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What is Mark Bowe from Barnwood Builders doing now?

Published

14 seconds ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

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Who is Mark Bowe?

Born on 5^th March 1970, Mark Bowe is a successful businessman and TV personality, probably best known for his work on the Magnolia Network show “Barnwood Builders”. With the slogan of “Work Hard. Be Kind. Take Pride”, Mark’s hard work and perseverance saw him study a bachelor’s degree in business administration at West Virginia University, even while working as a coal miner.

The self-proclaimed craftsman and amateur break-dancer also holds a master’s degree in safety management from WVU’s College of Business. In 1995, he founded Antique Cabins and Barns, which was expanded into Barnwood Living two decades later. An avid historian, Mark also enjoys doing speaking engagements when not filming.

“Barnwood Builders”

The documentary series “Barnwood Builders” follows a team as they convert historic log cabins and barns into modern houses. The Silent Crow Arts production, which premiered on 1^st November 2013, is broadcast on Discovery Channel, the Magnolia Network, and Great American Country.

Mark’s team specializes in restoring and reclaiming pioneer era structures in the eastern area of the US, and the program’s simple but effective premise has drawn in millions of viewers around the country.

Sean McCourt is the narrator, while Johnny Jett, Sherman Thompson, Tim Rose, Graham Ferguson and Alex Webb are all longtime cast members. With the exception of Alex, who joined in the third season to replace Brian Buckner, “Barnwood Buildings” has always had the same cast.

In the season six finale, the production team switched things up, and had the Barnwood Builders – who were joined by special guests – sit down to discuss their work as well as reveal previously unseen footage.

The last two episodes of season seven saw the builders take on their most challenging project to date, and construct an enormous timber frame house for Project Healing Waters, a charity that helps veterans recover from battle injuries, also such as PTSD.

In the first episode of season nine, Mark worked with administrators and teachers of WVU to build a cabin that displayed the history of America’s early days.

Show Trivia

Mark is clearly fond of his birthplace, and is quoted as saying in an interview: “I want to champion West Virginia. I’d like to change the stereotype of the word ‘hillbilly.’” Apparently, the network wouldn’t let the cast members use the word in the first season, but soon changed their minds. According to the TV star, being a hillbilly means “strong ties to family and friends, a willingness to do hard work, and things like perseverance and fortitude”.

That’s right; the cast of “Barnwood Builders” are all self-confessed hillbillies and proud – and speaking of cast members, fans thought that Brian had died due to his sudden disappearance after season two. When the show failed to comment on his absence, rumors of his death began circulating the internet, with netizens finding an obituary for Brian Buckner.

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However, the truth came out when the show’s cast were deluged by tweets asking for an explanation.

MSN reported that a cast member confirmed Brian was in good health and still alive. Apparently, the builder didn’t return for season three of the show because he moved away from West Virginia. Evidence points to Brian not liking his newfound fame, especially when one takes into account that he has no social media accounts, and never came forward to dispel the death rumors.

With that said, the show’s social media team left the door open for Brian to return, with a Tweet that reads: “Brian is no longer in the area Rick, so he’s too far away to work with us! We miss him a bundle. Hopefully one day he’ll join us again.”

There is a plethora of little-known facts about the show which fans are always delighted to discover. For example, Mark isn’t just hosting and leading the building team anymore: during an interview with Greenbrier Valley, he said that he was now one of the producers.

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“Every show has a story arc that I help develop,” he explained. Apparently, Mark informs the producers about the families featured in each episode, the crafts that will be filmed, and if there are any challenging parts coming up.

Although the show is filmed entirely in West Virginia, the Barnwood Builders have also completed projects in Missouri and Texas. The show actually came about thanks to a chance encounter between Mike and a client, who came to his office saying he wanted a cabin in upstate New York. The TV host shared his background and history with the man, who turned out to be a film producer working for Ken Burns.

Viewers often wonder how Mark finds the properties he renovates. Despite the enormous free publicity “Barnwood Builders” generates, Mark finds most of his projects via word-of-mouth, speaking to people in his community, and showing them what he does. According to the show’s website, many of the projects are also available to be rented by the public for short stays.

Another interesting tidbit of trivia is that the pilot for “Barnwood Builders” was shot in 2005, almost a decade before the show would air. In a conversation with Richmond Magazine, Mark said that the pilot was a 20-minute documentary, that was subsequently entered into some film festivals.

