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| “American Pickers”: The Inside Story of the History Channel’s Surprise Hit |
| News/Features | |||
| Written by Jeff Ignatius | |||
| Wednesday, 17 March 2010 06:12 | |||
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Page 1 | 2 | All Pages
In the American Pickers episode "Back Breakers," Mike Wolfe is donning a bright-red T T Motor Home Club jacket with the name "Louise" embroidered on the front. The jacket is an "ice-breaker," a term that Wolfe and picking partner Frank Fritz use to describe an item that they don't really want but buy anyway as a way to warm up a reticent person to the idea of selling their old stuff. It's a charming bit in the History channel's first-season reality-series hit, because it shows that Wolfe and Fritz aren't afraid to look foolish or silly. And Wolfe seems to enjoy wearing that jacket. But it also works because it teaches viewers about how picking works. We learn the nuances of scavenging, and how they get people to part with the objects they've collected over decades. "We're like psychologists for people and their stuff," Fritz said on the show. Pickers has myriad appeals. On the funny side, Wolfe buys a long-unworn leather coat that has condoms in the pocket and shares a laugh with the previous owner. The negotiation game can be both enjoyable and instructive. One seller has such a keen sense of what his collectibles might fetch that Wolfe and Fritz try to offer him a single price for all the stuff they want; he keeps track of their piles, though, and outsmarts them. And then there are times when the pickers screw up and learn something themselves. The pair spends so long rummaging through the barn of a 92-year-old man that he loses any interest in selling to them; the two immediately recognize that they were so excited about what was in the barn that they didn't respect their host's time. "The show is about modern-day treasure hunting, that you can still do it," Wolfe said. "And the show is about ... looking at things with a different eye." And it's informative about the histories of the featured objects, in the form of commentary by Wolfe and Fritz, and facts that pop up on the screen. There's also a human-interest angle to American Pickers. Some people might like the easy rapport between Wolfe and Fritz, who have known each other since eighth grade. But Wolfe thinks the fundamental appeal is the people they meet and the objects they've collected. While buying is the thrust of the show, American Pickers spends plenty of time on the interactions between the picking pair and the folks they encounter, many of whom talk about their families and their histories. One woman shows a car that her husband bought to teach her to drive; she never learned, she said, and the car sat untouched in a barn for four decades. Talking about the show's debut, Wolfe discussed 88-year-old World War II veteran Leland rather than what they bought from him: "He was the treasure. He was the star of the show." He added: "I wanted to tell the story of these people that had the items, and I actually wanted the item to have a voice, too, in some ways." And as he says in the closing of the show's introduction, "We make a living telling the history of America one piece at a time." When American Pickers debuted on January 18, it got a lot of press in the Quad Cities, with Wolfe and Antique Archeology office manager Danielle Colby-Cushman living in LeClaire and Fritz based in Davenport. But at the time, nobody had any idea that it would be a monster Monday hit for History when paired with Pawn Stars. American Pickers debuted with more than 3 million viewers and this month has approached 4 million, placing it among the 20 top-rated shows on cable. Those two shows and Ax Men pushed History to a stellar February. "This is the first time in history the network has ranked top-five in all four adult and men 18-49 and 25-54 demo[graphic]s in any given month," History said in a press release. In the past few weeks -- as the show wound down its 10-episode initial run and approached shooting its 26-episode second season -- the three stars of American Pickers talked with the River Cities' Reader about the show's success, history, and controversy. Five Years in the Making
"This is really one of the sides of the [bartering] business that no one's seen," Wolfe said. "The pickers' story's never been told." The episode "Super Scooter" shows how the pair works together. Wolfe is nearly drooling over a Vespa Ape scooter. The owner wants $5,000 for it, and Wolfe offers $4,500 -- which is rejected. Fritz halfheartedly offers $150 for a bike but quickly rolls over for the $200 the owner is asking; he's trying to soften him up for Wolfe. But then Wolfe's offer of $4,800 is turned down, and he gives in to the $5,000 asking price. The tactic wasn't successful, but it shows the process. Wolfe offsets the transaction by selling the Vespa owner a sidecar frame for $600; he had paid $400. Some "picks" are arranged in advance, and other times Fritz and Wolfe "freestyle," driving around the countryside looking for promising homes, yards, and barns. They