
What would Top Gear be without a star in a reasonably priced car? Well... better, for one thing. But that hasn't stopped NBC from porting over the red-headed step-child of Top Gear segments to the imported version of the show. According to Jalopnik, during tomorrow's taping,
B-listers C-listers D-listers Howie Mandel and Melanie B (former Spice Girl) will be piloting the U.S.'s own version of a reasonably-priced car – a Kia Rio – around the newly minted Top Gear test track. What can we expect? Nothing good, we thinks. Nor does it bode well that both pseudo-celebs are part of the NBC franchise. Depressed? We thought so. But the taping is tomorrow, so we'll try to remain upbeat until the first reports from inside the studio surface.
[Source:
Jalopnik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Magkep 6:58PM (7/25/2008)
Top Gear is taping a special pretape with celebrity guests Howie Mandel and Melanie B from the Spice Girls!
The taping is tomorrow at Downey Studios and the arrival time is 1:30 PM. This is a smaller audience and tickets are limited and you must print a ticket for the 1:30 arrival and bring it in order to attend. You may not use your ticket for the 4 PM arrival.
Everyone who attends the 1:30 PM pretape will be guaranteed admission into the 4 PM arrival for the actual show. You must bring both tickets.
You will have time between the two tapings to get a quick lunch.
To print out tickets for the pretape, please use the following link:
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bill jackman 7:06PM (7/25/2008)
Will there be time after the tapings to lose our lunch?
Has anyone involved in the US production at NBC even seen the Brit version of this show?
It just seems like such a feeble attempt at bringing it here and serious dilution of the Top Gear brand.
Luis 7:06PM (7/25/2008)
First of all, what link? Second of all, you are waaay too excited about this...it's Howie for crying out loud!
why not the LS2LS7? 8:50PM (7/25/2008)
Oh yeah bill jackman. See, having Howie Mandel on the US version is a travesty while the UK version can have on Jodie Kidd, Lionel Ritchie, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and that's top notch.
I mean, having the host of Deal or No Deal is lame, but having Carol Vorderman, host of Countdown is aces!
If having crappy celeb segments would bury a shot, Top Gear UK would already be buried. So let's not get over excited.
azzo45 10:52PM (7/25/2008)
This is a "joke" post right? This is how NBC invisions this show?? When do they bring Eddie Griffin on to smash up another Ferrari???
UGH! :( :( :(
bill jackman 2:17PM (7/26/2008)
That's Mr. Bill Jackman, LS2LS7. Thanks.
Jon Barrett 7:05PM (7/25/2008)
I will be there tomorrow. Honestly they should have used a chevy aveo for the reasonably priced car since the Chevy Lacetti (sp?) used in the UK is also a rebadged Daewoo. Oh well, I still will reserve my judgements until I actually see what is going on.
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500 7:34PM (7/25/2008)
I'm guessing that Hyundai/Kia won out on the bidding for this product placement. So much for an independent show not influenced by advertisers...
mkg614 8:37PM (7/25/2008)
so much for not assuming you know what's going on.
500 8:41PM (7/25/2008)
And YOU do, mkg? C'mon, who's ever heard of an NBC show without product placement, at least in the last 30 years or so?
JaysonAych 9:13PM (7/25/2008)
500 - How is Top Gear UK's exclusive use of the Suzuki Liana and later the Chevrolet Lacetti any better? I'm sure they didn't pick those cars out of the air just for giggles.
thomas perez 12:18AM (7/26/2008)
yeah... uh.... i'm sure they picked the Rio because its one of the cheapest cars on the market... and is universally known as such.
Yes they said that sponsorship wouldn't have an effect on what is said on the show, but there's no avoiding using a car made by a major manufacturer!!
besides i really don't foresee them praising a Kia Rio to the point that it would be even remotely seen as some sort of plug for hyundai/kia
so stop whining.
mole 1:06AM (7/26/2008)
the suzuki was received during a time when they needed one but couldn't get one from anywhere else.. at least it is a reasonable car.. the lacetti however.. can't believe they used it after condemning daewoos and chevys..and now a kia???
tankd0g 9:25AM (7/26/2008)
If I don't see KIA advertisements throughout this whole show I'll eat my hat.
Sean 1:25PM (7/27/2008)
Hey 500.
Ever heard of a little show called Battlestar Galactica?
Did you know it's owned by NBC?
Man it has so much product placement in it.
Cornholio 7:05PM (7/25/2008)
Sheeze.....
you can almost smell the "suck" from way over here....
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Zane 7:06PM (7/25/2008)
Who the heck is Howie Mandel? For a second, I thought Mandela was going to be on the show.
Yaaawn.. seriously, these SIARPC guys are something of a farce these days. I was watching Simon Cowell's appearance in an old episode on Youtube the other night and was reminded about the times when I actually watched that segment.
Nowadays, taking a dump is more interesting than watching some concrete-faced bozos who put on a fake smile and know absolutely nothing about cars.
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tankd0g 9:28AM (7/26/2008)
He used to be a B-list comedian, from Canada. One of the few Canadian comedians we are NOT proud of. Now he walks around impersonating Joe Pantoliano's character "Cypher" from The Matrix for reasons unknown.
Benfolio 9:46AM (7/26/2008)
I used to love watching Bobby's World, and his stand up.
After he shaved his head and started hosting game shows he kind of lost his appeal.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:17PM (7/26/2008)
Howie Mandel was also an actor on "St. Elsewhere", a hospital drama that was very along the lines of E.R., but 15 years earlier. And he did a good job on the show.