"American Pickers"

[VaSteve]

Wow Gretch, how do you really feel?

[widgeon13]

Excellent analysis!

They are goobers, and the skinny one is an arrogant douchebag to boot. Pawn Stars is only interesting because the "subject matter" changes with each new item brought in. It carries the audience the same way Antique Roadshow does.......... The stars are the antiques.



In Pickers, the three stooges are so pitiful that the manage to overcome this dynamic and ruin the show anyway........ The addition of that tatooed slut-ho, built-like-a-linebacker with the personality of a rattlesnake broad, pushed the show into "unwatchable".



The biggest problem with ALL these shows is that everyone on them thinks they are a STAR and goes into full attention whore mode.............. Like daily life doesn't provide more of that bull**** than any sentient being needs.

[romad]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Excellent analysis!

Really? of what the show or the poster? Thats alot of emotion tied up in a simple cable TV show.

[azasadny]

I must be weird because I really like "American Pickers" and think those two guys are pretty cool. I never got the "douchebag vibe" from the guys, but then again, I've only seen a few episodes...

[VaSteve]

Do a google search on frank fritz and sturgis and you'll think he's a pretty cool guy.

[tevake]

I've watched most of their episodes and really enjoy the show. Am blown away by the quirky nature of the people they come across and piles of stuff that they accumulate. And I do like the enthusiasm of the main characters. Its interesting watching them establish rapour with the folks they do business with. I think they do OK in front of the cameras for non actors.
Its fun
Richard

[VaSteve]

It is interesting to see them meet all sorts of people and deal with them. I couldn't imagine walking into someones world (home, collections, barn, life) and start asking to buy stuff. I guess I'm not that friendly. LOL

[tabs]

Well maybe I was wrong about the Pickers. I don't doubt that they have advance and that it takes quite a bit of time to do a location shoot.

As far as sleeping in the Van beofre the show ...That doesn't surprise me one bit. In general you can get by by being a Picker, but you ain't gona get rich. As a sideline dumpster diving as I call it can be quite lucrative, ans would suggest any college kid or recent grad to do it as a second source of income. Not only do ya learn sumthing, U can meet some very wealthy people while following the auction circuit.(as in people who own office buildings on the Miracle Mile)

One day at Fed Ex while shipping a bunch of E-bay cr@p a gal asked..Oh you sold that stuff on E-bay..Yeah how dija know..The odd size of the boxes. Hmmm...She then goes on to say that she made about $500 a week clear selling womens designer shoes, belts etc on E-bay. Stuff that she got a Thift Stores, Yard Sales and Consignement Stores. She went on to tell me her friend was making $8K a month sellling similar stuff on the Bay.

For myself I don't even need to leave the house except for the USPS office and bank. Last Spoon SXS was about a 5K pickup (ask Targa) and the 2 SXS's before that about 1700.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by URY914

Nope, it's all staged. I read a very long thread on another forum about the show. The skinny dude worked for years trying to pitch the show to networks. They never just stop in on people. There are producers that go in before the guys to scope it all out. Think about it, the legal paperwork alone would take hours. The guy that posted on the other forum had them film on his farm. They spent most of a day filming his 10 minute segment. Oh, and the girl, she's an actress and tatoo model. You can Google her, she's on the web. You really think she spends her time in Iowa?

Makes sense!

[VaSteve]

There must be some advance work but they claim its the first time they meet the folks is on camera:

The Quad-City Times

[Evans, Marv]

Watched it a couple of times & lost interest.

[Zeke]

AFA as staging, have you noticed that the signs on the buildings for "American Restoration" are plastic banners? They appear to be nailed on top of another sign.

[Eric 951]

Doesn't surprise me that all of these are staged. How else would they get the releases for the crews, know how to light the picks, etc.. without doing some research ahead of time.
Pawn Stars--definately staged
storage wars and similar--definately faked. Really can't stand the bald tattoo head guy and his whiny douche partner on the one storage locker show--they both are just completely unlikeable.

[72 four door]

Originally Posted by Gretch

They are goobers, and the skinny one is an arrogant douchebag to boot. Pawn Stars is only interesting because the "subject matter" changes with each new item brought in. It carries the audience the same way Antique Roadshow does.......... The stars are the antiques.

In Pickers, the three stooges are so pitiful that the manage to overcome this dynamic and ruin the show anyway........ The addition of that tatooed slut-ho, built-like-a-linebacker with the personality of a rattlesnake broad, pushed the show into "unwatchable".

The biggest problem with ALL these shows is that everyone on them thinks they are a STAR and goes into full attention whore mode.............. Like daily life doesn't provide more of that bull**** than any sentient being needs.

Couldn't agreee more !

[mossguy]

In "Pawn Stars", I like the fact that the actors are mostly pleasant and that the three generation family dynamics are reasonably genuine, as opposed to the toxic and confrontational relationship between Pauls Jr. and Sr. on American Chopper.

[VaSteve]

Doesn't surprise me that all of these are staged. How else would they get the releases for the crews, know how to light the picks, etc.. without doing some research ahead of time.

Pawn Stars--definately staged

storage wars and similar--definately faked. Really can't stand the bald tattoo head guy and his whiny douche partner on the one storage locker show--they both are just completely unlikeable.

Those guys on the A&E show....Barry Weiss and his digging for collectables, Dave and his yuuuuuuup! you wanna just punch them. How come they never lose to the other bidders, LOL. But I'm strangely fascinated.

[Gretch]

Originally Posted by mossguy

In "Pawn Stars", I like the fact that the actors are mostly pleasant and that the three generation family dynamics are reasonably genuine, as opposed to the toxic and confrontational relationship between Pauls Jr. and Sr. on American Chopper.

That is what I cannot figure out.

Who exactly is the demographic these producers are going after with the "toxic, attention whore" bull****?

I mean GEEZUS, isn't there enough of that crap at work, in the neighborhood, family, what ever, to make any sane man want to start slitting throats????

How many times do ya hafta find yourself muttering "shaddap A-hole" before you realize the consistently low level of garbage that makes up for most TV these days?????

[stomachmonkey]

Paul Sr = Roid Rage

Notice he's a lot smaller these days, especially his arms.