Personal Life

Mark’s wife, Cindy Lavender-Bowe, was born in 1971 and was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates in representation of District 42. She assumed office on 1^st December 2020, and left a year later. The beautiful redhead also ran for re-election to the House of Delegates to represent the same district, but lost in the general election on 3^rd November 2020.

Cindy is a definite mix of brains and beauty, as she earned her bachelor’s degree in social studies education from WVU’s Institute of Technology in 1993, and also pursued a master’s degree in leadership studies/educational leadership and administration from Marshall University in 2010.

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Cindy’s previous professional experience includes working in non-profit management, and as a teacher with Kanawha County Public Schools.

In 2019, Cindy was assigned to the House Education Committee, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the House Health and Human Resources Committee, and the Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development Committee.

Mark and Cindy have one adolescent son named Atticus. Before expanding the family, the couple moved to Lewisburg in 2001, after making a couple of weekend visits and discovering that the town was a great fit with their lifestyle. “I had an office downtown, and my clients would fly in from all over the country,” Mark explained. “We’d do whatever was happening around town… They were always impressed.”

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American Pioneers

American pioneers were the African-American and European-American settlers who migrated from the Thirteen Colonies, and later other eastern states of yhe US, to develop areas of North America previously inhabited by Native Americans.

Despite being associated with the Western US, it’s since been discovered that many places in the Eastern parts of the country were also settled by pioneers. Daniel Boone, a famous American pioneer, settled in Kentucky when it was still undeveloped. The Homestead Act, which provided formal legislation for the settlers and regulated the process, was key in the development of the Western settlement.

The pioneer is a recurring figure in American literature and folklore. “The Deerslayer”, written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1841, became one of his most successful works, and was based on the pioneer life in the Provinces of New York.

The characters of the enormously successful “Little House on the Prairie” series, which was set in the 1870s and 1880s, were also pioneer families, and Davy Crockett has gone down in history for being a real-life pioneer icon.

The first westward migrations were a consequence of the representatives of the Thirteen Colonies seeking new lands westward of their territories; the Land Ordinance of 1785 was the first time the federal government decided how to handle the political organization of new territories. Two years later, the Northwest Ordinance declared that states could not individually claim new lands, and that the government would be in charge of exploring. However, as the federal government had little control over these lands, it wouldn’t or couldn’t legislate how to claim and distribute pioneer lands until 1804’s Land Act.

The government encouraged western settlement, with the War Department commissioning Randolph B. Marcy, Captain of the US Army to provide a guide for those who moved west.

The guide provided stopping points during travel, and gave advise about how to interact with Native Americans, how to respond to threatening situations, and what to bring on the grueling journey.

This process was repeated in many ways, such as Oklahoma’s Land Run of 1889: when parts of Oklahoma’s territory were first opened, anyone could come and claim land on a first-come, first-served basis.

Most pioneers travelled in wagon trains containing settlers and their families, banding together to join forces, because they believed there was strength in numbers. While pioneers in the East had to clear the land due to the dense forests, their Midwestern counterparts were tasked with bringing agriculture to the barren Great Plains. Although the majority of pioneers wanted to claim land and settle their families, others travelled west for commercial reasons, and stayed permanently if their businesses were profitable.

Despite prospectors, miners, trappers, and cowboys also being popular figures in American culture, the pioneer represented “those who went into unexplored territory in search of a new life, looking to establish permanent settlement”.

Where Are They Now?

Fans will be pleased to know that the Barnwood Builders are thriving on- and off-screen: Mark has a few keynote speaking events lined up for spring and summer 2022, and is enjoying family life with his wife and son, as can be seen on his Instagram profile. Mark also loves to post snaps goofing around with his cast members – the shared camaraderie between the group is clearly visible.

As for the rest of the close-knit cast, it’s business as usual between filming. Johnny, the eldest cast member at 71, is enjoying a tranquil lifestyle with his loved ones after moving from bustling Chicago to West Virginia a few years ago. Although he posts sporadically on Instagram and mostly uses the platform as a means to promote his work, he can occasionally be seen in the official Barnwood Builders profiles.

Tim, who joined the crew in 2006 and has since become one of the series’ main characters, doesn’t seem to have any social media accounts. The TV star is known to be a skilled trapper, hunter, trader, fisher and cook, and also worked as an aircraft mechanic for a decade before becoming a Barnwood Builder. Online posts indicate that he’s married, although it’s unclear if he has any children.

