Is Chris Harris an 'a' hole
Discussion
PinkTornado said:
Ella Jean said:
I really like Chris.
He’s managed to keep his integrity which is a rare thing in his profession.
That's what worried me about him lowering himself to do all the stupid TG stuff with McGuinness and Flintoff.He’s managed to keep his integrity which is a rare thing in his profession.
I remember watching the M2 segment and thinking he can’t be comfortable with this, that sort of thing is exactly what YT is full of.
slopes said:
I think a lot of his chopping and changing is in an effort to keep his profile up and hence earn money, especially since Freddie pulled the rug out from under his and Paddy's feet.
Yup. TG was no doubt going to a nice consistent earner for years+. I like him and although initially I didn't like him on TG as he wasn't the Last of the summer wine trio that came before he made it more grownup again. He's back to what JC did/does - stirring the pot. I'd prefer to see Chris back on tv to be honest.
As a connoisseur of old car magazines here is my take:
The old school were print only and had a direct line to the manufacturer.
People like John Bolster, stuffy, old school journalists.
Technically proficient and able to pass the information across but pretty dry.
Then in the 1970’s the American magazines came along with a refreshing style which still conveyed the relevant information but some how ‘brought you along for the ride’. Innes Ireland was similar in his columns where he indulges in a Gonzo-style journalism of reporting his 2 weeks chasing the Grand Prix caravan around Europe in a DBS with wife & typewriter in tow.
You have the eccentrics (Setright) and the wannabes who just ape others.
By the late 1980’s the print template is pretty set and TV had followed suit.
Russel Bulgin was the next journalist to push the art form.
His style has influenced every writer & broadcaster since, especially Mr. Jeremy Clarkson who between 1993-1996 underwent quite the transformation.
Easy to deride as a ‘Bulgin from Wish’ what Clarkson actually did was clever, he used the ‘oh-so-knowing-and-irreverent’ stylings that Bulgin employed and added in a open door so those not in the know could join in.
Where Bulgin would use a subtle nod to the Citroën DS Clarkson would describe something as a ‘Hydropenumatic-heffalump’ which the man on the street found funny even if he wasn’t sure what the point was.
It was a huge success.
Shouty talk & funny analogies became de-rigeur and it is entertainment.
Chris Harris has tried to forge his own path, stripping away the silliness and returning to something of the mid-1980’s CAR magazine style of print journalistic cleverness and integrity on screen.
This is him at his strongest.
https://youtu.be/wl9wGfplgdg?si=0oEZtWwTF_IkIR_C
Very much what Bulgin would be doing now.
Unfortunately for Mr.Harris the man on the street likes shouty words & funny analogies.
Chris Harris then dumbed down his own style in exchange for the TopGear gig.
But now that’s gone he is in the same market as every monkey with a Go-Pro.
I’d probably come across as a bit grumpy from time to time if that happened to me.
The old school were print only and had a direct line to the manufacturer.
People like John Bolster, stuffy, old school journalists.
Technically proficient and able to pass the information across but pretty dry.
Then in the 1970’s the American magazines came along with a refreshing style which still conveyed the relevant information but some how ‘brought you along for the ride’. Innes Ireland was similar in his columns where he indulges in a Gonzo-style journalism of reporting his 2 weeks chasing the Grand Prix caravan around Europe in a DBS with wife & typewriter in tow.
You have the eccentrics (Setright) and the wannabes who just ape others.
By the late 1980’s the print template is pretty set and TV had followed suit.
Russel Bulgin was the next journalist to push the art form.
His style has influenced every writer & broadcaster since, especially Mr. Jeremy Clarkson who between 1993-1996 underwent quite the transformation.
Easy to deride as a ‘Bulgin from Wish’ what Clarkson actually did was clever, he used the ‘oh-so-knowing-and-irreverent’ stylings that Bulgin employed and added in a open door so those not in the know could join in.
Where Bulgin would use a subtle nod to the Citroën DS Clarkson would describe something as a ‘Hydropenumatic-heffalump’ which the man on the street found funny even if he wasn’t sure what the point was.
It was a huge success.
Shouty talk & funny analogies became de-rigeur and it is entertainment.
Chris Harris has tried to forge his own path, stripping away the silliness and returning to something of the mid-1980’s CAR magazine style of print journalistic cleverness and integrity on screen.
This is him at his strongest.
https://youtu.be/wl9wGfplgdg?si=0oEZtWwTF_IkIR_C
Very much what Bulgin would be doing now.
Unfortunately for Mr.Harris the man on the street likes shouty words & funny analogies.
Chris Harris then dumbed down his own style in exchange for the TopGear gig.
But now that’s gone he is in the same market as every monkey with a Go-Pro.
I’d probably come across as a bit grumpy from time to time if that happened to me.
