In case you missed the looks of confusion and responses of “Wait. What, really?” Top Gear made it official this morning: Matt LeBlanc will be joining Chris Evans and the gang as the new series’ co-host. “As a car nut and massive fan of Top Gear, I’m honoured and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter,” he said in a statement. “What a thrill!”
And of course it is. Many of us saw the episode of Friends where Joey put on as much Porsche paraphernalia as he once did layers of Chandler’s clothing, so it makes sense that the actor who played him should be free to channel his inner – as Chris Evans described him – “petrolhead”.
This choice is already proving its worth, with many already consumed by the idea of LeBlanc talking about cars with celebrities. It’s a move that not only capitalises on our lust for famouses, but on the evergreen popularity of Friends. LeBlanc, aka Joey, is a non-threatening face (or, the opposite of Jeremy Clarkson), as well as an award-winner (lest we forget his 2012 Golden Globe win for Episodes). He knows how the media circuit works, and, better still, he surely knows what makes interviews work. He’s been under the spotlight since 1994, which means he’ll more than likely work to make guests’ appearances on the show interesting and fun.
This also means he’ll have the power to rope in those of us who aren’t super into cars. As a BBC source said, “LeBlanc’s presence on the show will also be a boost when selling it internationally, particularly in the US,” and that’s entirely true. As someone who’s not well-versed in the minutiae of motoring culture, I’ll absolutely tune in to watch The Artist Formerly Known As Joey™ – if only to see what he’ll be like in the role, and how he’ll handle it. It could be the equivalent of when James Corden crossed the Atlantic to join the ranks of American late night. Or it could be the opposite, and we will never speak of it again. (I hope it’s the former.)
I have high hopes – especially since American megastars have been making themselves comfortable on British TV lately. Maggie Gyllenhaal has earned accolades for her role in The Honourable Woman, Gillian Anderson has dominated The Fall, and Jeremy Piven is still working on Mr Selfridge.
And while LeBlanc need only act himself (or Joey – none of us will be upset if he channels Joey), it’s still a testament to the pop cultural crossover that’s underway. No longer are British and American television so separate: because of Netflix and streaming services, we get to watch TV under a massive cultural umbrella, meaning there’s more room and opportunities for actors, directors and presenters to collaborate and work together.
Which is why I’m more than OK with LeBlanc hanging out on Top Gear and bringing a new brand of authenticity to a series more recently associated with questionable behaviour, and its boys’ club vibe. Odds are, an award-winning actor would like to avoid engaging in the previous dynamic, whichtended to make Top Gear so alienating; so it’s a fresh start for the show and a chance for its network to sell it as something new, progressive, and interesting for audiences in 2016.
Plus, it’s LeBlanc playing himself – a role which, as shown by Episodes, he does rather well. And since he’s proved to have not only a sense of humour about his legacy, but a personality we’re all still obviously interested in (at least enough to discuss him presenting Top Gear), we can’t really go wrong. Nobody here loses. Unless we’re talking about those of us who will be disappointed when he doesn’t walk out that first night wearing a satin Porsche jacket.
