In 2010, the reality series ‘American Pickers’ debuted on the History Channel and proved to be an instant hit with viewers. Pulling in over 3 million people, it had one of the highest debuts the network had ever seen. That popularity has endured over the years, which is why the show continues to make new episodes.
How much do we actually know about this series and the people who film it, though? There are plenty of behind-the-scenes rumors and stories that even eagle-eyed viewers may not know about after years of watching the show ‘American Pickers.’
The producers might even tell the hosts what to talk about
‘American Pickers’ has proven to be so much of a success that it’s attracted celebrity attention from the likes of Jack White, Steven Tyler, and Dolly Parton. However, it probably wouldn’t have gotten to this point if it weren’t for all the input courtesy of production. As much as they allegedly manipulate the show, their efforts have made a difference.
They reportedly have a hand in everything on ‘American Pickers,’ including what the hosts say. While the show might not be entirely scripted, there are rumors that it’s not completely natural either. The likelihood is that people tell the hosts what to talk about, and they take it from there, as is the case in other reality shows.
The history of the items is something that reportedly isn’t faked
Hearing all these allegations about ‘American Pickers,’ it’s easy to assume that nothing you see is real. However, that’s not necessarily true. While producers may meddle with certain things, and the show might not be edited chronologically, there is at least one thing that’s legitimate. We’re talking about the history of the items showcased in this series.
Even if everything else about this show may be questionable, what people have to share about these antiques is apparently the real deal. It’s reassuring to know that this isn’t something that anyone will lie about and that everyone has their facts straight when it comes to the origin stories. It certainly makes up for all the other rumors.
Jared Gutstadt had an interesting vision for the American Pickers theme song
Every show needs a good theme song that instantly makes you think of the series when you hear it. There have been some truly iconic ones over the years, and there’s no denying that ‘American Pickers’ has one of the more interesting ones out there. It actually has quite an interesting story, courtesy of Jared Gutstadt.
Apparently, the intro was taken from a track by Reckless Sons that was then transformed into what we’re familiar with from the series. Gutstadt was reportedly looking for a “sound like The Band meets The White Stripes meets seventies-era Rolling Stones.” Evidently, he went into the process with a vision, and he came out with a perfect track.
Mike’s been passionate about picking since he was a kid selling bikes
Mike Wolfe is one of the leading faces of ‘American Pickers,’ with the man reportedly responsible for the show even existing in the first place. It seems that he’s long been a passionate picker, with his experience outside of the series making him the perfect man for the job. It all reportedly started when he was just a kid.
The young Wolfe apparently came across an old bike and ended up selling it for $5. That might not have been much, but it was more than he had before, and it opened his eyes to the value of picking. Mike reportedly continued searching for bikes and allegedly ended up selling them for $5,000, having bought them for $50.
Frank Fritz reportedly wasn’t much of a picker before the show
While picking has been a passion for Mike Wolfe for seemingly most of his life, the same can’t necessarily be said of other people on the show. Although Wolfe started the series alongside Frank Fritz, Mike’s partner wasn’t necessarily as experienced in this area. Supposedly, he was more like your average collector than anything else.
Interestingly, Frank made a living for himself in quite a different way before ‘American Pickers’ came along. According to Outsider, he spent around 25 years working as a fire inspector, a job that he took up shortly after graduating from high school. Though he continued to collect during this time, antiques weren’t where Frank was making his money.
Mike and Frank have faced questions about the nature of their relationship
Whenever you have a show that’s fronted by two people, the chemistry between those hosts needs to be strong. Otherwise, viewers will often have a hard time finding the series enjoyable. Thankfully, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz have always seemed to have a good partnership onscreen, with some suggesting that their connection is even stronger than it appears.
It seems that since ‘American Pickers’ started, several fans have suggested there might be something romantic going on between Mike and Frank. Neither host has ever said anything about this, with both of them having wives or girlfriends that seemingly dispel the rumors. Nevertheless, it hasn’t stopped talk of the pair having a thing for one another.
Mike and Frank’s friendship may not actually be that strong
Of course, just as there have been rumors about Mike and Frank being in a relationship, there has also been talk of them not actually getting along that much. Even though the two reportedly started their friendship as teenagers and worked together for years, they supposedly haven’t always been that close. Doing ‘American Pickers’ may have even pushed them apart.
There were reportedly fears at one point that the supposed animosity between the two would bring the show to an untimely end. However, before that could happen, Frank was allegedly fired from the series, with the last season airing without him. Was this because of a frayed relationship behind the scenes? Some people certainly seem to think so.
Mike Wolfe and his wife got a divorce after years of marriage
One of the reasons why some people have ignored those rumors about Mike and Frank being in a relationship is that the pair have both been with women throughout the show’s run. Mike, in particular, has been married throughout most of his run on ‘American Pickers.’ Unfortunately, it seems that union is now over after his wife filed for divorce.
Jodi Wolfe reportedly decided that there was no going back for their marriage in 2020, apparently citing irreconcilable differences for their split. The proceedings were finalized in 2021, meaning that Mike has been a divorcee for several years now. The split also means he no longer sees his daughter as much, with Jodi reportedly having primary custody.
Diann claimed that Frank was the cheater, something that he denied
Interestingly, Frank isn’t the only one who threw out accusations of infidelity. It appears that Diann also accused her partner of the same thing, saying that she once “caught him in bed with another woman.” That’s what she reportedly told The Sun in 2018, although it’s something that Fritz later denied to the same publication.
He apparently informed The Sun that Diann was “cheating a lot longer than me” and that he simply had a woman at the house. Bankson allegedly never caught the pair of them doing anything they shouldn’t. In regards to his claims that his partner was unfaithful during the relationship, Frank added: “I don’t think she can help herself.”
