The Mechanic’s Revolt: Aaron Kaufman Finally Breaks Silence on the 5 People Who Ruined ‘Fast N’ Loud’

For millions of viewers, ‘Fast N’ Loud’ was more than just a car show; it was a thrilling, grease-stained window into a world where automotive dreams were brought roaring back to life. At the heart of this empire was the dynamic, often turbulent, partnership between charismatic frontman Richard Rawlings and his prodigiously talented lead mechanic, Aaron Kaufman. Kaufman, with his quiet intensity and unparalleled craftsmanship, was the soul of Gas Monkey Garage. Then, in 2017, to the shock of its massive fanbase, he walked away. His departure left a void that was never truly filled and sparked years of speculation. Now, the silence has been broken.

Aaron Kaufman has finally named the five key individuals he believes were instrumental in the decline of the garage’s culture and the show’s integrity, forcing him to abandon the empire he helped build. His account paints a vivid picture of a workshop that devolved from a sanctuary of steel and passion into a “billboard” for a brand, where drama eclipsed dedication and egos overshadowed expertise. This is the inside story of why the quiet genius behind the builds had to leave, revealing the complex and often toxic dynamics that unfolded when the cameras weren’t rolling.

1. Richard Rawlings: The Architect of a Brand-First Empire

At the top of Kaufman’s list is the man who was his partner and the face of the franchise: Richard Rawlings. While their on-screen chemistry was a major draw, behind the scenes, a fundamental philosophical rift was tearing them apart. According to Kaufman, Rawlings became increasingly obsessed with building the Gas Monkey brand into a global phenomenon, a pursuit that shifted the garage’s focus away from its core mission. The art of the build, the love of the automobile, was slowly but surely sacrificed at the altar of marketability and profit.

Kaufman describes this transformation as turning the garage into a mere “billboard,” where every decision was filtered through the lens of brand enhancement. The cars themselves became props in a larger marketing strategy, and the craftsmen who built them were treated as “stepping stones” in Rawlings’ relentless climb. The creative freedom and hands-on passion that had once defined Gas Monkey were replaced by rigid, top-down directives. For a purist like Kaufman, who lived and breathed the mechanics of each project, this brand-first mentality was a betrayal of everything he stood for. The garage was no longer a place to create; it was a content factory, and the pressure to feed the machine became unbearable.

2. Tom Smith and Jordan Butler: The Masters of Manufactured Drama

While Rawlings set the stage for the garage’s cultural shift, Kaufman points to two other cast members, Tom Smith and Jordan Butler, as catalysts who accelerated the show’s slide into controversy. Their tenure at Gas Monkey came to an infamous end when they were fired for allowing a fan, who was visiting as part of a charitable wish, to pose with a car against Richard Rawlings’ explicit orders.

What happened next, in Kaufman’s view, was a masterclass in public manipulation. Fired and disgruntled, Smith and Butler took to social media, spinning a narrative that painted them as compassionate heroes and Rawlings as a heartless villain. They leveraged the fan’s sensitive situation to garner sympathy and rally public opinion against the garage. For Kaufman, this act was a turning point. It signaled that the show’s focus was no longer on the cars or the craftsmanship, but on generating buzz through conflict and controversy. The garage floor became a “war zone of competing egos and PR battles,” where playing to the crowd was more important than putting in the work.

3. Jesse James: The Rival Who Turned Craftsmanship into a Circus

The world of custom car building is filled with big personalities, but few loom as large as Jesse James. When the ‘West Coast Choppers’ icon made a guest appearance on ‘Fast N’ Loud’ in 2016, it was billed as a clash of titans. For Kaufman, however, it was a disaster that further stained the show’s reputation. He viewed James as a rival more interested in stealing the spotlight and promoting his own brand than engaging in genuine craftsmanship.

The rivalry reached its nadir with a stunt that has since become infamous in the show’s lore: Jesse James dumping a truckload of horse manure in front of the Gas Monkey Garage entrance. While it made for shocking television, Kaufman saw it as a “calculated spectacle” designed to humiliate Rawlings and drag the show deeper into the realm of cheap theatrics. The incident solidified his fear that the garage had become a “three-ring circus.” The serious, painstaking work of restoring automotive classics was now just a backdrop for personal feuds and publicity stunts.

4. Yulan Hiso: The Quiet Talent Sacrificed for the Bottom Line

Not every departure from Gas Monkey was loud and dramatic. Some were quiet, almost insidious, yet just as damaging to the garage’s soul. Kaufman identifies the gradual phasing out of Yulan Hiso, the garage’s go-to upholsterer, as a prime example of the new, cold business calculus that had taken over. Hiso was a master of her craft, consistently delivering the high-quality, custom interiors that were a hallmark of Gas Monkey’s best builds.

Around 2017, however, her presence on the show began to diminish. Kaufman understood this wasn’t a reflection of her skill but a cold, hard business decision made by Rawlings to cut costs. The search for a “cheaper” alternative meant sacrificing the loyalty and proven excellence that Hiso brought to every project. Her unceremonious exit symbolized a profound shift: the garage was no longer a family of passionate artisans but a business where integrity and consistency could be traded for “cheaper, louder alternatives.”

5. Christy Brimbury: The Unsung Hero Pushed Out by Chaos

Every successful operation needs a steady hand at the helm, someone who manages the chaos and keeps things moving. At Gas Monkey Garage, that person was Christy Brimbury. As the garage manager, she was, in Kaufman’s words, the “glue” that held the entire enterprise together. She handled the logistics, managed the personalities, and ensured the workflow remained smooth amidst the growing demands of a television production.

In late 2016, Brimbury had to step away to battle a cancer diagnosis. Her absence was immediately felt, as disorganization and tension began to mount. It was during this time that the show’s focus on spectacle intensified, particularly with Jesse James’s return. Kaufman felt that the show and its leadership effectively ignored Christy’s personal battle and her invaluable contributions, prioritizing the on-screen fireworks over the well-being of a crucial team member. When individuals with the dedication and stabilizing influence of Christy were no longer valued above the “loudest voice in the room,” Kaufman knew the soul of the garage was lost for good. It was this culmination of misplaced priorities that ultimately drove him to seek a new beginning, far from the noise of the empire he helped create.