American Chopper captivated audiences all over the globe and it was due to Paul Teutul, Sr. and his son Paul Jr. and obviously their insane custom choppers. From 2003 to 2010, audiences tuned in to watch sick engineering, tons of family drama, and a few laughs along the way. Despite the intense drama, viewers loved every minute, leading to a few spin-offs even. So if you feel like diving into all of that craziness, here are a few behind-the-scenes facts about the show you didn’t know.
American Chopper: First Of Its Kind
In today’s society, reality television is a staple of American culture and there’s no denying it. However when American Chopper aired back in 2003, it was one of the first reality shows to do so. Loaded with family drama, strong language, and heated arguments – it was the perfect show, and it wasn’t even scripted.
American Chopper: First Of Its Kind
Drinking Problem
Paul Sr.’s wife urged him to enter rehab after his 15 year drinking problem – so he did. He went to rehab and stopped drinking. However he’s not the only Teutul to have addition issues – both sons suffer from substance issues, Jr. even went to rehab when he was 16.
Drinking Problem
At Odds
One of the most dramatic moments of the show was when Paul Sr. fired his own son! Which then domino-ed into tons of legal issues. TLC reminded the boys that they were BOTH required to star in the show so even if one remained, the show was over. However Paul Sr. refused to cooperate, forcing TLC to file a notice that production was canceled. This action spooked Sr. so he rehired his son, but as a contractor, and filming picked back up.
At Odds
Contract Issues
What happened next was basically a defining moment in the father-son feud. Sr. found a huge loophole in his son’s contract – one that allowed Paul Sr. to buy out his son from the Orange County Choppers. Meaning that Paul Jr. would lose all right to appear and compensate from the show. Whoa.
Contract Problems
Sued For $1 Million
Paul Sr. seized the opportunity and took advantage of the loophole – he took over the company. Moreover, he also tried to push his own son out, but Jr. didn’t give up so easily. Therefore Paul Sr. did what he could to kick him out so he sued him, his own son, for $1 million dollars. At the end of the day, Paul Jr. would legally win but the family, the father-son relationship, wouldn’t win so easily.
Sued For 1 Million
Bye, Pops
While the lawsuit was over, the family problems didn’t. Paul Jr. may have won the legal battle, but when he spoke with his father after, they knew that couldn’t work together anymore. So Paul Jr. left.
Bye Pops
A Tragic Accident
After Paul Jr. left the OCC crew, he opened his own shop. Not long after, the roof of his new garage began leaking so he contact a repair company. The repairman who was fixing the leak slipped and fell through the roof, dying on impact. Paul Jr. was devastated by the tragic accident and of course, he offered his condolences and support to the repairman’s family.
A Tragic Accident
Shaq’s Bike
NBA legend, Shaquille O’Neal always wanted his own motorcycle, but for obvious reasons he couldn’t get one for his size. That’s where American Chopper came into the picture. The entire crew happily got together in 2014 to put together a massive custom-made bike for Shaq.
Shaq’s Bike
Dad’s Not At The Wedding
While there was tons of drama, there was also love. Paul Jr. met Rachel Biester, a model who worked as the McGuff girl, and the pair fell madly in love. After two years, they said “I do” but the wedding took place during the whole father-son lawsuit so Paul Sr. didn’t come to the wedding. Ouch.
Dads Not At The Wedding
Can’t Escape
When the time came for Paul Jr. to get down on one knee and propose, TLC jumped in. They used their wedding as an opportunity to broadcast them on two of their wedding shows – Say Yes To The Dress and Cake Boss.
Can’t Escape
Couple Of Passion
When it comes to Paul Jr.’s home, he’s not the only entrepreneur. His wife, Rachael, is also a business owner. She started her own women’s clothing and accessories boutique. The shop can be found in Montgomery, New York and has been booming since 2014.
Couple Of Passion
The Artist
Mikey was always a colorful character on the show. When he eventually left the show, he opened up his very own art gallery. He even got to sell some of his artworks.
The Artist
The Chef
Not just the garage peacemaker, and not just the comedian/artist. Mikey also happens to be a chef of sorts. Mikey created FarQue Products which is homemade pasta sauce company, and HE makes the sauces himself!
The Chef
Thief
Orange County Choppers worked with Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to build a handicapped-accessible motorcycle, but there was a major problem. Once the episode aired in 2010, the crew was sued by Christ Tavantzis. Tavantzis, who has polio, reported that he had told the team about this same idea, but two years before the episode aired.