bypass places where the grass is cut too frequently, or where there are new cars. Experience tells them those properties aren't worth their time. Few people realize the amount of work that goes into the show. For the first season's 10 episodes, the pickers were on the road for more than five months, covering 20 states. Each 44-minute episode had 13 scheduled days of shooting, Wolfe said. "I had no idea what I was getting into," he said. "We had no idea the grind it would be." That sounds like complaining, but the reality is that Wolfe has been working toward this for five years, when he first bought a video camera and began recording his picks. "Five years is a long time to work on something," Fritz said. "And without Mike's drive, we probably still wouldn't have it on there. He's a pretty persistent guy." Colby-Cushman, who said she's known Wolfe for a decade, said she was skeptical of the show's prospects when she first heard the idea five years ago. "Because of the whole small-town mentality, I kind of thought, 'There's no way. There's just no way it could happen.'" I asked whether she thought Wolfe had his head in the clouds, and she replied, "He always does, but that's why he gets so far. He did it." Wolfe can (and will) talk for half an hour on the winding road that American Pickers has taken from idea to hit series. The short version is that production companies and television networks were interested in the show but never pulled the trigger on it until History snatched it up last August and began shooting in early September. "I had ideas, and ... I had all these great tapes ... ," Wolfe said, but he didn't have a concept. "It's like I had all these leaves but I had no tree." Wolfe said he initially approached the young filmmakers of Bluebox Limited about editing his material, but they were too busy. They sent him to Justin Anderson, proprietor of Crazy Eyes Productions. Anderson said they met in 2006 and worked together for several years. "I was never interested in antiques, but I thought the idea of a modern-day American treasure hunter was very cool, and the piece we put together from the footage was so grungy and real -- like Indiana Jones meets Sanford & Son," Anderson wrote in an e-mail. Wolfe would post the videos he and Anderson made on his Web site while working with various production companies and pitching it to cable outlets. Executives from Discovery, TLC, and Smithsonian all seemed game, but the closest the show got to airing was a development deal with Discovery. "That's for a network to throw a little bit of money at you, so they can sit on it for a long time so no one else can get it," Wolfe said. He eventually gave the videos to Plum TV, a lifestyle channel shown in tony vacation spots. Wolfe said that Anderson hated the Plum TV situation, but he said he wanted to get the videos in front of these wealthy, influential vacationers -- the type of people who could do something with it if they liked it. "Someone's seeing it," he said. "Who gives a shit if it's lying in a can on my desk?" But then a TLC exec hooked Wolfe up with the Cineflix production company, which pitched (and sold) it to History. Fritz's involvement is critical to the show's success, Wolfe said: "I always knew that no one was going to watch a show with just me sitting there talking to myself. So it was great that he and I [already] had the chemistry." While Wolfe wanted to tell the stories of collectors and objects, reality television thrives on relationships with familiar faces. The key is to balance each episode's stand-alone stories with the main characters. And the personalities of Wolfe and Fritz -- who are both in their mid-40s -- are balanced by Colby-Cushman, who is 34 and owns the Burlesque Le Moustache troupe. ("She's a really cool chick," Wolfe said. "And that's what I want people to see in here.") "We're very real people," said Colby-Cushman, who began working for Wolfe when production of the show started. "We're just down-home folks. And we don't hide that. ... All of us have very strong personalities that are not easily contained. They have to do a lot of editing. They have to bleep out a lot." Picking on Pickers
Critics accuse the pickers on preying on older people. Fritz and Colby-Cushman are dismissive of the criticism. Fritz says the complaints come from "armchair quarterbacks," "naysayers," and "haters," and said that he doesn't pay attention to them. "You cannot please everybody," Colby-Cushman said. "Jesus, they killed Martin Luther King. And Mike's not Martin Luther King." But Wolfe seems to take it more personally. "Sometimes I wonder if people are watching the same show that we made," he said. Much of the criticism ignores the realities of the business, Wolfe said. For one thing, he said, the pair isn't targeting senior citizens; they are simply more likely to own the objects that Fritz and Wolfe want. "I'm not looking for someone in their 80s; I'm looking for old stuff," Wolfe said. "When you drive down these roads, that's who has the stuff -- older people." More importantly, an appraisal doesn't necessarily reflect a realistic sale price. Wolfe said his aim is to turn items