The Teutul’s are a famous family, most popular for manufacturing custom motorcycles in the reality television series, “American Chopper“. The most notable people in the family are Paul Teutul Sr, the family patriarch, and his sons Paul Teutul Jr and Mikey Teutul. The series depicted the family manufacturing bikes in their company, Orange County Choppers, and in other Teutul family ventures. The series has been a fan favorite of motorcycle lovers in the US and worldwide, since its premiere in 2003. Unfortunately, the relationship between the family members wasn’t all good, eventually leading to a huge argument that caused a ten-year feud, which has since ended, and now fans want to know what’s going on between the Teutul men. Read on to find out what caused the feud and what the relationship between the Teutul’s is after their ten-year feud.
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Paul Teutul Sr
Paul John Teutul was born on 1st May 1949, in Yonkers, New York City, USA. Not much is known about his early years, family, or educational background, however, he’s said to have had a keen interest in motorbikes and their workings from a young age. He met, fell in love with, and married Paula in 1969, and the couple have two sons, Paul Jr and Mikey, but in 1995, the pair decided to call it quits, and divorced after 26 years of marriage. Years later, Paul Sr married Beth Dillon and the couple was blessed with two children— a son named Dan and a daughter named Christin.
Building on his childhood interest, Paul Sr. eventually founded his own company named Orange County Ironworks, followed years later by Orange County Choppers —a custom motorcycle manufacturing company. Shortly afterwards, the family were depicted on the reality TV show “American Chopper”, with their workshop being the main focus. Paul Sr has other television credits, as an actor in the films “Wild Hogs” and “Algorithm: BLISS”.
Later on, Paul Sr faced money troubles, and eventually filed for bankruptcy in February 2018 in New York. He stated that he owned $1.8 million in assets and $1.1 million in liabilities; his debts were too big to pay off and he couldn’t liquidate all his assets.
Paul Teutul Jr
Paul Michael Teutul was born on 2nd October 1974, in New York, to Paul Sr. and Paula Teutul. Growing up surrounded by motorcycle lovers, Paul Jr. eventually adopted a love for motorcycles too. Immediately after his matriculation from high school, a young Paul Jr. attended welding courses to learn the skill he would use for the rest of his life, and began working full-time at his father’s first business, Orange County Ironworks. Despite being the owner’s son, he wasn’t given any special treatment, and had to work his way up. He started with minor tasks such as cleaning the shop and assisting the other employees with errands, before being given a supervisory role as head of the rail shop. He also used his welding skills and now extensive knowledge to actively participate in the ironworks.
He subsequently joined his father as a business partner in Orange County Choppers, in the role of chief designer and fabricator. He rose to fame when he appeared in “American Chopper” alongside his father and younger brother, but unfortunately, the father-son relationship was filled with daily arguments and disagreements, so much so that Paul Jr terminated his employment in the show. He would then appear as a consultant and lend a helping hand, but only when his father was away.
He went on to open his own company, Paul Jr Designs—a move perceived by many as competition against his father. He hired former employees of his father’s such as Mikey, Vinnie DiMartino, Robert Collard and Joe Puliafico before appearing in the spin-off, “American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior”, actually competing. He has since had a successful run with his company, where he makes custom automotive for clients, including World of Warcraft game, and the film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”.
Mikey Teutul
Michael Joseph Teutul was born on 26th November 1978, in New York, USA, the younger child of Paul Sr and Paula Teutul. Growing up, Mikey was often in the company of his father, brother and other motorcycle builders in their family store. As a result, he gained a lifelong passion for motorcycles, specifically the ironworks of it. At the age of 14, he began working part-time in the family Orange County Iron Works, doing minor tasks such as answering calls and taking out the trash. When they opened Orange County Choppers, he was promoted to the role of assistant general manager, but was still given only minor tasks. Once in a while though, he was allowed to help them manufacture the Choppers, eventually building his own bike. He was a regular on “American Chopper”, often serving as a mediator between his father and elder brother during their frequent arguments. He showcased his fun, light-hearted side, and provided much-needed comic relief in the show.
