20 Secrets About American Pickers That Reveal How Staged The Show Really Is

Following the fortunes of traveling antique hunters Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, American Pickers has become one of the History network’s best-loved reality shows. But how much of the picking, haggling and driving across the United States that you see on screen is actually real? Here’s a look at why the show which prides itself on finding authentic treasures might itself be totally fake.

20. Producers do all the picking

American Pickers makes it look as though Wolfe and Fritz travel across America looking for places that might hold some buried treasures completely on the fly. But their road trips are rarely as spontaneous as they seem. According to Screen Rant, producers trawl through countless submissions from viewers eager to get a visit from the pair. They then apparently visit the most promising leads in person long before the camera crew rolls up.

Speaking to the San Angelo Standard-Times about his experiences on the show, Ken’s Toys owner Ken Young claimed that he was actually given three weeks’ notice by producers. He said, “They have what you call a ‘snoop.’ They get somebody to go into a site and look around. The man who came in that day, he gave me his card. Then I got a phone call and they said when they would be coming.”

19. Scenes are reshot repeatedly

Ever wondered why some of the conversations in American Pickers sound like they’ve been rehearsed countless times? Well, that’s because some of them essentially have, according to a South Carolina auctioneer called Rob Dinkins. As with many other reality shows, its participants are supposedly required to repeat what they’ve just said numerous times for the benefit of editors.

Dinkins talked to the South Carolina Radio Network about why some participants might well experience déjà vu during their time on the show. He said, “You go from one room to the next, you have to do that like three times. They’ve got to film you leaving the room, then they’ve got to film you coming into the room.”

18. Producers plant items

Any viewer who sits down to watch American Pickers wants Fritz and Wolfe to stumble across a goldmine. That’s essentially the main goal of the show, after all. So, you can perhaps believe the rumors that producers will often plant the more interesting items at a garage, basement or junkyard beforehand.

It wouldn’t make for particularly enthralling TV if Fritz and Wolfe scavenged through heaps of junk every episode without ever finding anything remotely valuable. And numerous people online claim to have witnessed producers interfering with the process. As you’d expect, the two treasure hunters insist that this isn’t the case.

17. Fritz isn’t as experienced as Wolfe

Wolfe and Fritz are given equal billing on the show. But it turns out that one of the treasure hunters knows considerably more about the art of antiques than the other. That’s right: while Wolfe has been in the game for most of his career, Fritz is more of an enthusiast than an expert.

For no fewer than 25 years Fritz worked in the field of fire and safety inspection. The History network star insists that he’s always had a keen interest in collectibles, though. And to be fair, he did pack in his job to open up a store of his own – Frank’s Finds – in 2002. But the gulf in experience between the pair has led some fans to believe that Wolfe is the show’s only real picker.

16. Hobo Jack isn’t a hobo at all

Fritz and Wolfe have met a whole host of memorable characters during their travels on American Pickers. Though few come close to Hobo Jack – the fan favorite who’s popped up on the show several times. Yet it appears as though the man in question might not be as cut off from the rest of society as he makes out.

Yes, according to Screen Rant, the lovable, big-bearded, shack-dwelling vagrant has published several books over the years. Even more remarkably, he’s also headed into the recording studio to make no fewer than five LPs. Hobo Jack even has his very own official website where you can buy many of the unlikely reality star’s creative endeavors.

15. Fritz and Wolfe don’t do the haggling

American Pickers present Fritz and Wolfe as masters of the haggle. But in reality we don’t know if they could even negotiate their way out of a paper bag! For just like they do with the scouting locations, the pair reportedly take all the credit for the production team’s work.

According to Screen Rant, it’s those behind the cameras who allegedly do all the bartering before a single shot has been filmed. This means that all the on-screen toing and froing is all for show. In fact, producers allegedly even encourage sellers to initially demand more cash than they would have done normally. This makes it seem as though Fritz and Wolfe have got a much better deal.

14. Wolfe and Fritz aren’t as chummy as they seem

Fritz and Wolfe may appear to be best buds as they journey across America looking to make cold hard cash out of what seems like old junk. Yet some of those who have met the pair on American Pickers claim that their friendship might be the most fake thing about the show. Apparently, the on-screen BFFs aren’t particularly pally when the cameras stop rolling.