around quickly, not to earn top dollar. "When you get into this business, you need to sell," Fritz said. "Being able to flip your stuff is very, very important. I probably keep too much. ... We all want to keep stuff. ... [But] if you get stuff and flip it quick, you don't get an emotional attachment with it." That saddle might be worth $5,000 if it's at an auction with multiple bidders trying to get it, Wolfe said. But nobody bit with a starting bid of $199 on eBay. Wolfe said he ended up selling it for $175. "If I can't make 100 bucks on something ... then I need to get out of the business," he said. A 1948 Rock-Ola jukebox bought on Pickers was estimated on the show to be worth $5,000. "I sold it for $1,900." Wolfe said. "I paid $1,300; I drove to Ohio to get it. "The only thing that's ever gotten us in trouble on the show is these appraisals," he added. "The appraisals are way off-chart. ... We are not going to be guinea pigs to appraisals any more." Generally speaking, Wolfe and Fritz said, they pay half of what they think they can sell an item for. But even for that to work, they have to sell a lot of items because of their costs. "I've got a mortgage," Wolfe said. "I've got all this overhead" -- including travel, lodging, food, storefront, and employee costs. There are times, of course, when the pickers sell for far more than they expected. Wolfe said he bought a moving-company sign for $75, thinking he could only get $200 for it because it was warped and plastic, and because subject matter dictates the sale prices for signs. "When I put it on eBay, it went for $1,200," he said. That speaks to the nature of the business. The stars of American Pickers stress that they aren't antique experts. ("We're professionals at finding things," Fritz said.) They have areas of expertise, but outside of those, it's a guessing game. When they bought the jukebox on the show, Wolfe said: "1,300 bucks for us is a lot of money to gamble." Both Wolfe and Fritz know their motorcycles; Wolfe knows bikes and signs; and Fritz is a toy collector. Outside of those areas, Colby-Cushman said, "all he can do is guess at what it's going to sell for. That is where the trouble lies." And she said viewers often don't get the full story. "I can tell you of several situations where Mike has found out that something he has picked for $20 is worth way more than he thought, and he's gone back and given more money to the person he's picked from," she said. "It happens more often than you think." And, she added, "we have to eat it on so many items. ... That stuff is just what happens." "You need to make sure you make more right decisions than wrong ones," Fritz said. Still, there's an element of the show that's unsavory because the sellers are often at an information disadvantage. In the History-channel forums, one user wrote that "the pickers know what they are buying, and how much it's worth, but keep it secretive to those who they are buying it from. That's taking advantage." But the stars of the show emphasized that they're dealing with willing buyers, and noted that they get shut down a lot. Wolfe said that if he visits 20 farms in a day, he might come away empty-handed 15 times. "A lot of people turn us away," Fritz said. "We've been turned away hundreds of times." But American Pickers doesn't emphasize that. "Would you watch a fishing show if the guy never caught anything?" Wolfe said. And it's wise to keep in mind the perspective offered by another History-channel forum poster: "Given all the people that actually prey on the elderly, the energy spent griping about this show on this board kind of makes me ill." The Future
He doesn't make any effort to hide his glee at American Pickers' success, and it's clear that he's interested in the business end of television. "We own the frickin' airwaves on Monday night," Wolfe said, noting 5 million viewers for recent episodes of Pawn Stars and nearly 3.9 million for the March 1 Pickers. "That's insane numbers for cable." He noted that his show's debut drew 3.1 million people, and he added that History hoped for 1.5 million "There was only one show ever that beat us on a premiere, and that was Ice Road Truckers in 2007, and they only got 3.2. So they barely beat us." (Ice Road Truckers was History's best premiere, not cable's. The debut of The Closer, for instance, drew more than 7 million viewers.) Wolfe wouldn't discuss the show's budget or how much he's being paid, but he said that the first season isn't about money; to a television network, the advertising revenue is theoretical until the show airs. "You're nobody; the show is nothing ... ," he said. The second season is bringing with it more money for its three stars, but he said the real money lies in endorsements -- which he said wouldn't even be realistic until a third season. "We're all making a little bit more money," he said of the second season. "Are we going to retire anytime soon? No." The success has its own burdens. Colby-Cushman said she's now getting 1,200 e-mail messages a day through the e-mail address on Wolfe's Web site. "We're just learning how to deal with something that has exploded," she said. "We