'Top Gear USA': Adam Corolla and pilot studio audience spill the beans
Worst-kept secret No. 749. Although not yet formally announced, NBC reportedly is creating an American version of the BBC's popular "Top Gear" automotive TV show. Last week, a pilot was shot in front of a studio audience and many audience members, who each signed nondisclosure statements, along with the host, comedian Adam Corolla, are spilling the beans on the cast and format all over the auto blogosphere.
They’ve just unplugged the last light and thrown the remaining paper coffee cups into the trash after filming "Top Gear USA: The Pilot." The presenting team are Carolla (providing the jokes), racing driver Tanner Foust and "TV construction guru" Eric Stromer, who should raise a female pulse or two.
Following the format from the successful BBC series, NBC’s version even has the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment. Every week, a different celebrity will drive the same vehicle (in this case, a Kia Rio) on the same test track and have their times posted on a board. For the pilot episode, the star was none other than David Hasselhoff. By all accounts, he delivered a great interview and his name will be at the top of the leader board for at least one week.
So, who would you like to see driving the reasonably priced car in an attempt to wrest the Hoff from his top spot? I think Frankie Muniz from "Malcolm in the Middle" should be a contender, because he’s already competed in the Pro-Celebrity Race at the Long Beach Grand Prix. So has "Grey’s Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey. I’m sure you could come up with some others.
-- Colin Ryan
Photos: NBC, Kia
Bogus. Corolla gets at least half of his auto-related observations wrong in his morning radio show. Stromer is an automotive irrelevancy. So there's a race car driver involved. That's something, I suppose. Kia Rio....really? Top Gear, my....
Posted by: Phil | July 31, 2008 at 06:39 PM
Although imitation is the highest form of flattery, I agree the American version has nothing substantial in common with the BBC version of Top Gear. Perhaps NBC should stop stealing its program ideas from the English and *gasp* create something novel.
Posted by: Nick | August 01, 2008 at 07:16 AM
Corolla? Really? Yikes. I think I'll keep watching the the real Top Gear on BBC America.
Posted by: benjamin | August 01, 2008 at 03:18 PM
I'm a Brit, and have watched every episode of Top Gear through the years.
Despite my concerns, I was at the pilot filming, and it was actually excellent, helped in no small way by Adam Corolla's unscripted wit, not to mention that Andy Wilman was still in full control at the production helm.
Why doesn't everybody just wait a little while and reserve judgement until they actually see the content!?!
Posted by: MadeBackwards | August 04, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Will there be a Stig??
Posted by: Attila The Hun | August 15, 2008 at 05:11 PM
I don't give a rats ass for Carolla but at least his personality and ego might match Clarksons, but the real key to the show is May.
Why did the US version pick stars instead of journalists who make their living from writing about cars?
I don't know... it's destined to fail unless you replace these three bozos with 3 hot gear-head chicks doing stupid stuff each week,
Posted by: zizz | September 09, 2008 at 05:32 AM
Tanner is the real deal, he will bring allot to the show. He can also drift better than just about anybody out there. Who is the Stig in the US show?
Posted by: John Lomax | December 15, 2008 at 01:57 PM
When will the pilot be aired? Can't wait to see it.
Posted by: Dan | September 18, 2009 at 09:56 AM