Alex, who joined the cast in its early days as a locomotive engineer, is a Monroe County native who trained in the military, then worked as a lead engineer for Norfolk & Southern Railroad before lending his talents to TV. Despite vague online reports citing his exit from the show, an Instagram post from Mark announcing the new season premiere on 7^th April 2022 shows the whole cast happily posing together.

Graham, a former landscaping expert turned television producer, is also inactive on social media but will be returning for the show’s next season.

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Reliable sources confirm that Graham and Mark happened to meet through their children, who attend the same school. Graham’s wife is named Shannon, but the couple guard their children’s privacy fiercely, and have yet to share any photos.

As for Sean, the talented producer and writer is most probably busy with other projects right now. Some of his earlier works include “Garbage Moguls”, “Mad Scientists”, and “The Bait”. Sean was born on 19^th January 1971 in Detroit, Michigan, and currently resides in South Orange, New Jersey, with his wife Beth and daughters.

Sean’s first acting credit came in 2001, playing the psychopathic and drunk Dr. Thomas Parker in the Off-Broadway musical “Batboy: The Musical!”. Having worked alongside Kaitlin Hopkins, Kerry Butler, and Deven May, Sean is the only cast member with prior experience in the industry.

Martha Clifford

As an Author at Net Worth Post, I guide a dedicated team in the art of revealing the stories behind the world's most influential personalities. Fueled by a relentless curiosity and a knack for uncovering hidden stories, I immerse myself in the intricacies of our subjects' lives, weaving together accurate data and compelling narratives. My involvement spans the entire editorial process, from the seed of research to the final flourish of publication, ensuring that every article not only educates but also captivates and motivates our audience. At Net Worth Post, we are committed to providing thorough investigations into the net worth and life achievements of innovators across diverse sectors such as technology, culture, and social entrepreneurship. My method merges meticulous research with eloquent storytelling, designed to bridge the gap between our readers and the remarkable individuals who redefine our tomorrow. Through spotlighting their journeys to success, the hurdles they've surmounted, and their contributions to society, we aim to give our readers a deep and inspiring insight into the luminaries who are paving the way for progress and ingenuity in the modern era.

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Why was HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” canceled after 10 seasons?

Published

1 second ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

“Flip or Flop” is a popular reality show which aired on HGTV, hosted by former spouses Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack. The series debuted in 2013, starting the “Flip or Flop” franchise, which includes shows such as “Christina on the Coast”, “Flipping 101” and “Flip or Flop Vegas”. The show follows the two hosts as they flip houses in Southern California, by purchasing old homes in desperate need of renovation, which they then resell after renovating them, and conclude whether the flip was a ‘profit’, ‘break even’ or a ‘money loss’. Some houses are relatively easy to fix, while others require a lot of work, so house flipping is a somewhat risky business which doesn’t always pay off, which the show perfectly highlights.

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History of the show

Christina and Tarek entered the house flipping business back in 2008. Before that, they were both working as real estate agents in Orange County, California, but after the 2008 real estate crash they found themselves struggling, so decided to enter a new area of work.

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It was a big risk for the couple, who had to sell their cars and trade their own house for apartment rent, in order to make it work, while expecting the birth of their first child. They bought their first investment house with their business partner Pete De Best, flipping it for a profit of $34,000. Luckily for them, the risk paid off, their business kept going, and Christina and Tarek have since opened their own design and construction company, and started routinely fixing houses all over Southern California. Furthermore, they were so successful that they’ve managed to expand into Arizona and Nevada.

In 2011, Tarek made an audition tape with the help of his friend, which showcased the process of house flipping from start to finish. He sent the audition directly to HGTV, and in the following year, Tarek and his then-wife Christina were asked to film their own show, which we now know as “Flip or Flop”.

‘They liked the fact that we were poor and were trying to make something out of ourselves’, Christina said in an interview. They were initially paid $10,000 per episode, but the money they used to buy houses for the show was their own, she further revealed.

On the show, Tarek mainly took the role of hunting down old houses and showcasing finished work to potential buyers, while Christina focused on interior design and planning the renovation process. While Tarek has done some demolition on the show, the physical work is primarily handled by their contractor, Israel Batters, and his skilled team of construction workers.

In the beginning, Tarek would take a drive in the middle of the night, to scout the houses which were announced to be up to auction the following day. Given the real estate crisis at the time, a lot of these houses belonged to people who were being evicted.

