"Storage Wars" participant gets kicked off show and sues

[WhenItWasAHobby]

I've watched this show occasionally and was skeptical about the circumstances and situations involving the auctions. It really couldn't be a true public auction with only the same four parties always winning. Now one of the regulars, Dave Hester, claims much of the show is staged and is not really a "reality show" and was given the boot and now he's suing the show.

See news article:

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/12/11/torage-wars-star-dave-hester-says-show-is-fake-suing-report-says/

Here's the lawsuit:

http://www-deadline-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/A-E_STORAGE_WARS_DEC_11_LAWSUIT__121211191310.pdf


Personally my biggest problem with the show was Hester himself grossly over-estimating his winnings and acting like no one else was worthy of being in the show with him. I don't know what kind of agreement or contract Hester had with the show, so I don't know if he even has a case, but it all has the appearance of a lot of sour grapes. If he doesn't like the way the show is run then nobody is forcing him to participate. Why he has to sue them mystifies me.

[alanu]

I watch this show regularly and always assumed they put things in the lockers they on tv, but that they were things they found at some point in time in their buying lockers.

I've heard the cast members mention they lose money on 80% of the lockers they buy and on the show they certainly make money on most of the lockers, but then like you said they greatly inflate the prices that they say the items are worth. Sometimes it makes me laugh.

With that said, Hester would be a loss to the show since he is the "villain", but I'm not sure what he's thinking when he makes those statements, he's almost begging them to boot him.

[D. Bergin]

Reading the filing it seems like sour grapes because they were encouraging others to bid against him by providing cash to the other stars for the bidding process.

Seems his ego got the best of him and he decided to throw away whatever they were paying him to be on the show because they didn't want him to win every locker he bid on, therefore destroying any built up drama on the show.

Going so far as to mention somebody else's plastic surgery in a lawsuit seems ridiculous. It's television stupid..........and the law they were bringing up seems applicable to game and quiz shows to me. When a show has cast members it would seem to forfeit being a "competition" to me.

Obviously most of it is staged. C'mon, finding some single rare antique in the beat up dresser drawer of an otherwise pile of garbage.

I'm sure there's some gold mines out there (forgotten estates, sudden deaths, etc..), but I wonder why most people who abandon these units don't just go in and take out the more valuable items before they stop paying their bills.

[teetwoohsix]

To add on to Dave's last sentence, I've always wondered what's stopping the people who run the storage unit from cutting the lock, going through the items first, and then putting a new lock on prior to the auction. I mean, they just cut the lock off anyway, so who would know?

"Yyuuupppp !!!" :p

Sincerely, Clayton

[Wymers Auction]

From an auction standpoint this show is "unreality" at best and borders on total fabrication. I think it is funny that people now flock to storage unit sales when they used to be very sparsely attended sales. Brilliant marketing tactic for Storage Unit managers and auctioneers. What is obviously fake to most of us is not so clear to the rest.

[D. Bergin]

From an auction standpoint this show is "unreality" at best and borders on total fabrication. I think it is funny that people now flock to storage unit sales when they used to be very sparsely attended sales. Brilliant marketing tactic for Storage Unit managers and auctioneers. What is obviously fake to most of us is not so clear to the rest.


I'll admit the show had a brief allure for me. I thought for about 3 minutes of looking for a storage auction to attend............and then I thought to myself..........but how am I going to get rid of all the garbage in each unit I win?......and remembered my town dump charges like two hundred bucks a pickup truck load for "bulk disposal", to discourage contractors from dumping their loads there.

A peaceful feeling entered my body, and I never considered it again.

:D

[steve B]

The show is probably staged, but there's a lot of decent stuff out there.

Before our city went to a single bin for trash the company would take nearly anything. And loads of great stuff would be on the curb.

Freight car mover- about a 15 foot long pry bar.
Small coal shovel.
Push type lawn edge trimmer - like the push mowers, but tiny and with only one wheel
Stained glass window.
Bicycle sized tire chain.- Showed it to a guy with a great collection of balloon tire bikes and he said he'd never even heard of it.
Plus a bunch of architectural salvage like window frames with the old wavy glass. I sold 30+ frames for $10 each. Not bad for stuff that was free.

