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Besides being eccentric and quite memorable, the fan-favorite “Counting Cars” also has lots of highly talented car builders, metal fabricators, and painters to be proud of. In the latter category, the unforgettable Horny Mike stands out, not only for his excellent artistic skills and brush painting prowess, but also for putting his trademark horn anywhere he can, whether it’s on a helmet or the roof of a car.
While Mike’s horns are always an eye-catching and funny accessory, there’s no doubt that they also raised many questions regarding how he came up with the idea, what the horns mean, and what exact role they play in his creations.
Do you want to know what’s up with Horny Mike’s horns? Stay here to know all about it!
What’s Up With Mike’s Horns?
While the name Michael Henry doesn’t sound familiar to many fans of “Counting Cars”, the nickname Horny Mike indeed does. Since the show’s premiere in 2012, Mike has become one of the most unforgettable faces from Count’s Kustoms crew both for his talent as a paintbrush artist and his habit of putting horns on everything.
Though many believe that Horny Mike’s nickname was invented by the show’s producers, it actually comes from way before. As Mike once affirmed in an interview with The Sun Daily, it all goes back to the time he came up with the idea of putting horns on helmets and other bike-related articles, without even knowing what he was getting into.
It turns out that horns are a rather original item to put on a helmet, making setting up a business around it quite easy. In the early stages of his business, Mike patented his horns in a legal process which was so simple that even his lawyer was impressed by how easy it was.
Nevertheless, Mike’s horns were so unique and attention-catching that he was unable to separate himself from them from then on, inevitably turning into the Horny Mike who we have come to love on TV.
What Is The Meaning Of The Horns?
It’s not rare for artists to put a lot of thought behind their creations, but this isn’t the case for Horny Mike and his horn accessories. As he told The Sun Daily in 2017, the thought behind his products came from other popular items people used to put on their biking accessories: ‘I was thinking [that] if people would suction cup a Mohawk in their helmet, why wouldn’t they double stick tape horns to their helmet?’, he said.
Right after that, Mike found a way to make his horns not heavy at all, and easy to stick on all types of helmets. As an easy way to promote the horns, he wore them himself, and also incorporated them into his paintbrush works and as temporary decorations on cars.
Mike’s horns haven’t been safe from misinterpretations, starting with the fact that some people might have been misled to believe they have a demonic message, or that the nickname ‘Horny’ has a suggestive sexual meaning, but neither of those things was his intention while creating his horns: ‘Unfortunately, I do get the misconception of either ‘dirty, or the devil’ when it has got nothing to do with it. It’s great fun helmets to ride with’, Mike said in the same interview.
While the story of Horny Mike’s horns isn’t complex at all, it’s impressive how he created such an interesting brand out of it.
What Is Mike’s Merchandise About?
Horny Mike’s brand has turned into a lot more than just horns for sale. In the beginning, Mike’s horns weren’t portable accessories, but were customized and welded on the surface of the helmets, making them quite heavy to wear.
Eventually, Horny Mike sorted out a way to make them lighter by using a 3D printer, and fixed the portability issues by switching to stickable horns, which is the product for which his brand Horny Helmet Accessories became known. These days, Mike’s designs vary from small and round-pointed horns to longer and more stylized ones for the most daring customers; other of his popular designs include mohawk and chrome-made horns.
My 10 inch stick on horns are here. Get ur set today! Gr8 for helmets, bandanas and hats. On https://t.co/95JkZOLYDZ tomorrow pic.twitter.com/cjdflaQCdX
— Horny Mike (@TheHornyMike) October 26, 2016
Horny Mike’s popularity also made it easy for him to expand to other types of products, selling shirts, hats, and even snacks on his website. Other services such as event booking are also available for those who want Mike and his cars to attend automotive exhibitions and races.
All in all, it’s been a fun ride for Mike and his horns so far.
What Does Mike Do In The Shop?
It might seem that Horny Mike is a master at making horns, but his talents go beyond that. As seen in many episodes of “Counting Cars”, Mike is an excellent paint brusher who illustrates his art on cars and bikes, all the while maintaining his sense of style, pleasing the customers.
That being said, Mike is also a custom builder, and takes care of all eye-catching displays needed in the shop. That’s when his knowledge about welding and 3D printing has come in handy, as more often than not, Mike is seen working on some special stand or attraction for Count’s Kustoms, sometimes even having the green light to let his horn-themed ideas out in full force.
Some of the most memorable works done by Mike and featured in “Counting Cars” include his Horned Smart Car, the Mini Mike, and the unforgettable Jaw Dropper, featured in the 10th season. The latter is impressive not only for the outstanding job Mike did at creating and installing the 3D printed pieces on its front and sides, but also for its excellent paint job and electronic devices which make it more than just a bike, but a piece of art.
All of this leaves no doubt that Horny Mike is incredibly talented and an irreplaceable member of Count’s Kustoms.
Is Count’s Kustoms Still Active?
While many businesses behind our favorite reality TV are sadly inactive when cameras aren’t around, that’s not the case for Count’s Kustoms. Ever since the shop was started in the late 1990s, ‘the Count’ Danny Koker has made sure to get the best guys to join his crew, but also to make it a profitable business which has remained active, despite the passage of time, and the fact that “Counting Cars” hasn’t released any episodes since its 10th season’s finale aired in late 2021.
Nonetheless, having no news about their show renewal hasn’t stopped the Count’s crew at all. As seen in Count’s Kutoms’ social media, they actively keep working on new projects for the shop, making public appearances, organizing car raffles for their fans, and even being featured on the cover of Garage Shots Magazine in July 2023. As if that wasn’t enough, the business has gained quite a massive following on its YouTube channel Count’s Kustoms Network, which shares tidbits about the shop’s inner workings, the stories of its crew, and amazing car touring adventures for its subscribers to enjoy.
The reason the crew has worked together for so long is Danny, as Mike told The SunDaily: ‘He makes sure everyone stays in line, and no one gets too big in the head’.
All in all, it’s sad that “Counting Cars” hasn’t aired new episodes for a long time, but it’s always a pleasure to see how far the crew has come.
