Pat Litowitz
New Castle News
Use "This Old House" as your base. Capture the anger of "The Jerry Springer Show." Toss in a pinch of "The Osbournes." Finally, a liberal helping of "Father Knows Best."
Or, try this.
Imagine a drill sergeant-turned-biker producing highly acclaimed motorcycles with the help of his off-beat sons.
Welcome to "American Chopper."
Rock Tavern, N.Y., serves as the center of operations in this reality series. There, you find much-tattooed and short-tempered Paul Teutul Sr.
Orange County Choppers grew out of Paul Sr.'s love of motorcycles. Thanks to the success of his steel fabricating plant, Paul Sr. expanded his interests to custom-built choppers.
The Discovery Channel crew highlights the process from inception to delivery. It's an impressive effort as Paul Jr. leads the design and fabrication portion of the business.
For example, the Fire Bike pays homage to the New York Fire Department and the losses it suffered in 9/11. A fire hydrant is positioned next to the engine, while a mini ladder is fashioned to the rear wheel. Fumes exit from the fire hose nozzle exhaust system.
It's the interaction among father Paul Sr., sons Paul Jr. and Mickey and co-worker Vinnie that boosts a "how-to show" into high octane action.
Sporting a short-cropped haircut and walrus mustache, Paul Sr. constantly totters between irritation and anger. Motorcycles are his joy, everything else a nuisance.
"Sometimes, with my father, the littlest thing is going to set him off," Paul Jr. observed in Monday's episode. "It's sort of a wildfire, you know, feeding on itself.
"I've learned over the years that you let him keep going until he wears himself out."
It's not that the leader of the Teutul clan is complicated. His rules are simple.
*Keep your work area clean.
*Be organized.
*"Don't violate people's stuff." (Think of it as a takeoff of "Thou shalt not steal parts from one motorcycle to use on another.")
The message is clear, but the words are lost in the vapors.
"I decided to try a little test," Paul Sr. tells viewers as he examines the cluttered workshop. "For the past few weeks, I kinda let Paul and (worker) Vinnie do whatever they wanted in the upper shop - cleaning up and keeping things organized.
"You know what the place looked like? A frickin' bomb went through it. Let me tell ya, the test is over and they failed miserably."
What does excel is the Discovery Channel's coverage of a working-class family's motor medium.
Copyright (c) 2004, New Castle News
Thursday, February 12, 2004
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Labor dispute puts WKBN news staff in unusual position
Pat Litowitz
New Castle News
Union members raised their signs in unison yesterday as the drivers passed their East Midlothian Boulevard picket site.
A few motorists waved while others honked in support. A typical Mahoning Valley labor dispute, except that the workers at the center of this battle normally report on conflicts. This time the spotlight has been shined on them.
"It's an uncomfortable thing," WKBN-TV news reporter Joe Bell said. "I would rather be covering the news."
Bell and 34 other members of Local 47 of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians said they were locked out of the WKBN-TV studios on Saturday. The local includes WKBN-TV anchors, reporters, directors and videographers.
Health-care and wages are the main issues facing the union and WKBN-TV management. The union's rejection of management's latest offer on Saturday led to the standoff.
Bell, who is the union's spokesman and shop steward, said Local 47 will agree to work under terms of the expired contract. Talks between the two sides may resume later this week, but Bell does not expect any movement from either party.
Station manager David Coy did not respond to requests for an interview. A woman who answered the phone at Piedmont Communications, which owns WKBN-TV, said no company representatives were available for comment.
A fax provided by WKBN management stated that union members will not be permitted to return to work until a contract settlement is reached.
"We're going to be out here until we get a fair contract," said Tom Holden, WKBN-TV's veteran news anchor.
To maintain its news programming, WKBN-TV is using management and nonunion staff to produce its newscasts. The station has suspended its morning news show.
"It's not good at all," Holden said. "How could they do it?"
Bell agreed.
"We're missing a lot of stories at WKBN," he said. "I'm not very impressed with what they do. It's fairly amateurish."
Saying community support for the union has been strong, Bell said Local 47 is urging WKBN-TV's viewers to turn elsewhere for their news and entertainment - for now.
Bell said that the union engaged in a calling blitz to area bars and taverns over the weekend. The union asked bar owners to turn to CBS affiliates WOIO in Cleveland and KDKA in Pittsburgh for their Super Bowl coverage.
He said that 98 percent of the bars complied.
Until the dispute is resolved, the union wants businesses to pull their advertising from the station. Community and political leaders are being asked to not cooperate with the WKBN-TV's news gathering efforts.
"The ball is in (WKBN's) court," Bell said.
Copyright (c) 2004, New Castle News
New Castle News
Union members raised their signs in unison yesterday as the drivers passed their East Midlothian Boulevard picket site.
A few motorists waved while others honked in support. A typical Mahoning Valley labor dispute, except that the workers at the center of this battle normally report on conflicts. This time the spotlight has been shined on them.
"It's an uncomfortable thing," WKBN-TV news reporter Joe Bell said. "I would rather be covering the news."
Bell and 34 other members of Local 47 of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians said they were locked out of the WKBN-TV studios on Saturday. The local includes WKBN-TV anchors, reporters, directors and videographers.
Health-care and wages are the main issues facing the union and WKBN-TV management. The union's rejection of management's latest offer on Saturday led to the standoff.
Bell, who is the union's spokesman and shop steward, said Local 47 will agree to work under terms of the expired contract. Talks between the two sides may resume later this week, but Bell does not expect any movement from either party.
Station manager David Coy did not respond to requests for an interview. A woman who answered the phone at Piedmont Communications, which owns WKBN-TV, said no company representatives were available for comment.
A fax provided by WKBN management stated that union members will not be permitted to return to work until a contract settlement is reached.
"We're going to be out here until we get a fair contract," said Tom Holden, WKBN-TV's veteran news anchor.
To maintain its news programming, WKBN-TV is using management and nonunion staff to produce its newscasts. The station has suspended its morning news show.
"It's not good at all," Holden said. "How could they do it?"
Bell agreed.
"We're missing a lot of stories at WKBN," he said. "I'm not very impressed with what they do. It's fairly amateurish."
Saying community support for the union has been strong, Bell said Local 47 is urging WKBN-TV's viewers to turn elsewhere for their news and entertainment - for now.
Bell said that the union engaged in a calling blitz to area bars and taverns over the weekend. The union asked bar owners to turn to CBS affiliates WOIO in Cleveland and KDKA in Pittsburgh for their Super Bowl coverage.
He said that 98 percent of the bars complied.
Until the dispute is resolved, the union wants businesses to pull their advertising from the station. Community and political leaders are being asked to not cooperate with the WKBN-TV's news gathering efforts.
"The ball is in (WKBN's) court," Bell said.
Copyright (c) 2004, New Castle News
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