show is crap.
The bikes that they are building aren’t as detailed without Paul Jr’s in put either…
Regardless of the negative comments, I enjoyed the show and was a fan since the early beginning. The biggest mistake in my opinion was letting Vinnie go as I thought he was the most talented and hardest working of them all. The disfunctionality of the family was the intriguing part of it and you can’t doubt the ability of Sr. building his company up from scratch after battling with alcoholism. Instead of lying down and being a bum, he turned it into a positive fortune and built an empire. Good luck Tuttles!
I think it was Rick who said Sr. had no contact with his children and had grandkids that he has not seen or words to that effect. So who’s needs to look inward at his self Sr. I think. Just take the last few shows they have been using stock frames and tanks, only the paint jobs make the bkies look good. Sorry to see it go but maybe now they will show Vinnie and Cody to see how they are doing.
Glad to see it go after meeting Sr. at Daytona and his attitude toward the public I hope he goes broke. As far as Jr. and Mike wish them the best they seem sincere in there dealings with the public.
Sr. was not very friendly at our company public meet and greet. didn’t say much. looked mean. i guess after you made millions you can act like that. very saddening. either that or underlying issues are bothering the man.
Bottom line was; Sr. was the boss. Jr. and Mikey seemed as though they should just be able to do what they wanted, when they wanted, on the ‘Old Man’s checkbook. You see how ‘EXCITING THEIR LIVES’ are now. Every time Jr. and Mikey’s segments come on, it’s nappy time.
SR IS A TOTAL DICK! GOOD LUCK JR. & MIKE
Hey Jason Get Over It ..
I’m glad to see the show go off the air. Paul Sr is so full of him self its not funny. I wish the best for the boys and hope they do better than Sr. I’ve seen their bikes up close and personal and I personally wouldn’t own that junk. The boys put some real good ideas to work. The bikes are underpowered and the cost is a big joke. They are no where worth it. Yea they may look good but the just don’t hold up. I feel Orange County also took advantage of the companies that supported them in the begining and dropped them worse than a rock later. Paul Sr needs to be father first and formost.
Talk about killing the goose that laid the golden egg! I have watched the show from the beginning, but quit the last few years because it turned into a shouting match each week. Also, from a pure bike creation point of view, there are a lot of people out there designing better, more original bikes.
Sr. is the reason the show is ending. Whether its roid rage or immaturity, his self-centered, self-obsessed rages have driven his family away and now the public.
For Bill;
The creativity that captured the public’s imagination and pocket book were completely Paul Jr’s. Sr has not had an original idea through out the entire show’s run.
Unfortunately, unless Sr’s minions can fill the void left by Paul Jr. OCC will go the way of the dinosaur.
Met Mikey in Newark airport & shared flight w/ him. Seemed like a great guy. He was even glad to take a few pics w/ my boys & I. Very down to earth.
Never met the other 2, but they seem as though they were way too full of themselves. Paul Sr especially. Too bad a BIG ego gets in the way of a good thing. They should have put some of that energy into being more creative. But I guess the ratings wouldn’t be as high if they didn’t always fight. Another example of too much fame getting to someone. Too bad, it wasn’t that bad of a show.
Paul sr signed the checks. It was his business from the start and his show from the getgo, what’s the problem?
Hunter, you need to remember that Paul Jr. owns a small percentage of the business, I believe it was around 20-25%. Secondly, the business would never be where it is today without the original designs of Paul Jr. Once Sr. brought in outsiders to run it as a corporation, things changed and so did the show. You watch the show now and Sr. trys to take a shot at Jr. every chance he gets. You don’t see Jr. or Mickey doing any of that.
All great truths are simple-
Sons were spoiled and had no discipline. Anybody that knows anything about bikes knows that you can’t just stick stuff here and there then cover with spacers. Bikes are test driveb once and then delivered. The show made them famous. No show will make them not famous. Watch Pawn Stars, better show, you learn about all kinds things. The relationship between family is more like it would be in a real family.