He accompanied his family to many promotional events, even appearing in talk shows including “Late Show with David Letterman”, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”. However, Mikey had an addiction problem that hindered his work and the relationship with his family, leading him to be fired from the show. After some time, Mikey managed to work through his addiction and was allowed to resume working in the family business. He later appeared in the spinoff, “American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior”.
More about “American Chopper”
Not long after the launch of Orange County Choppers, the family was approached by the producers of Pilgrim Films and Television to film a show about their lives as manufacturers of unique motorcycles. The premiere aired in March of 2003 on the Discovery Channel, its home until 2007, followed by TLC from 2008 to 2010, eventually returning to Discovery Channel from 2018 onwards. At its prime, it attracted more than three million viewers in the US and worldwide. Some of the most memorable bikes created on the show include World of Warcraft, Comanche and Black Widow bikes, however, it’s not only the bikes that made the show famous, it was also the fights between Paul Sr and Paul Jr that occurred in many episodes. For some reason, the pair rarely saw eye to eye; each had their own views.
Their 10-year feud
After a massive fight in 2008, the three Teutul’s went their separate ways; a feud lasting for more than 10 years, there was barely any contact between the men. Read on to know the conditions surrounding their feud and what where they up to.
What caused the feud?
What started as a show about a family building outrageous bikes together soon turned toxic for the actual family. Paul Sr and Paul Jr both showcased their short tempers, often losing patience with each other, and resulting to near fist fights. It all reached a high in September of 2018, when the pair had yet another explosive brawl. Paul Sr immediately fired his son from the family business on camera— a shocking moment for fans worldwide.
Similarly, Paul Sr and his younger son Mikey didn’t have a great relationship either. Mikey struggled to overcome an alcohol addiction that he battled for years; he checked himself into a rehabilitation center in December of 2009, leaving the show briefly, which strained the father-son relationship, as well as affecting his duties in the family shop. Finally, the ongoing disputes between Paul Sr and his son reached a high when Mikey was officially kicked out of the family business, the father revealing that his son had been given plenty of opportunities to succeed in the business, but Mikey was never serious enough to pursue them.
Court battles
Shortly after his forced exit from the show and business, Paul Jr was served with a lawsuit by his father. Apparently, Paul Jr forcefully bought back his 20% share in the company, and in return, his father sued him. Years later, the New York state Unified Court Systems website stated that the lawsuit of Teutul v Teutul had been disposed, indicating an out of court settlement. The lengthy court battle ensued until Paul Jr eventually sold his stake back to his father in 2011, effectively ending the lawsuit against him.
Life during the Feud
After serving a one year non-compete clause as per his ended contract, Paul Jr opened his own workshop named Paul Jr. Designs (PJD) in Montgomery, New York, less than 20 minutes from his previous job. The then-34 year old realized the gravity of the decision to stop working for his father after 20 years together— 10 years at Orange County Ironworks and 10 years at Orange County Choppers. Primarily a design shop, he didn’t make it all about motorcycles as expected. He took his passion for design and applied it in other places with the hope of reaching more people with good quality, affordable and accessible products. Coleman, his first client, needed customizing of their renowned portable Road Trip Grill. He promised that the new camp stove would be ‘… cool and functional and you can cook on it…I’m customizing this grill just the way I would a chopper, and the beauty is that it’s under $200.’.
Their reunion
A two-hour special episode of “American Chopper” focused on the family reunion after their long feud. The trio went back to where it all started, the first Orange County Choppers building in Newburgh, New York before it was demolished. Among the reminiscences, they built a custom bike together for ABC Supply Company. In an interview with The Post, Paul Jr revealed that he had been pushing for a reunion for a long while, but his father wasn’t interested. He said, ‘… It’s been over 10 years and I just thought I would like to build a bike with my father again, if we could.’ Finally his wish was granted, and fans of the family were given a pleasant surprise. Although they didn’t really see eye to eye on the bike build and design, the pair tried to remain respectful towards each other, and not argue….too much. Luckily, both men swallowed their pride and focused on building the bike without getting sidetracked. In the end, it all worked out.