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One house they bought in Anaheim Hills was in a particularly bad condition; the mother and son who lived there poured concrete in the toilets, destroyed the wood floors and smashed all the windows shortly before they were evicted from the property. As if that wasn’t enough, homeless people were found sleeping in the property, surrounded by used needles on the floors and knives stuck to the walls. The damage was estimated at around $30,000, but it was completely covered by insurance.

Filming the first season proved to be a challenge for Tarek and Christina, who had to co-ordinate both filming and construction schedules, while taking care of their two-year-old daughter. Safety was also a big concern on set, as the show’s crew had to be around heavy construction work all the time.

Tarek El Moussa cancer diagnosis

By the time second season started, things were going more smoothly, and the show has since become one of HGTV’s staples.

However, it turned out that the couple had other unsuspected problems. In 2013, Megan Reade, a registered nurse and a fan of the show had noticed that Tarek had a lump on his neck. She contacted the network to inform them that he had to have it screened by a doctor, because it could be a sign of tumor; after a medical check-up, Tarek was diagnosed with testicular and thyroid cancer. He was subsequently subjected to radiation treatment, which helped him fight off the potentially deadly tumor. Tarek and Christine thanked Megan in a video which was released on the official HGTV website. In 2015, they became parents for the second time, welcoming their son Brayden James on 20 August.

Tarek and Christina’s divorce

Unfortunately, in December the following year, they publicly announced their separation, after seven years of marriage. ‘Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage. We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago, and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution.

There was no violence and no charges were files’, Tarek and Christina said in a joint public statement.

As the online tabloid “TMZ” reported, the incident happened in May 2016; Tarek ran away from home carrying a gun, only dropping the weapon after police officers commanded him to do so. Police records reveal that they responded to a call of a ‘possibly suicidal man with a gun’. Tarek apparently left his house through a back door, jumped over a fence and made his way towards a hiking trail. Christina was visibly upset, according to witnesses, and was actually the one who called 911. After the police were warned about Tarek taking a gun with himself on a hiking trail, deputies called in helicopter assistance, who were able to locate him on the mountainside and escort him back home. Back then, it was speculated that inappropriate texting was the cause of the incident, but the couple denied the claims, saying ‘There was never any infidelity in the marriage’., “People” magazine reported that the rift between the two was caused by their clashing personalities.

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Apparently, as they rose to fame, Tarek remained a ‘beer-from-a-can kind of guy’, while Christina became more and more ambitious, and wanted to live a luxurious life.

After going through couple’s therapy Christina and Tarek were able to make amends, but only temporarily. Tarek officially filed for a divorce in January 2017, finalized in 2018, which marked the end of an era for the “Flip or Flop” hosts and fans alike.

The aftermath

Despite their separation, Tarek and Christina continued hosting the show together, along with co-parenting their two children. Prior to the season eight premiere, Christina explained that she and her ex-husband remained professional during filming. ‘Tarek and I don’t discuss each other’s personal lives. It is what it is’, she said in an interview she gave for “Good Morning America”.

After her split from Tarek, Christina started dating the “Wheeler Dealers” host, Ant Anstead, and the two tied the knot in a private ceremony on 22 December 2018 at their home in California, before welcoming their son, Hudson a year later.

Unfortunately, Christina and Ant’s marriage didn’t last much longer, as they announced that they would be going their separate ways in September 2020, finalizing their divorce in June the following year. In July 2021, Christina announced that she has moved on with her new boyfriend, former realtor Joshua Hall. In September the same year, the couple revealed that they became engaged during a trip to Los Cabos, Mexico.

On the other hand, it seems like Tarek has had lots of luck when it comes to his post-divorce love life. As of October 2021, he has been married to the “Selling Sunset” star Heather Rae El Moussa (formerly Young). The two reportedly started dating in summer 2019, when they were first spotted spending time together. In August the same year, Tarek confirmed their relationship status on Instagram, saying ‘It’s official!!!! After more than 3 years on my own, I’m so PROUD to say that this beautiful, sweet and talented young lady is my girlfriend!’ Since then, the couple have been very vocal about their infatuation with each other, frequently sharing couple photos on their social media.

They moved in together in West Hollywood in January 2020, became engaged in July the same year, celebrating their engagement with a family trip to Cabo, Mexico.

“Flip or Flop” cancellation

Despite all the ups and downs Tarek and Christina went through as a couple and co-workers, “Flip or Flop” survived for another six seasons, after they officially separated. So, a lot of the show’s fans are wondering why it is ending now.

