• How Say You? — Adam opens by talking about Tanner, how crazy us Top Gear fans are, how many fans don’t think he’ll do well hosting the show, and more. A caller also asks if there would be any aviation related material on Top Gear America like there kinda is on the UK version (races, etc.). Adam responds that yes there will be (hints at a race, possibly Los Angeles to Las Vegas) and talking about how awesome air racing is.
• Tanner Foust In Studio — Tanner talks about how he got his start and what his work as a stunt driver is like. There’s also talk of how they’re all doing on Top Gear.
• Christopher Titus In Studio Part 1 — Chris tells Adam how envious he is of Adam for being able to host Top Gear America and how hard he tried to get the job. There’s also talk of how crazy women race car drivers are as well as Chris and Adam’s times when they have gone driving on a track.
• Christopher Titus In Studio Part 2 — Some more Top Gear talk, but mostly this segment is talk about Chris’ bad divorce.
• Teresa Does The News — Nothing Top Gear related, it’s just the final Christopher Titus segment if you were interested in hearing the rest of him being in studio.

Lots Of Top Gear America Stuff On Adam Carolla Show Today originally appeared on FinalGear.com on Thu, 24 July 2008 at 00:51 GMT.

Story via BBC press release, photo via Jalopnik.

START YOUR ENGINES!

NBC’S ‘TOP GEAR’ BUCKLES UP ITS HOSTS FOR HIGH-OCTANE PILOT FROM BBC WORLDWIDE AMERICA BASED ON INTERNATIONAL HIT FRANCHISE

BURBANK – June 16, 2008 – Television and radio comedian Adam Carolla, champion rally and drift racer Tanner Foust, and TV construction guru Eric Stromer, will lead NBC’s pilot of the international smash hit series “Top Gear.” The production will begin later this week.

Produced by BBC Worldwide America, the U.S. version of the hit franchise will mirror the UK show’s irreverent humor and camaraderie between the three presenters, epic races, outrageous stunts and challenges, unique celebrity guest participation and eccentric methods of testing cars.

“This franchise is a proven winner worldwide and the hosting team of Adam, Tanner and Eric that we have brought together for the U.S. version offers a perfect match of humor, insider know-how and priceless track experience,” said Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment. “We are going to create a high-powered show that, like the original, will keep viewers in every demographic clutching the edge of their seats.”

“These three guys will get to drive the world’s most amazing cars, go on incredible road trips and blow stuff up. It’s a dirty old job but someone has to do it…why didn’t I get the job?!” said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, TV Sales and Content & Production, BBC Worldwide America.

Jeremy Clarkson, executive producer and host of the UK “Top Gear” said: “This is fantastic news – but how on earth you lot are going to do it on the wrong side of the road I’ve no idea.”

Adam Carolla:

Television and radio personality Adam Carolla is host of the daily, nationally-syndicated radio program “The Adam Carolla Show,” based out of Los Angeles’ KLSX 97.1/ FREE FM. With partners Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison, Carolla created Jackhole Industries where he produced and starred in two hit Comedy Central shows, “The Man Show” and “Crank Yankers.” Carolla also co-hosted the nationally-syndicated radio program “Loveline” with Dr. Drew Pinsky for 10 years, as well as its TV version on MTV. Carolla also recently wrote and starred in the independent, award-winning feature film, “The Hammer.” In season six of “Dancing with the Stars,” Adam became the first ever contestant to complete a Paso Doble on a unicycle. Carolla is an avid car collector and owns several classic collectible Lamborghinis, Maseratis, two Ferraris and an Audi S4.

Tanner Foust:

Tanner Foust is in high-demand as a stunt driver, with film credits including “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “The Dukes of Hazard.” Foust is a winning competitor in rally, drift, ice racing and time attack with multiple champion podium placements including the 2007 X Games Rally Champion and 2007 Formula Drift Pro Drift Champion. His varied race experience includes open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb (2002 – 2004), five Ice Racing championships and the 2005 PGT Rally Championship. He also holds class lap records at numerous U.S. road courses in Time Attack. In addition, Foust also hosted “Supercars Exposed” for the SPEED channel. Foust’s car of choice is a tricked-out M3.

Eric Stromer:

Eric Stromer, host of the HGTV show “Over Your Head,” started life in construction and remodeling houses after a short acting career as a soap opera hunk was abruptly ended by a Styrofoam boulder on the set of “Santa Barbara.” For 20 years he ran a successful building company before becoming the face of HGTV’s hit show. He’s a regular on Adam Carolla’s nationally-syndicated radio show giving out construction advice, and also appears on TLC’s “Clean Sweep,” NBC’s “Three Wishes” and is a special correspondent for “The Insider.” Stromer prefers his Camry hybrid.

About the Executive Producers:

The pilot of “Top Gear” will be executive produced by Tod Mesirow and Kevin Harris. Mesirow’s background includes producing credits on “Wired Science,” Discovery Channel’s “Smash Lab,” “Mythbusters,” and “Monster Garage.” He also executive produced Discovery Studio’s “Overhaulin’” for TLC. Harris’ credits include “The Apprentice” and “The Baby Borrowers” for NBC.

About Top Gear:

The series, which premiered in the UK in 1977, is consistently BBC TWO’s most-watched program in the UK. The UK version of “Top Gear” is broadcast globally in over 100 countries and has been airing on BBC America since 2007. The program has been the recipient of various awards including National Television Awards, BAFTAs, Broadcast Award, Royal Television Society Awards and an International Emmy Award. Top celebrity guests have included Hugh Grant, Simon Cowell, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren and Gordon Ramsay. In addition to the television show, the “Top Gear” brand has achieved global success. The self-titled magazine Top Gear continues to be both the best-selling car and men’s magazines in the UK. Internationally, Top Gear is the leading motoring media brand.

About BBC Worldwide America:

BBC Worldwide America (BBCWA) is part of BBC Worldwide – the main commercial arm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBCWA has headquarters in New York and Los Angeles and brings together all of BBC Worldwide’s businesses in the U.S. – including cable channel BBC America and a bi-coastal production division responsible for the smash hit “Dancing with the Stars,” which returns for its 7th season this Fall.

Eric Stromer Third Top Gear US Host, Production Starts This Week originally appeared on FinalGear.com on Mon, 16 June 2008 at 15:55 GMT.

Click here to view the embedded media.

They also are reporting that Dan Neil will no longer be involved with the American Top Gear.

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.”

In addition, the article addresses some of the concerns we’ve been having about advertisers.

Neil also reveals that NBC and the BBC are aware that aping the original Top Gear’s no-holds-barred reviewing style could piss off the media company’s automotive advertisers — and devised a solution. “They’re writing around the problem, by not doing car reviews unless they really love the car.”

I seriously hope that’s a joke because making fun of cars is one of the things that makes Top Gear great. Then again, we have to face the reality that the whole reason NBC exists is due to advertisers, so they aren’t exactly going to want to piss them off. So, I guess not reviewing the crap cars is better than no show at all.

Thanks to jnelcar for the tip.

Tanner Foust Added, Dan Neil Released From NBC Contract originally appeared on FinalGear.com on Fri, 11 April 2008 at 00:34 GMT.