were not ready at all for it to be as big as it is. We thought it would be a fun little show." Fritz said he's not surprised by the show's success. He said he thinks a lot of viewers get to have adventures through him and Wolfe: "A lot of people would love to be pickers, would love to be junkers. But they got five kids, they got a wife, they got this, they got that. They can't physically or financially do it." He and Wolfe, he added, aren't married and don't have children: "Not too many people are able to do this job later in life like we are." Wolfe said he hopes the show inspires young people to do what he's done since he was a kid: pick. "It takes that one person to plant that seed," he said. "That's what some old guy did with me. I would walk down the alley and this old guy had a bunch of stuff in his garage and he would sit and talk with me for hours. And I remember that he gave me a cigar box one time, and that was huge. ... I remember that guy." Still, the degree of success has been a surprise. "Obviously we didn't know how big it was going to be," Fritz said. "We're very fortunate to have what we have going, and we're going to keep riding this bus as long as it keeps running. The main thing is we're hoping to spark some interest in the antique trade," especially among young people. "I am embracing this with the most pleasure I can. I'm very, very happy that mother is still alive to be able to see my 15 minutes of fame." That's the diplomatic, gracious way to look at the success of American Pickers. And Fritz sounded realistic about the long-term prospects of the show. Although PBS' Antiques Roadshow has been around in the United States since 1997 -- the British version started in 1979 -- it's likely the exception. "Reality shows are good for three or four years," he said. But Wolfe isn't above talking some smack, saying that his show is responsible for an impending glut of shows focused on buying and selling. "You won't believe all the stuff all the networks are working on now," he said. "Now that us and Pawn Stars are spanking the shit out of everybody ... it's all going to come at you like a fucking tsunami now. ... Give it about a year." New episodes of American Pickers air Mondays at 8 p.m. on History. The first season concludes its run on March 29. For more information on American Pickers, visit History.com/shows/american-pickers. Antique Archeology's Web site is AntiqueArcheology.com; Frank Fritz's Web site is FrankFritzFinds.com. Trackback(0)
Comments (55)
  written by Gorio, April 05, 2010
Totally enjoy the show. A real slice of Americana. These guys rocl!
written by Bonsai, May 01, 2010
It's a kick to see the old stuff Mike and Frank pick and to see the back roads of America. Also, its great knowing they're saving bits of history that would most likely wind up in the landfill when the property where the stuff is kept is passed on to heirs. But most importantly, it's fun to watch Mike and Frank interact with the sellers--and with each other.
written by imrichard2, May 21, 2010
Great article, about a really awesome show! I've always been into antiques, but, I've always hunted shoppes & flea markets...I love the way the show makes You feel like You're right there w/ Mike & Frank, & how You get to know Them..,Hope the show continues for years!
written by KarmaElectric, May 21, 2010
One of my ultimate favorite shows-Mike and Frank are down to earth fellas with the ability to entertain and educate. Anyone criticizing them is just jealous of their success. Kudus to you boys! Keep up the great work!
written by Coolandcollected, May 24, 2010
This is by far my favorite show on TV. Thanks for the great article. I loved the insight and behind the scenes stories about the "characters." Let's hope Frank's pessimism is wrong and the show lasts a good long while.
written by Renae Pouncy, June 05, 2010
Love the show !!!
Every time I watch,I learn something that helps me in my buying. I have a space in a consignment shop and like to find unique pieces. But my favorite part is the search, I love to be on the road, meeting people with a story to tell and finding a treasure.
written by legh higgins, June 24, 2010
these shows are true americana. I found a amberina cruet when I was 12 and mom was pickin for her shop i still have it and the wonderfull memories of the look on her face when I showed it to her.41 years later. danielle is the best find of the show!go go go mike n frank
written by Mimi Dalman, June 29, 2010
WE LOVE YOUR SHOW Hi how do I get in touch with the gang of american pickers to come and check out our place in custar, ohio we have junk, antiques, etc etc etc and would like to maybe set up something in august. come and see for your self. the owner of the blding is Tim Thompson 419 419 8574 But give us a chance to get organized we nee d alittle time. hope to hear frm you thanks mimi 419 654 1290
written by Granny, July 10, 2010
Wish I could just ride along and share the excitement with these guys! My mother was a first class picker in her day. She loved to 'show and tell' all her treasures...
written by Vin Broccoli, July 22, 2010
Highly interesting, entertaining and educating.