.Not really watched any of his stuff for a few years. I think his style got a bit samesy.
Specs, the annoying bits, skids, woohoo "watch this", a "tidy" hot lap, some slow mos and lets calm down... "go and buy one".
As for his opinions on if cars are any good, I would listen to him over any youtube geeza with BOMAD behind them who has never driven a car even close to the limit let alone can explain compression ratios, suspension geometry and has even the slightest idea about the market and its wants and needs beyond, wrap, exhaust and "why I am selling my..."
Specs, the annoying bits, skids, woohoo "watch this", a "tidy" hot lap, some slow mos and lets calm down... "go and buy one".
As for his opinions on if cars are any good, I would listen to him over any youtube geeza with BOMAD behind them who has never driven a car even close to the limit let alone can explain compression ratios, suspension geometry and has even the slightest idea about the market and its wants and needs beyond, wrap, exhaust and "why I am selling my..."
Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
I like Chris Harris, almost the same age as me and his autobiography was a trip down memory lane.
What I can’t get my head around is that he appears to be quite wealthy with a nice town house in Bristol and a nice pad in the Forest of Dean. He’s happy to spend fortunes on cars normally monthlies of 1000s but at the same time gives the impression of having no money or at least not having made anything out of his career. He’s also privately educated so I think at least in part he has to be a bit careful about slagging off influencers as he comes from a position of financial privilege and it’s only because of that that he can indulge himself in his passions and try and make some money from it.
But he is an authority on cars and can drive, although I find the podcast unrelatable .
I remember in his relatively early days he'd personally run some proper exotic stuff and I got the impression (possibly wrongly) that he was far from loaded.What I can’t get my head around is that he appears to be quite wealthy with a nice town house in Bristol and a nice pad in the Forest of Dean. He’s happy to spend fortunes on cars normally monthlies of 1000s but at the same time gives the impression of having no money or at least not having made anything out of his career. He’s also privately educated so I think at least in part he has to be a bit careful about slagging off influencers as he comes from a position of financial privilege and it’s only because of that that he can indulge himself in his passions and try and make some money from it.
But he is an authority on cars and can drive, although I find the podcast unrelatable .
The nearly new FF springs to mind. He used to talk about the finance. IIRC (which I probably don't) it was around £1500pm back then.
He's made it work, fair play to him.
ChocolateFrog said:
I remember in his relatively early days he'd personally run some proper exotic stuff and I got the impression (possibly wrongly) that he was far from loaded.
The nearly new FF springs to mind. He used to talk about the finance. IIRC (which I probably don't) it was around £1500pm back then.
He's made it work, fair play to him.
Gallardo way before that.The nearly new FF springs to mind. He used to talk about the finance. IIRC (which I probably don't) it was around £1500pm back then.
He's made it work, fair play to him.
21 years ago it would seem....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Luke. said:
ChocolateFrog said:
I remember in his relatively early days he'd personally run some proper exotic stuff and I got the impression (possibly wrongly) that he was far from loaded.
The nearly new FF springs to mind. He used to talk about the finance. IIRC (which I probably don't) it was around £1500pm back then.
He's made it work, fair play to him.
Gallardo way before that.The nearly new FF springs to mind. He used to talk about the finance. IIRC (which I probably don't) it was around £1500pm back then.
He's made it work, fair play to him.
21 years ago it would seem....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Chris Harris seems a decent guy to me, a proper petrolhead on both 4 and 2 wheels.
From what I remember about the A45s review, when put in full context, the article was more a general view on why would anyone look to buy the top of the range car, especially when the one below is far better in real life usabilty. In other words, the AMG 35 was the better buy. He did the same thing comparing the Audi RS4 to S4. Seems like sound consumer advice to me, not trying to be different just to be different.
I also agree with many of his issues on the whole influencer scene, though it seems a long time ago since he initiated the spat against influencers in general and that was around how they looked to make money and grift. The one thing that did stick out from that whole debacle was that one influencer did all he could to pour petrol on the flames and then walked away from the fire his team created.
From what I remember about the A45s review, when put in full context, the article was more a general view on why would anyone look to buy the top of the range car, especially when the one below is far better in real life usabilty. In other words, the AMG 35 was the better buy. He did the same thing comparing the Audi RS4 to S4. Seems like sound consumer advice to me, not trying to be different just to be different.
I also agree with many of his issues on the whole influencer scene, though it seems a long time ago since he initiated the spat against influencers in general and that was around how they looked to make money and grift. The one thing that did stick out from that whole debacle was that one influencer did all he could to pour petrol on the flames and then walked away from the fire his team created.
gotoPzero said:
skids, woohoo "watch this", a "tidy" hot lap, some slow mos and lets calm down... "go and buy one".