Thief
Mikey Walks Away
Initially Mikey, the other son of Paul Sr., was hired to do odd jobs around the shop – like take out the trash, sweep floors, and answer phones. However he quickly became a fan favorite so they upped his camera time. Additionally Mikey played the mediator for his father and brother which eventually became too much so he left the crew.
Mikey Walks Away
Yet Another Lawsuit
Cody Connelly was the shop hand but more than that, he was practically family. Everyone even built him a secret motorcycle, that’s how much he was admired. However serious problems arose when the family actually chose NOT to give him the secret bike they built. Therefore Connelly left the show and sued the Teutuls for 250K! Although in the end they settled the matter out of court.
Yet Another Lawsuit
Door Closing?
Out of nowhere rumors began circulating that the Orange County Choppers had such serious financial issues that they were shutting down forever. As soon as fans saw that the headquarters and main shop were on sale, the rumor quickly spread even more. However Paul Sr. announced that there were no problems, they were simply moving!
Doors Closing?
Fake News
Some fake news website saw a photo of a man killed in a Louisiana motorcycle accident and this guy looked so much like Paul Sr., that this website ran a story that Paul Sr. had been killed! Once the story gained traction and spiraled a bit out of control, the real Paul Sr. took to social media to dispute the false story.
Fake News
Not A Fan
Turns out that Mikey isn’t a fan of American Chopper, but let us explain! See, when asked if he watches the show at all, he said “no way” as firmly as possible. He lived through it once already, why should he need to re-watch his life? Guess that’s a pretty fair point.
Not A Fan
Making Amends
It seems that father and son might be making amends after this photo circulated on social media. What you see is Paul Sr. with his grandson, Hudson, at three weeks old – a photo so cute, it melts hearts!
Making Amends
Not Just Choppers
The OCC has expanded its repertoire, and they don’t just focus on motorcycles. They moved into other arenas, like cars and snowmobiles. This doesn’t mean to say that they’ve stopped making choppers!
Not Just Choppers
Paul Jr.’s Success
Paul Jr. may left the family business but his professional career absolutely skyrocketed. He was contacted by the video game empire Blizzard to help create World of Warcraft-based bikes. Some producers even contacted him to create bikes for their flicks, not bad!
Paul Jr.s Success
Vincent’s Success
Vincent DiMartino worked at OCC for about a month when he became a Discovery Channel star. For a few seasons, he stayed on the team until he eventually left to open his own garage, V-Force customs. In any case, he remained close with the entire family, reaching out sometimes to Paul Jr. for advice which he happily gave.
Vincent’s Success
Roots
Even though Vincent ran a booming bike shop and starred in other places like, Throttle Junkies TV, Untamed Sports TV, and Cox Sports Network, he chose to collaborate with his friend and former co-worker Paul Jr. His dreams of owning his very own shop are still real, and he is still running V-Force while simultaneously working with Paul Jr.
Roots
Paul Sr. Didn’t Know His Name
We really aren’t joking here! Throughout his childhood, Paul Sr. didn’t know his full name – in fact, he didn’t even know his middle name until he was 30. Furthermore, he actually didn’t know that he shares a name with his father. Meaning that HE could he Paul Jr. rather than his son. Yeah, that’s crazy.
Paul Sr. Didn’t Know His Name
International Popularity
Despite its name, American Chopper has a huge international fan-base. Paul and the rest of the crew have traveled all over to meet with their fans! Heck even the former Brazilian Prime Minister Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva is a huge fan!
International Popularity
Bike Building Competition
The Orange County Choppers crew challenged their competitors to a contest t- they were up against Paul Jr. Designs and Jesse James. A two hour special followed the competition and at the end, OCC lost, placing third after PJD and then Jesse James.
Bike Building Competition
Charitable Paul Jr.
Paul Jr. is known for his charity work, as much as he is for his sick chopper creations. As a massive dog lover, not only has he adopted two dogs of his own but he also built a dog park in Montgomery, NY – his hometown. Most noteworthy here is the fact the whole crew helped out and donated over $50,000 for the cause.
Charitable Paul Jr.
Branching Out
Paul Jr. does tons more than just building choppers – he is also a businessman and entrepreneur. His company, Paul Junior Designs, also created Paul Junior Studios, where they design logos and provide marketing services for clients. Not bad!
Branching Out
Net Worth: Paul Sr.
