From 2003 to 2010, for six seasons, fans tuned in to watch Paul Teutul, Sr. and his son Paul Teutul, Jr. manufacture some pretty awesome custom chopper-style motorcycles. With its family vibe, all its intense drama, some humor, and definitely some incredible engineering, viewers were hooked. However the reality television series got pretty heated and even caused some spin-offs. With that being said, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the behind-the-scenes dramas that you probably didn’t know about.
American Chopper Set The Stage
No, really, American Chopper was literally one of the very first reality TV shows that followed ordinary people in their day-to-day lives. Although they did set the bar rather high with its intense drama, harsh language, and constant fighting. You know, like any normal family. And just like any normal family, none of the drama was scripted!
American Chopper Set The Stage
A History of Drinking
For 15 years, Paul Sr. was addicted to different kinds of heavy substances before he finally went to rehab. In fact, it was his wife who urged him to go, personally he didn’t want to. However we should note that both sons also have suffered form addiction issues. Paul Jr. even attended rehab when he was just 16.
A History Of Drinking
A Father and Son At Odds
So when Paul Sr. fired his son, a whole slew of legal issues popped up for the show. TLC remarked that their contract clearly said both men needed to be on the show, and if just one left, the show was over. Initially Paul Sr. refused to rehire his son therefore TLC filed a “notice of default and cancelled production”. Filming picked back up when Paul Sr. finally re-hired his son as a contractor.
A Father And Son At Odds
Contract Problems
Paul Jr.’s new contract had a pretty massive loophole. Technically Paul Sr. could buy out Paul Jr.’s entire stake in Orange County Choppers. Which means that his son would be blocked out of all rights to be on the show or any money the company made as well. It was this moment that defined the ongoing feud in the Teutul family.
Contract Problems
Sued For $1 Million
It didn’t take long for Paul Sr. to exploit the loophole in the contract when he executed a hostile takeover. Not just of his son’s holdings within the company but also in an attempt to push Paul Jr. out. But Paul Jr. didn’t back down, in fact he refused. That’s when Paul Sr. kicked it up a notch and sued his own son for $1 Million big ones. Although in the end, it was Paul Jr. who won the lawsuit.
Sued For 1 Million
Bye, Dad
With a father-son relationship hanging together by a thin thread, problems kept creeping up. And that $1 Million lawsuit certainly didn’t help matters. So in the end, Paul Jr. kept his stake in the company but they talked it out and decided they could no longer work together and continue to be a family. As a result, Paul Jr. left.
Bye Dad
A Tragic Accident
Shortly after Paul Jr. opened his own shop, the roof began leaking at the building he was renting. So when the repair company came to fix the leak, the repairman tragically fell through the roof, landed on the garage floor, and died instantly. Paul Jr. was terribly distraught after the incident, he reached out to the repairman’s family with his condolence and support.
A Tragic Accident
Dad’s Not At The Wedding
Paul Jr. met his future wife, model Rachael Biester, on the set of American Chopper. She was an acting McCuff girl at the time. After dating for two years, they tied the knot on August 20, 2010. However, their wedding took place in the midst of Paul Jr. and Paul Sr.’s lawsuit battle. Because of how bitter both men were, Paul Sr. didn’t come to the wedding.
Dad’s Not At The Wedding
Stolen Idea?
During the series, Orange County Choppers works with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to make a handicapped-accessible motorcycle. After the episode aired in 2010, the crew was sued by a man named Christ Tavantzis. Tavantzis, who had polio, claimed he had told the team this idea two years earlier.
Stolen Idea
Mikey Goes Rogue
Meet Mikey, the second Teutul son. Originally Paul Sr. hired Mikey to do minimal work such as take out the shop’s trash, sweep the floors, and even answer the phones. Although it didn’t long for him to become a fan favorite! One of his other responsibilities was to act as the “peacemaker” between his dad and brother. However he soon became sick of getting caught in the middle of every argument so he left the company.
Mikey Goes Rouge
Cody Sues OCC
Cody Connelly was the shop hand and was practically a third son to Paul Sr.! Heck the family adored him so much, they secretly built him a motorcycle. However problems rose up when the Teutul’s actually refused to grant him his gift in the end. After a few seasons, Cody left! Not long after, he sued for a quarter million dollars, but settled the matter out of court.
Cody Sues OCC
Doors Closing?
