TVSquad

Regular watchers of American Chopper will look at the picture to the right and immediately ponder the following question: is Paul Sr. giving Paulie Jr. a big hug or a meaty, larynx-crushing choke hold?

I've been notoriously anti-reality TV for a long time, but I gave American Chopper a grace chip when it ran on the Discovery Channel for the first few seasons. It can get just as over-the-top as most reality shows tend to do, but it still had a genuine level to it somewhere in just about every episode, and it offered viewers something more than just grown men fighting. I'm also a pathetic wanna-be gearhead and would watch a custom Buick LaSabre build contest if I thought I could generate an ounce of knowledge from it over my rich, car-building friends.

So imagine my surprise when the New York Post broke the biggest spoiler in the show's history, other than the fact that it is still on the air.

Et tu HP? Ya know, I just don't get the fascination with American Chopper. It's an ok show, but it has fallen into the Gilligan's Island trap long ago. You know, the joke about Gilligan's Island? "Did you ever see the one where they almost got off the island, but then they didn't?"

Well.... did you ever see the American Chopper where they almost ran out of time and then Paul and Paul Jr. had a fight? It's repetitive, and the bikes are too similar to keep me coming back to watch the show. For some reason though, companies all over the place want to be associated with them. Good for them on taking advantage of it. Their presence kind of killed this one for me, but it was a well done spot otherwise. Nice animation, and it gets the HP name out there to what must be an audience that I just don't comprehend.