On the other hand, there are some who believe that Wolfe and Fritz are actually much closer than they appear on the show. Yes, despite a lack of any evidence, the pair have been subjected to rumors that they are romantically involved. And this is despite the fact that Wolfe is happily married to a woman he will often refer to on camera.

13. The driving scenes are staged

You probably expect that some of the locations will have already been scouted beforehand or that some of the finds will have been planted by producers. But the driving scenes being fake? According to the website Pure Volume, even the shots where Wolfe and Fritz are traveling across America in search of valuable junk are apparently scripted!

The pair’s signature van isn’t even the vehicle that they use to get to their next stop, the website claims. Driving footage is shot simply to add a bit more narrative to the episode. And it inadvertently gives Fritz and Wolfe the chance to show off their acting skills, too.

12. The deals aren’t always followed through

Apparently, the American Pickers team aren’t always the honest everymen they portray themselves as. In 2014 Jerry Bruce ended up filing a lawsuit against Fritz after he was alleged to have breached a contract. The auctioneer took such action because the reality star supposedly agreed to sell a 19th century device which measures an alcoholic drink’s sugar content for $300 – only to then forget all about it.

Yes, Fritz reportedly didn’t cash the $300 check that Bruce sent him, nor did he ship the item known as a polarimeter. The auctioneer eventually got his day in court and – proving that the little guy can sometimes win – was awarded the sum of $1,000, according to Nicki Swift. Fritz also had to pay Bruce court costs of $80.

11. Fritz has a dark side

If you’ve ever wondered why Wolfe tends to do most of the driving these days, then there’s a surprisingly dark explanation. His co-star Fritz was very nearly sent to jail after being arrested for a DUI in 2017. Nicki Swift reports that the antiques expert had been alerted to Iowa State Police following various 911 calls about his pickup truck driving down Interstate 80 on the wrong side of the road!

After being stopped before any serious damage was done, Fritz was given a sobriety test which he failed. The official report from police stated that the American Pickers star had in a slurred manner confessed to taking Xanax and drinking one beer. Following a plea deal, Fritz was fined $625, given a one-year sentence of unsupervised probation and ordered to attend a program centered on substance evaluation.

10. They travel with a fleet of vehicles

We all know that it’s not just Fritz and Wolfe who take to the road in search of treasure. Someone has to film them bartering and bantering, after all. Though you still might be surprised to learn just how large the pair’s entourage is! During an interview with website Hoopla Now, Fritz revealed that they travel with a motor home, numerous vans and even a U-Haul track behind them whenever they’re on the go.

Fritz also gave away a few other secrets about the show’s vehicles. The collector revealed that although you often see him and his co-star loading their latest find into their beloved van, that’s not usually where it stays. In fact, as soon as the cameras stop rolling the pair will take the item immediately back out again and move it into the U-Haul.

9. Shooting takes longer than it seems

As with every show, American Pickers takes a lot longer to film than it looks. Each episode may only clock in at the hour mark, but according to Nicki Swift, Fritz and Wolfe can be working from dusk till dawn just to shoot at one particular spot! Take the time they visited South Carolina auctioneer Rob Dinkins, for example. Apparently, they spent no fewer than 14 hours at his former ice manufacturing facility.

Luckily, Dinkins didn’t mind too much about having such a long day of filming. In fact, judging by his interview with the South Carolina Radio Network, he’d quite happily do it again. Dinkins said, “They made it look simple and easy and made you feel comfortable. Fed you lunch. They took care of everything. They were prepared.”

8. It’s not Wolfe’s main source of income

When it comes to Wolfe’s business endeavors on American Pickers, we only ever see his Antique Archaeology stores. But you may not know that the junkyard trawler is something of an entrepreneur. Looper notes that he also owns Two Lanes – a brand of “all American-made apparel and accessories for explorers of the back roads” – and Tennessee’s Trek Bicycle Shop. The latter allows him to pursue his other main passion: bikes.

And that’s not all. Wolfe is also a player in the real estate market where he purchases and restores small-town historic properties – including his own guest house. On its official website, the star explains, “I’m on the road six months out of the year. I check-in to a lot of hotels and Airbnbs, so I understand what travelers need when they’re looking to relax after a long day.”

