Is Chris Harris an 'a' hole

[Luke.]

Exasperated said:

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 ahole. That's just silly.

Steve Sutcliffe is more than worth a mention. Up there with the very best of them.

[anonymous-user]

Luke. said:

Steve Sutcliffe is more than worth a mention. Up there with the very best of them.

Of course! There are so many worth a mention

[Skeptisk]

I’ve met Chris twice. First time he was trying to teach me oversteer on a course and second time I was at a bike track day at Silverstone (he was using the track to test a car during our lunch). Both times he came across as a really nice guy. Genuinely enthusiastic about anything with 2 or 4 wheels.

I also met Steve Sutcliffe. He was a bit dour. Drove well though.

[Lefty]

I always enjoyed his journalism on autocar and evo, then his early YouTube stuff with his own channel and drive.

I never really watched top gear, not since the stuff in 90’s anyway with Jeremy Clarkson, Quentin Wilson, Vicky BH and tiff Needell so I don’t really have much of an opinion on his TG content but I always thought he seems a likeable enough guy. He’s done well for himself and if that means playing up to certain persona in front of the camera then fair play to him.

[Robbo66]

Don’t know him, never met him, like his content and read his book which was very open and good.

Catchpole and CH are standout in a world of mediocrity and funded ‘influencer’ types, who also need to earn a crust.

I can’t imagine, every day, having to review the same old, 4 wheels, 2 headlights and an engine…and try and stand out. How ?.

You either end up as the foghorn of faux pomposity himself, Frankel…or the epitome of an avocado bathroom suite..Joe Achilles.

Anyone who has the moral fibre to dissociate himself from EL and CC deserves an MBE for me.

[zeb]

Influencers or CH?

CH every time for me. I’d rather listen to someone who actually knows about cars as opposed to some spotty oik who wanders round a car show with a go pro

[BunkMoreland]

Never met Harris. Have met Tiff a couple of times (whilst he was working tbf) and he's a legend! Cant say that Harris is an a$$ though. He's not behaving inappropriately. Hes just watering down his brand

BlackTails said:

He has strong opinions and is prepared to voice them, even to the extent of getting on certain manufacturers’ naughty lists. I think he is quite thoughtful and that means that from time to time he will shift his opinion. Those two characteristics disqualify him from being an ahole in my view.

I never bought this. His faux outrage about Ferrari optimising cars for road tests completely ignored that every other manufacturer does the same. ie McLaren tested at Dunsfold before giving the 12c to Clarkson all those years ago. I don't blame the manufacturers for doing that by the way. The Queen thinks the whole world smells of fresh paint and shoe polish remember.

CLK-GTR said:

I think he's a brilliant car journalist who is starting to let who his paymasters are cloud his judgment. I don't fully trust his opinions anymore.

As for the influencers, I never trusted theirs.

THAT!

Its clear he has "relationships" with certain car companies in Stuttgart (Preuninger specifically) and Bavaria. And will never bad mouth them. I'm unsurprised he's so supportive of a M5 Touring weighing MORE than an X5 and MORE than the also mild hybrid RS6.

Tuthill is also someone he's friends with and I've never heard him say anything they produce is anything less than 10/10. Same for the Singer guys. (Though in fairness the last film about the Singer Turbo IS an advert for Singer by Singer)

I get WHY they do it. I just wish that they wouldn't.

I'm reminded that James May remarked in the last couple of years that when the 3 were presenting Top Gear they would NEVER be allowed to be given a long termer by any manufacturer. That they HAD to buy their own cars to keep their independence. The hint being that these days, people in the game were happy to be "treated"

miniman said:

Now if you’re looking for an arse, I’d like to propose Andrew Frankel. Great writer but talk about having a voice for print.

I listened to the podcast where they had Catchpole on. And the first half of it was Frankel wittering away. in fact I'd go so far as to say "Intercooler" is a terrible podcast in general.

Luke. said:

To be honest, I think he think's everyone on the forums are tossers. And on the whole, he's got a point to be fair.

I suspect he only thinks that because he's had criticism from here. Probably some justified and some not so much



In terms of other CarTubers. Catchpole. JayEmm (of this parish) Throttle house can be good as can some of Hagertys American presenters. The former Evo guys are obviously good.

Edited by BunkMoreland on Monday 19th August 20:52

[miniman]

BunkMoreland said:

miniman said:

Now if you’re looking for an arse, I’d like to propose Andrew Frankel. Great writer but talk about having a voice for print.

I listened to the podcast where they had Catchpole on. And the first half of it was Frankel wittering away. in fact I'd go so far as to say "Intercooler" is a terrible podcast in general.

I would agree with you, I tried several episodes of Intercooler and Frankel just puts me off entirely.

Same for Autocar podcast, I really enjoy Steve Cropley’s writing but the two of them just don’t work in audio.

I guess the lesson is that just because you can write, it doesn’t mean you can broadcast.

[Robbo66]

miniman said:

BunkMoreland said:

miniman said:

Now if you’re looking for an arse, I’d like to propose Andrew Frankel. Great writer but talk about having a voice for print.