Rumors flooded that Orange County Choppers was in serious financial distress. Many people believed they would close the shops forever. Matters even escalated after headquarters and the main shop were put up for sale. Once Paul Sr. made a radio announcement, live, he added that the shop was fine, they were just moving!
Doors Closing
Very Much Alive
Yup, there was even a rumor that Paul Sr. had died after a horrific motorcycle accident! Apparently after a fake news site caught wind of a man who died in a Louisiana motorcycle crash that looked like Paul Sr., they ran with the story. That Paul Sr. had died and not some lookalike. To end the madness, Paul Sr. went on Facebook to dispel the rumors.
Very Much Alive
Giant Chopper For Shaq
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal had always a motorcycle, but there was just one problem – he’s literally massive, and there’s no way he would fit! Obviously, American Chopper could fix that problem. In their 2014 reunion episode, the crew made a specialized (and huge) chopper just for Shaq. Happy ending for everyone!
Giant Chopper For Shaq
Paul Jr Can’t Get Away From TLC
After Paul Jr. proposed to fiance Rachel Biester, TLC decided to give the couple another TV opportunity. The network put Paul and Rachel on two of its wedding-themed shows – see if you can spot them in episodes of Say Yes To The Dress and Cake Boss. And then they lived happily ever after – with a little help from TLC!
Paul Jr Cant Get Away From TLC
Mikey The Artist
Mikey is known as the large, funny guy who provided some laughs during the show’s many fight scenes. But enough was enough for Mikey – eventually, he left to pursue his own business opportunities. One of his ideas was to open an art gallery – where he even sold his own paintings! Not just a funny guy anymore.
Mikey The Artist
Making Amends?
Some recent photos have surfaced showing that Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. might be making amends. On social media, a photo from 2015 shows Paul Sr. holding Paul Jr.’s son Hudson just three weeks after he was born. What a cutie!
Making Amends
Booming Business
Even though Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. have had their issues, Paul Jr. couldn’t be happier that he left the family business. Now he is thriving! Recently he was contacted by Blizzard, a video game empire, to create a custom bikes based off World of Warcraft. Moreover he has been contacted to build choppers for many big-budget flicks.
Booming Business
Vincent’s Success
Vincent DiMartino had been working at Orange County Choppers for just a month when he found out he was about to become a reality star on Discovery Channel. Crazy. Most important, after a few seasons on the show, he left and launched his own garage, V-Force customs. More often than not, he contacted Paul Jr. for advice, which he was always happy to dish out.
Vincent’s Success
Roots
Even though he had a successful bike shop and was appearing in many places like Throttle Junkies TV, Untamed Sports TV, and Cox Sports Network, Vincent DiMartino made the decision to join forces with friend and former co-worker Paul Jr. so that he could help him in his garage for American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior. However, he never gave up on his dream of one day owning his very own shop, and he still continued to run V-Force while working with Paul Jr.!
Roots
Chef Mike
Mikey has another business venture – a gourmet pasta sauce company! Called FarQueue Products, each sauce is homemade – like, literally. Mikey makes each sauce himself in his kitchen. Take a look on his website, and try sauces like “The Sunday Gravy” and “The Devil’s Brother Fra Diavolo Sauce.”
Chef Mike
Paul Sr. Didn’t Know His Name
Throughout his entire childhood, Paul Sr. didn’t actually know his full name. In fact, he didn’t know his middle name until he turned 30! He also didn’t know that he shared a name with his father – meaning that he actually should be Paul Jr., rather than his son.
Paul Sr. Didnt Know His Name
Paul Sr.’s TV Career
In addition to American Choppers, Paul Sr. has actually appeared on quite a few TV shows. See if you can spot him on My Name Is Earl, hear his voice on King of the Hill, and even see him in music video for the song “Rock Star” by Nickelback.
Paul Sr.s TV Career
International Travel
As mentioned earlier, American Chopper is popular all over the world. This has given Paul and crew some pretty cool opportunities to travel internationally. They’ve built choppers for global fans – including former Prime Minister of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva.
International Travel
Bike Building Competition
The Orange County Choppers team challenged two other bike builders to a contest – they competed to build a bike inspired by the T-51 Mustang, a famous plane flown in WWII. OCC competed against Paul Jr. Designs and legendary Jesse James. In a two hour special episode, the three teams worked to build the best machine. OCC actually lost, coming in third place after PJD and then Jesse James.