I used to be a fan, but got increasingly bored with the drifting of everything on 4 wheels. It took me a while, but decided that I really don't give a monkey's about that...Stick Legs said:
As a connoisseur of old car magazines here is my take:
The old school were print only and had a direct line to the manufacturer.
People like John Bolster, stuffy, old school journalists.
Technically proficient and able to pass the information across but pretty dry.
Then in the 1970’s the American magazines came along with a refreshing style which still conveyed the relevant information but some how ‘brought you along for the ride’. Innes Ireland was similar in his columns where he indulges in a Gonzo-style journalism of reporting his 2 weeks chasing the Grand Prix caravan around Europe in a DBS with wife & typewriter in tow.
You have the eccentrics (Setright) and the wannabes who just ape others.
By the late 1980’s the print template is pretty set and TV had followed suit.
Russel Bulgin was the next journalist to push the art form.
His style has influenced every writer & broadcaster since, especially Mr. Jeremy Clarkson who between 1993-1996 underwent quite the transformation.
Easy to deride as a ‘Bulgin from Wish’ what Clarkson actually did was clever, he used the ‘oh-so-knowing-and-irreverent’ stylings that Bulgin employed and added in a open door so those not in the know could join in.
Where Bulgin would use a subtle nod to the Citroën DS Clarkson would describe something as a ‘Hydropenumatic-heffalump’ which the man on the street found funny even if he wasn’t sure what the point was.
It was a huge success.
Shouty talk & funny analogies became de-rigeur and it is entertainment.
Chris Harris has tried to forge his own path, stripping away the silliness and returning to something of the mid-1980’s CAR magazine style of print journalistic cleverness and integrity on screen.
This is him at his strongest.
https://youtu.be/wl9wGfplgdg?si=0oEZtWwTF_IkIR_C
Very much what Bulgin would be doing now.
Unfortunately for Mr.Harris the man on the street likes shouty words & funny analogies.
Chris Harris then dumbed down his own style in exchange for the TopGear gig.
But now that’s gone he is in the same market as every monkey with a Go-Pro.
I’d probably come across as a bit grumpy from time to time if that happened to me.
Excellent post.The old school were print only and had a direct line to the manufacturer.
People like John Bolster, stuffy, old school journalists.
Technically proficient and able to pass the information across but pretty dry.
Then in the 1970’s the American magazines came along with a refreshing style which still conveyed the relevant information but some how ‘brought you along for the ride’. Innes Ireland was similar in his columns where he indulges in a Gonzo-style journalism of reporting his 2 weeks chasing the Grand Prix caravan around Europe in a DBS with wife & typewriter in tow.
You have the eccentrics (Setright) and the wannabes who just ape others.
By the late 1980’s the print template is pretty set and TV had followed suit.
Russel Bulgin was the next journalist to push the art form.
His style has influenced every writer & broadcaster since, especially Mr. Jeremy Clarkson who between 1993-1996 underwent quite the transformation.
Easy to deride as a ‘Bulgin from Wish’ what Clarkson actually did was clever, he used the ‘oh-so-knowing-and-irreverent’ stylings that Bulgin employed and added in a open door so those not in the know could join in.
Where Bulgin would use a subtle nod to the Citroën DS Clarkson would describe something as a ‘Hydropenumatic-heffalump’ which the man on the street found funny even if he wasn’t sure what the point was.
It was a huge success.
Shouty talk & funny analogies became de-rigeur and it is entertainment.
Chris Harris has tried to forge his own path, stripping away the silliness and returning to something of the mid-1980’s CAR magazine style of print journalistic cleverness and integrity on screen.
This is him at his strongest.
https://youtu.be/wl9wGfplgdg?si=0oEZtWwTF_IkIR_C
Very much what Bulgin would be doing now.
Unfortunately for Mr.Harris the man on the street likes shouty words & funny analogies.
Chris Harris then dumbed down his own style in exchange for the TopGear gig.
But now that’s gone he is in the same market as every monkey with a Go-Pro.
I’d probably come across as a bit grumpy from time to time if that happened to me.
Nice work.
marcosgt said:
I can think of worse motoring journalists, but no-one comes close to Henry Catchpole, IMO. His reviews are the only ones I actively look for.
Glad you said this. I greatly respect people like Alex Goy, Steve Cropley, Matt Prior, Chris Harris, Jethro Bovingdon, and many others. They're the A+ tier of journalist who can package and parcel their seemingly endless knowledge into enthusiastic, engaging chunks. However, Henry Catchpole stands (slightly) above them all. His ability to convey enthusiasm, passion and interest is simply unrivalled, and having bumped into him a couple of times, I was happy to verify it's all genuine. What a lovely bloke.Back on topic, no, Chris Harris isn't an a
hole. That's just silly.Gassing Station | TV, Film, Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff