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Ask 'Junkyard Wars Diva' Cathy Rogers
Junkyard Wars (and the British Scrapheap Challenge) have long been popular with Slashdot readers. Now Cathy is co-host of a new show, Full Metal Challenge, that also involves teams building strange machines out of this and that. Take a look at this 'Cathy' fan site (and possibly her less interesting official biography), then ask away. (Usual Slashdot interview rules.)
I always thought cathy was one of the bright parts of junkyard wars. When they brought on that dolt american guy I started to lose interest. Why is it that everyone thinks that you must appeal to the lowest form of american?
Travis
No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.
Best Slashdot Co
On Junkyard wars it always seemed that the teams had something in running condition before the end of the time limit. Was there ever a time when a team had ABSOLUTELY nothing worth sending into competition? (Wouldn't make for much of a show though...)
What was your reason for leaving JYW? Was there a specific reason, or was it just time to move on?
Or is this more an acting job rather than a presenting job. And if it is presenting then what made you interested in heavy engineering ? If not, good acting job :-)
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
Out of all the teams that competed over the years, did you have a particular favorite team in terms of either technical innovation, work ethic or oddball team members? Which team do you feel was the "best (cough, Long Brothers, cough) overall Junkyard Wars team?
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
Side questions: what did you play in the band and what sort of music did the band play?
JYW is truly a bizarre idea... How did you come up with it?
Before the 'Heap, you were in a British indie-crash-twee-pop band called Marine Research, and before that, Heavenly. Do you keep in touch with Amelia and Rob these days?
-/-
Mikey-San
Mikey-San
Karma: +Eleventy billion (mostly affected by watching Celebrity Jeopardy)
Was there a "vision" for these shows - an overriding philosophical reason to make them - like getting kids interested in science, pushing the boundaries of tech, enhancing popular understanding of engineering principles? Or did the game show part of the show come first and a realization of their value later?
On Junkyard Wars, which host did you enjoy working with most?
:(
The british male host, the 1st USA male host, or the 2nd US male host (Tyler?).
Sorry, I'm not good with names
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
What's the coolest thing you've ever built yourself? Or, what's the coolest thing you've ever tried to build yourself?
My wife and I were both avid fans of Junkyard Wars. There were days when we would miss the first taping and stay up till after midnight to watch it.
When you got off of the show we both lost interest. Yes, it was fun watching people build big machines, but much of the dynamic that we enjoyed was gone. It was then we realized just how important you were to the show and that dynamic that we enjoyed so much.
Are you getting any feed back about going back to JYW? Would you if they asked?
Mid-Eastern Pennsylvania Gaming Convention
Watching on TV, it often seems that the expert provides some good initial insight into a problem, but then often becomes superflous. Sitting through many hours of actually watching the challenges unfold. How valuable were the experts in comparison to teams with general inventiveness?
Why did TLC insist on renaming "Scrapheap Challenge" to "Junkyard Wars"?
Was there much difference between UK and US teams on Junkyard Wars? Did they have notably different attitudes or approaches?
rOD.
Rod Begbie done this, and he's not
Which of the various co-hosts you've worked with over the years are your favorites? Least favorites? Did you ever just want to smack the crap out of the "punkins, punkins, punkins" guy?
Some men spend their entire lives trying to kill themselves for having been born. --Ross MacDonald
FMC involves giving teams $3000 (?) and one month to build their cars at home with no knowledge of what the challenges will be.
JYW involves sending teams into a scrapyard to find stuff to build various zany vehicles with which they will try to meet specific challenge goals.
Now that I've answered the question can somebody please mod the parent down?
The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
So, have you ever been tempted to wander into somewhere like a LinuxWorld conference, just to see if you could stop all productive work from occurring? (you probably could, you know...)
If not, are you tempted now?
There are episodes where critical parts (like rocket engines) are not commonly found in a junkyard/scrapheap. I do remember that episode Cathy mentioning this fact and that they did plant engines around the junkyard.
It's been known for some time that items are planted in general based on what the experts ask for. Since the experts can't go scrounging, they don't know what is out there specifically or where to look. But they know the main components for their project exist *somewhere*.
Will we ever hear from Marine Research again? Please? (Or have I just not been paying enough attention?)
