Reality TV is something we're all familiar with in this day and age. The concept of filming regular people conquer challenges, or just live their life, is one that nearly every TV viewer can understand and enjoy. From dating games to car building challenges, this groundbreaking TV genre spawned many hit shows that are still beloved to this day.
One such show is "Monster Garage." With 80 episodes broadcast during its 8 season run on the Discovery Channel, not only did Monster Garage help bring the reality TV genre into the mainstream, but it became a legend in itself.
Monster Garage was based around a simple challenge - Jesse James and his vehicle customizing team were given an idea, with 5 days and $3000 to bring the idea into reality. From this straightforward concept came hours of entertainment that still hold up when watched today.
Here are 15 facts you probably didn't know about Monster Garage's hit history:
15 It Started With Motorcycle Mania
If you've heard about customizing motorcycles, you've probably heard of West Coast Choppers. The legendary bike shop was in fact run by Jesse James himself. When Discovery Channel approached James to produce a documentary about his motorcycle building exploits, the end result, "Motorcycle Mania," was so popular that the Discovery Channel wanted James to have his own show - Monster Garage
14 Jesse James' Dream Build Was Never Realized
With so many incredible, and incredibly ridiculous, cars being built on one show, it must be hard to pick out one achievement to have as a dream. Not for Jesse James though. The star of the show went on to say that his ultimate end goal was to join the 200 MPH club in a car he built. A dream that was sadly never realized on Monster Garage.
13 1 Out Of Every 10 Builds Was A Failure
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." This age-old saying can apply to plenty of things in life, but none fit better than the lofty builds Monster Garage attempted to produce. While plenty of incredible machines were brought to life, 1 out of every 10 attempts ended in failure. At least Jesse James could take out his frustrations by destroying the failed car.
12 Scripted, Like Most Reality Show
Reality TV has been popular for quite some time now, and as with any media, people catch on to the tricks as time goes on. The average viewer today can spot scripted reality shows, but back when it was introduced, Monster Garage was rather convincing when it came to the "reality" part of reality TV. While the events of the show did actually happen, much of it was guided by the producer's hand.
11 Forced To Break A Window By Producers
One such "guided" moment came during the Cadillac Escalade episode when team member Larry Webster was given the job of removing epoxy from the Cadillac's windows. After expressing his concerns that he was unqualified for the task, the producers set him up for failure and instructed him to sandblast the epoxy off. Of course, this failed - causing the window to shatter, thus giving the producers what they wanted - some extra drama.
10 Legal Trouble Over Emissions Standards
If you've ever tried to register a modified vehicle in California, or seen videos of people trying to, then you're probably aware that the Golden State is quite strict about how much emissions can be produced. Several bikes built under James through West Coast Choppers were found to be in violation of these emissions standards, racking him up a $271,250 fine.
9 Legal Trouble Over Custom Car Contract
Speaking of legal troubles, James found more legal trouble from customizing vehicles when he failed to deliver on a customer's 1949 Cadillac. Problems arose when the verbally agreed-upon price of $250,000-350,000 turned into as much as $700,000 to actually get the job done. After 2 years of no solid news about his car's status, that was the final straw that led to a lawsuit against James.
8 From TV Show To Video Game
It's a rather common occurrence for exciting TV shows to receive a video game adaptation, after all, if you enjoy watching it, why wouldn't you enjoy playing it. That line of thinking only got Monster Garage's video game adaptation so far though, with rather negative reviews following the release. With car-based media and video games more popular than ever, it's interesting to think about how a Monster Garage remake would fare in 2020...
7 Jesse James Was Ordained As A Minister For The Show
When the episode calls for a drive-able chapel to be built, and attention to detail is key, what should the host of the show do? Get ordained as a Minister of course. James went through the Universal Life Church to get officially ordained, just so he could legally marry people in the back of the episode's car. Now that's dedication to the craft.
6 4 Marriages, 3 Kids
Gossiping about the love life of celebrities is a prime source of entertainment, and Jesse James delivers on this in spades. Originally married to Karla James, with whom he had 2 kids, from 1991 to 2002, he moved on to Janine Lindemulder in 2002 and had another child.
Later divorcing Janine, Jesse James moved on to marry Hollywood superstar Sandra Bullock, before divorcing due to his unfaithfulness in 2010. He has however found a new wife who is more his speed - Drag Racer Alexis DeJoria
5 Generous Donations, Tools For Good
Proving himself as an everyday man who worked his way up to where he is, Jesse James isn't one to let valuable equipment go to waste. Any tools offered to him, whether as a gift or sponsorship, went to his own foundation. The Jesse James Foundation for Industrial Arts in Long Beach benefits highly from this, allowing people who may not have had the means to get out there and learn how to do some serious car work.
4 A UK Spin-Off Was Made... But Failed
When a new and innovative show garners enough success, the higher-ups in the TV industry take notice. With Monster Garage being both groundbreaking and successful, it's natural that UK based studios wanted to cash in on the craze. However, something must have been lost between the original and the UK spin-off, as it was canceled after only 8 episodes.
3 Firing A Crew Member Over A Comment
When the episode's goal calls for a DeLorean DMC-12 to be turned into a hovercraft, it must be a fun time for everyone working on it. Not the case with the actual DeLorean hovercraft episode of Monster Garage.
Perhaps it was scripted by the producers, but Jesse James' temper gets the best of him when a crew member disagrees with how the car's body should be removed. Instead of having a discussion, James is shown to immediately fire the crew member from the show, yikes.
2 Refusing To Build A Bike For Sylvester Stallone... Because It Had To Be Yellow
When you showcase your talent for building the wildest rides possible, people take note. If those people happen to have the means to pay for your work, then it's only natural for a deal to be made.
That wasn't the case for Sylvester Stallone however, as Jesse James shut down and refused to go through with his proposal for a custom bike. Why? Because Stallone wanted it to be yellow, and James hates yellow.
1 A Rolling Death Trap, Just For Dwarves
The Peel Trident is a cool car on its own. One of the smallest cars in the world, the Peel Trident can barely fit an average-sized adult. But that's not a problem for dwarves, as the car is the ideal size for them.
Drafting a team of mechanics, who happened to all be dwarves, the goal for the episode was to swap a Hayabusa motorbike engine into the Trident. This episode ended in failure, but that's probably for the best, as that much power in a car never meant to exceed 28 MPH is a recipe for extreme danger.