The latest reality TV show in the US is about building choppers for clients. SHUIB TAIB talks to the man who runs Orange County Choppers in the hit show American Choppers.

"SO, if we were chicks, (these bikes) would be Gucci shoes. This is our jewellery," said Jay Leno, host of The Tonight Show.

But what was he referring to?

Having taken the US by storm, the American Chopper which premiered in Malaysia on Discovery Channel last week is the latest "fad" on the idiot box.

Each week, the cameras follow the Teutuls as they perform their daily duty of building choppers for clients.

The dynamics of their relationships and the other characters of Orange County Choppers (OCC) make the "show" interesting. The shouting matches and how the exchanges can turn from screams to laughter in seconds have managed to keep viewers glued to the show.

In a recent phone interview with Paul Teutul Sr, the man who runs OCC with his three sons (Paul Jr, Michael and Danny), he talks of why the show is such a hit, how his life has changed since the show and the shenanigans he faces daily as well as the odd requests he gets from his customers.

* Your passion for motorcycles - when did it start? What's the attraction?

I guess it was the early 70s and my first bike was a 1971 Triumph. The attraction - I don't know. I guess it was about the experience of riding a bike and building one.

* Does the bike represent anything for you? Do you get into that Easy Rider thing? Is it the open road that you like?

Yes. I'm a rider. I don't only like building the bikes, I like spending a week up in the Rockies and getting up in the morning and on a bike and just riding until dark and getting up and doing it all over again the next day. Just love the feeling of being out in the open.

* Is there one bike you have made that stands out or that makes you especially proud?

I don't know if you've seen the POW show? Vietnam was my era and that bike meant probably the most to me and the effect that it had on all the veterans - you know what I'm saying? I thought that was the best bike that I've done, especially for the tribute and for what it represented.

* Where do you get the inspiration for the themes for your bikes?

You know what, sometimes the inspiration just comes. And sometimes people bring it to the table. Generally, it starts out in one direction and then pretty much, we take over from there.

* What is the main difficulty when customising a bike?

Probably the outside sources that you have to deal with, that is depending on somebody else. But pretty much, we're at the point where we do everything in-house so we can do the whole bike, wheels, everything ourselves.

* In customising the bike, which is more difficult, to raise the performance or improve the outlook/design?

The design, the design.

* Have you had any particular problem with customers about customisation or design?

Not too often.

* Have you had any bizarre requests from customers?

You know what? It's kind of like pretty common now because we get just about every kind of request that you could possibly think of. Some of the stuff would probably be weird to most people but because we're in this situation, we're kind of used to the odd requests.

* Could you give an example?

You get people who want you to build a bike like a naked woman.

* Let's talk about the show. How did the idea for American Chopper arise? Were you approached or did you always have it in your mind to do a show like this?

They were looking for a builder on the east coast and somehow or other, they wound up contacting us to do a one-hour documentary on building a bike for Laconia. And here we are.

* So what is being on telly like? Is it something that you enjoy, being in front of the camera?

I think it was kind of hard at first. But as you go along, it kind of becomes a way of life. But I don't think it took us too long to adapt to it because it's not like we're acting or we have a script. It is what it is. So you basically have to do what you do every day. So you're not really changing your life. You've just got to put up with the cameras in your face.

* Describe your show.

I think it's a reality show and that it's probably the first reality show that's real because I think a lot of these reality shows that were before us were scripted and it's pretty obvious. So I think we're the first kind of raw reality show on TV.

* Do you ever find yourself being influenced by the camera, like perhaps playing to it at times?

Not as a rule. Consciously, no because then it won't work. And you've got to understand something. We're in front of the camera six days a week so we shoot 150 hours for two hours of TV.

* There's that saying about never working with friends or family. So how's that for you?

Believe it or not, I have a steel business that I started 30- something years ago. We worked together in the steel shop too. So it's almost like a way of life. And personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.

* Have there been any special memories that you wish weren't captured on camera that you can share with us?

Yes, like all of them.

* What was the worst?