I. Q. of everyone is much higher and they do not use the F word every minute.
Greed is the root all evil. This is similar to stories that we read of lottery winners having misfortune later. Sure Paul Sr. built this empire from scratch, but was all that fame and fortune worth losing his sons? Greed overcame a very good thing. Paul Sr. will die a very rich, but very lonely man. Best wishes to them all, hopefully they will sit back and realize how blessed they were to have all they did. Mend fences Teutul family, life is too short.
Without the brothers that show would have been crap is right. The only thing Paul Sr brought to the table was the person who took all the glory for doing nothing. None of it was his creativity, and to have a father that treats his sons the way he does after Paul Jr brought everything to the table is pathetic. Not to mention Mike having issues and his father doesn’t even come for support. Paul srs company may have been started by him but Paul jr was the blood and sweat of the company. Paul jr should start his own show. Hope to see Paul sr fail he deserves everything he gets, and companies that give him buss have no family values because they don’t care who represents them.
I’ve inspected their work up close. I’m no pro, but I have built my own bike from the ground up. The one thing that amazed me is the crappy worksmanship. I mean some of their stuff looks great on TV, but when you get right up on it it is crap. Mismatched parts, rough ugly welds, etc., … I held myself to a higher standard than that and I ADMIT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING! I’d be PISSED if I was paying $50k-$100k or more to have these guys build me such amateur junk. OCC was literally all show and no go.
Yeah I agree with Most … Jr. and Mikey well lets face it .. Spoiled ! BUT why shouldn’t they be ? The old Man is way too Cocky thinks he’s Mr. Bad Ass .. Dudes Like 60 yrs old … GROW UP ! put the cut off tee’s away and wear a Occ Business Like shirt… and Learn
that if you instilled a work ethic into BOTH Jr. and Mike they would have been fine …Paul shows up 8 AM Mike at Noon ?? I don’t care if he was useless as tits on a bull ( and he was ) he could clean up order parts ,inventory … deal with contractors ETC. he was never Pushed ! … and as far as a painters on the show Nubbs i think was the BEST !
Nothing in life, good or bad, lasts forever. The main problem with the show ending, however, is that Paul Sr. is a “Dry Drunk”, and by his own admission hasn’t been to an A.A. meeting in years.
His priorities changed from maintaining his sobriety, to chasing money!
Anyone that treats their kids like Sr did deserves to go broke. He was the father and should ahve acted like one. I stopped watching because of his foul mouth. Glad it’s over,maybe him and Kate should get together.
Everything I know about choppers, I learned from Pop and Paulie. Needless to say… it isn’t much. The show’s attraction was the family dynamic and the the struggle of egos between Jr and Sr. We don’t know all the details of what really went on, but I’m sure it was financial as all three sons, including the one we never hear about, quit the family business. It’s a shame it all comes down to money. Fact is that it’s Pops money and his show. Hopefully they’ll be able to work it all out when the cameras shut off.
You wrote that the trend seemed to be the fault of the old man as his 3 sons quit the business.As I understand the situation, the 3rd son you referred to, (Steve), was sold the family business that Sr. started, Orange County Iron Works, for next to nothing based on its value. (Steve by the way, built the current OCC facility, the other two son’s being much younger were given an opportunity to work for, and eventually have 20% ownership in the current business known as OCC. Paulie did not quit, he was fired. Mikey went on a bender after quitting, and eventually wound up in rehab, (Kudos Mikey! Stick with it!)Mikey did quit as a result of the pressure put on him to perform his job as agreed by the contract he wrote!
I do wish that Sr., Jr., and Mikey all work
it out before its too late. Trust me, you can never go back once it is.
Yes I know, his name is Dan not Steve. It was a JOKE, cuz we don’t hear much about the “other” son.
they nener thanked the lord for there good fortune. humbleing themselves would be a start. you could see the switch to materialism take effect . ego and pride ran rampant god bless them with what they really need…………..
I have met all of the cast at one time or another. I have found them to be completely agreeable and willing to pose with or give autographs to anyone wh took the time to visit their shop. They were kind enough to present an autographed “Fire Bike ” replica to us for our fire fighter son in North Carolina.
Best to all of them; sorry to see them go.
To Joel
If Sr. didn’t supply (the school of hard knocks) from the beginning, Jr. and Mikey would be shooting up in the back alley somewhere.
