American Chopper: What Happened To Paul Jr After The Show?
Big motorcycles and big fights. It's all on display on the hit reality TV series "American Chopper," which follows Paul Teutul Sr. as he, his team, and his sons, Michael and Paul Jr., build custom motorcycles at Orange County Choppers, once located in the southern portion of New York State. The show is known for giving people a look at how custom motorcycles are made, but it's the drama that has also captured the attention of many, with Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. getting into explosive fights. Senior fired Junior from Orange County Choppers in 2008, but the pair would be seen again in a spin-off in 2010. And it gives a glimpse into what Junior has been doing since leaving "American Chopper."
"American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" showcases the tug-of-war between the two while putting a spotlight on Junior's own shop, Paul Jr. Designs, which covers more than just motorcycles. The company's original shop is located in the same area of New York State where Senior's Orange County Choppers was located before it moved to Florida. And Junior has been taking to the airwaves as well, launching "The Paul Jr. Podcast" in 2021. He wrote on Instagram, "This is something that I've wanted to do for a really long time now." He also wrote the book "The Build: Designing My Life of Choppers, Family & Faith," which was published in 2017.
As for being fired from his father's shop, Paul Jr. said he's grateful for that moment.
Why Paul Jr. said his firing helped his creativity
In an article for Fox News in 2017, Paul Teutul, Jr. wrote that while his firing led to him starting Paul Jr. Designs, he was not allowed to build motorcycles for one year due to a non-compete agreement. "The year away from building bikes helped me. Working with my father had become such a negative– it was a toxic environment – that I lost the joy of building motorcycles ... But leaving Orange County Choppers allowed me to create my own positive environment. My creativity took off. I matured as a man. For the first time, I could see what others had tried to tell me: my relationship with my father was unhealthy," he said.
Junior told People that he and his father didn't talk for 10 years. "It was a tough situation for both of us, and we were really at odds," he said. The two have since worked to mend their relationship, even rebooting "American Chopper" for the Discovery Channel in 2018. The show mainly focuses on the separate lives and builds of Senior and Junior, but the reboot would conclude in 2020 with the two working on a motorcycle together at Orange County Choppers in Season 12, Episode 9, "The Last Ride." But Paul Teutul Sr. notes that people shouldn't expect to see him and Junior working at the same shop again. Senior told People, "Working together was the downfall of our relationship, and I'm not willing to give that up again," he said.