I listened to the podcast where they had Catchpole on. And the first half of it was Frankel wittering away. in fact I'd go so far as to say "Intercooler" is a terrible podcast in general.

I would agree with you, I tried several episodes of Intercooler and Frankel just puts me off entirely.

Same for Autocar podcast, I really enjoy Steve Cropley’s writing but the two of them just don’t work in audio.

I guess the lesson is that just because you can write, it doesn’t mean you can broadcast.

Frankel just doesn’t let Dan Prosser speak, every episode is basically ‘An evening with Frankel’…they need to change the format, have guests on and seriously gag him or this will fail big time.

[anonymous-user]

miniman said:

Same for Autocar podcast, I really enjoy Steve Cropley’s writing but the two of them just don’t work in audio.

Maybe I'm weird, but I really enjoy Cropley and Prior. At the very least they can talk candidly about their experiences without coming across as smug and arrogant, which is a mean feat compared to some other automotive podcasts.

[Olivera]

Robbo66 said:

Frankel just doesn’t let Dan Prosser speak, every episode is basically ‘An evening with Frankel’…they need to change the format, have guests on and seriously gag him or this will fail big time.

The Intercooler, aka Prosser interviews a pontificating Frankel

[Mezzanine]

Robbo66 said:

Frankel just doesn’t let Dan Prosser speak, every episode is basically ‘An evening with Frankel’…they need to change the format, have guests on and seriously gag him or this will fail big time.

Does Prosser actually have anything to say though?

I find him completely monotone and devoid of emotion when he presents (either on the podcast or in video).

I never feel he has any strong conviction or opinions, he just seems rather ‘journeyman’.

At least Frankel has a bit of spirit and personality to him.

[FiF]

Exasperated said:

miniman said:

Same for Autocar podcast, I really enjoy Steve Cropley’s writing but the two of them just don’t work in audio.

Maybe I'm weird, but I really enjoy Cropley and Prior. At the very least they can talk candidly about their experiences without coming across as smug and arrogant, which is a mean feat compared to some other automotive podcasts.

Agreed, quite early on I thought these two are just like two of us just wittering on about "What've you been up to this week." over a pint or a mug of tea. With all the possibility for stuff that you agree with, stuff that you don't, something you didn't know.

Re the Intercooler, well yes it really is sometimes like Dan Prosser interviews Andrew Frankel.

However I really liked the comment made by James May when they had him on. Not his exact words but as close as can remember but it went some thing like "I don't mean to be rude, but..., sometimes you're really fking boring, however listening to it because it's very knowledgeable people talking in detail about a subject that I love, and every so often you hear something and think well I didn't know that!"

Now Smith and Sniff, sometimes I'm shaking with laughter, at other times the utter bobbins is irritating.

[ecksjay]

I enjoy his stuff. Especially his older stuff, but I still enjoy his newer videos. He seems to be a genuine petrol head, and can still get excited over silly things (that old m5 of his seems to mean more to him than his children....).

I actively avoid any other bks. Can't stand that fking Schmee driven, honestly, how people watch that bks I have no idea. I've tried a few times but the guys has the personality of a wet fking flannel. Barely anything else really appeals (especially anything influencers).

I could happily watch Henry Catchpole any time however. Seems like a nice bloke that again, really seems to enjoy what he does. Actually, Chris doesn't seem to enjoy what he does, but it still is enjoyable watching him do it. Never watched any of the top gear stuff really, only his YouTube vids..

[cerb4.5lee]

I love cars and I love reading about cars, but I will admit that I just don't understand/see the attraction of the whole podcast thing though. Podcasts just don't do anything for me at all.

[Red9zero]

cerb4.5lee said:

I love cars and I love reading about cars, but I will admit that I just don't understand/see the attraction of the whole podcast thing though. Podcasts just don't do anything for me at all.

I got into them when I was driving a lot of miles for work. Now I'm WFH, I listen to them while walking our dog, as he is incredibly slow

[cerb4.5lee]

Red9zero said:

I got into them when I was driving a lot of miles for work. Now I'm WFH, I listen to them while walking our dog, as he is incredibly slow

Yes and a lot of folk do seem to like them as you say.

[John D.]

OP is clearly hoping for a mention in the next podcast.

[bristolbaron]

CH on the late brake show was perfection - two proper journo’s talking through the nerdy stuff sat in a car barn and a look around a collection which is ‘another man’s treasure’. The pair of them have car collections which are purely selfish indulgences built up over years and miles away from a ‘what would make good content’ mindset.

We’re all a bit of an A hole in our own ways, but whatever your opinion tv/youtube/social media would definitely be worse without him.

[PlywoodPascal]

bristolbaron said:

We’re all a bit of an A hole in our own ways,

I’m more of a bellend than an ahole I think.

The difference is an ahole is just nasty, maybe even without regret, whereas a bellend is a nice person who sometimes does stupid or inconsiderate things but will see the wrong and apologise.