Move Over Oprah And Rosie, Mike And Frank The American Pickers May Be Ready For A Daytime Show On Junk

"The eyes of the American Picker are trained like a hawk.We see what know(sic) one else can and find value in it" http://www.antiquearcheology.com/indexxx.php

Lights, Cameras, Action:"American Pickers Show" Is All About Entertainment

Another Monday, another night of American Pickers. Tonight (March 22, 2010) I am watching the show and thinking about what I can talk about in my blog that I haven't already covered in earlier posts. Let's see we have talked about rust, guy stuff, bikes, dirt, cobwebs, mouse droppings, cans, signs, junk, filth, bike parts, grime, oil cans, tins, tunnels, tools, cars, motorcycles, etc.

Lighting Up The Junk: Super Scooter

Have we talked about LIGHTING? I mean have we really delved into the subject? I'm not talking about the rusty vintage stage light that Mike went bonkers over in tonight's episode called "Super Scooter" (about a one-of-a-kind Vespa passenger scooter). I am talking about "lighting" in general.

Mike And Frank Meet "Goat Man"

Think about this.... we watched tonight as Mike and Frank met "Goat Man" and they went poking through his hidden property filled with fields of junk and rows of rusty old buses which stored even more forgotten "collectibles" (garbage) . We also watched as the pickers climbed over piles of junk hoarded (I mean collected) by the late husband of a clueless but gracious 84 year old woman.

American Pickers Have Hawk Vision

While the guys are meandering in and out of all these poorly lit junk havens we are surprisingly able to see all the action quite clearly. Now catch this...at one point Mike is holding a flashlight to light up his treasure trove. Come on....didn't you call out to the T.V. screen "that flashlight isn't lighting up squat!" Let's be honest....you and I both know that real light for Mike's Hawk vision is coming from other sources.

Where is The Lighting Coming From?

Want to know how the pickers are able to find treasures in old buses, attics, barns, crawl spaces, basements, caves, tunnels, out bulidngs? They have picking skills and lots of LIGHT. And its not the light from Mike's vintage flashlight . Nor the sun's rays shining through a crack a cement wall. Nope the light is coming from elsewhere. But just where you ask....where is the light coming from that allows us to see everything going on in such clarity?

American Pickers Is Entertainment

The answer my friends is that this show is shot on location and each scene is actually a "set" . By now you all realize that American Pickers is entertainment. It's a show.....with a script, producers, directors, writers, film crews and lots of LIGHTING! There are no surprises or unexpected outcomes...... except the fact that a lot of people are watching this show and talking about it.

Move Over Oprah: Here Comes Mike and Frank

Oprah....move over.....if Rosie doesn't take your spot.....I thnk Mike and Frank might just be ready for the daytime version of American Pickers.......any ideas on what we shall call the show?
Photos Courtesy of http://www.antiquearcheology.com/


For More on American Pickers read:

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/03/five-acres-of-junk-what-do-picky.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/03/american-pickers-clinging-to-their.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/03/american-pickers-antiquing-underground.html
http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/antiquing-with-american-pickers-no-sign.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/fetch-and-kvetch-what-does-it-take-to.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/junking-along-with-american-pickers.html



C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

"Five Acres Of Junk": What Do Picky Viewers Think Of The American Pickers: Is It Time To Expand Beyond The Rusty Guy Stuff?

Picky Viewers

The jury is out...American Pickers needs a revamp and soon! I picked the brains of members of Iantiqueonline.com and asked them: "What was your take on last night's show called "5 Acres of Junk" (March 15th, 2010).

You know what I got back for answers? Five acres of COMMENTS on the March 15th, 2010 show! And there indeed was a theme to all their jabber. The bottom line is that our viewers are picky and they have a lot of suggestions to throw out at the producers and writers of American Pickers.

For the sake of keeping this post neat and clean (something the Pickers are not ever going to live up to), I will breakdown the feedback I received into sections: Feel free to jump into the chatter and post your own two cents.

What Picky Iantiqueonline.com Members Had to Say About The American Pickers
Expand Beyond Rusty Guy Stuff

"The audience will tire of hubcaps, oil cans and motorcycles after a point." John
RareVictorian.com

"too much motor head stuff" Mike

"Over all the show gets old quickly" S. B.

