Paul Teutul Sr. from ‘American Chopper’ Declared Bankruptcy and Sold His House: This Is His Life Today

Paul Teutul became a massive reality television star through the show American Chopper. The show became very popular, and when it aired in 2002, Paul had already worked in the industry for decades.

A Merchant Marine at the age of 18, Paul Teutul Sr.’s life hasn’t always been a pleasant journey, with his mother drinking heavily as the reality television star grew up. And in recent years, things have also been somewhat challenging, as Paul Teutul’s finances fell to pieces. It’s been rather quiet around him – but soon, the TV celebrity might be back on track.

So how did Paul Teutul Sr. become a reality television star? And what is the 73-year-old doing today? This is all you need to know about him! 

Becoming a celebrity is the dream of millions of people around the world. But, whether it’s being an athlete, actor, dancer, entertainer, or any other kind, reaching the absolute top requires hard work and dedication.

Paul Teutul Sr. – ‘American Chopper’

But for some, fame comes through a whole different path. For example, Gordon Ramsay and Emeril Lagasse were great chefs at first. And when television networks wanted them to cook on television – or help restaurants back on their feet – they became celebrities known worldwide through their occupation, which at first might not be seen as a celebrity job.

But in the world of television, there are hundreds of different ways to become famous. Some have a very special or unique family, others – like Rick Harrison – a famous Pawn Shop, while others have a great skill in customizing motorcycle bikes.

That’s when Paul Teutul Sr. comes in, the big star on Discovery’s reality television show American Chopper. Alongside his sons, Paul “Paulie” Teutul Jr. and Michael Teutul, he became a global celebrity through the show, which aired for the first time back in 2003. Before that, he made a great name through his custom motorcycle fabrication company Orange County Choppers located in Montgomery, New York.

After ten years – and plenty of drama – American Chopper was canceled by Discovery. But that didn’t stop Paul Teutul Sr. from continuing with his passionate work for motorcycles. However, through the years, he’s also been having some financial issues, which ultimately left him bankrupt.

So what is he doing these days? Let’s take a look!

Paul Teutul Sr. was born on May 1, 1949, in Yonkers, New York. His mother was a heavy drinker, and his father a “workaholic,” which affected all of his childhood.

Paul Teutul Sr. – troubled childhood

In his book Orange County Choppers: The Tale of the Teutuls, Teutul described how his parents beat him regularly.

“I’d be sitting there, struggling through my homework, crying after getting smacked, my lip bleeding. Then if I got hit when I didn’t deserve it, my father, rather than saying he was sorry, would yell, ‘That’s one for the next time,'” he recalled.

Growing up, Paul had no aspirations whatsoever. His strict upbringing in Yonkers had a bad influence on him. At age 12, he also started drinking. Teutul went to Pearl River High School – as his family moved to Rockland County – but it didn’t bring him any new ideas about what he wanted to do with his future.

One thing, however, was that he had always had a love for motorcycles. But it would take some time before his dream came to life.

When he turned 18, Paul Teutul Sr. joined the Merchant Marines. There, he got a whole new perspective on life and his attitude toward work.

“[The boot camp] was like three months of it, not, six weeks. So it was pretty difficult, you know, being 18 years old and being away from home. It was hard for me, you know, to be able to be away and to be able to stick with that and stay there,” Paul told CNBC.

“I think what I did was I challenged myself… I really wasn’t much of a runner and I really didn’t like running. And where I was there was a dock way down the other end of where I was, and I said to myself if I could run all the way down, and all the way back, then I could make this. And I think.. that’s what inspired me to follow through with it.”