Oh, and congrats on being one of TV's foxiest ladies.
mstyne: real name, no gimmicks
I have always found Henry Rollins to be one of the more interesting people in music and acting. What is your opinion after working with him as the co-host? Had you heard of him before he was brought up to be part of the show?
"I would rather have your time than your money" --Henry Rollins Jan 14 2003 on the topic on internet file trading
You have said in the past that it would be good to have an all female team, but as yet, we haven't seen this.
Why do you think so few women are interested in technology?
I remember from the early episodes os Scrapheap challenge they had to build a hovercraft. At the start they admitted that they had planted several fans for the hovercraft amongst the scrap.
I see that your interests include both music and science. Do you find that those interests complement eachother, or are they often conflicting? Who are your musical role models?
In it, he describes that they make sure that enough parts are lying around. For example, propellers, steam pumps, etc. have been some very specific items required for some of the challenges. They do make sure those are around.
As for the engines, here is their page on seeding the yard: http://www.the-nerds.org/on-seeding.html.
Point being, this might be an interesting question if she has a better answer, but this page goes through a lot of detail. It's unlikely that she'll have a better answer, IMHO.
Sujal
politics, food, music, life: FatMixx
I'm not interested in proposing marriage: I already have a wife. But would you be interested in a position as 'the other woman'?
Respond privately if you want.
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
How much testing goes on off screen?
For example, the episode where participants had to build a diving bell, descend to the bottom of a small pond, and retrieve a chest of gold.
I don't believe that this was not tested off camera, if for no other reason solely to insure you didn't inadvertantly end up making a snuff episode.
Same thing goes for pretty much any device where explosives were used, or even the airplanes.
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I do love watching Junkyard wars, but something always bugged me - Why is there the turnover in hosts for the show? It seems that each season has a brand new host for a show that I'd think most hosts would like to stay on in order to achieve name branding.Is there something going on behind the scenes? Power plays? Or is it just cursed to have a new host for each season?
_ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
If I'm not mistaken, in the steam car episode (season 2 or 3 I think) they specifically stated the steam engines had been planted in the junkyard at the beginning of the show. Also, each time they did rockets they also mentioned that the rockets had been planted beforehand, as that was pretty obvious. In addition to that there're the FAQs and behind the scenes stuff as mentioned by others here.
Cathy,
What are some of the challenges that were rejected for the show, and why (too dangerous, too easy, too hard to do in 10 hours, etc)?
BTW, love the show, and glad to see you back on US TV with FMC....
So, what's your favorite screwdriver tip ?
If you don't understand anything I post, please accept that I ate paste as a small boy...
Just because he lifts weights, doesn't mean he's dumb?
Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
This has been covered pretty frequently
"The basic rule for seeding: If its not possible to safely improvise a part with the time and tools provided, they will provide something that can be pressed into service. It will require some ingenuity to make it work, it will never "just bolt on". If there are specific safety regulations, the relavant parts will always be provided. For example, things like safety valves, regulators, and gas tanks will be planted, and will have their certification paperwork sitting in the directors briefcase. (and if we happen to find such a part that isn't one of the known good ones, they don't let us use it) "
Jeff - The NERDS (dp@the-nerds.org), November 24, 2000
(He was a contestant with the first US team to compete)
Ever think of going back to longer hair?
You are obviously not familiar with Henry Rollins or his work. The man is extremely intelligent and articulate. To stereotype somebody because he is buff is pretty lame.
I find it interesting that you place Battlebots in the same tradition as Junkyard Wars. I fail to see what they have in common. JYW is an entertaining show with a lot to teach about engineering and science concepts. Battlebots is just an update of the demolition derby. They are NOT in the same league.
Are you single? And if you are, what are you doing this Saturday night?
Not everyone deserves a 320i
What if the team isn't able to find, or the show didn't provide the necessary parts?
The show always provide everything that could be needed, but you're right, they have to find them and sometimes they don't. I have actually, on camera, been talking to a team member while I have been kicking a working engine and coughing and pointing to it, and still the guy ignored it and found a much worse one.
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
If Cathy and John Carmack ever got together, their children would rule the world like gods!
Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
I KNOW Henry Rollins. It is obvious that you are an idiot troll and are also totally clueless about Rollins and his work. Rollins is NOT a, quote: "muscleheaded retard". In fact, he is one of the most intelligent and sensitive individuals I have ever met.
Is a person who not only is physically but mentally fit, in spite of being 40, an impossibility? Were you dropped on your head a few too many times by jocks in High School?
Why don't you sit down and actually WATCH some footage of Rollins doing his spoken-word stuff? Someone dubbed him a "Stand-up Poet" and that's actually pretty close to the mark. He's FUNNY. He's clever. He's sensitive, amazingly enough.
I also know I'm being trolled, that I've lost, and I should have a nice day. But man, when someone who is of your acquaintance who you know to NOT be a "muscleheaded retard", you have to respond. Rollins is a national treasure. I'm glad he's successful. You, sir, are obviously jealous of his status.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
Whose idea was it to pepper the commentary with so much alliteration? I love the show, but I find myself cringing and the tiresome tendency to talk in tedious tones.
Extra credit: Do you prefer mousse or gel?
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
Cathy, One of the best parts of Junkyard Wars was all the humour, I found many things to laugh at in each episode, especially when the hosts were talking to the teams about their plans going awry. My question is, what was your favourite funny moment in the whole series? And as a side question, because he's just too funny, what was your favourite moment involving Robert Llewellyn?
Thanks,
-stu.
lets interview henry rollins next. he cohosts with cathy rogers on her new show.
Taken from the UK ScrapHeap Challenge FAQ
Is the scrapheap 'seeded' with appropriate materials?
Almost everything that is used in the programme is general scrap. But in order for us to be able to set a wide variety of challenges, we sometimes have to place something specific on the site. We always make sure that there are the materials to build at least two different solutions to the challenges we have set.
nor have I ever watched your show, but...
doesn't the the guy who made that fan site scare you? What about the people on this site? Do you really think Henry Rollins can protected you from a horde of obsessive, sex-starved American nerds?
Cathy,
Junkyard Wars is the only show I watch on TV - my girlfriend tapes it each week, and we watch it together later. Over the years, we've noticed some unfortunate trends in the format of the show.
In the earlier Scrapheap Challenge episodes, two teams competed against each other for the entire season, and we got to know and love them. Each episode dealt with a basic scientific or mechanical process (hydraulics, bridge building, etc), and a good bit of the airtime actually focused on the science involved.
In later seasons, and especially this season, the teams almost always have a gimmick - usually a flamboyant leader who dyes his hair or gets in fights with the other team. The challenges are almost always car-oriented, and most of the airtime deals with cutting down the cars to make them lighter. There's very little explanation of the science behind the challenge, and the difference between the two vehicles is usually just "light and fast vs. big and heavy". Several of the shows this year have devolved into "bumper cars" matches as both teams realize their design works better as a battering ram than as their original plan intended.
We find ourselves getting less excited about the shows, and suspect others have lost interest as well. So, my question for you is: How do you feel about the way Scrapheap Challenge and Junkyard Wars have evolved over the years? If you had complete control over the way the show is run today, what would you change?
Thanks for entertaining and educating us over the years, and best of luck with Full Metal Challenge!
Of course they seed the yard. You don't just find rolls of mylar film lying around when you are looking for a balloon skin.
Ever noticed how they also always take two different approaches to solve the same problem? I would argue that a more interesting question is
"Do the teams get to pick which of the two solutions they implement or is it assigned by the producer"
"The first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is stop digging."
Maskirovka
Cathy,
First, you ROCK! . Thanks for creating the only worthwhile TV in a long time.
After watching a Junkyard Wars marathon last year, I realized that you're a female version of Buckaroo Banzai. You both play in a rock band, you both have PhD's, you both appear on TV, and you both have a fascination with science. About the only difference is that he's a surgeon and you're a nurse.
Did you purposely set out to become a real-life comic book hero, or was it just fate?
Marry me?
In college, really poor, need a flatscreen.
I've really wanted to know... What's up with the dog in the title sequrence? I know, I know, it probably means nothing, but that dog has puzzled me from the get go. Name? Owned by someone? Just decided to throw it in?
What's the coolest thing you've ever built yourself? Or, what's the coolest thing you've ever tried to build yourself?
What about Black Flag followed up by the Rollins Band and some significant spoken word?
I believe that should qualify.
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
Cathy,
A lot of people don't realize that not only do you work on all of these shows, you help conceive the initial ideas behind them. How do you do it? Did you just one day have an idea and present it to a network, or did you work from the inside to have your concepts realized? What in your past got you interested in the whole build things from junkyard parts concept?