I think that one show that we really got into it heavy. It was the second or third show in the first season. It kind of got out of control. There's been more than one occasion. But that's the only thing. It is what it is and what's done is done.

* At the end of the day, would you say that you had the final say?

Absolutely.

* Has this show improved the relationship between you and your family members?

Yes, I think so.

* A lot of the feedback seems to focus on the dynamics of the relationship that you have between you and your son.

Yes.

* Do you ever feel that your privacy is being invaded?

Absolutely. We have 10 million viewers a week.

* With 10 million viewers a week, can you put your finger as to why so many people have caught on to your show?

I think that most of the audience is families. A lot of people don't want to reveal the relationships that they have and watching us, I think it makes it more OK that most families are probably like that.

* How has your everyday life changed since American Chopper?

You lose all your private life. There's not too many places that you can go. You have people follow you to your house sometimes. They follow you out to dinner.

It never stops. If it's not that, it's another question or it's mostly autographs and pictures. But sometimes if I'm at an airport and I stop to take a picture, the next thing I know, there's a line.

* With you shooting six days a week, how do you guys unwind from a show like that?

I work out. Right now we just put a gym in the shop which is a little bit easier but usually, I work out. For me, riding a bike and working out are the best escapes to help me unwind.

* Do you find time to ride your bike now?

I do. I do. Not as much as I used to. But I make sure that I do do that because it's one of the most things that I enjoy in life.

* Is there a moment on the show when you fight with your kids and all that? How do you manage to still work together after all that?

It's a job and that's what it is. But what's more important is the relationship. So it might be a little different than everybody else's, but at the end of the day when we go home, it's over.

* Have you ever received any orders from Asia yet?

No, we really haven't. But personally, I have a feeling that we'd probably be pretty popular there once the series starts.

* You've got to be proud of the way your business has turned and it's now flourishing. When you look back, did you ever think that Orange County Choppers would get so big?

Not in a million years, no. Every day you've got to wake up and pinch yourself.

* Recently, you've got many other different products coming on the market like video games. How do feel about these tie-ins?

I think it's great. We have a tremendous fan base and not everybody can spend the money to buy a bike. But they can buy the smaller stuff. It's a way for the people to be a part of us. We do a lot of signings and people buy our merchandise so it's kind of a personal thing, especially for the fans.

* Is there any particular product that you would not want to be associated with Orange County Chopper?

We are really particular about that. We don't do any nudity. We don't support tobacco or alcohol. t's kind of a clean operation.

* You built a bike for Jay Leno. Any other famous person that's flagged you down to build them bikes?

You know, it's like around the clock. The phone never stops ringing and it's no surprise to hear from any celebrity. Everyone wants a bike from us, you know.

* What type of clientele appeals more to you?

I think the corporations. Many corporations come to us because we're pretty hot in the market. We did a bike for the Builder's Association and we made an appearance at their booth and it was the biggest turnout that they ever had. So we're like a marketing tool to different corporations and stuff like that.

* Out of all the projects that you've done on the show, which is the one that gave you most pleasure and which was the one that gave you the most pain?

I think that one of the first bikes that we did which was the Trim Spa bike, was the first bike that we did on TV that was a high- dollar bike. I think that gave me the most stress and I think the most rewarding one was probably the POW bike.

* On the Letterman interview, you were talking about the bike girls and people who represent your bikes. If you could have your choice of poster guy or girl from the Hollywood A-list, who would be your choices?

Jay Leno.

* A girl? A leading star?

Who do we want for a poster for a girl to be on our bikes? Female star? Scarlett Johansson, because Mikey said that's who we wanted. I don't even know who she is.

* How many bikes do you own?

Me, personally? Right now? I have about 18 bikes. I've got some old- school bikes that I've built, which are called the Senior Series bikes and they're my favourite. And I bought my first Harley in `74 and I still have that bike.

* And it's still running like a dream?

Yes. I still drive it. I customised it, you know? It looks the same as the day I made it 25 years ago. - [email protected]

* Catch American Chopper on Discovery Channel at 8pm every Friday with encores at 2am and 10am (Saturday) and 4pm (Sunday).

Source: New Straits Times