written by Greg Dorrell Sr., July 26, 2010
I have an attic in our garage! You might want to go thru! It has an 1980's Reliant Chrysler "K" car in it, in pieces. and other stuff. Would love to see what you would want. Thanks, Greg
written by Greg Dorrell Sr., July 26, 2010
The reliant "K"car. E-mail is
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
written by Susan Robinson, August 09, 2010
American Pickers are fun to watch,entertaining, and full of surprises. Two KOOL and Kookie dudes on a roadside with a super chick as a sidekick. What's not to like!!!!
written by Jeff Crosby, September 17, 2010
Do you plan to visit Delaware to see what you can pick from the 1st State
written by Doug Williams, September 20, 2010
So what if you get good deals, I love the show. It is the American way. Come to see us in Oklahoma.
written by Alice Devlin, October 06, 2010
I can't wait for Monday nights and was also thrilled to see your show on Wed at 8.
It is truly Americana. I love you guys and Danielle, is a real trip. I too, love antiques and love farms, barns and all the beautiful scenery. I wish I could have done what you are doing. I have had great yard sales in the past and held some estate sales for friends and family, so I have seen lots of antiques, but wish I had your knowledge. Keep up the good work. I could watch it for hours.
written by S. Craig, October 19, 2010
Mike,
From one back problem person to another. I delt with it for over 30 years. One chiropractor told me to carry my wallet in my front pocket. The wallet will tilt your pelvis and driving will make it settle on a angle. Then you will be crooked and when you like a object she will slide out of place. It really makes a big differance to me. Hope you read this.
written by Dr. J Johannnsen , October 21, 2010
Think Craig is correct about the wallet issue. It causes a lot of problems for people espically for those who drive a lot. Best thing still is to get a check up once every 3 months for those whom live an average life and sooner for those whom drive, lay tile or labor for a living.
Keep on picken! Dr. J www.hwcc1.com
written by pat goodman, October 24, 2010
Love the show. You boys need to carry a couple well educated women junkers along for the ride. My sister-in-law Cindy and I will volunteer. We'll make a game of it. Who comes out with the best deal. I am married to the "king" of junkers and myself and my sis-in-law are the "Queens". Queen mother Doris Gertrude taught us everything we know. So "HAIL TO OUR HEROS..MIKE & FRANK !!!!!
written by agapito, December 05, 2010
I own a property filled with thinga good for this couple. look forward they will come to Mexico soon
written by Robert (Robbo) Rajca, December 06, 2010
If you ever get close to Maggie Valley, NC, call me and I'll point you to a collection like I have not seen on your show yet. Owner probably won't talk to you,though. Eccentric picker. But it's worth a try!
941-966-1812 home
written by Fran, December 22, 2010
Dear Mike, Frank & Danielle,
Firstly, I'd like to let you all know how much my husband & myself love your show. What a team you 3 are! My husband and I have been pickin' since 1997, and don't come close to the knowledge that you have. We sell (trying hard to...things got tough this year due to the economy and competition), mainly on eBay. Because of your show, we have learned and decided that we will no longer pick up the "obvious" stuff that most people would. Not that there is a thing wrong with that. It's just that we want to set our sights higher now. We want the old rusted "junk"; motors, bikes, signs, etc. What an inspiration you are!! :) We have learned a hard lesson financially, and have a garage full of unsold stuff to prove it. Because of your show, we have learned a great deal about what types of items to pick, and an idea of what price to pay. Your show is pure delight! Your stories and finds are sensational! Wishing All Of You A Very Happy & Healthy Holiday Season...and Continued Success!! All The Best, Fran & John
written by JP, December 22, 2010
Don't even sweat the negative people out there guys. The internet is single-handedly the best and the worst thing to happen in the past 20 years. Unfortunately, people think that because they can, they should criticize. I think that most people who work a regular 9-5 would give their right arm to be able to do what you guys do. If they really want to pass on their negativity, they should take aim at the mass-merchandising industry who actually do rip people off. Anyway, I love the show and definitely want to see more seasons! Thank you!
written by Mn1911porcelains, January 05, 2011
I collect old license plates (mainly porcelains) and can totally relate to the scrounging through the piles of old rusty dusty stuff! Love it!
written by celticguy1774, January 23, 2011
Me and my dad watch the show together all the time. My dad was a picket and still does it when he can. As for the show and what they do...it's a business. Trust me, running your own business is not easy. You work much longer and harder at it than you do for someone else but it's worth it I think!
written by sandee, January 31, 2011
Man you guys are the best over and above watching and the show and seeing america one gets to learn about all the old american ways from your picks. And any whacko who thinks you are out there taken advantage of older people they are just plain stupid, truly these things you pick from people are things that would of sat for years ahead and no one would of been able to appreicate them. And the price you may pay whether high or low its money in that persons pocket they may never have had. Thats what picking and antiquing is all about. No one is taken advantage of anyone.
