Daily Podcast: Jeremy Clarkson Need Not Apply

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

I'd love to produce a TTAC TV program. Can you imagine? Now, try to imagine a network that accepts automotive advertising putting us on the air. It behooves fans of Top Gear to remember that the program is a BBC production. In other words, it's aired on a non-commercial channel funded by a mandatory TV tax that's enforced by roving cat loony TV detector vans. There's no way the egomaniacal Mr. Clarkson could bully his co-hosts and pontificate on the crapitude of crap cars (or the sexual pleasures of fast ones) with such ill-mannered, bombastic, no-holds-barred abandon if his cart and pony show aired on American commercial TV. Realistically, the only U.S. media outlet that could/would air a TTAC TV show would be PBS or one of the paid cable channels. While we're ready to go on our end, I'm not actively pursuing such a venture. No time. Which reminds me: we're looking for an intern. No pay, lots of responsibilities, work from home. Applicants must suffer from at least mild auto-related OCD and have a basic command of the English language as she is spoke. Drop an email to robert.farago@thetruthaboutcars.com. Oh and no major ego issues please. That's my purview.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Hal Hal on Sep 15, 2007

    I will take FifthGear any day over TopGear. TopGear has degenerated into a smugfest focused on the presenters rather than the cars. I am so tired of the lame stunts, boring celebrity ina boring car and Clarkson rants, it has become light entertainment with cars rather than a car show. FifthGear has fantastic no BS car reviews (with some of the presenters that made TopGear great) and is on advertising supported TV (channel5) with a fraction of the BBC's budget. So you won't see 3 idiots driving across the South baiting rednecks or racing scuba divers down the Thames but you will see some good car reviews. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22fifth+gear%22&search=Search

  • Austin Greene Austin Greene on Sep 15, 2007

    Notwithstanding its progress beyond testing cars for the presence of radial tires, and nerd to the power of 2 Craig Singhaus, Motorweek certainly has passed its best before date. I submit for your consideration the overweight midget Pat Goss and your simply overweight host John Davis. Both appear to be preparing for mitosis. If TTAC were to do its own video magazine I suggest a video podcast. As well, I suggest getting someone who knows how to refuel a vehicle to carryout the requisite on camera X chromosome duties. Anqoinette Crosby this is not you. Perhaps the unbelievably named Canadian car thingy Dagmar Midcap e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upa3rEUDVx8&mode=related&search=

  • MartinNr5 MartinNr5 on Sep 16, 2007

    @hal: While Fifth Gear has it's upsidaes - I especially like Tom and Jason - the rest of the show is not much to write home about. Although Vicki can drive like there's no tomorrow she's a decent TV presenter at best and let's not get started on Tiff (he seems just as ego as Clarkson only on a different level). As for presentation it's quite obvious that Fifth Gear is trying to mimic Top gear without really knowing what it is that makes Top Gear very beautiful and interesting. The latest season of Fifth Gear is especially obnoxious as they've gone even more "MTV" with shakycams and very rapid cuts. If TTAC should do a TV show it'd be silly to try and mimic Top Gears presentation - as they do have a very talented production team. It would be wise to learn from them though - they don't have millions of viewers all over the world for nothing. As the Internet is very international I think you'd have to make sure that the "local" connections are kept to a minimum. The entire world knows who George Bush is but we migh not be equally familiar with a sunday morning cartoon character. You'd also have to focus on simple yet effective production methods. Apply the KISS method to the entire production. No fancy shots, no fancy editing, no fancy graphics. This might sound boring but if you instead focus on in-depth content that is well executed the presentation would be "excused". Seeing as you've already admitted that you don't have the time to do this you need to focus on shorter shows as well, perhaps only 10 minutes. There's a golden rule for production that I can't recall off the top of my head but it's something along the lines of "1 minute of footage takes 1 hour to produce". As a final note I'd like to urge you to educated yourself and your co-workers in proper use of camera and microphone techniques so that you not only get a high quality throughout all your section but an even quality. Invest in decent equipment as well - it shows in the end.

  • Kurt B Kurt B on Sep 16, 2007

    philbailey - Motoring 200x.. What a joke of a show featuring Canada's #1 auto industry lackey Jim K. Followed closely by Driving Television. Perhaps the lemonaid show is a closer model.. local TV station, no ads just sponsors.

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