After eight years, and over 150 episodes, Tarek and Christina took to Instagram to announce that the 10^th season of “Flip or Flop” would be its last. The final episode aired on 17 March 2022, concluding the successful HGTV run. Although they haven’t yet confirmed the real reason behind the cancellation of their series, it’s speculated that the former hosts are quitting because their original contract has ended, and they seem to have no desire to extend it. ‘The writing has been on the wall for a while’, an anonymous source told “People” magazine ‘It wasn’t sudden’.

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A blow-up that took place on set in summer 2021, also contributed to the final decision to end the show for good. As per a “TMZ” report, Tarek screamed at his ex-wife, comparing her to his wife Haether and calling her a ‘washed-up loser’.

Christina and Tarek’s new projects

The former “Flip or Flop” stars won’t be taking any time off though, as both Christina and Tarek host their own shows on HGTV network, “Christina on the Coast” and “Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa”, respectively.

“Flipping 101” has been airing on HGTV since August 2021, and is currently in its second season. The show follows Tarek as he helps real estate novices learn all the secrets of a successful house flip. The series has shown some quite challenging projects, including one tackling a trashed house whose previous residents were animal hoarders. In an interview he gave for the magazine “USA Today”, Tarek revealed that he long awaited the opportunity to pass on his expertise to others. ‘I’m really excited about the project because it takes everything I love — investing in real estate and TV — and it’s all in one format where I get a chance to really help people out who are new to flipping houses’, he said.

He further revealed that one thing that surprised him the most was the fact that a lot of new flippers ignored his advice, saying ‘I’ll tell them what to do, and literally half the time they don’t listen to me’. Initially El Moussa and the production team were worried that the show might not provide enough tension to hold viewers’ attention, but as the series progressed, that proved not to be the case, and “Flipping 101” now has generally more positive reviews compared to the latest seasons of “Flip or Flop”.

“Christina on the Coast”, hosted by Christina Haack started back in 2019, and centers on renovating properties in Southern California. In her solo show, Christina explores the housing market in Newport Beach, and does house makeovers. What sets this show apart from “Flip or Flop” is that each new house design is uniquely catered to one customer who bought the property.

The first season of the series quickly became a smash hit, propelling HGTV to second place among all cable networks in that time slot among women aged 25-54, with the show raking in as many as 12 million viewers. During the course of the show, we also saw a glimpse into Christina’s personal life, and the finale of season one showed footage from her wedding to Ant Anstead.

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Where is Jason Pohl from American Chopper today?

Published

3 seconds ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

“American Chopper: The Series” is a reality/documentary TV show produced by Pilgrim Films & Television, which aired from 2003 to 2019. The series followed the crew of Orange County Choppers (OCC), a custom motorcycle fabrication company located in Montgomery, New York State, led by Paul Teutul Sr. and his son Paul Teutul Jr. Originally focusing on the creative differences between the two and their complex father-and-son relationship, the show took a big hit in 2008, when Paul Jr. left Orange County Choppers to pursue his own business. Since then, “American Chopper” has been on and off air for years, but is still considered to be one of the best automotive reality shows out there. Jason Pohl joined the cast in 2006, and remained on the show until its cancellation. An industrial designer by trade, Jason quickly became one of the series’ most prominent stars, but it appears that a lot has changed in his life since we last saw him on “American Chopper”.

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Orange County Choppers

The staff of Orange County Choppers were the heart of the show for more than 16 years. The company was founded by Paul Teutul Sr. back in 1999, debuting their first bike, nicknamed ‘True Blue’ at the 1999 Daytona Biketoberfest. Initially, Paul Sr. was busy with his other company, Orange County Ironworks, and only wanted to build five to ten motorcycles per year, but the demand for their builds quickly increased, prompting him to expand his business and commit to it full-time. As a result, Paul Sr., left his old company in hands of his son Daniel, while his other two sons, Michael and Paul Jr., helped him run his new motorcycle business. In 2002, they were contacted by Discovery Channel, who wanted them to star in their upcoming reality show.

Along with building custom motorbikes for “American Chopper”, Orange County Choppers have launched their own limited edition production line of motorcycles in 2007, with a starting price of $31,000.