Bike Building Competition
Competition: 2.0
Rematch time! This time, Paul Junior Designs competed with Jesse James as well as Gas Monkey Garage (from the show Fast N’ Loud) to make a chopper inspired by muscle cars. Jesse James needed several extensions to finish his bike – inspiring a lot of drama. Paul Jr. Designs won yet again, making a bike with an actual grill from a 1939 Chevrolet.
Competition 2.0
Charitable Paul Jr.
Paul Jr. is well-known for his charitable community work. In particular, he and his father are well-known for being dog lovers – Paul Jr. even owns two dogs of his own. Inspired by his love of his fur babies, Paul Jr. built a huge dog park in Montgomery, NY. He got the rest of the crew involved as well, and the shop donated more than $50,000 to the project.
Charitable Paul Jr.
Branching Out
Paul Jr. does more than just build choppers – he’s also a businessman and entrepreneur. His company, Paul Junior Designs, created a new branch called Paul Junior Studios to design logos and provide marketing services for clients. And to think – it all came from building bikes!
Branching Out
Net Worth: Paul Sr.
Paul Sr. had a rough start – he grew up in not the nicest (to put it mildly) area of New York, but he certainly has climbed his way out of poverty. Through his hard work, Paul Sr. is now worth more than he could have ever dreamed growing up. Does the number $15 million sound okay? We have to say, we’d be just fine with that amount.
Net Worth Paul Sr.
Net Worth: Paul Jr.
With all of his business ventures, I’m sure you can just imagine how much Paul Jr. is worth. In addition to co-founding Orange County Choppers, he is owner and manager of Orange County Iron Works, and is founder and owner of Paul Jr. Designs. He also makes money from the royalties of American Choppers. Okay, are you ready for the number? It’s a whopping $17 million – not bad, Paul Jr., not bad.
Net Worth Paul Jr.
Rachael’s Boutique
Paul Jr.’s not the only entrepreneur in the family. Rachael, his wife of six years, has her own women’s clothing and accessories boutique. The shop opened in Montgomery, New York in the spring of 2014. If you’re a big fan of the show, it’s well-worth the long drive to get there – the shop is open to the public!
Rachaels Boutique
Business Advice from Paul Jr.
Paul Jr. is an incredibly successful entrepreneur – who wouldn’t take advice from him? He’s happy to help, and to provide some inside advice to up and coming businesspeople. He suggests starting small before working your way up slowly, but surely. This way, you won’t be extremely in debt, but will steadily accumulate customers and grow your business. Seems like wise advice!
Business Advice From Paul Jr.
Paul Jr.’s Video Game Mini-Series
A few years back, video game company Blizzard made a special mini-series for its fans. It focused on how specialized choppers are made, calling the series Azeroth Choppers. Guess who they chose to design the game? Yup, that’s right – Paul Jr.! It was immensely popular, and they even made an in-game bike.
Paul Jr.s Video Game Mini Series
It All Began With The Pilgrims
You love the show, but I guess you’re probably wondering how it all started! A few years after Paul Sr. was seen at Daytona Beach Biketober with first bike True Blue, he was approached by Pilgrim Studios and offered him a dream deal. The Discovery channel affiliated production company asked Paul if he wanted a reality show about him and Orange County Choppers. He would have been a fool to say no!
It All Began With The Pilgrims
Father VS Son
After American Choppers went off air in 2010, TLC decided to add to the flames with a new show, American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior. For four seasons, viewers watched the competition between father and son battle out. Then when that show wrapped out, the series finale showed Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey all posing in front of the beautiful chopper they had built together as a family. Touching.
Father VS Son
Man of Steel
Before he was a bike maker, Paul Sr. got his start working in the steel industry. He opened his own shop in 1973 in Rock Tavern, New York, and fabricated steel and iron for customers across New York state. In fact, the shop is still open – so if you want to see where Paul Sr. got his start, feel free to drop in!
Man Of Steel
Mikey’s Old Job
Speaking of steel – Mikey used to work in his father’s metalworks shop as an ironworker, but he really hated it. Luckily for him, when his father got his own TV show, he got a new job that he liked a lot better – building bikes. Being on a famous TV show wasn’t bad, either.
Mikeys Old Job
No Pictures
Turns out that Paul Sr. actually hated getting his picture taken! Moreover he even found it difficult to dig up photos of himself as a young kid and young man. Eventually he got used to the cameras. Good thing, cause his reality TV career ran for a loooong time.
No Pictures
Doesn’t Watch It
Recently Mikey was asked by an interviewer if he watches the show, to which Mikey replied, “No way.” Apparently, it’s just too weird to watch himself on TV and that he doesn’t enjoy it. Moreover, he has plenty other things to do than watch himself on TV as he’s already lived though that bit.