Do you.......Think Different?
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
Are there any real rules in Junkyard Wars/Scrapheap Challenge, other than the time limit, that are enforced? I can think of two other rules (captain and expert must stay in the build area, items in build area aren't open to scavenging), but they seem to be broken quite frequently. It would also seem to be a rule that tools and equipment provided for scavenging/construction, particularly the quadbikes, are off-limits as parts, but one episode featured a diving helmet made from a bottle from the water cooler (Did it become junk when it was emptied?).
To use a line from History of The World Part I, I prefer to think of Henry as a "Stand Up Philosopher".
I've seen Henry in concert several times, both for his band and his spoken word. I've had the privilige to meet him in person (outside the Tower Records on Sunset in Hollywood).
Henry is the kind of guy you want to hang out with. Very cool, and always has the coolest things to say.
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. - Cmdr. Susan Ivanova
from the FAQ on the website (one of the replies to this parent has the link) they say (paraphrase)"Not only do we plant working/semi working materials, but if a team is having problems we even hint at stuff they might not have found"
I guess the lawyers would say "Well, it IS a junkyard, but its a junkyard where things have been planted. So technically, it's not lying"
The worst offender is "Trading Spaces" which does not indicate during the show that there is an entire team of workers behind the scenes that compelete most of the actual painting, sewing, etc.
blockquote:
Once inside, I met the sewing coordinator. The very existence of the sewing coordinator was for a long time a closely-guarded secret. His name was in the credits, but they never referred to him on camera. The need for a sewing coordinator is obvious; any given episode features a huge amount of sewing, some of it very complex, and the homeowners and designers simply wouldn't have time to do it all themselves. The sewing coordinator, therefore, stays behind the scenes and makes sure things get done on schedule. Later in the day, after he had finished all his tasks and packed up his equipment, I caught up with him and asked why he was never shown on camera. He explained that it was a logistical decision. Each episode, he pointed out, already features eight "characters," and adding a ninth would be tricky. Makes sense.
this taken from This behind the scenes review
It wouldn't be so bad if watching that show hadn't empowered me and my wife to completely redo everything when we moved into our town house! We painted every room, we re-floored the kitchen and basement, we fixed up dry wall, changed lighting fixtures and took down all the ceiling fans, put up shelving and cabinetry... pant pant pant,
In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
Have any (and if so, which) of the constructs ever made you fear for your own life? I'm surprised none of them have ever had a major meltdown that sent the crews fleeing the scene.
I enjoy Junkyard Wars because it places a strong emphasis on the creation of the machines used in the final challenge. One could conceivably LEARN something from watching the show. Full Metal Challenge, which focuses primarily the contests themselves, is decidedly lacking in that respect. My question is, given the tractor-pull premise of FMC, why is it on The Learning Channel? Did any other network want a shot at it?
It is my belief that there isn't much left to be invented that comes from standard tools (ie: wood, steel, some screws and a little intuition). It seems that, in order to invent something revolutionary in these days, you need an advanced degree in materials science.
If you were to travel back in time, which invention would you like to have your name associated with? In other words, if you had invented something in the past, which invention would you be most proud of?
IWARS.
People, in general, disappoint me. Politicians even more so.
We have all heard of the strangeness that stars have to put up with from their fans. What have been some of your more interesting fan moments?
www.linux-skunkworks.com
I caught Full Metal Challenge last night on TLC. I sensed alot of chemistry between you and Henry Rollins -- a real friendship (with some playful shoving around of one another). How have your relationships with all of your co-hosts been off-camera?
Failure is not an option. It comes automatically enabled in every Microsoft product.
Cathy;
I don't think you understand how important you were to the Junkyard Wars show, in that, as the host of the show, you were the only one so far in a long string of hosts and co-hosts that actually seemed to understand what each team was building as they built it.
Not only were you explaining to the audience how each contraption was supposed to work, you CLEARLY had a better idea of how it would go together than the teams did themselves.
Some of the best parts of the show is where you would amble up to a particular team and make a suggestion or ask a question as to whether or not they were going to deal with a particular issue.