All that was from within 3 blocks of my house.

So I wouldn't be at all surprised to find something decent in a storage locker.

Steve B

[alanu]

The thing that struck me funny about the lawsuit is that Dave Hester was earning $25,000 per episode, which has to be more than he could dream about getting from storage units, so even if he does win his lawsuit, he's throwing away maybe millions in future earnings from the show with his stupid comments.

[chaddurbin]

knew the show was fake, what i didn't know was dave hester IS an asshole and just didn't play one as a character with this lawsuit.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

What a YUTZ!, Er, I mean YUUUUUTZ!!!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t192/SoliDeoGloria_2007/dave-hester1_zps49efc30f.jpg

[Matthew H]

One of the funniest moments of the show imo is when Dave Hester estimated his locker full of worthless books was worth 50k. What a lame.

[alanu]

What a YUTZ!, Er, I mean YUUUUUTZ!!!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t192/SoliDeoGloria_2007/dave-hester1_zps49efc30f.jpg

That or PUUUUUUUTZ!

[bn2cardz]

The thing that struck me funny about the lawsuit is that Dave Hester was earning $25,000 per episode, which has to be more than he could dream about getting from storage units, so even if he does win his lawsuit, he's throwing away maybe millions in future earnings from the show with his stupid comments.

From my understanding he was let go THEN sued. He didn't begin his lawsuit before being terminated. The first complaint is for "wrongful termination". So he isn't losing his paycheck because of the lawsuit, the lawsuit is because he lost his paycheck.

[glynparson]

please keep thinking there's nothing in these storage lockers and that the show is all bs.

[alanu]

From my understanding he was let go THEN sued. He didn't begin his lawsuit before being terminated. The first complaint is for "wrongful termination". So he isn't losing his paycheck because of the lawsuit, the lawsuit is because he lost his paycheck.

I was referring to the stupid comments that he made to get himself fired. Was watching the show tonight and as always it made me laugh at the values he put on the items. The other guy I don't really like, Darrell made a big score on some art.

[bn2cardz]

I was referring to the stupid comments that he made to get himself fired. Was watching the show tonight and as always it made me laugh at the values he put on the items. The other guy I don't really like, Darrell made a big score on some art.


*So he is in the wrong because he pointed out that what his bosses were doing was illegal and then got fired for it? :confused:

(*assuming that his lawsuit is true)

[D. Bergin]

*So he is in the wrong because he pointed out that what his bosses were doing was illegal and then got fired for it? :confused:

(*assuming that his lawsuit is true)



Was it illegal?

I watched a couple shows last night and it really isn't a competition despite the numbers board at the end.

Just a bunch of storage lockers bought and arbitrary numbers thrown out as values at the end. No real prizes for who wins or loses.

They do the same thing with "Deadliest Catch", though in a most likely much less arbitrary way, in comparing the crab catches and deck hand wages for the different boats.

[David W]

I'll admit the show had a brief allure for me. I thought for about 3 minutes of looking for a storage auction to attend............and then I thought to myself..........but how am I going to get rid of all the garbage in each unit I win?......and remembered my town dump charges like two hundred bucks a pickup truck load for "bulk disposal", to discourage contractors from dumping their loads there.

A peaceful feeling entered my body, and I never considered it again.

:D

I attended some auctions 5 years before this show ever hit, and my feelings were exactly like yours - They should pay me to put this junk in the dumpster, not the other way around. There were about 20 units, most were pure garbage, some did not sell.

There was however one unit completely packed to the top and back that had a snow mobile in it that went for close to $1000, so someone could have gotten a deal.

[bn2cardz]

Was it illegal?

I watched a couple shows last night and it really isn't a competition despite the numbers board at the end.

Just a bunch of storage lockers bought and arbitrary numbers thrown out as values at the end. No real prizes for who wins or loses.

They do the same thing with "Deadliest Catch", though in a most likely much less arbitrary way, in comparing the crab catches and deck hand wages for the different boats.

That is what he alleges. He alleges that he made some comments about some of the things being illegal and were in "violation of of the Communications act of 1934" and that when it was brought up he was fired. If this is true, then why would we be so harsh on him?

[alanu]

Well my view is that he's been participating in the practices and getting paid for it for several years so he's just as guilty if it was illegal.

[Exhibitman]

Any time I want something gone I just put it at the curb with a sign that says "$10 put payment in mailbox" and it is gone within a few hours [no money, of course]. I've put things put with "free" signs and they dont get taken.

I figure lots of things are staged on those shows; they'd have to be. In my experience the kind of person who abandons a locker doesn't have good stuff to begin with, though there are exceptions. But antiques and such every time, no way. I can see how a junk shop owner could make out if they buy at the right price. I also never bought the enmity between the bidders. Us card geeks are battle-hardened auction veterans. I've probably been to dozens of live auctions and participated in hundreds of online ones and I've never gone out of my way to 'stick' someone with a bad lot. No one takes that risk as a professional and I find it highly implausible that these supposed pro auction buyers get caught up in such petty BS; certainly has to be scripted.

[thedutymon]

Evening,

I was involved in the Industry peripherally many years ago when I lived in So. Cal. I still have many friends that work on different shows and in fact a gaffer who does contract work on Pawn Stars and does a lot of local LA TV work was just here to go skiing in Colorado staying with me. We had a long discussion over many Beers about the state of the Reality TV Business today.

That show and 90% of the reality shows you see on TV are scripted crap, the exceptions being Dirty Jobs, Survivor (Most aspects, some of it is manipulated that as they say "Doesn't affect the Outcome") Most of American Pickers, although all of the interaction with the guys in the van is scripted, the girl at their shop, and some of the interactions with the people they Pick, but for the most part its above board.

All, and I mean all of these are total crap and to me borderline on being Illegal because they are decieving the public.

Pawn Stars
Whatever that redneck Pawn Stars show is called
The belligerent Detroit A$$hole Pawn Show
The House thing with the Super Pretty People
Most of the Bachleor/Date, Pretty People shows


Shark Tank according to another Buddy is all set up ahead of time and although the actual People pitching their ideas/products is real, the Sharks are provided with background info and research info ahead of time and have pretty much come to Gentlemen's agreements before the people ever walk into the room!

As far as Dave Hesters Lawsuit, that is just a diversion from the real action. His attorneys aren't after some piddly little $25K per episode, that's Chump Change in the big picture, or to embarass the Production Company. He's after more of the real money...The Residuals, he gets a check mailed to him every time one of those shows plays in re-runs for $500-$1K, and those things play Hundreds and Hundreds of times per week!! That's the REAL MONEY!!! I have friends who years later as Gaffers/Sound/Grips/Pre and Post Production Assistants get a large part of their income off Residuals!!!

So the real money and the real reason for My Yuuutz's lawsuit will be settled quietly for a rather large sum of money, because there are Millions of dollars still to made by the producers and that show hasn't run its course yet, still has 2-4 years to be dragged out!!!

I wouldn't waste one moment of time watching that crap if you paid me.....Well wait a minute..maybe for some Residual Checks !!!!:D:D:D

Neil

[Exhibitman]

Hester alleges that the show producers paid for a contestant's plastic surgery. All I can say is that if this is what the producers paid for, bravo to them:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/brandi.jpg

[mcadams]

I personally don't see any thing wrong with Hester's lawsuit. First, its reprehensible that the show would fire Hester for voicing his opinion about the tactics of the show. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Second, it appears that the show's "tactics" affected the outcomes of the locker purchases (biased toward allowing others to win occasionally). Hester had been doing this type of business for a long time. If some dumba$$ show started manipulating (illegally) my chosen profession, I'd take issue with it as well.