"Yes, I watch the American Pickers. Most of the time I enjoy the show, but I grew up with antique cars, motorcycles, and bikes. I am probably one of the few women that understands the "motor" subject, but even for me it sometimes gets a tad boring. I think they really need to start focusing on some subjects that will pull in more women watchers. Even when a seller shows them something that we women are collecting they tend to blow it off and move toward a motorized item. They either need to add a woman to the cast on the road or learn something about collectibles used in home decorating. Good grief they are based out of Iowa and I have yet to see anything about pearl buttons. Come on...look around the neighborhood and check on Ebay to see what is selling out there and where the interests of the rest of the people lie. How about some vintage purses, clothing, antique buttons, or dolls? "Kim

"My husband and I love the show. Both of us are sick though of their fixation with the bikes. I would like to see them go to really well know states for antique collecting. Their betting against each other and their chemistry is a big part of the show." Lynn

"It was interesting to watch once, possibly twice, then, well...it's that same old stuff, the same old strange old men whose things they want to buy, and they always find the same old stuff. " K__

"It would be nice if it was a little less heavy on vehicles and advertising, but that's what guys in rural areas stuffed their barns with." M. S.


Show Is Too Contrived And Staged

"way too contrived and it follows a narrow theme of a grizzly old guy, a farm in never never land and some old rusty American mechanical stuff....also doorknockers get shot at once and a while in that part of the country....would be a nice touch eh? "Mike

"Entertaining, yet very staged; I work in the television industry and for the most part it is too staged", Steve

"American Pickers is way too scripted for me and becoming very redundant and I question 99% of the items they pick also their profit margin, after paying for their gas and travel expenses (if they weren't on TV) is in the negative numbers.", M.S.

Are The Pickers Ripping People Off ?

NO

This is Daryle Lambert of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club www.darylelambert.com. I have already written to the Antique Week about the Pickers show but here I go again.

I believe that the biggest winners from the show are those that would let items waste away in their barns, garages or storage units until they saw this show. Then they would think maybe I have something of value and start searching their items that were destined for the trash heap.

I get tired of the Johnnie do goods that think everybody is taking advantage of someone else. The items that the Pickers are discovering had no value until they found them and the sellers should be appreciative of that fact. The people that are crying are probably the very ones that are taking advantage of others.

It is a great show and I believe it has many years to go. Keep up the great work, go Pickers.

Daryle lambert

"Anyway I'm liking it that they are not giving the top dollar on the boob tube so the rest of us pickers can still buy it like they do. And that Phillip Morris sign they said they sold for what 1500 That should have been 3500 and up." H.M.

"We like the show. It's quite clear that they are not taking advantage of anyone - not with the haggling that is going on with most folks. People need to realize that the folks they visit don't have the customer contacts/sources to get full retail price. They are at the beginning of the food chain - not the end." M.M.R.S

YES (Are The Pickers Ripping People Off?
" enjoy watching but sometimes feel Mike and Frank are a little dis-respectful to the sellers and their prices of what they say they sell the items for are way off the market prices,just my opinion" Scott


"The Pickers trouble me. I think they exploit seniors who may not know the value of their collectibles. I think they are abusive to the woman who runs the shop they supply. Over all I don't like the show. It gives a message to people that it is O.K. to take things that seem abandoned or not of use when it may be valuable to someone. It's ripping off. Well, you asked. And that's what I think. People drive by my parents ancient farm and pilfer antique farm equipment and collectibles, just because they are not in use. These items are an historical part of the life here and should not be taken just because no one has spoken for them. ", L.F.

I Wanna Hear More About The other Side Of The Business: Selling Stuff

"I'd be interested in hearing a little more about the side of their business where they sell what they pick" Margot

"The main characters do not show how they sell the items', S.B.

Love The Show

"love the show though!!!,....but collecting is suppose to be fun and not only about money I am a little offended they did not reply to my emails,but no big deal,....I still think highly off them" Scott

"Most of the time I enjoy the show", K.T.,

"My husband and I love the show"

"They are a hoot to watch".


The Pickers Need to Come To Canada

"I want to watch American Pickers and I’d love them to come to Canada to do a little picking.
I may be jumping the gun a little, maybe we could start by having the History Channel air this show in Canada..
Lord knows we (Canada and the States) expose each other to plenty of mindless dribble, why not treat each other to some quality programming such as American Pickers?
Just my opinion but I’m sure one that’s shared by many."
Regards,
Arthur

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

Photos Courtesy of http://www.antiquearcheology.com/


For More on American Pickers read:

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/03/american-pickers-clinging-to-their.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/03/american-pickers-antiquing-underground.html
http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/antiquing-with-american-pickers-no-sign.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/fetch-and-kvetch-what-does-it-take-to.html

http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/2010/02/junking-along-with-american-pickers.html



To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.