May 30, 2011
From the official description of tonight’s episode: Cadillac enlists both OCC and PJD to build a bike in a father-son build-off. But even as the competition heats up, Senior reaches out to Junior with a second settlement offer- this time, without lawyers.
From this blog two weeks ago: What these two need to do is get rid of the lawyers, sit down together and hammer out a deal.
I really can’t claim any insight or special knowledge, I’m sure most viewers thought the same thing. I just thought I’d point how predictable this show has become.
This is the beginning of the Cadillac build-off. OCC and PJD will each build a Caddy-themed bike and unveil them head to head. The bikes would then be auctioned off for charity.
American Chopper started this week with a short montage about the history of the bad blood between the Teutuls, beginning with Paulie’s firing. It wasn’t a highlight reel as much as it was a lowlight reel of Paul Senior’s lousiest moments. The montage was very one-sided in that it was a lot of clips of Senior running down his son and none of Paulie insulting his father because there are none.
The tone of the show can best be demonstrated by a short sequence at the very cool-looking Cadillac HQ. Senior and Jim were there doing research and development when Paulie, Vinnie, and Brandon arrived. They were kept separate and toured the plant with different guides but at one point they crossed paths in the hallway. The PJD crew all shook hands with Jim, while Senior looked straight ahead and walked past as if they didn’t exist.
“We kind of said hello to each other,” Senior told the camera. No, he didn’t.
“He’s scared,” he said in reference to Paulie. Why? I have no idea. A lot of stuff just falls out of Senior’s mouth that has no bearing in reality. In fact, here are some more nice things Paul Senior said about his son:
“He can’t punk out now.”
“I’m sure he’s real nervous. He’s paranoid.” Some people have been peeking in the shop windows and Paulie had Cody black them out. As the saying goes, it isn’t paranoia if they really are out to get you.
“I’ve been begging for a competition for a while now and he just doesn’t want to compete.” Paulie has been trying to start and build a business. Why would he even think about a competition? This is all Paul Senior’s ego.
“All Jr. did was tweak Jason’s designs.” What show has Senior been watching?
“Jr. doesn’t know how to do a drawing.” Well yes, Paulie doesn’t do them, but we have seen him draw them on the show. He knows how.
“He’s got to do it out of his head, or out of his ass.”
“Knowing Paulie, I guarantee he hasn’t even started putting the bike together… takes him 2 to 3 times longer than us.” The very next clip was PJD already working on the bike.
However, drawings or no drawings, Paulie had one big edge over his father. He brought in a pair of Cadillac CTS-V coupes to work from and they were using actual Caddy parts straight from the cars and fiber optics on the bike.
Senior had a pretty good but not great Jason Pohl design to work from. And as they went, Senior made a few changes. Jason had been on the floor making changes to the design as they built and Senior wanted to know why the fabricators were listening to him. As was I. It was nice to see Pohl with a chagrined look on his face.
Pohl, who Senior said is “a big distraction” in the shop, chimed in and said “I crave the competition.” Early on in the episode Senior pretended to pummel him and I wish there was a workplace accident.
Obviously, since this is a two-parter, the show ended with the bikes in early stages of construction but I think PJD has the edge so far. He’s using a design where the bike won’t need a kickstand. It will lower and sit flat on the ground. And the technology Senior bragged about and then totally left off the Deadliest Catch bike? So far none of it has been seen on the OCC bike.
In the midst of all the badmouthing Senior thought the time would be right to reconcile with his son and also settle the lawsuit. As usual, he thinks settling the issue of the OCC shares is the same as getting back together with his son. If Paulie is thinking of having a relationship with his father he needs to watch this show first.
Mr. Blog's Tepid Ride
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