SVX on TV (maybe)

[PhatWeasel]

This is a long story, but I'll cut to the chase.

A buddy of mine from college (Mike) was visiting me (Nate) here in Tucson this last weekend. He lives in Washington state and wanted to see all the "Old West" we have to offer here. 90% of the "Old West" is tourist crap, but that didn't stop us from loading up the SVX and heading to Tombstone.

As we are heading towards Tombstone we spot a hitchhiker on the side of the road. As a good samaritan (it was about 100 deg. outside) and curious why the hitchhiker had a film crew, we stopped. The nice fellow (Doug) asks if we want to be on TV. Answered "Yes". The crew proceeds to outfit the SVX with cameras and microphones and shoves a coffin-box of A/V gear in the trunk. Mike and I sign our release forms and we head out with Doug shoehorned in the back seat, following a rental van with a huge camera pointing out the back doors.

I didn't know this at the time, but our passenger was Doug Stanhope, comedian. Doug hosted The Man Show with Joe Rogan and a couple of "Girls Gone Wild" videos and he did some other stuff he talks about on his webpage (www.dougstanhope.com). They were filming for a pilot episode (that's what they told us anyway) of a Travel Channel show (oh, joy) called "Hitched" where Doug hitchhikes around BSing with people who pick him up.

Having a prefessional stand-up comedian as you travel the highway to Tombstone Arizona is pretty damn funny. Once in Tombstone the film crew decided they liked us and hooked Mike and I up with microphones and sent the three of us out on the town, complete with camera crew following us around. Touring Tombstone and drinking beers with said comedian is a nearly lethal combination. I haven't laughed that hard for a long time. The man is ruthless.

There will be some pretty funny stuff if the show airs, but about 50% of the converssation can't be aired. It was very...raunchy. Goodtimes. Oh, and the production picked up the tab!

Anyway, the point of the story is this: If the show gets picked up my SVX will be on TV. Yay.


Goldie sets up the cameras and mics for the three of us.


All the recording gear in the trunk.


Mike, Doug and Me.

[richeich]

Dude, that is cool as hell! Let us know if you get notified of a broadcast date. (I assume they'd let you know, right?)

[Earthworm]

That sounds awesome! I hope the show takes off...we could always use some current positive media coverage!

Did you or them talk about the car at all on camera?

[PhatWeasel]

The only mention of the car was a couple crew guys thought is was "pretty cool" and "in good shape". Other comments like "what is it" were made as well, but we didn't discuss anything (as far as I know) while the cameras were rolling. I had to do a second run of pulling over for Doug as I was "a little too aggressive" when I pulled over the first time. I guess squealing tires and such aren't PC on travel channel shows.

Hindsight is 20/20. I should have plugged the car, but I think they'd have cut it as the show is about funny stuff and not bad-a$$ yet affordable mid 90's sport-touring cars.

I didn't mention earlier that we couldn't run the A/C above low because it would wipe out the microphones. After driving for about two minutes the crew radios back to Doug that the A/C is too loud and to turn it off. There was some really great footage of us sweating our a$$es of for about 10 minutes before they finally let us turn it back on. And I mean the sweat was pouring. That should make for a good "desert feeling".

I didn't have much to say. My only lines were boring conversation and a political diatribe on the Minuteman Project. My friend Mike is a Fire Fighter in Seattle, and that makes for much better stories than debugging 32 channel 20 bit A/D converters and data acquisition systems, and quoting statistics and bordercrossers and "vigilantes". Mike is also a type A personality with an awesome sense of humor that just clicked with Doug's. I figured I'd let them to it and see where it went. Oh, it went.

[PhatWeasel]

Originally Posted by richeich

Dude, that is cool as hell! Let us know if you get notified of a broadcast date. (I assume they'd let you know, right?)

They didn't take contact information. The producer said that for the pilot they run on minimum budget and paper work. If the show doesn't get picked up, it's just wasted money. If the show gets picked up they double the crew get more gear and have better accomodations and keep better paper work (theoretically).

If it airs everyone here will hear about it.

[black beast]

We were on Sniefeild (spelled wrong) The episod where they were lost in the Parking garage. Ellian asks a couple who drive an SVX to drive them around to find there car, they of course refuse. You only get to see a side of the SVX but it looks nice and it was probily brand new for the show.

[svxthc]

That's almost as awesome as having one of the old Man Show hosts hitch a ride in your svx! Keep us posted I'd love to watch, I'm a big fan of his work in girls gone wild

[immortal_suby]

this is very cool. I hope it makes it on the air.

[Rotorflyr]

Cool,
I think Stanhope is kinda a tool, but I hope the SVX makes it on the air!

[sxewhodey]

I hope it makes it too. Always good to respike interest in past cars. Cars that make you go HMMMMM? This in addition to the other member who may be on speed channel makes me hopeful we get a little exposure of the cars we love.

[n00b on demand]

Sounds awesome...hope it works out.

[Matthewmongan]

hahahahahaha thats awsome. i miss the man show.