[rjackson44]

The show is the worst

[Sean1125]

Any time I want something gone I just put it at the curb with a sign that says "$10 put payment in mailbox" and it is gone within a few hours [no money, of course]. I've put things put with "free" signs and they dont get taken.

I figure lots of things are staged on those shows; they'd have to be. In my experience the kind of person who abandons a locker doesn't have good stuff to begin with, though there are exceptions. But antiques and such every time, no way. I can see how a junk shop owner could make out if they buy at the right price. I also never bought the enmity between the bidders. Us card geeks are battle-hardened auction veterans. I've probably been to dozens of live auctions and participated in hundreds of online ones and I've never gone out of my way to 'stick' someone with a bad lot. No one takes that risk as a professional and I find it highly implausible that these supposed pro auction buyers get caught up in such petty BS; certainly has to be scripted.

I've never seen as much "sticking" it to them as with any of these auction shows... Every seller seems to be out to get the other...

In reality I'm good friends with most of the people who go the auctions and lots sell for half price or less due to people letting others have lots.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

http://www.zimbio.com/Mark+Balelo/articles/Hue9RsolckN/Report+Storage+Wars+Star+Mark+Balelo+Found?utm_sou rce=outb&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Z-Articles-1

[Sean1125]

http://www.zimbio.com/Mark+Balelo/articles/Hue9RsolckN/Report+Storage+Wars+Star+Mark+Balelo+Found?utm_sou rce=outb&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Z-Articles-1

Saw that the other day... Seems like some nasty drug activity was involved from other reports.

[nebboy]

I've never seen as much "sticking" it to them as with any of these auction shows... Every seller seems to be out to get the other...

In reality I'm good friends with most of the people who go the auctions and lots sell for half price or less due to people letting others have lots.

Must say over many year of all type of action buying (and a lot to storage unit included) Ive have pretty much the same type of experieces. Very few time was anyone wiling to bid up someone out of spite.

[footlong]

Hester alleges that the show producers paid for a contestant's plastic surgery. All I can say is that if this is what the producers paid for, bravo to them:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/brandi.jpg

this was the best part of the show.

[ocjack]

Exhibitman beat me to it. The only reason I watch the show is to see Brandi.

It's funny, their shop is about 10 minutes from me and I drive past it several times each week, but have yet to go in.

Anyone want an autographed picture, if I do? :)

[bobbyw8469]

Yes...I love Brandi....an autographed pic would be sweet....

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Funniest part of the story is that they identify him as a "star."

[T205 GB]

Yes...I love Brandi....an autographed pic would be sweet....

In a bikini with her A$$ sticking out:D:D:D:D She can sign right across the sweet spot!!!(The bottom of the pic as to not obstruct the view;))

[WhenItWasAHobby]

'Storage Wars' Star Ordered to Pay $122,000 in Legal Fees.

It appears this didn't work out as planned although reading the article there are still several claims outstanding.

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/storage-wars-star-ordered-pay-122-000-legal-235922482.html

[Zach Wheat]

Hester....the one guy I truly did not ever root for. Maybe he really IS like that in real life. I find it hard to believe anyone can be that cocky, brash and egocentric.

The initial results of the suit seem to indicate Hester lost; however a more careful reading suggests he will refile the suit specifically to address certain provisions of The Communications Act of 1934, which the judge claimed he did not address any of the provisions within the Act.

It seems like this is headed for an out of court settlement....Each claiming they won.

[Exhibitman]

I bet his response was "Fuuuuu***"

[Exhibitman]

I personally don't see any thing wrong with Hester's lawsuit. First, its reprehensible that the show would fire Hester for voicing his opinion about the tactics of the show. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Second, it appears that the show's "tactics" affected the outcomes of the locker purchases (biased toward allowing others to win occasionally). Hester had been doing this type of business for a long time. If some dumba$$ show started manipulating (illegally) my chosen profession, I'd take issue with it as well.

He didn't get fired for that; it was over money and copyright to his "yuuuup" stuff.

[Zach Wheat]

I was also surprised to read that he cleared $25K per episode for 26 episodes in a cycle + a 6 figure spending allowance for "anything".