But before i end this ......i have to say i need to keep a pen and paper at my side ..... you 2 have some of the greatest lines and sayings i have ever heard you just kill me . For one" its so hot in here the squirrel are handling their nuts with pot holders" where the heck does mike get these from .Oh and there are so many more he just keeps going. And i have a huge crush on frank i can not leave with that untold. Your biggest fan
written by Ohiorails, February 11, 2011
Great show! Makes you want to get out there and drive the roads. I'm used to doing auctions and flea markets. Hope the show lasts a long time.
written by MollyDeQuincey, March 06, 2011
My husband and I dream of doing this.. we have repectively worked in antique shops and run successful ebay businesses specializing in precisely what you guys pick (motorcycles, mid century furn, signs/adverts and musical instruments..)
We are both 30, young enough to have the energy and old enough to have the knowledge and respect for the history of these treasures.. Love the show..but our biggest question is WHY haven't one of you scooped up Danielle yet? She's beautiful and sweet and sure she holds down the office I guess but it seems like it would be so much fun to have her along on your trips.. like the manager/merch girl on tour with the band (def NOT a groupie of course.. but just an intrisic part of the band..!) Much love and happiness to you all from Massachusetts
written by Kathy Taylor, March 13, 2011
Just wanted to add that I have been pickin since I was 8 or 9. The first time was pickin through the left over's from our Boat Club's yard sale. I scooped a vintage Green Velveteen sashed hooded jacket. And then I would pull things out of the garbage that I didn't want my parents to through away. The one thing that stands out was a hand crank meat grinder. So there and today I still do well: And I'm GOOD.
But~ On the other side of the coin, I love the Show and it makes me so jeaulous when ya'll get on the road and I'm sittin still. But It's all so Inspirational.
written by Anita, March 22, 2011
I love this show and We love the guys and Danielle. My 15 year old grandson and I always watch togeher. We have great conversations about the things that Frank and Mike find. You know what is so great about this show? You people are the real thing! You make us feel like we know you personaly. I just love to get to know the people you pick from. True Americana!! Have you been to Idaho yet? Come on over!!We love ya.
written by windyblue, April 15, 2011
I love the show, its great. And has taught me a lot about picking, and when I go around my town who has antique shops, I know, about different things, I am looking at.
Frank and Mike are great. I had NO clue they spend 5 months straight on the road. That is a long time. I find the show very, educational. Its great and I watch it all the time.
written by Andy Redd, April 22, 2011
I'm 60 and I want to be a picker when I grow up. We used to call such fellas "real horse traders". The deal or the haggle was the fun part of the game. Most folks out there now are not so naive about their stuff, so Mike and Frank really aren't taking advantage of anyone. Love the show.
written by Garrett Thalgott, May 21, 2011
I love the show and love how the viewers get to see things that we would never see without watching the show.It's amazing.I actually have two big sheds and one garage that need to be picked in a bad way.lol My father and I have alot of antiques that Frank and Mike would no doubt in my mind be interested in.All kinds of stuff really.If yall ever get to read this then give me a call.352-399-2271 Thanks and keep up the great picking.
written by lilloki (jennifer), July 17, 2011
i absolutely love the show and cant stand the people who have nothing else better to do than to talk all sorts of shit.
written by Suzianne, August 08, 2011
The sisters are ok but for those us that only have a short time for TV.....put Mike, Frank, & Danielle on @ 8 pm pacific time and for those younger do nothings that can sleep in put the young pickers on for the late night crowd. Many of us can watch 'designer' shows as reruns....we want the real get down to business show on earlier.
written by Scott14735, September 04, 2011
I believe American Pickers is probably my 2nd favorite show on TV... second only to NCIS (NOT NCIS - LA, that one sucks). My favorite episode was when Frank & Danielle switched places, and Dani used her "charm" to get all that good stuff from that chubby hotel owner in PA. lol
written by Jean, September 06, 2011
I love you guys and Daniell and my favorite show was when Mike and Frank went to Bushkill Park, PA and purchased old circus rides and sold them for way more then they thought they were worth and went back and gave the owner HALF of what they sold the collection for. Wonderful young men and a fantastic show. Hope it stays on a very long time.