It seems to me that the current crop of epsiodes doesn't have a "gearhead" host, and neither of them contribute to the build process of the teams. As such, discounting the amazing work of the Kentucky Fried Family, almost all the builds have been somewhat lackluster and devoid of any imagination.
If anyone should be a host of the show, it should be Bowser Munson. Seriously, you need a gearhead host or the show falls flat.
Please come back to Junkyard Wars. Do I have to grovel???????
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Have you found any differences between the contestants in different iterations of the show? Speaking as an American who spent part of his youth in England, I find the British contestants much more entertaining, insightful and engaging. Was it easier to work with any particular group? Were there any contestants that made the show difficult?
1) Why do the competitors get to look over the wall in the current series? It really detracts from the sense of mystery. Same with the trash talking; I much prefer the refined British approach.
2) Why are the competition rules so wimpy? Witness the recent "vehicle that must fit through the hole in the fence" challenge. In general, it seems that the penalties for not following the rules are often so minor that you're more likely to win if you just try to break the rules and deal with the penalties.
3) What happened to the cool challenges, like trebuchets, wall crushers, etc. Something where teams have little expertise.
4) Are there challenges that didn't air because neither team made it, or only one team had something workable?
Coupla concepts here to chew on, junior:
1. Had you written "black" or "Jewish" instead of "40+" in your post, you would have been mod'd down somewhere approximate to Dante's 8th Ring. Of course, since you're obviously young and hip, you probably don't think of yourself as prejudiced as some tobacco-chawin' no-neck Cracker. Here's a Newsflash, Moby -- You are.
2. Even without his celebrity, his published poetry, and his status as a Famous Rock Star, Henry Rollins would still be getting way more girls than you, 'cause he's good-looking and erudite. It's a TV Show, Milton, not a University intranet feed. Viewers like good-looking and erudite. The producers can hire the Long brothers or Stephen Hawking to write the damn thing if they're afraid of losing the SlashDot crowd.
3. And finally.... [eek!] Hey, errm, Seth, I just clicked on your webpage. Forget I said anything, kid. You've obviously got a lot on your mind, saving the world and all. Never mind! (Just don't set me on fire, 'kay? Please?)
[walks out of forum, slowly, backwards, hands where all can see them, smiling sweetly...]
You save only 59 seconds over 8 miles by going 75 instead of 65. Do you really have to pass that guy? Do the Math!
I remember when I first saw scrapheap challenge I thought it was like "The Great Egg Race", but with bigger 'pieces' - did this show influence you at all?
Also I wonder, if you weren't presenting the show do you think you'd be knowledgable enough to actually compete as part of a team? What about with your fellow presentors?
(I'd love to see a special edition with the presentors vs some celebritys or something similar...)
I've always been a bit suspicious that there was some guidance in solutions, possibly so that there are always two differently-built machines in the competition. I've seen EVERY episode of both the UK and the US competition including the current UK season (which is GREAT BTW).
As far as I can remember, there have NEVER been two identically-designed builds (OK, UK Power Pullers was close, except small engine/auto xmission vs large/manual); it seems that ONCE in a while the two teams would do the same thing, or at least, start out trying to until it became obvious that there weren't enough parts for both teams to do the same thing.
Furthermore, when the US and UK shows do identical challenges, the two design solutions seem always to be identical (White Water 2001 - one airboat, one jet-boat on each show). This makes me think that the experts have been coached beforehand. I have seen Scrapheap Commandments and realize that a lot of work goes into preparing the 'heap with proper equipment, but it seems that actually telling the experts "You build a jet-boat, you build an air-boat" would be crossing the line.
Comments?
-- end of question, begin rambling --
I must say that though I thought the show was running out of ideas, the current season is VERY good, nice new challenges. Can't wait to see the US show do the "Rapid Fire" idea that the UK show used this year (maybe next season).
Whatever the answer, it's still one of the best shows out there. There's a big following of the show among my friends, and I'll pretty much watch whatever you show up on to check it out. Also my 11-year-old daughter has really taken to science (and welding (!)) since getting in to watching Scrapheap. Also in case you didn't know about it, several science-leaning science fiction conventions (at least in the midwest) are having mini-scrapheap challenges - indoors, a pile of stuff, build XYZ thing (smaller-than-a-breadbox scrapheap).
Thanks for a great show! New ideas in TV wasteland are rare.
