Word is vinnie finally got fed up and hit the road.and if you don't beleive me call the shop and see for your self.congrads to vinnie he will do way better on his own and i fell bad for the show because now mikey is the only one left to make it worth watchin
cristo 123said: [quote]Word is vinnie finally got fed up and hit the road.and if you don't beleive me call the shop and see for your self.congrads to vinnie he will do way better on his own and i fell bad for the show because now mikey is the only one left to make it worth watchin[/quote]
I believe the the keywords here are "Word is...". I wonder what other rumors are floating about.
Very sorry to see Vinnie leave. I met him several times, and as one may guess, he is a very down to earth guy and a talented bike builder. Maybe just a coincidence, but there is a posting for a "master bike assembler" as of 8/2/07 for an immediate opening on the OCC web site. I rate Vinnie as much more than a bike assembler, but the timing is at least interesting. If this is all true, the best of luck to you Vinnie. Maybe you and Nubs can start something together? He has the paint, and you have the build talent. In any case, hope to see ya down the road.
Oh my! If this is true, I wish him the best of luck. But I have to agree that the show will not be the same without him. Darn, I was looking forward to meeting him at this OCC live event. I wonder what happened??!!!
Alrighty then.. Called the shop asked if they could clarify if the rumor is correct about Vinnie no longer being with the company was put on hold.. Got to listen to Mikey's lovely voice for a good 3 minutes and then was told that she was not of authority to give out such information but I was welcome to call back tomorrow and ask for the woman in charge of PR..
I have to say I don't have a good feeling about this..And I for one will be be quite upset to find out if he has left..
I was wondering if "vinnied" was him. I thought I remembered reading that once before, but I didn't feel like going through all the posts. I certainly hope it isn't true. The show truly would not be the same without him. I'll email them through their myspace page, but who's to say that they will respond or tell me anything.
[quote]Could you imagine whats going through Paulie 2.0's mind...[/quote]
He will grieve somewhat perhaps, but his man crush is mainly focused on Paulie 1.0. It is just one more person out of his way for him to assume his rightful (in his mind) position as the FUTURE OF OCC!!!!
If this is true, Vinnie will have no problems getting another job. He is a master bike builder, but his background and first passion is cars. Couple that with his impeccable work ethic and someone will snap him up quickly.
Whatever the reasons are I want Vinnie to know that he'll always have me as a fan..Best of luck in all your future ventures.. God bless you and yours..
You'll really be missed..
{sidenote}
Hey, maybe TLC will give Vinnie his own show?!?!?!?
Nahh just joshin..As said above his first love is cars but really first and foremost he's a family man..Again, God bless, Vin.
That is only if this is all for real.. If not Vinnie you got sum splainin' to do!!! {wagging finger}
This message has been edited. Last edited by: tingly,
Vinnie - best of luck to you. I think back to the first shows when you were nervous about getting involved in fabrication to where you are now. Congratulations on how far you've come and to your future. I've enjoyed watching you on the show and wish you the best.
If Vinnie left, I think this is the death nail for the show. He is to much of a central point for the show. Who are going to build the bikes now paul jr and mikey. The show has forgotten its roots making bikes, not comedy. It is sad to see him go but wish him the best and his young family.
Vinnie will be successful where ever he goes. It was only a matter of time before his easy going nature would prevail. I look forward to seeing what he does from here. There are so many who would love to pardner with Vinnie. Good luck!
i finally talked to vinnie today and got the real scope.he did quit about 2 weeks ago but he didn't go into detail why,but he said he was unhappy there and had to leave.i don't think they treat him as well as everyone thinks.anyway im proud of him for leaving he was way better then that place and i know he was helded back there.as much talent as everyone sees on TV i know and seen that he has much more.Plus he's a real stand up guy that never let a TV show come in the way of that. now hopefully we will see the real Vinman.Good Luck Vinnie
Best of luck, Vinnie, on your next endeavor. We know you will be successful whatever you do and where ever you go. Thanks for sharing a part of yourself with us!
I don't post here too often, but I had to add my two cents (for what it's worth)...
I think that it's important to understand a few things:
1. When Vinnie came onboard at OCC they were a small business that was just beginning to be filmed as a show. They didn't have a master builder (with great knowledge about electrical) at that time and he sure fit the bill.
As time went on Paulie found that Vinnie was the only one he felt comfortable enough with and trusted to work with (I specifically remember Senior saying much on one of the episode's).
I have watched all the shows from the very first and all I have seen is that the relationship between Paulie and Vinnie has always been like that.
