By Robert Farago
April 10, 2008 -
So, radio funny guy Adam Carolla let the world know that he's one of the presenters of the new American Top Gear. And we can now, finally, confirm the rumor that drift king Tanner Faust is the Tiff Needel of the team. But the big news here is that NBC execs pulled L.A. Times auto writer Dan Neil from the U.S. show after a viewing his audition tape– despite a signed contract with the Pulitzer prize-winning critic. Neil says he's "very disappointed" with the network's decision, but understands their motivation. "They couldn't handle my heat," he joked. "Seriously. It's probably because I'm not very good on TV." The clock is ticking on finding Neil's replacement. Anyone heard anything?
Subscribe to Newsletter30 Responses to “ U.S. Top Gear Scoop! Dan Neil Released from NBC Contract ”
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April 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Jonny Lieberman :
April 10th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Bummer about Neil, who would have provided…. credibility.
Exactly, and without that credibility what’s left that MotorWeek and Kendell’s 30 minute infomercials don’t cover - juggy jokes?
I think Adam Corolla is about as blah as the Toyota Corolla - I am thinking this will be on the Tivo for max - 3 weeks.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
“They’re writing around the problem, by not doing car reviews unless they really love the car.”
I hope the program is renamed - Brown Nose Gear comes to mind. This is so pathetic it’s almost funny.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
The only way an American Top Gear could possibly be better is if it aired somewhere like HBO where the freedom exists to say what they want.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Whatever happened to Ezra Dyer from Automobile being part of the show? And, why all the knocks against Carolla? Nobody has seen him in this context. Of course, he lost all credibility by doing Dancing with the Stars and growing the cheesy mustache.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I can’t stand Adam Carolla either. Never have. His style of humor is completely different from anything British. On the other hand, if you look at the comedy that the U.S. produces, maybe that’s a good thing–demographics being what they are.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
It’s unfortunate because I’m sure that there are plenty of great writers and hosts (and even cars - despite Clarkson’s incessant, narcissistic degradation of any US nameplate) that could make this show great as a “Stateside” version. However the politics and the moneymen will surely ruin it for all.
This could put the dagger in the coffin for the real Top Gear syndicated here in America… the Brits will pull it because we blithering twits in the States can’t touch anything without screwing it up. They could really stick it to us and ban YouTube’s clips.
I think this officially earns it’s own topic: “Top Gear US Death Watch.”
April 10th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I don’t know much about Adam Carolla other than his rubbish late night TV show, which was even lamer and moronic than other night TV ‘comics’ (Daily Show and Colbert excepted of course)
there is already a model for USTG and that is the phallus slurping Car and Driver TV where every car ummm ‘tested’ has a Happy Ending.
Funny, Tommy Kendall was on that show too. Mr Villeneurve would be a better option
frankly as the popularity of TTAC shows some car outfits deserve to be pissed off. (Im looking at you, GM with your dumbarse pontiac G6 fliptop)
But there is an alternative especially to grainy youtube clips - Bittorrents.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Carolla is a funny guy, but what cred does he have? They really need someone with a degree or something. A driver? A mechanic? Something.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
The only way an American Top Gear could possibly be better is if it aired somewhere like HBO where the freedom exists to say what they want.
I wonder if PBS wouldn’t be a good home for it. They have British stuff on PBS a lot, too. PBS is closer to BBC because of the Federal funding. Brings in more funds during pledge drives from a differnt demographic, too. Win-Win.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:07 am
They could give the show some credibility by employing “The Stigs American cousin” as the US stig.
Some say that he’s a CIA experiment that went wrong… and that he only eats cheese. All we know is he’s not the Stig, but he is the Stig’s American cousin. Big Stig!