Put JR back with Vinny and I will be back
Vinnie and Cody started a motorcycle building shop called V-force, check it out, they are building bikes and appear to be headed to TLC for a show.
To me the show was pretty good. I liked the arguing in a weird way. Now there just isnt any zest. When i see Paul jr doin what hes doin I cringe. Good luck to Mikey.
I sold them their 1st motorhome and trailer that was on the show many times.at that time they were great
people to know spent many times at shows with them
and was a lot of fun— after a couple of years
you could see the money and fame was getting to them
and i thought it was going to be down hill for them
too bad but money will do that to people
All the bikes were the same from the beginning.They still farm out too much of the work and just bolt different crap on the same basic bike. They are all d***s. The boys are spoiled. The old man worked hard, but lucked out with this TV deal. But we all know it’s just a show. They should have went away long ago. Much more talented bike builders in the world.It was over a few years back for me when I saw “Orange County Choppers” nail clippers at our local convenience store !
now paul sr. has no relationship with any of his three boys. was the money and fame really worth it.
I think Sr. looks like hell. I don’t think he is as tough as he wants us to think.
Paul Sr is a jerk !!!!!
I liked the show when I first started watching it. Reminded me of home LOL. In the beginning Sr. did have some creative ideas but then it just got carried away. Liked the season where Mikey was learning to ride. Most of the creativity of the show came from the subcontractors (painters etc) and the other people who worked there rarely received the credit they deserved.
I agree that Paul Sr. is a dry drunk. I worked with addicts for years and he is a control freak like most addicts are with the ego and the need to control and belittle, but Paul Jr. wasn’t much better with his temper at times and I think the 3 of them all have problems with interpersonal relationships period. The boys let the money get to their heads and the alcohol affected them too. Mikey has problems and they all need to go to therapy. Watch the last few shows. Trying to start a business is great, but in this economy, how well was Paul Jr. doing? Not too well. Why they couldn’t do something and work together was ridiculous. It was coming from both sides. It takes 2 to tangle and in this case it was a whole family hoe down. No one was resolving anything at anytime. And the show when Paul Jr brought in his lawyers…I don’t know if that was for ratings or what..but, that just was ridiculous. Maybe 20% of the company is his, but who started the company on sweat and nothing..daddy did. They all have issues..every single one of them. They all need a major intervention. Paul Sr. may seem mean, but he has given a lot to charity and Paul Jr and Mikey have done the same, now they need to give to themselves and each other…grow the hell up and go to therapy and act like sober addicts and get some freaking help.
From the first airing of this show I have asked myself why has it gone on this long? All are brilliant in motorbike creations yet stifled by Paul Sr’s abusive attitude. Is it any wonder why this man is alone? When you treat people like crap, they will not stick around-and neither did us viewers. I was both amazed by the level of creativity and appalled by the toxic catfights. I am over abusive relationships-and maybe like Tina Turner, the boys will find the strength to move on and become far more successful than their malcontented father. As for Paul Sr Wake up! Or else your family will have to hire pallbearers at your funeral because no one will want to show up to finally sing: “Ding dong! The wicked witch is dead!”
I think besides the bikes, Jr and Mikey were the show.Paul jr. was the creator and Mike was the fun. Paul sr. was a egomaniac and road along for the ride like an old lady {he sounded like one}. All three are the owners. The rest of the gang are just the pee ons to senior.,and will find this out real soon.
Like so many others, the money and greed finally got to them all. The recession has taken care of that for them. In these times no one is spending that kind of money for their bike creations. OCC and Paul Sr. are finished. Paul Jr. will have a chance because of his talent, but not his work ethic. Mikey has no work ethics, and will have a tough time.
Welcome to the real world and the unemployment line like the rest of us.
I started cutting down on watching the show when Vinnie left. I most enjoyed the interaction between him, Rick, and Paul Jr. more than anything. Sr. can take a flying leap from a rolling chopper for all I care. His ego, fueling his need to wear tank tops to display his arms was sickening and his tantrums and unwillingess to give credit to others, especially Jr. showed what a selfish a$$ he is. He may be rich but it can’t buy class and character.