One of their most well-known custom builds is one specifically created to commemorate the New York firefighters who lost their life in 9/11 attacks. Nicknamed ‘The Fire Bike’, motorcycle was modeled after a fire truck, featuring a steel rivet that came from the collapsed World Trade Center building. Due to the popularity of their show, the US Air Force commissioned Orange County Choppers to make them a custom bike, valued at $150,000, which was modeled after the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, complete with Air Force symbols.

“American Chopper” run and cancellation

“American Chopper” premiered on Discovery Channel on 31 March 2003, initially starring Paul Teutul Sr., Paul Teutul Jr., Nick Hansford, Rick Petko and Christian Walter, along with now former employees of OCC, Vincent DiMartino and Cody Connelly. Michael Teutul also frequently appeared as the shop’s custodian and webmaster, also providing comic relief for the viewers.

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Interestingly enough, OCC were not Discovery Channel’s first choice for the show; in fact, the decision to focus the series on them was a last-minute call, as the series’ producer, Craig Pilligan revealed in his interview with the financial magazine “Forbes”. ‘I switched the motorcycle shop the night before shooting. It was a Tuesday night and in my last conversation with the shop that I was going to do in New Hampshire, I didn’t feel that they had the right mindset.’, Pilligan said. The shooting for the pilot episode started next morning.

Aside from documenting the process of building custom motorcycles, “American Chopper” also covered personal relationship between the cast members, which were often quite tumultuous and full of drama. OCC proved to be a high-pressure environment; tight deadlines combined with high expectations from customers often increased tensions between cast members . In many ways, “American Chopper” served as a blueprint for other family-driven reality shows which are widely popular today.

: American Chopper

In 2008, one of the show’s biggest stars, Paul Jr., was fired from OOC and the show, following numerous disagreements with his father. Around the same time, the show moved from Discovery Channel to TLC. In April the following year, Junior launched his own business, Paul Jr. Designs. In response, Paul Sr. filed a lawsuit against him, in order to force him to sell his 20% share in OCC, which was eventually ruled in Junior’s favor. The tensions culminated in 2010, when Paul Teutul Sr. refused to attend his son’s wedding.

However, later in the same year, Junior returned in the first series spin-off, entitled “American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior”, which mainly chronicled the after math of Junior’s departure from OCC, and aired for two seasons before it was cancelled in 2012.

Paul Sr., returned to the TV screens in 2013, in the second spin-off from “American Chopper”, entitled “Orange County Choppers: American Made”, which featured him and his team as they built some of the most complex projects of their careers.

In the following year, Discovery Channel aired a special – “American Chopper: Shaq Bike” – featuring the building of a custom chopper for the former National Basketball Association (NBA) star, Shaquille O’Neal.

After a four-year-long TV hiatus, the cast finally returned for a new season of “American Chopper” in 2018. The revival season showed brand new motorcycle builds, and a surprising twist – Junior’s return after ten years of having a poor relationship with his father. The series came to a definitive conclusion in 2020, with the airing of a special episode entitled “The Last Ride”, which showed Junior and Senior working on a custom chopper together, for the first time in years.

During its 17 years long run, “American Chopper” left a significant mark on pop culture. It inspired two video game titles, a pinball arcade game, and a Comedy Central parody series “American Body Shop”. Furthermore, the infamous scene of Paul Sr. firing Paul Jr. was turned into an exploitable meme comic, which went viral in 2011, and has since spawned innumerable iterations.

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What is Jason doing now?

Jason Pohl was featured on “American Chopper” from season four. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Media Arts and Animation from Illinois Institute of Art in 2004, and started his career at Incredible Technologies later in the same year. One of the first projects he worked on was a digital pinball prototype licensed by OCC, while he was responsible for digitally modeling all the choppers featured in the game. Paul Teutul Sr. liked his work so much that he invited him to join his company. Two years later, he became a regular on “American Chopper”, and was featured as their Lead Designer.

During his time with OCC, he designed more than 300 motorcycles, but nowadays, Jason works for Dassault Systemès, along with serving as an ambassador for the software brand SOLIDWORKS. He has also started his own company called Jason Pohl Designs, through which he offers a large variety of services, including product design, 3D printing and strategic brand development.

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According to his LinkedIn profile, Pohl parted ways with OCC in March 2020, following their move to Florida. In an interview he gave in 2021, Jason opened up about his time there. ‘I’ll never forget the day I met Paul, and he introduced me to his son, Paulie. (…) I was 21 years old, and looked into these guys and thought ‘wow, these guys are passion-driven. This is awesome’’, he said. Jason also revealed that he stayed on good terms with his former boss, despite having several clashes with him in the past, and still considers him to be one of his biggest inspirations.