Now Paul Sr. didn’t come from money, he was actually raised in a rough area of New York, but he learned some valuable lessons and emerged stronger than ever. His $15 million net worth is a good example of how far he’s come.
Net Worth Paul Sr.
Net Worth: Paul Jr.
Yes, Paul Jr. is a talented businessman, he co-founded Orange County Choppers and is the owner and manager of the Orange County Iron Works. Furthermore he is the founder and owner of Paul Jr. Designs. And he still makes money off of American Choppers – without a doubt, that net worth of $17 million is richly deserved.
Net Worth Paul Jr.
Business Advice from Paul Jr.
Paul Jr. is a successful entrepreneur who is happy to give advice. Typically he offers inside advice to up coming businessmen – he suggest to start small, take things slow and you’ll grow your client base while avoiding huge debt.
Business Advice From Paul Jr.
Father VS Son
In 2010 American Choppers was taken off air, but TLC had an idea. They created a spin-off show, American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior. And if the name didn’t give it away, it followed a father-son competition for four seasons. The series finale shows Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey standing in front of their new family custom chopper. Nice.
Father VS Son
No Cameras, Please
Okay so this fact is a bit out there but nonetheless – Paul Sr. is camera shy! If you ask to see photos from his childhood, there aren’t many. Of course when his reality show kicked off, he had to learn how to deal. And boy are we glad he did.
No Cameras Please
Surprise Success
When American Chopper first started, the Teutul family was suddenly launched into stardom and not in the States but across the globe. Everyone wanted to take selfies, get autographs, and talk shop.
Success
Paul Sr. Said No
After the father-son relationship fell apart, Paul Jr. decided to open his own shop – giving the network executives a pretty bright idea. First they approached Paul Sr. to see if he was interested in a father-son challenge show – which he was – Paul Sr. on the other wasn’t as interested. In fact, he flat out refused.
Paul Sr. Said No
But Then…He Said Yes
Because Paul Sr.’s shop was in the midst of major financial issues, and his show wasn’t on air anymore, a decision for the good needed to be made. His staff practically begged him to participate in the challenge show – plus when he saw how much money everyone would make, he agreed.
But Then…He Said Yes
Was It The Moolah?
The fact that the OCC crew grew by some 100 workers in the shop at the end is quite a feat! Unfortunately no one knew how to manage such a large influx of new kids. Heck, even Mikey was paid a mere $10 an hour (including overtime), and Paul Sr. made around $80,000 per year.
Was It The Money?
Hey, Big Spenders
How about this for a bombshell – the crew had serious moolah problems because, well, they spent way too much of it. While the show aired, they cash flow was strong but as soon as the stream slowed done, everything simply carried on spending money they didn’t have.
Hey Big Spenders
Entitlement Problems
It’s pretty clear by now that Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. had their problems. During an interview, Paul Sr. said that their issues stemmed from their “conflicting sense of entitlement”, and that the two were incredibly similar. Expect he slipped up and called his son, his brother!
Entitlement Problems
Mikey, The Middleman
Mikey played the part of the middleman between his father and brother – a task he didn’t take lightly. During an interview, he said he felt incredibly guilty when he couldn’t help his family reach an agreement. In fact, he said that he always felt that he “failed in his mission.”
Mikey, The Middleman
Regrets
Maybe Mikey had finished with the drama and the fights, but he wasn’t over the money. So he rather jokingly said that he should have put up with all the drama a bit more so that he could earn some more money.
Regrets
Producers Fanned The Flames
What’s not surprising to learn is that the producers absolutely loved how much Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. fought – it brought in good ratings. They went so far as to encourage fights and never tried to stop anything. Paul Sr. has claimed that the show intentionally cut scenes in order to portray him as a monster.
Producers Fanned The Flames
Father-Son Relationship
Paul Sr. spoke publicly about rebuilding his relationship with Paul Jr. – but only personally, not professionally. He further commented that they will not work together – ever again – as family trumps money.
Father Son Relationship
More Amends
Paul Teutul Jr. has a two year old son, one that definitely can’t ride a custom chopper. During the 2016 Christmas special, Paul Teutul Sr. gave his grandson a beautiful die-cast model of the Statue of Liberty chopper. But it was actually Jr. who built it!
More Amends
Started From The Bottom
When it comes to choppers, the Teutul’s love and passion can be traced back decades. In 1999, Paul Sr. and Jr. built their first ever bike and in their basement of all places! Additionally, they showed ‘True Blue’ at Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach – that’s how it all began. Crazy.
