5 Minutes With Jeremy Clarkson in Detroit – and the Bob Seger connection
If you’ve never watched The Grand Tour or Top Gear, it’s hard to explain the reach of the show and the impact it’s had on so many people world wide. Jeremy Clarkson is the host of the show, and as we celebrate the final episode (don’t get me crying already) – I wanted to share what happened with Jeremy here in Detroit back in 2018.
Jeremy Clarkson and Bob Seger
For a little bit of context, Jeremy has been a huge fan of Bob Seger for most his life – as documented in this article he wrote for Top Gear back in 1994.
Fast forward to 2018 and I was at the beautiful Foundation Hotel in Downtown Detroit for a “ride and drive” press event (media test drives cars, gets put up in a hotel room, fed free dinner and then surprisingly writes glowing things about whatever they drove that day…shocking).
After the first driving session we made our way into the bar to grab a drink (am I really explaining how a bar works?), and there was Jeremy Clarkson in a small area towards the back with his girlfriend Lisa (who btw was so gracious).
I could see all the hardcore automotive journalists were sizing up Jeremy, trying to figure out how they’d talk to him – maybe bring up the new Hellcat platform, or what was going on with Aston Martin? My move. Seger.
Talking Bob With Jeremy
So I respectfully made my way towards Jeremy (sometimes I forget how big I am…he was looking up like what’s this gorilla want?). I smiled, introduced myself and say “so you like Bob Seger”?
His eyes lit up.
We spent a couple of minutes talking about Bob, Jeremy’s favorite Seger tune (for cruising it’s “Long Twin Silver Line”) and he graciously took a picture with me (see below). I asked him if he had any Seger vinyl, he said no – so I told him I’d get some…made my way back to the station and grabbed a 45 plus some other limited edition Seger albums and headed back downtown.
Perfect timing. I was walking into Foundation Hotel as Jeremy was heading out for dinner, I smiled and made sure the vinyl was left at the desk for his room (he didn’t want to carry it around at dinner). We talked for a minute or two about Detroit – how much he loved the city and what was going on here – then he was off.
Like so many people world wide, we’ve all written about the impact of Top Gear/Grand Tour – but to me it’s the reminder of cars and the passion we have for them – the stories they tell, the reminders of our youth and dreams that come when you see a hypercar, or watch Richard Hammond tearing down the road in a stunning Ferrari.
Jeremy Clarkson is that guy you want to have a beer with at the bar (pub), listen to his take on everything and nod your head – while Seger plays on the jukebox.
There are a lot of things we regret in life, moments we didn’t take. But that five minutes with Jeremy Clarkson brings a smile to my face. And the fact he loves our man Bob Seger makes it even better.
Now I’ve got to figure out how to get a Bob Seger blvd sign to him.