As for his private life, Jason is a married man and a proud father of four. He often posts about his children and wife on his Instagram account ‘@pohlie’, along with sharing his latest designs. Although his children are still very young, Jason has revealed that he tries to introduce them to his work as much as he can, and let them explore their creative side.

As of April 2022, Jason’s net worth has been estimated at more than $500,000.

Where is the rest of “American Chopper” cast today?

As for the rest of the “American Chopper” cast, some haven’t been as fortunate in thire post-show life. Paul Teutul Sr., in particular, has had a series of legal issues. In 2018, he was sued by his former business partner, Thomas Derbyshire, who argued that Paul used the money Thomas invested into “Orange County Choppers: American Made” for personal use. Teutul Sr. furthermore attempted to change his ownership deal with Derbyshire from 51/49 to 50/50 behind his back. Derbyshire also accused his former business partner of obstructing the series production, by habitually showing up late to the set or not showing up at all, while making product placement deals without his knowledge.

In July the same year, Teutul Sr. was invited to a mediation hearing in another lawsuit involving JTM Motorsports Inc., who sued him for failing to promote the company in exchange for free work on his Corvette.

As the online magazine “Page Six” reported, Senior was becoming agitated during the process, and started screaming at JTM representatives to give him his car back. Security had to intervene to prevent a physical altercation, and removed Teutul from the courtroom.

In March 2018, only one day before the premiere of the “American Chopper” revival season, Teutul Sr. filed for bankruptcy, but his plea was apparently dismissed due to the fact that Paul didn’t supply sufficient documentation. He eventually managed to get back on his feet by selling his old house, and was later able to expand his business.

While Orange County Choppers operated in Orange County, New York for more than 20 years, in 2020 they relocated to Florida, specifically to St. Petersburg. The city on the western coast of the state is known to be a Mecca for motorcyclists, with some of it main attractions being a Harley-Davidson dealership and the Roadhouse museum.

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Nowadays, Orange County Choppers has expanded its operation to include a bar and restaurant, along with a gift store which sells “American Chopper” merchandise.

Aside from expanding the business, the year 2020, brought more legal issues for Paul Sr. Namely, he was sued by a professional photographer named Scott Gunnells, who alleged that Paul’s company illegally used his work on two pieces of “American Chopper” merchandise. The court ruled in Gunnell’s favor, requiring Paul to pay more than $280,000 in damages.

His son Paul Teutul Jr. still runs his own company in New York, which has expanded into apparel and personal branding. In recent years, Junior has had renowned clients such as Paramount and Blizzard Entertainment, so it’s safe to assume that his business is doing more than well. Despite all the drama than happened between him and his father, Paul Jr. now looks back at the whole ordeal as a ‘blessing in disguise’.

In his interview with the website “Inquistr”, Paul said ‘On Sept. 28, 2008, in a scene that millions of viewers of the “American Chopper” reality TV show watched on Discovery Channel, my father booted me from the Orange County Choppers custom motorcycle-building company, of which I was part-owner. And that turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to me at the time. It just took a while to realize that’.

His brother Michael also left the show, and has been working on his struggles with alcohol addiction, which were documented in “American Chopper”. He took time off to go to rehab, and explore his creativity through painting and cooking. Michael has since returned to his father’s business as assistant general manager, and on the side has partnered with the chef known as Angry Mike, with whom he co-runs a sauce-making company.

One of the early fan-favorites, Vincent DiMartino, left the show back in 2007, to start his own business called V-Force Customs.

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However, the company didn’t last in the market for very long, and Vincent briefly rejoined the show, but now works for Paul Jr. The failure of his first solo business endeavor led Vincent to start another company, DiMartino Motorsports Automotive and Truck Repair, which is still operating in Walden, New York.

During his time on the show, the youngest cast member Cody Connelly, was considered a real prodigy; he was fresh out of high school, but showed incredible craftsmanship for his age. He left the show in 2007 to join Vincent’s V-Force Customs. Cody eventually abandoned working with motorcycles altogether, and now works for a utility company.

Rick Petko, who did all kinds of metalwork on “American Chopper” has also left OCC. He now works at Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson, tackling their custom fabrication contracts, while making and selling metalware on the side. Some of his best-selling products are custom chef knives.