How is their relationship now?
A new spin-off entitled “American Chopper: Senior vs Junior” was created in which each man’s companies go head to head in designing and producing custom motorcycles. It includes Paul Sr, Paul Jr, Mikey, and many of the original cast as well. Concerning the father-son relationship, it’s known that they speak occasionally, and also text; since the father is now living in Florida, they don’t see much of each other. Paul Jr revealed, ‘… I’d be lying if I said we were best friends. It just hasn’t worked out that way and it’s not what I prefer, but we’re not dealing with a perfect scenario.’.
A happy and healthy New Year to you and your family from everyone and Orange County Choppers!
We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for this year!#OCC #NewYear #2022 #HealthAndHappiness #Celebrate pic.twitter.com/DxJEjDQSwx
— Paul Teutul Sr (@paulteutulsr) January 1, 2022
What are they up to now?
Paul Jr has had a hugely successful design business, thriving year after year. He dedicated his time solely to growing his business by utilizing his creativity as never before. Thanks to his efforts, he works for high-profile clients, and has had countless collaborations with famous brands. His success was so huge that he expanded to other ventures, including motorcycle accessories and even his own clothing line!
In 2010, he married long time girlfriend, actress/ model Rachel Biester, in a lavish ceremony on Bonnet Island Estate. The couple appeared on TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” while their cake was made by TLC’s “Cake Boss”. Despite being invited to the wedding, Paul Sr didn’t attend. In 2015, the couple was blessed with their first born son, Hudson Seven Teutul, opening up a whole new perspective for Paul Jr. He said, ‘When you become a father it makes a difference in the way you see your own father… It changed my viewpoint [toward Sr.] in some degree — it would be hard not to… You can do forgiveness on your own, but the thing with reconciliation is that it takes two.’ He released a book entitled ‘The Build: Designing My Life of Choppers, Family, and Faith’, in which he talks about his life, family relationships, his works and his faith. Most recently, he’s hosting a podcast where he talks about various topics such as preventing veteran suicides. He occasionally appears on “American Chopper”, now as his own boss.
As for Paul Sr, he’s shifted his company from New York to Florida. In an interview with WFLA News Channel 8, he said, ‘… Where I’m at in my life, it’s time for change, and you feel the freedom in Florida, you don’t feel it so much in New York anymore.’. His son Daniel is now the owner and General manager of Orange County Ironworks LLC while his only daughter Cristin is a nurse in Rochester, New York.
Last but not least, Mikey is the founder of FarQueue LLC, a company that primarily deals with gourmet pasta sauces. In 2011, he opened an art gallery called Mikey Teutul’s Wolfgang Gallery but had to close it in 2013 because of declining sales.
How much are the Teutul’s worth?
The main source of the Teutul family income and net worth comes from their time on the hit series, “American Choppers” and the family stores. However, since going their own ways, each member has widened their ventures to increase their incomes. Paul Sr is reputedly worth $500,000 (owing to his many debts) while Mikey is worth $2 million, and Paul Jr an impressive $10 million.
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Where can you find the Teutul’s?
Luckily for fans of the Teutul’s, the family maintains an online presence on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The family patriarch has a large following of 335,000 on Instagram, almost 60,000 on Twitter, and 452,000 on Facebook. Similarly, Paul Jr has a following of 225,000 on Instagram, 155,000 on Twitter, and 1.4 million on Facebook, while Mikey has 380,000 on Facebook, 45,000 on Instagram, and 15,000 on Twitter.
More than a decade after their feud, it’s a relief that the Teutul men are on good terms with each other. Despite going their own ways, each one rose to the challenge and were eventually largely successful in their independent ventures. We wish them all the best in the future.
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