I see it as the typical “TLC Kiss of Death” for the family. I’ve seen this coming for some time. As for their bikes, I don’t see how most of them were rideable. Quite a few of them have pointed accessories that can impale you and open fenders that could sever your fingers. They just are built with safey in mind. They’re pretty much just fluff and show.
Paul, Sr. comes across as one big prick. He made no effort to manage his company. He is a dictator. Paul, Jr. is being taken for a ride by his girlfriend. After she’s empty his bank account, he’ll be thrown out with the trash. Mikey seems like a pretty good guy, but he has lot’s of issues which are multiplied by interaction with the other two. I hope Mikey can get straightened out and live a good life. The other two, who cares.
Paul Jr.,Mikey, just plain SPOILED. Jr takes off when ever..Mikey shows u when he wants too..then has a contract to keep his job and cant even hold up to that..If they had to hold a real world job they wouldnt last long at it. Sr may be rough at times but you have to be to make it any more!
I watched the show from the beginning and thought Pal Jr had some cool ideas. I loved Mikey and his quest to fight “the normal” way of life.
Sr was a abusive ass and it cost him everything that counts in the long run.
He listened to the other a**holes who took him down a BAd business path, bet he goes under in less than 2 years.
Shame!
all these shows come to an end, this one probably went a few years longer than it shoiuld. I watched from the very first show for a coulple of years then started down hill. I have seen their bikes up close and leaves a lot to be desired, and no one has mentioned that they were not the ones that were originally to do the show for TLC the show changed their mind like the day before they started filming they were really fortunate and they forgot that.
First Vinny and Cody now Jr & Mikey, you would have always known Jr was going to leave. Sr came from nothing and I respect that and can understand the frustration that comes when he feels Jr is not doing hard enough work to earn Sr’s legacy.
met them all at bike week in myrtle beach sc what total assholes they were.i wish them nothing but bad luck.
Good glad it ending!!! Anybody that builds a custom and has to stand on the battery to get it in the box, then laughs about it, shouldn`t be building bikes to start with. They didn`t care about the customer that was paying big bucks for that bike!!! Conceited IDIOTS is what they are. Glad there gone, there are ALOT of better builders out there!!
I have watched for the past 6 years. Going to miss it.
i AGREE WITH BILL ARCHER..PAWN STARS IS MUCH BETTER TO WATCH.. THEY ARE FUNNY..ESPECIALLY THE EPISODE WHERE THEY THOUGHT THEY RUINED THE DUNE BUGGY AND THEY TOOK IT TO A FRIEND WHO JUST REATTACHED THE PLUG. ANOTHER GOOD EPISODE WAS TRHE MAN WHO HAD AN ORIGINAL SHELBY BODY, AND THE GUYS HAD IT RESTORED. GREAT SHOW.
AMERICAN CHOPPER NOT THE SAME WITHOUT THE BOYS, AND ESPECIALLY VINNIE, PAUL SR.. DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE ANY CLUE..HE WAS USED TO STAYING IN HIS OFFICE..DOESN’T SEEM TO BE TOO FRIENDLY.
I saw the whole gang at myrtle beach bike week a few years back,Paul Sr.and Cody were very rude to the public, cursed and refused to give autographs, they retreated to their motorhome,I returned all my occ purchases made that week. Haven’t watched show since then.
the show has not been the same after vinnie left.
Maybe Paul Sr. new wife sparked the fight for the money..After he got married the show started down hill…
That TV money has made them crazy! If you watched from the beginning their shops, tools, and equipment has improved dramatically from when they started – In the end it appears “greed” is causing a good thing to unravel – wonder how easy it will be for them to sell their bikes now that they don’t have the show to show off the bikes they fabricate – they should have found a way to work through it!