2. Fast forward--
OCC has blown up! They are bigtime on TV and a huge enterprise. Now Senior and Paulie have to do a lot of public promotions, unveils, and have answered the call for bit parts in Movies and also being in commercials.
And why not? Does not major principles in a company have the right to develop all the success they can muster? Absolutely! Does it mean that relationships within the company change? Of course.
Now with that said, it is pretty obvious that Paulie no longer works on much of any build. What he does is come up with the design with Jason Pohl and then gets the project started. He comes in and checks on what each person is doing and then gives input to any necessary changes or helps solve a problem. He's no longer working on primarily building bikes.
This leaves the pressure on Vinnie, Rick, Mike Armareti, etc. to do the work. And as particular and fussy as Paulie is this can be a problem when he's not around much.
3. Then there's the matter of events where mostly the whole shop's personnel (at least the ones we see on TV) have to attend. Most of the people at OCC have families. This means that they have to leave their families and add their personal time off the job to an event somewhere where they are expected to be available.
That has got to cause pressure on the homelife. Especially if you are married and your wife is tending to THREE girls (two of which are barely toddlers and are twins).
I am sure the other wives are objecting as well. So that is an added pressure on top of everything else that these guys have to do. (And let's face it--the deadlines at OCC are brutal.)
3. Personal relationships in a business that has grown like OCC will suffer. They do in every business that grows like this. What may have been close ties in the beginning will dissolve into strained working relationships at best.
We don't know the true infrastructure at OCC and how all these guys are being managed...
4. I don't doubt that OCC will suffer because of Vinnie's departure, but overall sometimes a change in personnel is a good thing (for the person who left and for the crew left behind).
I wouldn't doubt that this will cause management at OCC to consider a new game plan and how they are doing things.
Yes, Vinnie was an very important part to that business in a way that is far beyond being a great guy to meet and greet at events.
He was a master builder and has mad skills that any shop will be counting their blessings to have when he is working somewhere else. And you can bet before Vinnie left he found an opportunity that he just couldn't say no to.
Vinnie is entitled to a decent homelife and a job that he can proudly go to and make a good living at.
In conclusion, I wouldn't be surprised that the reason Vinnie left was because the whole public hubbub that OCC goes through spills out on others lives and becomes overbearing.
It may have nothing to do with money that Vinnie left. Could be some of the above...
Of course we will probably never know the whole truth and in the scheme of things does it really matter?
Good luck Vinnie. You deserve a chance at a decent homelife and a work situation that doesn't have a camera stuck in your face all the time.
just wondering if anyone realized that vinnie himself responded to this thread as his discovery board name is vinnied, good luck vinnie we will miss ya!
[quote]In conclusion, I wouldn't be surprised that the reason Vinnie left was because the whole public hubbub that OCC goes through spills out on others lives and becomes overbearing.[/quote]
I would have to agree with this statement, it's evident that they are all close.. We don't know what happened maybe nothing happened and Vinnie just wanted a change.
Hey Ben... Can't you get them (TLC) to make a statement or something to put these rumors to rest..
I think this will hurt OCC with the fans. Vinnie was a very big part of the show. A guy you could still relate to. The Teutel's aren't common folk anymore.
[quote]I think this will hurt OCC with the fans. Vinnie was a very big part of the show. A guy you could still relate to. The Teutel's aren't common folk anymore.[/quote]
This is one of the reasons I keep harping on having Vinnie, Rick and the team work on the bike more. My husband and I watch this show to see them build the bike and watch the guys do it. A good many people who watch the show have their favorites; other than the Teutels!
Vin, my husband and I are going to miss you on this show. We enjoyed watching you. We enjoyed your comments about what was going on. You are a regular guy who has real skills. The real losers are OCC!
I hope OCC can get Vinnie back. The show's been going down hill for some time now. This could be the last nail in the coffin of AC if they don't some how make it worth his while to come back... I may be wrong but that is seldom the case. LOL...
I don't know that even Vinnie coming back to AC would help, as great as he is. Like I said many many times when I first came to this forum-the first three seasons when OCC was up-and-coming and the show focused on the goings-on in the shop and the family dynamics it was far better. Imo, AC began going downhill when it began focusing on the million-dollar/high profile celeb type stuff and less on what made the show great in the first place. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this, but I stand by my opinion. Thanks for your time. Sr. rules...
