Ask American Profile 5/29/2005

Paul Teutul Sr. & Paul Teutul Jr., Vinnie Demartino, Ty Pennington, Molly Ringwald

I love American Chopper. I was wondering if you could tell me the address of Orange County Choppers so I could write to Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr.
—Connie T., Ohio

You can write to both father and son at: Orange County Choppers, 10 Factory St., Montgomery, N.Y. 12549, or via e-mail at fanmail@orangecountychoppers.com. For Paul Sr., 56, born in Yonkers, N.Y., the popular Discovery Channel show is just an extension of the steel fabricating business that he began in the early 1970s. The divorced father had his sons—Paul Jr. (Paulie), 30; Mikey, 26; and Danny, 28—working for him in the steel shop, previous to the bike building. Paul Jr. is chief designer and fabricator at OCC, Mikey answers phones and orders parts, and Danny is the general manager of Orange County Ironworks. (They have a sister, Kristin, who is studying to become a nurse.) "We like doing the show," says Paul Sr. of the show that captures the day-to-day drama of the Teutul family and their struggles to maintain their flourishing custom motorcycle shop, as well as their family relationships. "It’s more work than you think it is and you really don’t have any time to yourself, but we have a lot of fun doing it."

What happened to Vinnie, who was Paulie’s right hand man on American Chopper?
—Ray Y., Missouri

Vinnie Demartino, 32, is still very much a part of Orange County Choppers. "There were a couple of episodes I wasn’t as involved in, but I’m still very much involved," says Demartino, who has been friends with Paul Teutul Jr. since the third grade. Demartino began riding motorcycles when he was 3. "My father sold motorcycles, and he made my first with training wheels," he says. The Newburgh, N.Y. (pop. 28,259), native now lives in Pinebush, N.Y., with his wife of four years, Melissa, and baby daughter Vanessa. "I drive her around the yard on my scooter right now." Demartino admits that he has a love-hate relationship with the show. "It’s a lot of work," he says. "When the cameras stop rolling, we’re still working."

I would like to know more about Ty Pennington.
—Selena E., South Dakota

Born Tygert Bruton Pennington in Atlanta, Pennington, 39, is a self-proclaimed "jack of all trades." He attended Kennesaw College, focusing on art and history. After a year, his art professor suggested a career in graphic design, so Pennington began working as a carpenter by day and attending classes at the Atlanta Art Institute by night. During his final semester, though, he started modeling and traveled the world doing ads for Sprite, Diet Coke and Levi’s. After his 1995 stint as set designer for the movie Leaving Las Vegas, he became the designer/carpenter on Trading Spaces, ultimately leading to his network success with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. That, in turn, paved the way for his first book, Ty’s Tricks, a New York Times best seller last fall, as well as his partnership with Sears, where he has a line of household products. When he’s not on the road doing what he loves most—"helping families achieve the good life"—Pennington resides in Los Angeles with his longtime girlfriend, Drea Bock, who is also his manager.

What happened to Molly Ringwald, who played in several movies in the 1980s?
—Rachel D., Tennessee

Molly Ringwald was only 16 during the peak of her fame in the 1980s with Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. But breaking that teen stereotype was not easy for the Roseville, Calif., native, and in 1990, at 22, she moved to Paris for the next 10 years, which included a failed short marriage. In the late 1990s, Ringwald took several roles in low profile projects. Then in 2000, she returned to the United States, where she worked on and off Broadway, including a portrayal of sassy Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Now 37, Ringwald lives with her daughter, Mathilda Ereni, in New York City. Her most visible recent role was in the popular 2001 spoof, Not Another Teen Movie.

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