Doesn’t Watch It
Success!
Yup, fame took the ordinary American Chopper family by total surprise! Just normal folk turned to national stars with thousands of fans, it was unreal. Some of their exhibitions had people from all over the world come to meet them, take pictures, and get some autographs.
Success
My Answer Is NO
Turns out that when Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. had their falling out and Paul Jr. wanted to open up his own bike shop and Paul Sr. was approached by network executives with an idea. See the executives wanted to have a show that pitted the father and son against one another. However Paul Sr. wasn’t having any of it, he fought the execs against doing the whole build off challenge.
My Answer Is NO
Finally, A Yes
Although at the time, Paul Sr.’s shop was struggling financially and his own show wasn’t even on air at the time. Once his staff urged him to participate in the show, especially concerning how much money they’d make, did Paul Sr. finally agree. (Money talks, eh?/)
Finally A Yes
Too Much Spending
So it turns out that Paul Teutul Sr. and the rest of the Orange County Choppers were in financial distress because everyone was spending too much money. Think about it, they were used to having lots of money when the show was on air, and once that money stopped steadily coming in, they still kept spending.
Too Much Spending
Was It The Money?
While the show was on air, the staff actually grew by some 100 workers. Whoa! No one was ready to handle that large amount of staff pouring in! I mean, Mikey was paid around $10 an hour with overtime, while Paul Sr. made approximately $80,000 a year.
Was It The Money
Entitlement Drove Jr. and Sr. Apart
Paul Teutul Sr. said once in an interview that he and his son fought all the time because of their “conflicting sense of entitlement”. Moreover, Paul Sr. says that the two are even too much alike. Which explains why maybe in the interview he slipped up and called Junior “his brother”.
Entitlement Drove Jr. And Sr. Apart
Man In The Middle
As we mentioned, Mikey was always caught in the middle, he was the peacemaker. Even as a kid, he was the man in the middle. Over time, Mikey said that he would start to feel guilty when he couldn’t help his father and brother reach an agreement. “That he failed in his mission.”
Man In The Middle
Throwing In The Towel
Once the final season of American Chopper was gearing up, Mikey had enough. Furthermore, he realized that Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. were grown ups who needed to deal with their own issues. That’s why he walked out of the show’s final season, he didn’t want to be involved in the spats anymore.
Throwing In The Towel
Regret?
Then again, Mikey was making pretty good money while on the show and even after he left. In fact, he laughs now and wishes he stuck it out a bit more so he could have earned some more cash.
Regret
Producers Lit the Fire
Now the producers actually loved that Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. were always duking it out. In fact, they knew the constant screaming and fighting would only lead to better ratings. Furthermore Paul Sr. has said that producers would even cut scenes to make him look like the ultimate bad guy. For the most part, he was wrong, but it wasn’t all like it seemed.
Producers Lit The Fire
Team Up?
So Paul Teutul Sr. has admitted that he is working to re-build his relationship with his son, but he claims the two will never work together again. Furthermore he claims that it’s not about the money, it’s about how important their relationship is.
Team Up
More Amends
So Paul Teutul Jr. does have a two year old son. As he’s obviously quite young, he isn’t able to ride around on any of the choppers that his father and grandfather make. Bummer. Whichis is precisely why Christmas 2016, Paul Teutul Sr. gave his grandson a die-cast model of the incredibly famous Statue of Liberty chopper which Senior had built in an episode of American Chopper. Although it was actually a bike that Paul Jr. built.
More Amends
Video Games
Considering just how well the American Choppers brand was received in its first few seasons, meant that the show was had two spin-off video games! One game was created by Activision, originally titled American Chopper, and was released for Xbox, Playstation 2, and also had a PC version. The second game was created by Creat and was titled, American Chopper 2: Full Throttle, and was then released on Xbox, Gamecube, and Playstation 2.
Video Games
Financial Woes, Again
Remember those breathtaking, one of a kind bikes from American Chopper that used to make us weak in the knees? Some of which even cost between $100,000 to a quarter of a million dollars. Well they actually don’t make those anymore! Instead they’re scraping by, doing whatever work they can.
Financial Woes Again
Expanded Repertoire
Today, they customize quad bikes, snowmobiles, and sometimes cars. I mean, they’re also heading to junkyards to create a custom bike for just $12,000. They just don’t have clients like they used to.
