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Edmonton Sun - April 21, 2006
A Mechanic's Dream• Nanette Samol, Special to the Sun 
If you happen to see Adrienne Janic behind the wheel of her Mercedes Benz CLK 320 coupe while stuck in California traffic on her way to the set of Overhaulin', be sure to wave your Canadian flag and smile. “All you Canadians are so nice,” says the Overhaulin' Co-Host, better known as AJ. “Everybody is so nice.” Janic, who will be in Edmonton this weekend for Powerama, co-hosts alongside Chris Jacobs on the TV show. The show involves “stealing” a classic vehicle from an owner who has been set up for a prank. Top automotive designer , Chip Foose and his crew, the “A-Team” then restore and trick out the vehicle inside and out. A restoration of this caliber would take the average person months and even years to do, and involves a lot of sweat and determination to really produce quality results. “Anyone can redo a car,” says Janic, “but we do it all in one week.” An almost unbelievable feat, despite the fact they prove to do so every week. “We do high quality work and work with an amazing team,” says Janic. They're the best of the best.” Janic became a mainstay in August of last year but has already put on some on the show. “I didn't have a clue about cars when I started the show,” says Janic. “But now I can definately name car parts and understand what people are talking about. “Being on the show has been a crash course on hot rods and muscle cars.” Janic made her first appearance on Overhaulin' – which airs Tuesday evenings on The Learning Channel – as an actress where she took part in pulling pranks on unsuspecting car owners. Janic says her fifth prank performance was absolute gold. The director and Jacobs, the shows only host, were so blown away, Janic was hired on as a Co-Host. “I bring a little estrogen to the show,” says Janic, who is one of only two females on the program. The other woman is one of the A-Team crew who does wiring and dash work. For her part, Janic is doing some grunt work – learning how to weld, cut metal and prep a vehicle for paint. Although doing a restoration of her own in the near future isn't something she has planned, she's learning from the bottom up and appreciates the passion and hard work that goes into each project. “I get dirtier and dirtier every show.” Janic's own car career began with a 1990 Toyota Corolla. “It was such a great little car and it meant freedom for me. I did'nt need my parents to drive me anywhere anymore.” In high school, Janic dreamed of owning a Mercedes and promised her friends she'd one day buy one. In the meantime she upgraded to a Honda Prelude. “It was such a great car. It never had any problems.” Today you can find Janic behind the wheel of her dream Mercedes. Janic has been in the industry for 10 years. Her track record includes other television shows on E! Entertainment , as well as sitcoms and feature films. Although her time is consumed primarily by filming Overhaulin' these days, she would like to eventually return to sitcoms and do more films. “I'm not afraid to be silly.” For now, Janic has signed on for a fourth season of Overhaulin', which they just started shooting a few days ago. Most of the filming is done in Orange County , California , and area well known for having the best hot rod and muscle shops in the country. The show moves around to different shops where two to three episodes are filmed. “The people I work with make my job fun,” says Janic, lumping the A-Team in as family. “It's like having 20 big brothers. We joke around and they tease me like a little sister.” But Janic has created a noticable influence on the crew, which has begun to noticing how nicely her accessories match her outfits. “I bring femininity to the show.” Janic is looking forward to bringing that balance to Edmonton this weekend for Powerama. “I'm really looking forward to Powerama and meeting the fans of the show,” she says. “It's a great way to get ideas and input from them about the show.” However, cars aren't all that Janic has planned this weekend. “I'm a shopoholic and I hear that you have the world's largest mall up there. “I'm the biggest girlie girl you'll ever meet.” |  |
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