I enjoyed the first two or three seasons best myself, but for different reasons. I like to watch the design and fabrication. I don't think any of them are hotties (which puts us both in the minority, but for different reasons, Paul - not meaning to insinuate that you think Senior's a hottie. ). In my opinion, AC began to really decline when it was announced that it was moving to TLC. It seems to me someone had the brilliant 'ideer' to 'dumb up' AC around that time. As for your belief that Sr. rules...the jury's still out on that one, but to each his or her own...
hi vinnie, you have gone, i am on the other side of the pond,so i am not sure when we will get the new series,but good luck son ,look ahead you are a great craftman,i would love to see,a "vinnie bike shop",on the box,you stood out from the rest of the occ guys vinnie,take care,"ride like the wind son"---
[quote]I don't know that even Vinnie coming back to AC would help, as great as he is. Like I said many many times when I first came to this forum-the first three seasons when OCC was up-and-coming and the show focused on the goings-on in the shop and the family dynamics it was far better. Imo, AC began going downhill when it began focusing on the million-dollar/high profile celeb type stuff and less on what made the show great in the first place. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this, but I stand by my opinion. Thanks for your time. Sr. rules...[/quote]
I would have to agree with this also..I still love the show but it has lost a lot of the edge it used to have now it a pretty show. Where I imagine Paulie now wears cologne to the shop..LOL.. That kind of pretty..
Thank you everyone for all your wonderfull things you said.i think i have the most loyal group of fans in the world and that means alot.I'm not here to rip anyone apart or to bad mouth somebody or to give you the details on why i left.lets just say i was very unhappy for a while.i promise you will be hearing from me soon and to plan to stay in the custom fabrication field.thank again for everyones support, Your friend Vinnie
Vinnie, all the best to you. American Chopper was the only show my whole family watched together. You are a big part of that. The show won't be the same without you.
Really Vinnie, thanks for your reply it's much appreciated.. I'll miss the H E double hockey sticks out of ya.. Watched last night and got real sad knowing that I won't be seeing you in upcoming episodes..
Good Luck.. Tara
And please do keep us posted..As I said above you'll always have me as a fan..
Seeing how Vinnie handled himself in that work environment inspired me to go back to college and finish my degree a couple years ago. I wrote to him last fall and told him about it and he went out of his way to have a picture taken, autograph it and sent it back to me within a week. Now THAT'S a class act. I respected Vinnie for putting up with what he did for so long, but I respect him even more for being able to walk away. He deserves better that the way he was treated and I have NO DOUBT that he will be doubly successful working for a company that truly values him. Thanks for sharing your life, your strong character and your work ethic with us for so many years, it's truly been inspirational.
hi vinnie, thank you very much for you kind words to us,"your fans",as a Mechanical Engineer,i would love to play on that CNC profile cutting machine ,i saw you using in the shop,at the moment i am going back to college to obtain my Electrical cert,i am more of a hands on guy then a Office Engineer,a couple of the guys i work with,chat about bikes,it would be a blast if we could meet up in the future and chat about bikes ----catch later
Old School, you said that you hope that Vinnie comes back to OCC, I'm sure they do too. Vinnie (I hate to talk behind your back) doesn't need OCC, his talent and personallity would serve him better if he were to be amoungst those who haven't been corrupted by the fame and fortune of this TV show. As most of you know, I have been the most loyal fan of all involved, till now. Vinnie you saw what "Hollywood" did to the Tuetuls. We see you as unfazed by the glamor and uncompromised by money. I too look forward to seeing Vinnie star in his next indeavor.
Thank you Vinnie for coming on the boards to stay in touch with your fans, seeing as no one else would take a minute to tell your fans what is going on. One thing. I believe the reason why American Chopper became so successful was do to the honesty of the family and working dynamic. OCC and (no names) the people who started it lost touch with that concept and their ratings are reflecting that. You and Rick were the only ones who kept it real and kept us watching. Whether it be televised or not, I think that you and Rick would make a great bike building team. Keep a loyal viewing audience (if you were to go into talks with any production co) you'd far surpass OCC due to your ability to keep it real, your keeping a keen eye on the product ie Bryan Kings trike, the color of the Billy Joel bike and many more. Certain people lost "the customer is the boss" concept and I know that you and Rick would not go down the slapstick road that certain people chose to, and stay to fabrication and the working dynamic. Not saying don't have fun but not "fabricated fun".
Vinnie good luck in future endeavers I know you'll do well. I was shocked of the news but saw a change in you for the past couple of years. You can see things were wearing on you. OCC is not going to be the same without. As far as your fans are concerned, you were the backbone of OCC. take care and God bless.