Started From The Bottom
Network After Network
Originally Pilgrim Studios owned the rights to American Chopper but soon after, they sold it to the Discovery Channel. Then a few years later, Discovery sold the rights to TLC, their sister channel. Eventually the show aired on Country Music Television. There was also concern whether the show would get picked up for another season or even a new network – and with this family’s financial issues, it was all unnecessary stress.
Network After Network
Video Games
A video game company called “Blizzard” created a unique mini-series a few years ago. The game/special was called “Azeroth Choppers” and it focused on how specialized choppers are made. Paul Jr. was the genius behind the idea and an in-game bike was even created because its immense popularity.
Video Games
Another Set Of Financial Woes
All those fancy American Chopper bikes cost between $150K – $250K. Uhh, let that sink in! Well to do financial issues (i.e. no one has any money), the crew are building anything and everything they can get their hands on.
Another Set Of Financial Woes
Mismanaged Funds
A huge chunk of OCC’s financial problems began when they moved to a huge, brand new garage. Although it all boils down to bad timing, because when they purchased the garage, the 2008 financial crisis hit. Meaning that there weren’t many people who could afford expensive, custom choppers.
Mismanaged Funds
The Comedian
Mikey really resonated with the fans, probably because he’s quite a comedian. It’s this humor that led him on various talk shows to represent the show, like Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the Late Show with David Letterman!
The Comedian
The Narrator
While American Chopper was on the Discovery Channel and TLC, they had a special narrator. Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs was the voice for the show during its time.
The Narrator
The Revenge
On December 11th, 2012, Discovery Channel went off the air with a special called, “The Chopper Live: The Revenge”. It was all about a competition between Paul Jr. and his father, Jesse James, and the Team Fast ‘n Loud, Teutel. Paul Jr. won AGAIN, with a New York-inspired motorcycle. While his dad finished last in fourth place.
The Revenge
Just For Laughs
Comedy Central took advantage of American Chopper by creating the improvised comedy, American Body Shop. The show was a humorous parody of the actual show, but it didn’t last more than a single season.
Just For Laughs
The Apprentice
Many celebrities have had their chance on Donald Trump’s, The Apprentice. Paul Teutul Sr. had his chance on the 5th season, but he was fired on April 15th, 2012.
The Apprentice
The Marine
Paul Sr. served his country in a unique manner during the Vietnam War. He was part of the Merchant Marines which means that the U.S. government can use a privately owned sea vessel for use during wartime.
The Marine
Man Of Steel
Before Paul Sr. was getting his hands on motorcycles, he actually worked in the steel industry. He was passionate about steel and iron that he even owned an ironwork shop in Rock Tavern, New York. Would you believe it if we told you that the shop is still open today?
Man Of Steel
TV Career
Paul Sr. had a fair share of TV time apart from that of American Choppers. He made an appearance, or a voice on several other TV shows, like My Name Is Earl, King of the Hill, and even in the music video for “Rock Star” by Nickleback.
TV Career
Addicted To Tatts
You don’t need more than the visual evidence of his body to know that Paul Sr. loves getting tattoos. He even appeared on Miami Ink and proved just how addicted he is. There was an entire episode dedicated to Paul Sr.’s tattoo fetish! He admitted that he gets tattoos when he feels emotional.
Addicted To Tatts
Lover Boy
Paul Sr. has said “I do” twice and has also signed divorce papers twice, however putting that aside, for some time now, he’s been in a serious relationship with Joan Kay. Often Sr. and Kay can be seen riding choppers around Florida and New York.
Lover Boy
Relationship Goals
What’s a better way to grow a relationship than to take on a project together? Paul Sr. and Joan Kay are heavily involved in animal rescue causes and advocate “no kill” shelters. Well done guys!
Relationship Goals
A Worthy Competition
When a new show hits the air, producers need to think of a unique way to promote the show. Discovery decided do this with a competition that had a very special and rare prize. The four winners of the competition would win a custom-made bike. Talk about a worthwhile win!
A Worthy Competition
Surprising Publicity
When American Chopper first launched, the Teutul family went from average joes to international celebrities! And it was all a huge surprise, especially when people from all over wanted to meet them, see their choppers, and get selfies or autographs.
Surprising Publicity
Long Time
While some shows come and go off the air, American Chopper stayed for an incredible 10 years! The show hit 165 episodes and has re-runs readily available. The show might have ended, but the series is here to stay.
Long Time