"TheBaron2112" (TheBaron2112)
06/26/2016 at 16:46 • Filed to: None
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"TheBaron2112" (TheBaron2112)
06/26/2016 at 16:46 • Filed to: None | 0
| 12 |
Chris Evans drives a slow track car made from a Focus ST
Matt LeBlanc drives a Rolls Royce and wheels out all the common RR tropes.
Chris Harris is about to drive something though, so maybe this is looking up.
Steve in Manhattan
> TheBaron2112
06/26/2016 at 16:55 |
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They could have just shifted the Fifth Gear presenters and made one very good show. They could have gotten (at least) Tiff Needell, who is a great presenter and an astonishing driver. Jodie Kidd would be very good. But Chris Evans? Even though I live on the wrong side of the pond, I know he made his career on the radio. And he’s probably very good, given that garage full of Ferraris. But he lacks something on TV that I can’t put my finger on ....
Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> Steve in Manhattan
06/26/2016 at 16:57 |
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Charisma and confidence. He sounds so much more confident on radio.
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Steve in Manhattan
> Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/26/2016 at 17:11 |
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Never heard him on the radio, but I can imagine how that would be so.
And help us out here - his ex, Billie Piper. The GF says she’s not attractive, and I find her very hot.
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Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> Steve in Manhattan
06/26/2016 at 17:29 |
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I too find her attractive. Acquired taste maybe. I watched secret diary of a call girl for all the wrong reasons.
That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
> Steve in Manhattan
06/26/2016 at 17:46 |
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Billie Piper is crazy attractive. I'm also a big Doctor Who fan, and she was always hot on that show.
Sam
> Steve in Manhattan
06/26/2016 at 18:12 |
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He has a radio personality. Upbeat, constantly talking, and generally being annoying are more acceptable on the radio.
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Steve in Manhattan
> Sam
06/26/2016 at 18:24 |
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Well put. High energy radio is something I lost interest in during the 80s. NPR went away when they wouldn’t call a liar a liar back in 2008 ... Car Talk and Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me podcasts excepted. Radiolab? I need to catch up.
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Sam
> Steve in Manhattan
06/26/2016 at 18:55 |
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StarTalk is a good podcast, too.
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Steve in Manhattan
> Sam
06/26/2016 at 19:25 |
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Non NPR podcasts I enjoy include Doug Loves Movies, You Must Remember This, Comedy Film Nerds, The Dana Gould Hour, WTF, Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show, Maltin on Movies ... I love this medium.
vicorp
> TheBaron2112
06/27/2016 at 02:46 |
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I managed to get through both shows. My breakdown on them:
Evans didn’t do so bad with the Zenos. He pulled his normal personality back this time and made a decent little film. Still not great at doing reviews though. And who decided him wearings a Canadian top hat was a good look here? Back in the studio Matt again gets off two funny “Some Say....” quips before everyone goes “The Stig!” Honestly, having everyone do that really is annoying. Now, I said Chris Evans toned down the hype machine this week. Sadly for The Stig’s lap in the Zenos, he toned it down too much. It’s like he is either full on or full off. No middle setting.
Then Matt drives about Ireland in the new Rolls-Royce Dawn. I flet kind of mixed about this. Yes, Matt hit all the important points about the car but his “dullness” at times came across in this one. Or was it that he was just so relaxed driving the big RR that he just didn’t care. Either way, if I had $250,000 to drop on one I might give it a long look (pun intended). However, once back on set, Evans goes and proves he’s a jackass. Who cracks on the Spirit of Ecsatcy hood ornament, really??? That is part and parcel of the Rolls Royce soul. Without it, it might as well just be any other high end luxobarge. Then he takes a shot at the rear of the car. I thought it looked great.
Next up is Chris Harris driving the new BMW M2 and why it really is the new M3 we all remember. Good review (not great) except for the silly brain monitoring to see how happy one is to drive it. Totally irrelevant and just dumb. Rare misstep for Harris here.
Then it’s time for SSIARC: Some guy I never heard of & one of the ladies from AbFab. Skipped it.
Then what I thought was the best segement of the show: Rory in the new F-Type SVR trying to recreated the legendary E-Type drive to Geneva. They explain the hwo and why of it but all you need to know is he has 12 1/2 hours to go from the Jag factory to the Geneva Auto Show with the only SVR that Jag has. He makes it great, he doesn’t and Jag has no back up to display for the press. Oh, and this is an overnight drive so that is working against him too. Luckily, he just makes it but doesn’t break the old time. Speaking of old time, we then get to meet Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, O.B.E. Very nice elderly chap and incredible driver for Jag.
Lastly on the regular show, Evans and Matt take the new RR Dawn and and old school Corniche to Dingle, Ireland to have the town vote on which they like best. I won’t ruin the outcome but I have to say Chris Evans was actually likeable in this segment. Despite whatever true or untrue news was published about Matt waking if Evans wasn’t fired, they actually had some chemistry here.
OK, now for Extra Gear: the first minute or so is Rory talking with Matt & Evans about the Rolls cars (which was taped with the normal audience) and a throw to Harris uncovering the new GT3 for his one lap (Extra audience) and back to Rory to carry on. Like no one would ever at all notice that cut..... Anyhow, Rory goes to Goodwood to visit the RR factory and see how you spec out a Rolls and tours the factory. Harris does a quick lap with the GT3, Then Evans is back (on Extra Gear???) with a segment of the Zenos racing the Caterham 360R after a X-Games-ish indoor race. Zenos wins. Then back to Rory and Harris with The News and then Dewis out at the guest for Extra Gear instead of a comic. I give this Extra Gear a 4 out of 5.
Finally, I just have to say this but what is with the TG audience lately? it’s like they are picking the oldest frumpiest people and having them stand in front. Mix it up a little, will ya? And I hope forget about the “Naughty Laps” thing. Lame idea & it looked this week like they thinned out the Power Laps placards a bit (and rewrote the rest of them...Hmmmmm).
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Steve in Manhattan
> Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/27/2016 at 18:44 |
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Me too ....
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Steve in Manhattan
> Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/27/2016 at 18:45 |
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At any rate, I’ll be watching it when it comes on at 9PM EST in US America. We’ll see ....