Your host choices for the US Top Gear would have been...?

[Jim Prower]

I did lose all respect for Adam when listening to him on Bob and Tom Monday morning, so...yeah. He strikes me more as a rant-type comedian and less an actual car guy, who just happens to (almost) share his last name with a Toyota. Might as well throw Senator Levin on there, too. At least then you'd have a complete AE86...

 

[Omnis]

Alton Brown is just a fake, for-TV Harold McGee. I don't know what makes people think he could be a top gear host.

 

[Tornado]

I did lose all respect for Adam when listening to him on Bob and Tom Monday morning, so...yeah.

What happened? I was listening Monday night and heard he was going to be on the show, but I fell asleep before he actually got on.

 

[eSZee]

Alton Brown is just a fake, for-TV Harold McGee. I don't know what makes people think he could be a top gear host.

Alton Brown is a god among men! I agree though, he shouldn't host a car show. People want to compare him to James May but in reality, JM is a huge car nut. Alton just makes great sardine sandwiches.

 

[CWR]

I did suggest an alternate for each of my choices, what do you think about Adam Savage of Mythbusters?

TG isn't a typical car show - likely why it's enjoyed so much success; why define possible hosts by that criteria? Do you know many guys who don't like cars? It's probably a small percentage, although the demographic of young people who are not interested in cars is growing, people of hosting age probably still see the automobile as a symbol of personal freedom and achievement.

When you can get millions of people interested in the things that interest you, as Alton does, there's nothing fake about that - that's the sort of juice we're looking for in a host!

 

[Omnis]

Alton Brown is a god among men! I agree though, he shouldn't host a car show. People want to compare him to James May but in reality, JM is a huge car nut. Alton just makes great sardine sandwiches.

No but, seriously, Harold McGee makes Alton Brown look like a peon.

 

[Jim Prower]

What happened? I was listening Monday night and heard he was going to be on the show, but I fell asleep before he actually got on.

I can't exactly remember, really, but all I know is that I didn't like what I heard. Likely something political or some other affiliation.

 

[Shant J.]

Jay Leno would have been nice. He obviously loves cars, and has plenty of knowledge about them.

 

[AlexGTV]

Jay Leno would have been nice. He obviously loves cars, and has plenty of knowledge about them.

Jay Leno. Being unfunny since '73.

Apart from joking the man has a great passion for cars and I'd gladly see him as a host but not the central one like Clarkson is on the UK's Top Gear.

A thought of mine is why not bring a woman, preferably pretty, that knows a lot about cars and has some skills driving them. Like that miss, Sabine was called I think, that was in some UK Top Gear shows.

 

[Jim Prower]

Well, Fifth Gear has Vicki Butler-Henderson. I suppose it can work...

But Who do we have? Danica?

 

[Tornado]

I dunno. They would also have to hire someone that she could use to designate blame whenever she lost a Challenge.

 

[Adamgp]

What about Courtney Hansen. Car enthusiast and she can drive.

Looks alot better than Danica too.

 

[Jim Prower]

Lemme look her up...

*Does*

....I'm sorry, you were saying? Yeah, I'd get cable if they made her part of the team. XD

If only my character were real. He'd be perfect for a spot.

 

[CWR]

Do we really want to see 2 of the hosts preening for the attention of the third host? Basically, this is a show you watch when you want some time (a whole hour) away from the wimmenfolk. I wouldn't want it to go the route of 'The Man Show' (why I've not been wild about Adam being a host - plus he's about 6 face scrunches away from becoming Gilbert Godfrey), excluding women or their viewpoints - but c'mon! When it comes to vying for men's attention, women and cars are enemies; women having a huge advantage in the battle.

One of the 3 hosts should NOT be an attractive female - unless you want to add all the other things men desire (drugs, alcohol, gambling) to further remove focus from automobiles - and you have an entirely different type of show, likely on a scrambled channel.

 

[AlexGTV]

I can see your point CWR. However I still believe a pretty woman with brains would be a welcome addition. You know she shouldn't be Pamela or any foxy lady just not your math teacher. 💡

 

[Jim Prower]

I think that's where Vicki B-H does a good job - she's just homely enough where she wouldn't be blatant...well, "eye candy," and has been in the industry for awhile, coming from the original Top Gear. Same thing with Sabine on D-MAX ((Yeah, she is in her own TG-type show.))

Women CAN do this properly...just has to be on equal footing and context.

Perhaps homelier clothing could help in this case.

 

[Adamgp]

I can see CWR's point.

However to be fair, the men hosts shouldn't be attractive either. There are probably some female car enthusiasts who watch TG, and we don't want them to fantasize about Tanner Foust on a beach somewhere while he is drifting a Corvette.

 

[AlexGTV]

I think choosing a host solely on the basis of looks is a recipe for disaster. Besides it wears off quickly.
Shall I say presentation skills are even more important than automotive knowledge. It does no good if the host obviously memorizes a script - he should have a part in writing it.

 

[CWR]

I guess I should have said 'eye candy' instead of 'attractive female' in my statement - although it's not like I'd want to deny viewers of whatever gender or orientation their fantasies; but it would introduce a dynamic that isn't what Top Gear is about.

Keep in mind that Jezzer and the lads are still in charge here - I doubt that they want to change the format from 'the boys club' to 'battle of the sexes'.

I think that I'm pointing out a basic tenet of the show - I'm not advocating misogyny in any form; if that's what you are hearing, it's purely your interpretation.

 

[Franchaise1985]

I was a big fan of the Victory By Design series that was shown a few years back on speed about different famous manufacturers. The host wasvery good albeit not American.

Alan De Cadenet

 

[CWR]

Natalie Neff is a columnist and road test editor for AutoWeek magazine for over a decade, and would be possibly a good choice if this were the direction that hosting's heading:

No idea how telegenic she is.