BASED ON MEMORIES,ITS TO BAD THIS SHOW IS ENDING, BUT PAUL SR.’S EGO AND TEMPER, RUINED IT. WHEN HE CANNOT GET ALONG WITH HIS SON’S,& WAS DIVORCED,UNTIL RECENTLY,HE HAS HUGE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, HE NEEDS TO ADDRESS. HIS CURRENT BEHAVIOR WAS O.K.WHEN HE WAS YOUNG,NOT NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PAUL JR.HAVE HIS OWN SHOW AND GET AWAY TOTALLY FROM THE OLD MAN. JR. HAS TALENT; MORE THAN THE OLD MAN!!! HIS JOURNEY ON HIS OWN BUSINESS WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FOLLOW, MICKEY NEEDS TO CORRAL HIMSELF, WEIGHT; HIARDO AND A SHAVE AND FIND DIRECTION ON HIS LIFE. MICKEY DOESN’T HAVE MUCH TO OFFER!!
EDWARD L.
Let’s step back a moment and remember why we all started watchingthe show…. BIKE ENTHUSIASTS love to see anything m/c related. the creativity and expertise of chopper design was the KEY….as the totally dysfunctional Teutels slowly creeped into our pshyche we found the humor in their zaney antics and interactions….for awhile. Now lately we have found ourselves watching characters seemingly cut from the ‘celebrity rehab’ mode and quite frankly it is a very sad and has moved the focus from ‘motorcycles to mellodrama’. The saddest part is ( if it’s all true )is the tearing apart of a family unit. I hope PJ and Mikey learn and grow and stop the path of distruction. GET BACK TO BUILDING BIKES !
I quit watching the show when Vinny left, it wasn’t about bikes anymore and Paul Sr. is a USER Vinny and Paul Jr. should start a partnership and build bikes. The show had a lot to do with the family’s relationships because the show seemed to focus more on the dysfunctional family feuding more than the bikes and the family played it to the end resulting in the end of the show and will kill the business because Paul Sr. treats his mutt better than his kids.
The show was about building choppers and a family with different views on life trying to work together. The reason the show was successful was because of the talent of Paul Jr…not of any skills of Sr. The bickering was half the reason of the shows success. People here say Jr and Mikey were spoiled…living out of Sr’s checkbook. What they fail to realize is that Paul Jr OWNES 20% of the business!! When he left the show he tried to get a buy-out. But he and Sr could not settle on an equitable price. Thus, Jr STILL ownes 20%. He is NOT living off the old man. If it wasn’t for Jr, Paul Sr. would still be at the original building and no one would even know who Paul Teutel Sr. was!! You really need to give credit where credit is due. Even the bike that Cody built and Sr. gave him was taken back by Sr. Cody never got the bike. Vinnie left…Cody left…Paul Jr. left…this should tell you that working under the Paul Sr. conditions cannot be very healthy. And now when you watch the show the bald headed jackass criticises Jr. and makes sarcastic remarks of him trying to make a business for himself. Jr cannot build bikes now because of a compete clause in his contract. I’d live to see if the bald headed jackass can design a bike like Jr does. I’m sure he could not. he only know how to take parts off a shelf and bolt them to a frame. Thats why he still has a job..he and Sr build bikes just the same…BORING!!!
I saw SR. at Daytona he was sitting on his Harley and an older lady walked up and politely ask if she could take his picture, he responded by saying “thats what the F*&% Im here for. She turned around and walked off I would have knocked him off his harley if he said that to any people of mine.
How bout this? Vinnie, Rick, and Skeeter, get their own show going.
I LOVE that idea, with one change. Keep the shop they have going and bring back Vinnie.
As a business owner and someone who has poor relations with my own parents, I sympathize with Sr’s dilemma. One thing I have learned over the 19 years I’ve been in business is that as soon as a team member starts spelling the word “team” with an “I” it’s over. Once they think they are indispensable, they are at that moment dispensable.
One thing I hope happens is that they realize before it’s too late, (as in my case), that family is more important than a bunch of egos.
Sr. built that business and those kids have a great opportunity. Pauli needs to get over himself, yeah they both have big egos, but Sr. is the boss and has taken all the risks to get where they are. (While Paulie was golfing or fishing or whatever).
Sr. wasn’t the one showing up late nearly every day, he wasn’t the one leaving for extended lunch breaks, and he wasn’t the one leaving early quite often, Paulie and Mikey were.
Egos aside, they all make a great TEAM. By themselves alone they may fail.
I pray they figure this all out before it’s too late. I made that mistake and I can assure you, once it’s too late you can never go back.