Expanded Repertoire
Mismanaged Funds
After Orange County Choppers moved to a gigantic garage, a lot of their financial problems began. As this followed the 2008 financial crash, not many people wanted to spend almost a million dollars on a chopper.
Mismanaged Funds
The Comedian
More often than not, Mikey provided tons of comedic relief on the show. That’s why he represented the show for any promotional events on the Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the Late Show with David Letterman! Not bad.
The Comedian
Basement Start
Not hard to believe that Paul Sr. has always loved choppers, especially ones he saw in films like Easy Rider and The Wild One. Back in 1999, in Sr.’s basement, he and Jr. decided to get into the chopper business! Moreover they even built their very first home made chopper, named True Blue, and showed it at Daytona Beach’s world famous Biketoberfest.
Basement Start
Full Circle
When the show was first signed on, they were to be produced by Pilgrim Studios. Who sold the rights to air the epic show on good ol’ Discovery Channel. Just a few years later, and the show was sold to TLC, a sister channel of Discovery. Yes, all before they were then broadcast on Country Music Television. Phew! However with the constant changing of networks, the crew began to worry whether they’d even get picked up for another season. Nothing was consistent.
Full Circle
Competition: Win An Orange County Chopper
When the show first premiered, the Discovery Channel decided to promote it through a contest – the network sponsored a competition to get a custom chopper made by the crew. Discovery Channel chose four winners, and each one had an episode devoted to their custom bike. The bikes were featured in episodes “Custom Hog,” “Corporal Punishment,” “Female Snake Bike,” and “Vertebrate Bike.” The idea was that “competition-like” episodes would draw in more of an audience so the crew reluctantly agreed.
Competition
Long Run
American Chopper ran for quite a long time – nearly a decade! Even now, reruns of the show are still shown daily. The show is actually super popular both in the United States, and internationally, and with 165 episodes in total, fans have plenty to choose from!
Long Run
Mike Rowe, Narrator
Mike Rowe – of Dirty Jobs fame – narrated American Chopper off and on throughout its time on the air. He worked on the show during its first seasons on Discovery Channel, and then again when it was on TLC between 2003 and 2007. Rowe then went on to continue with Dirty Jobs, and even hosted Shark Week on Discovery Channel.
Mike Rowe Narrator
Paul Sr. The Marine
Paul Sr. didn’t actually serve in the US army, but he was involved in Vietnam. He was a part of the United States Merchant Marines, which are privately owned vessels that the government is allowed to take control of during wartime. So although he wasn’t exactly in the marines, he did provide naval support to the US armed forces.
Paul Sr. The Marine
Tattoo Addict
Paul Sr. is known for getting tattoo after tattoo – so much so, that an entire episode of the show was dedicated to his ink addiction. In fact, he even appeared on the show Miami Ink. As long as he doesn’t run out of space, Paul Sr. is going to keep getting new tats.
Tattoo Addict
The Chopper Live: The Revenge
So Discovery Channel announced that this beloved show would finish off with “The Chopper Live: The Revenge” on December 11, 2012 after 10 whopping seasons. Jr. was up against his father, Jesse James, and Team Fast ‘n Loud, Teutel. At the end though, Jr. won with a beautiful New York inspired cycle – for the second time. While Sr. finished last, in a surprising fourth place finish.
The Chopper Live: The Revenge
American Body Shop
American Body Shop, believe it or not is an improvisational comedy on Comedy Central, which is a hilarious parody of American Chopper. However after just one season, it was canceled.
American Body Shop
The Donald
Paul Teutul Sr. was actually a contestant on the Celebrity Apprentice 5 until he was of course fired by Donald Trump on the April 15 episode.
The Donald
Lover Boy
Twice married and twice divorced, Paul Sr. has been in a serious relationship with Joan Kay. Quite often, you’ll see the pair riding choppers in Florida and New York. Furthermore they’re both actively involved in many animal rescue causes and are advocates of No Kill shelters.
Lover Boy
TMNT
In 2016, Paul Teutul Jr. actually created two of the bikes for the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, starring Megan Fox and Stephen Amell,.
TMNT
I’m Jim Pratt
Jim Pratt became the new narrator of the show after Mike Rowe, from 2007 to 2012 he had the gig. During the American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior, Pratt was the main narrator.
I’m Jim Pratt
Pinball
There was even a video pinball arcade game created by Incredible Technologies, Inc. who reached an on-site play test but was never actually released to the public.
Pinball