7. Cushman was picked for her looks

Responsible for running the admin side of things, Danielle Colby Cushman was once a vital part of the American Pickers team. But while the show makes it seem as though her office skills are her key qualities, it turns out that she was chosen for far more superficial reasons. According to Nicki Swift, Wolfe admitted that he gave her a job partly because of her image.

Alongside her signature cat-eye makeup, Cushman also has no fewer than 30 different tattoos. So, how did the pair meet in the first place? Well, it was at an antiques store, obviously! Cushman recalled to the website American Profile, “I was looking at a lamp and picked it up and put it down to see how much money I had. Mike scooped it up behind me. He said, ‘The time to buy it is when you see it.’”

6. Wolfe and Fritz live in different cities

The rumor that Wolfe and Fritz aren’t as friendly as they make out to be on screen is given some extra weight by the fact they barely see each other off camera. In fact, they live over 400 miles apart! Yes, Fritz calls Illinois home, while Wolfe and his wife Jodi Faeth reside in the state of Tennessee.

Wolfe seems well aware that fans want him and his American Pickers co-star to spend every waking moment together. But unfortunately for them, that doesn’t appear to be the case. During an appearance at Coralville’s FRY Fest, he told the crowd, “Although people think we’re connected at the hip, we do have separate lives.”

5. The stories are more important than stuff

We’re led to believe that the items that Wolfe and Fritz find are the most important aspect of American Pickers. But several people who have appeared on the show claim that producers are far more interested in personal stories than stuff. It’s why characters such as Mole Man Ron and Hobo Jack have become so integral to the show’s success.

Ken Young – whose Ken’s Toys store featured on the show – claimed to the San Angelo Standard-Times that Fritz and Wolfe “wanted the story as much as the item.” Rob Dinkins offered a similar theory to the South Carolina Radio Network, saying, “A lot of the time, it’s not what they buy. It’s the person or the story or the location that they’re talking about is what makes the show interesting.”

4. Wolfe and Fritz are more ruthless than they portray

Although it’s claimed that producers are responsible for conducting the negotiations behind the scenes, Wolfe and Fritz reportedly still try to showcase their very own bartering skills on occasion. The pair may present themselves as salt of the earth gentlemen. Though it turns out that the men can be quite ruthless when they want to be.

Several of the show’s participants have argued that the reality stars have ignored terms that were agreed with producers beforehand and tried to haggle as if their lives depended on it. Who knows whether this is all done just for drama’s sake, or whether Fritz and Wolfe really are a little sneakier than they seem? Yet those involved don’t appear to appreciate the tactics regardless.

3. Cushman also has a side hustle

Wolfe isn’t the only American Pickers star with an alternative career that’s never shown on screen. Cushman is only ever seen working in the Antique Archaeology offices. But the woman actually has a business of her own. That’s right: Cushman is the proud owner of a boutique store named 4 Miles 2 Memphis.

According to Screen Rant, Cushman works as a burlesque dancer, too! The reality star has even made a documentary about one of the art form’s most famous names: Tempest Storm. And she will often use her picking expertise to source out various classic outfits for her burlesque dancing sideline.

2. Fritz and Wolfe are richer than you’d think

Who knew there was so much money to be made rifling through junk? Yes, Fritz and Wolfe may not fit the image of your average multi-millionaire. Yet according to those sites which report the net worths of celebrities, it turns out that they both have bank balances in the seven figures. Though who exactly is the richest?

Well, apparently Wolfe has far more money thanks to his ever-expanding business empire. The reality star is cited as having up to $7 million to his name. But co-star Fritz is hardly a pauper in comparison. Receiving $500,000 each American Pickers season, the mustachioed half of the pairing has allegedly accrued $4 million over the years.

1. Fritz might not be as enthusiastic about picking as he claims

Unlike Wolfe, Fritz hasn’t dedicated his entire career to the antiques industry. And judging by his comments in a Q&A with the Columbus Dispatch newspaper, he’s not as enamored with the art of picking as much as he appears to be on camera. When asked about his scavenger hunts, an unenthusiastic Fritz replied, “I haven’t found anything that’s really blown my mind.”

Fritz was just as dispassionate when talk turned to his post-American Pickers life. He said, “When the show’s over, I will get rid of my stuff... I’ll go back to just being Frank – still living in my town. I haven’t bought a big house – no fancy cars. I still drive my ’86 Ford Ranger [and] still live in the same house I’ve lived in for 26 years.”