written by Shannon Whisnant, September 20, 2011
yall are thieves to say the least you all took what happened to me as for what I did for a living when I found a foot in a grill and got rich and I hope every one of you involved in the makeing of this show choke on your money you made
written by Hemi Boso, October 01, 2011
It's ageist to think that elders are somehow deficient and therefore more susceptible to predatory picking than relative young'uns. That's utter nonsense! We elders have been around the block a few times and are no fools. Watching American Pickers, if anyone seems foolishly naive it's the younger sellers. Regardless, the show is hugely entertaining to this old codger ...
written by Andrew & Shelley, October 30, 2011
Have just found this show on the History channel and didn't realise there was a name for it! Even down here in NZ we find treasures and it's fascinating tracing the history and hearing the stories. We also buy and trade pop culture items to fund what we do. Looked upo 'pickers' as a personalised number plate and it's now ours !! ha ha. Love the show, looking for the the first series on DVD now.
written by david roberts, November 08, 2011
makes a monday night the only decent night on uk television ,love when they both get excited over either a car or a bike powered or otherwise, I don,t think for one minute they try and diddle anyone each of us has a valve you place on an item, well done
written by suze, November 26, 2011
American Pickers ... one of my top viewing series.
Stay genuine and relate to real people and you will continue to suceed.
written by frankandtubby, December 12, 2011
you guys are why we do this,thanks and stay tuned
written by Alan Benoit, December 30, 2011
Two thumbs up to American Pickers (Mike, Frank & Danielle) and The History Channel!! This show so reflects America; it's roots, it's heritage, it's eclectic essence. From the rusty gold to the fascinating people profiled on this show - this should be shown in our school classrooms. This "is" living history - grassroots style.
written by Ann, January 07, 2012
Since it is all about driving the roads of America and picking Americas history. What is wrong with Mike & Frank driving a Ford, Gm or Chrysler product. I have noticed in all episodes you always see a American built car or truck in the driveways of properties you pick.
written by hebs, January 10, 2012
wow, Frank is an idiot...he's such a fool and i guarantee he's been riding the coattails of Mike sinc2e highschool...mike is also a bozo but he does actually know what he's doing....Frank is so uncomfortable in his skin, its part of the appeal of the show.... he's a trainwreck and mike is a cocky nerd who truly believes he's cool.....love it
written by hebs, January 10, 2012
ps. obviously Danielle knows so much more than Frank.... she does know style... she would be great in this business plus she has the pulse on what is cool or not...Mike knows what has worked and will still be successful but trust me he needs Danielle... he's way too dated and out of touch other than what he knows something will sell on EBAY because that is what he sees on his computer screen.... has no idea what or why something should cost the price it does...
written by Sue C., January 10, 2012
Love you guys and Danielle. Love your show. Makes Mondays worthwhile. Can't wait for the next weeks show, ever! I hope you keep on "rollin" down America's highways, informing us what is valuable and "cool", and the history that we are so desperately missing (and need) in this hurried way of life. Yesterday is gone forever but you bring to light the way things used to be, especially when our grandparents were alive. I will always cherish those times - when I REMEMBER. :)
Watch your language (and no need for bleeping). Only God gives us each day and what we are able to do in it. Thanks for allowing us along "for the ride." It's unbelievably great. The BEST show on tv! Sue Creamer, Lebanon, Ohio
written by kimber, January 30, 2012
Love, love, love your show!!! I just finished watching the episode where you gave the amusement park owner (New York area) $5000 - half of the profit from selling the canvas ads - and you did the right thing! That was amazing! I was so proud of you for doing that, great job and very entertaining show! I'm looking forward to the new season!
Proud to be an Iowan!
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Like Pawn Stars, American Pickers mines the drama of bartering, seeing if buyers and sellers can find common ground. But while Pawn Stars by its nature focuses on people who want or need the money, Pickers deals with people who are often hesitant to sell. The dynamics are different.
American Pickers has drawn its share of criticism. Comments on one blog dubbed the show Pricks Rob Hicks and American Predators, based largely on the debut episode in which a saddle was "picked" for $75 and was later appraised at $5,000.
Wolfe said it was only a matter of time before somebody made a show like American Pickers. He was just first. "I took being a picker and put it in a bottle and stuck a label on it," he said.
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