As a musician, what do you think of the music industry these days, specifically about the slave-labor-like recording contracts, industry ownership of copyrights, Peer-to-peer song sharing (MP3s), and the current fruitless atempts to copy-protect CDs?
Is there anything that you can do in your current position to help change any of that to the betterment of recording artists and consumers everywhere?
Ok, it was two questions. So sue me! ;-)
LongTail SSH Brute Force analysis tool is here!
During the episode of Scrapheap Challenge where the N.E.R.D.S. built Frobette (see also frob) they handed you and Robert a copy of The New Hacker's Dictionary. Did you keep it?
How did you get to be so insanely cool?
I don't mean to sound sexist, but I hope you definitely plan on having kids, even though it's exceedingly painful to give birth and exceedingly difficult to raise children. It's important for genes like yours to stay in circulation. Really we need them, badly! I mean, look at George W. Bush! Aaaagh!
Although, now that I think about it, it's also possible to help out your fellow humans in lots of other ways, and you've certainly done a lot of that.
Thank you for existing. Your presence has enriched all of our lives. I hope yours is going well.
Furry cows moo and decompress.
I like the show, I've probably seen 10 or 11 episodes, usually in the company of several friends. Every time, we ponder the oddity of your clothing selections; the shiny-skirt-over-pants thing looks completely bizarre to us, is this a common look in England (wasn't the last time I was there)? did you come up with this on your own? is that a toolbelt-skirt?
.sig :)
I'm really really surprised that noone has asked about this yet, and I really want to know; what's the motivation?
--theLime
(here comes the inappropriate
The original Scrapheap Challenge teams (British) seemed genuinely likeable and didn't resort to theatrics or pointless posturing, concentrating more on what they were doing and the end result.
Once the American episodes began to be produced, the teams really seemed terribly obnoxious and offputting. The "Young Guns" teams is of particular note in this regard. In fact, the team behaviors began to become so bad that my freinds and I simply stopped watching.
Was there any pressure from the American side to introduce more conflict into the show, or was the change simply the nature of the American teams?
* As is generally the case, my opinions do not reflect those of my employer.
In Junkyard Wars, an expert in the area of the challenge is assigned to each team. I can not think of a time when the two experts "came up" with the same approach to the challenge (i.e. if you have to build a sub, both experts decide to use pressurized air). More often, the experts come up with differing approaches (one uses pressurized air, the other uses paddles). Is this by design in the selection of the experts, a pre-taping decision of the director, a flip of the coin, or what? Once it would be fun to see if the two teams build on a similar design and the team itself (not the predeemed methodology) decides the winner.
Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
Junkyard Wars is one of my favorite shows on TV, however it seems to me that they intentionally do not show the real engineering (calculations, technical and theoretical principals, etc.) without first lowering it to a third grade level. Is this due to the show having a wide range of age groups and technical backgrounds? I have always felt that there is a demand for showing what really goes into the planning and design of these projects. What is your opinion on this? Could we see a more geek oriented JYW type show in the future?
--
"I've figured out what's wrong with life: It's other people." -Dilbert
So who would win: a team with McGyver, Buckeroo Banzai, and any Heinlein engineer, or a team with the teens from Weird Science and a couple of Moatie engineers? Which would make the better coffee (or tea, for the British version)?
Envy my 5 digit Slashdot User ID!
I heard that you contacted Henry Rollins yourself to co-host the show with you. What made you choose him specifically? Are you a fan of his music/spoken word, a friend, or what? (I think you made a good choice, btw, Rollins has the kind of brash yet intelligent personality that fits this kind of show.)
This message brought to you by the Council of People Who Are Sick of Seeing More People.
What was the name of the band, did they put out any albums, were they good and were they successful?
I think the junkyard they use is pretty atypical. Real junkyards generally do not have working engines in them. But since a bunch of guys standing arounds saying "If only we had a boat propellar" doesn't really make compelling television, it's understandable.
I just wish the more recent episodes were more original in the problems they were trying to solve, rather than the current spate of "Car battle to the death" episodes.
I am not a number! I am a man! And don't you
"Do the teams get to pick which of the two solutions they implement or is it assigned by the producer"
I'd imagine that the approaches are designed by the experts weeks before the show.
My question is: Is this a coincidence, or is their a link between your music (and spoken word) and this electronics experimentation? And did this encounter with Greg Ginn's business prepare you in any way for JYW?
"dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope"
What is with that junkyard? How come there is so much stuff that is still actually working (motorcycle engines, for example). I mean, is it an actual junkyard and the contestants play the odds, or do you make sure that there's enough good stuff to build whatever it is they have to build?
On a related note, my girlfriend (yes, she love the show) is curious about one thing: It seems that on every show both teams attack the same problem with very different designs. Is it casual, or do you somehow make sure that they won't try to build exactly the same thing?
PS- If you still question my familiarity with Rollins, I'll point out that on the SOA No policy 7", Rollins has a tattoo of the Black Flag logo (along with a mohawk). This picture was shot when he was just a fan of Black Flag and wasn't even connected with the band in any way. Him later joining the band as the singer is not unlike the way that guy Ripper Owens was in a Judas Priest cover band and then later was chosen to replace Rob Halford in Judas Priest. Not that SOA was a BF cover band....
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
I am intimately familiar with Henry
That's a little more than I wanted to know about either you or Henry Rollins.
Slashdot is jumping the shark. I'm just driving the boat.
On Junkyard Wars, I've always wondered about the stuff that goes on that isn't aired. Such as:
:-)
* How is the junkyard (or scrapheap) seeded or items removed from it
* How much/detailed are the plans that the experts come up with done ahead of time
* In the show, all we ever see is the contestants being told "Build a railroad engine" - do they actually get all of the rules at that time, or does only the expert know all the rules of the challenge (having been explained them ahead of time)?
* How often do you have to "help" a team that doesn't look like it's going to finish (Help them find a missing part, tell a team that the other team has the key part, extend more time, etc)? I know some of this happens, and it's reasonable because if one team never finishes then that's not a very interesting show
* Anything else intersting (especially to us geeks) that happens in the challenge that doesn't make the show?
Right now, Junkyard Wars is my favorite show, and it looks like Full Metal Challange will be cool too. Good luck with the new show!
-Chris
Thanks
Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley
In "Junkyard Wars", after the contest ends with one team victorious and the other defeated, what happens to the stuff people built? Do the contestants take it home, does it go back to the scrapyard, or do you end up driving it to work the next day?
Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
They actually did an episode with manned flight...gliders....one was made out of wood strips and canvas, the other out of aluminum poles and tarp. There was a bit of an accident that ended the competition, but the pilot (and expert) was safe. Must say from the sequence that it looked a lot worse than it was.
What is your Slash Rating?
... that you never used? (thermonuclear reactor? dentistry equipment?)
What did it take to convince a heroine to enlist in not only a breadwinning job but a cult TV show that is anything but sugar and spice? This opposes everything we've heard about wives dropping out of the workforce and evil technology jobs in droves since 1984.
Is that guy wearing, like, a skirt? O_O
Too many jokes... must mock Seth...
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
While Greg Ginn turned out to be a complete twit, Rollins has been nothing less than honorable any time I've had dealings with him. Same with Chuck Dukowski, who played bass with Black Flag and SWA and is now doing punk avant-garde music with the Chuck Dukowski Sextet and rock with Fish Camp.
My fondest memory of Rollins was at Be-Bop Records and Fine Art in Reseda, CA. Rollins was headlining with his spoken-word thing and Paper Bag was the opening act. While M. Segal, drummer/percussionist for Paper Bag, was hauling his stuff in and setting up, Rollins was taking care of Segal's young son Mathew, who was at that point 1 year old. This was no lunkhead jock standing there making sure that kid was OK and didn't get in the way of the band setting up. I understand now that Rollins has kids of his own now and suspect he's a really good father to them.
In regards to some of the things he's said in his writings...man, do you have any sense of IRONY? Do you think that every freakin' thing the man writes he takes 100% seriously? Come on! That's like saying Edgar Allen Poe really wanted to be a serial killer because he wrote "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." Christ, dude, grow a brain.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
When you talk to Henry Rollins, does he answer a question... then say "And you wanna know why?" and then break into "Liar"?
C'mon. You can tell us. We're all friends here.
What is music when you despise all sound?
British TV is not as worried as US TV with form and pays more attention to substance
Wow. There's SO much substance in drill such as Big Brother. Thanks for giving us THAT one!
Does grease and cold steel turn you on? :-)