Joey from 'Friends' is still the most powerful man in automotive media
NBC
So fans were understandably concerned last year when former host Jeremy Clarkson punched a producer, leading to always controversial Clarkson's resignation.
Co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond followed him - straight into the arms of Amazon, which is paying the trio handsomely to create a new show that will debut later this year.
The BBC, which owns "Top Gear," scrambled to pull a new cast together for the next season, singing up British radio celeb Chris Evans and American actor Matt LeBlanc, well know for his portrayal of dimwit latter-day Casanova Joey Tribbiani in the 1990s and early 2000s prime-time ensemble comedy "Friends," in addition to a passel of other journalist, broadcasters, and people who actually know how to drive hot cars.
But it all went horribly wrong, with the unpopular Evans leaving the new "Top Gear" after one season.
This means Joey from "Friends" is now running the show. And the BBC just announced that he'll be at the wheel for another year.
There was unsubstantiated chatter before Evans stepped down that LeBlanc and his co-host weren't having a lot of "Hey ... How ya doin?" moments.
This ensures that a weird new world of "Top Gear" will go on - with an American in charge of a show renowned for its charming and at times offensive Britishness, while the Brits responsible for the successful BBC series are now, effectively, coming to America. Or at taking advantage of the very deep pockets of an American company.
"Top Gear," it's now safe to say, is officially in crisis. Fans have responded well to LeBlanc, and everybody seems to like Chris Harris, a YouTube star who has always seemed like he should get a shot at the big time.
But although Joey from "Friends" is charming, he's hardly some funny looking lanky buffoon, nor is he a fusty long-haired professorial type, and he certainly isn't a peppy little guy who become sullen when he wrecks a fabulous car on a racetrack.
And Harris is enthusiastic and British, but he's just so darn competent. It's had to see why anyone would want to make him look foolish.
What we have, then, is the prospect of a much more responsible, Americanized "Top Gear."
And Matt LeBlanc, it seems, will control its destiny. For a while.
Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through hispersonal investment company Bezos Expeditions.
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- "To sit and talk in the box...!" Kohli's message to critics as RCB wrecks GT in IPL Match 45
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market