Adam Carolla's audition drive for Top Gear (not really)
SpeedTV did a video podcast featuring Adam Carolla -- along with SpeedTV's Kendall, and 50 Cent -- flogging a Pontiac G8 around a track. Carolla gets a check mark for being able to make jokes at speed and while in a spin. Whether he's actually funny, we'll let you decide. Since it wasn't done as a trial for the US Top Gear, and we have no idea what he was meant to be doing -- or allowed to say -- we shouldn't judge too harshly. But Clarkson doesn't have anything to worry about just yet...
[Source: Final Gear via Jalopnik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Brian Marshall 7:37PM (4/23/2008)
Funny guy, but no Clarkson. Top Gear really is his 'baby'. It's kinda like the UK trying to do their own Seinfeld.
Just because the money's there to make it, it doesn't mean it should be made.
It's called the 'Audi A5 Fastback Syndrome'
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jon 7:43PM (4/23/2008)
i'll watch no matter whos on it, but carolla was pretty decent doin the drive-n-joke. theres no way this will be as good as the original (unless they somehow pull a "the office" but i doubt that) but it could be entertaining.
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Bert 7:56PM (4/23/2008)
Clarkson - Jay Leno
Hamster - Nigel Mansel
Capt. Slow - Adam Corolla
Nigel is in the states, would provide a link to the British series.
Now here are a few questions....
What is the '.... reasonably priced car'?
Who is The Stig?
Do they do the gonzo off-the-wall tests Top Gear have been doing for the past few years or more down-to-earth (Fifth gear) style tests?
Do they bash Mexican and Brazilian cars or do they keep the tradition of bashing the French?
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JayP 8:02PM (4/23/2008)
Hamster = Seinfeld
Stig = Nigel
Cars to pick on = Hybrids (at least for a while...) or Chinese
why not the LS2LS7? 7:58PM (4/23/2008)
Clarkson isn't that funny while driving on the track either. He's funny in the bits between, the bumper sections, and even while driving on backroads. But on the track, he's largely concentrating on driving, as he should.
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Jeff Banks 8:14PM (4/23/2008)
"Why? Because this is America! In AMERICA, we buy stuff like we do in A-M-E-R-I-C-A. America has steak, bla America, America, bla bla, AMERICA!"
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jv2k 8:48PM (4/23/2008)
I agree. That was terrible.
Brett- BMW Advo 9:30PM (4/23/2008)
no kidding! seemed pushed to me. kinda like he thought of it once before while actually eating steak.
"gear", i fear, will be dynamically dreadful!
RedLineTire 8:20PM (4/23/2008)
For those with SpeedHD, the full TV version is in rotation in glorious HD.
Not that it makes it any funnier.
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Guenther 8:49AM (4/24/2008)
Those of you with SpeedHD suck!
Ok, I suck, because my cable provider doesn't carry it.
B 8:25PM (4/23/2008)
Its not as bad as I expected.
He did pretty well
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Shiftright 8:45PM (4/23/2008)
He's not really that funny, and personally find his voice and personality grating and annoying. Surely we can do better.
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gmcbob 9:43PM (4/23/2008)
I actually kind of have to agree with you on that one.
Kayne001 1:07PM (5/05/2008)
yeah and this is why i watch Fifth gear
kurt 8:55PM (4/23/2008)
Adam's a car guy, I think right now thats the best we can hope for, sure Leno is too and (sorta) funny but wether you think Carolla's funny or not I think we can all agree we'd rather have a gear head hosting who has legit experience and knowledge than just some talking head Ryan Seacrest type.
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Yar 8:55PM (4/23/2008)
Personally I think if you put Adam Carolla, Jay Leno, Tim Allen, and Jerry Seinfeld in a room together you will get serious laughs. Our version of Top Gear would probably need 4 guys, our attention span is just too short.
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Bert 9:12PM (4/23/2008)
But with all those car guys and comedians you will get a lot of tension. I don't think they are looking to build a new comedy show, or a battle of the jokesters. Seinfeld would have to loose the what's-that-about approach.
Individually, Jezza, Hamster and the Captain are not all that funny. It's the chemistry. Hamster is the straight-man, Jazza, the antagonist and Cpt the anal-retentive.
Arguably, none of the Brits are "car guys", certainly not as knowledgeable as Leno.
Personally I would kill to see Ron Fellows as the Stig, eh! Maybe Boris Said.
Wink-and-nod to some low end Opel-come-Chevy-Liana would be fun to see.
TriShield 10:23PM (4/23/2008)
What NBC is making is not Top Gear in any way, shape or form. It's their own automotive show inspired by the UK show, and a shell of that show to boot.
I'll continue enjoying Top Gear downloads, on BBC America and their magazine and website.
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Jon55 10:45PM (4/23/2008)
Exactly. Was this for "Gear"? No, the damn title says so. Who's to say he was even trying to be funny? I think too many of you guys are shooting down everyone too quickly. I love Top Gear, and think the 3 presenters are awesome, but alone they really aren't that funny (well, Clarksons pretty entertaining on his own, not so much the other 2).
I'm excited for "Gear". I think NBC will be able to pull it off, and do it well. It seems like you guys are setting your expectations so high, you're expecting something even FUNNIER than Top Gear.
TriShield 9:11PM (4/23/2008)
Top Gear's review of the UK version of the Pontiac G8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn7Z-iLa8h0
With Clarkson at the wheel.
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