Jesse James took his love for motorcycles and turned it into a vast empire. Originally known as the mastermind behind West Coast Choppers, Jesse James now wears many hats: he is the host of two Discovery Channel shows (Monster Garage and Motorcycle Mania), the husband of actress Sandra Bullock, one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," the CEO of the hugely successful West Coast Choppers, and an ordained reverend in the Universal Life Church. Jesse Gregory James is also a relative of that other famous bad boy, the outlaw Jesse James. The living James is apparently the great-great-grandson of the outlaw Jesse James's cousin. With his sleeve tattoos and rebellious attitude, the West Coast Choppers' Jesse James is considered an outlaw in his own right. James has an interesting personal history that includes a nearly lifelong passion for motorcycles. He customized his first bike (in this case, a bicycle) in 1980, when he was in the seventh grade. Raised in Long Beach, California, Jesse spent many hours of his childhood in his father's antique shop--which happened to be housed in the same warehouse as a manufacturer of motorcycle parts. By his freshman year of high school, James had made his first custom chopper. Before founding West Coast Choppers, Jesse James worked as a bodyguard for famous bands like Danzig, Soundgarden and Slayer. He opened West Coast Choppers in 1992. Since then, he and his large crew have created custom bikes for such celebrities as Kid Rock and Shaquille O'Neal.
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