Jesse James is a travelin' man

(Photo submitted) Television host Jesse James will make a pair of appearances in Spencer to promote his line of work wear. He'll have some of his custom-made projects on display.

At least that's the way it seemed for the reality television star as he conducted a telephone interview from Long Beach, Calif. Fame hasn't altered what he wants to accomplish on a Wednesday morning.

"Right now, I'm still sitting in the same shop," he laughed. "Really, there's no difference at all. I've got a ton of work to finish."

James started West Coast Choppers with a few dollars and a vision. Only 15 motorcycles a year come out of his internationally recognized, handcrafted chopper shop.

He personally completes two or three projects a year for customers and says there isn't a Mona Lisa in the batch -- his favorite project is the one he happens to be working on at the moment.

"They're like lawnmowers to me," he said. "Everybody thinks they're real special, but honestly I just use them to go fast."

Some of his work will be on display when he comes to the Clay County Fairgrounds for a 1-3 p.m. appearance Saturday. He'll return Sunday for an appearance at Wal-Mart from 1-3 p.m.

The events are part of a tour to launch a new season of Jesse James Industrial Workwear at the store. The clothing line is targeted toward customers who work with their hands.

"It's the basic staple items, like work pants, work shirts and work boots, heavy-duty socks and heavy-duty T-shirts." he said.

He loses some weekend time in the shop as a result of the Wal-Mart tour, but the schedule isn't as demanding as the production schedules for his previous television shows.

"Actually, it's one of my favorite things to do -- going to county fairs and meeting real Americans and people who are the heart and soul of this country," James said.

James hosted six seasons of "Monster Garage" on the Discovery Channel. On that show, a team of five people with mechanical, fabricating, or modifying expertise converted vehicles into a "monster" machine on a shoestring budget. A limo would be converted to a fire truck or a PT Cruiser could be changed into a wood chipper as part of the show.

Last season, a new show, "Jesse James is a Dead Man" averaged more than 1.5 million viewers weekly. On that program, James has set himself on fire, outrun the police, rode across the Arctic Circle on a motorcycle and drove through a minefield, among other challenges. In the process, he's broken a land-speed record, three ribs and an elbow. He's chipped his pelvis and even had a concussion or two.

He also has a half-dozen documentaries and an appearance on "Celebrity Apprentice" to his credit.

James said he is glad the earlier garage-based shows are changing the image of people who work with their hands.

"Ten years ago, if you were a diesel mechanic, you were, like, a dirty grease monkey," he said. "No one respected you. Now, with Monster Garage, it's made trade stuff a little bit more acceptable. I'm very proud of that. It's a love-hate relationship. I love making TV money, but I don't particularly like being on TV much."

He used a one-year contract to take a break from "Jesse James is a Dead Man." Fame comes and goes quickly, but as long a James can say the same thing about the motorcycles coming out of his shop, he's going to be just fine.

"I was born to be behind a welding helmet and making stuff," he said. "The TV stuff is cool and I've had great success with it, but at the end of the day, I'm still just here and meant to be here building."

'Monster Garage' host set for weekend in Spencer

Some of Jesse James work will be on display when the television host comes to the Clay County Fairgrounds for a 1-3 p.m. appearance Saturday. He'll return Sunday for an appearance at Wal-Mart from 1-3 p.m.