The Bandit is Back!

If you grew up wanting a Pontiac Trans-Am, Smokey and the Bandit might have been the reason why.  Released in 1977 with Burt Reynolds as Bandit, Jerry Reed as Snowman, Sally Field as Frog all racing to bring a truckload of smuggled Coors beer somewhere Coors wasn't allowed, the movie literally had it all.  Sheriff Buford T. Justice, masterfully played by Jackie Gleason, chased them the whole way with his idiot son, Junior Justice (Mike Henry).  There was even a country theme song I still can't get out of my head ("We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there...").

Jackie Gleason was hilarious, the chemistry between Reynolds and Field was genuine, and I'm certain Reynolds was slapping somebody.

Despite all that, the star of the show was really Bandit's black with gold accents Trans-Am.

Burt Reynolds is making a return to the car he made even more famous (sales jumped by 100% after Bandit came out) on the DIY Network show Celebrity Rides.  Five episodes of the show will feature Reynolds restoring a fleet of limited edition Trans-Ams with his design team from YearOne.

Burt Reynolds was hot enough in the 70s that my friend Doug's grandmother openly fantasized about having a lurid affair with him.  I wonder if she'd change her mind seeing his face smoothed out by a surgeon to the point where he looks like a blinking doll with only one moveable eyelid.  (That's about where Reynolds would slap me.)

Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit is set to air Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET, beginning October 19.

And if you're lucky, you might be able to win one of the cars.  From October 8 onwards, Heavy.com users can upload video essays about why they should win the car.  The most creative wins the car...

But you might have to install your own CB radio.  Then you'll be singing along with Jerry Reed belting out "Eastbound and Down"  over your 8-track.

"I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run."

Press Release

The latest installment of DIY Network's new automotive programming franchise, Celebrity Rides, returns with a five-episode series featuring the history-making reunion between a legendary star and his famous ride. On Friday, Oct. 19 at 10 p.m. ET, Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit chronicles award-winning actor Burt Reynolds and his design team at YearOne auto restoration company, as they begin the exciting process of restoring a select fleet of limited edition Trans Ams. DIY also knows Bandit enthusiasts will want to get behind the wheel, so one lucky fan will have a chance to win one!

Heavy.com, where users can upload videos explaining why they should win the car. Reynolds will help select the most creative video, and the winner gets to drive home in a fully restored Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am, as featured in Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit. The winner will be announced during a one-hour recap special of the series on Friday, Dec. 14, which airs at 10 p.m. ET.

The premiere episode of DIY's Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit features original film footage of the 1977 cult classic film and an up-close and personal interview with Reynolds offering insight into how the Bandit (Pontiac Trans Am) became an auto industry icon. Reynolds says: "There wasn't anything on the road that looked like it." And how does he feel about the car today? "It still looks dangerous," he says. "It still looks like it could eat you for lunch."

"In 1977, the water cooler conversation focused on Princess Leia, Annie Hall and a hot little car called Bandit. Thirty years later, car and film enthusiasts alike still have a passion for this incredible vehicle and the impact it had on pop culture," says Kathleen Finch, DIY Network's general manager. "To be able to give away one of these incredible custom vehicles to a lucky DIY viewer is just icing on the cake."

DIY's Celebrity Rides franchise premiered in June with a one-hour special featuring Jay Leno's extensive Duesenberg collection. The franchise continues in 2008 with Celebrity Rides: Dillon and the Rebel, a limited series documenting Emmy Award nominee and Entourage star Kevin Dillon as he takes on the task of building a kit car replica of a 1955 Porsche Spyder, made famous by another Hollywood legend, James Dean. In addition, Jay Leno returns with Celebrity Rides: The Last Duesenberg, a six episode series of the step-by-step restoration of his latest car conquest -- a 1931 Model J418 Wood Towncar -- found in an old garage after walking the streets of Manhattan.

DIY's Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit airs every Friday at 10 p.m. ET, beginning October 19. Also in October, visit http://www.DIYnetwork.com/tv for a sneak peek of the show and click on "Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit" in the TV Showcase section.