A&E Facing lawsuits for rigging their reality shows.. (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Say it isn't so!

http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2012/12/11/15846565-storage-wars-star-claims-in-lawsuit-that-show-is-rigged?lite

Hester says that during the series featuring the auctioneering of contents based on a few minutes of inspection by buyers, A&E has planted items of memorabilia. Among the objects cited by Hester are a pile of old newspapers announcing the death of Elvis Presley in one episode and a BWM mini car in another.

After allegedly complaining to producers that A&E's "fraudulent conduct of salting and staging the storage lockers was possibly illegal," he says he was fired. Hester adds that A&E purported to rescind their written exercise of an option retaining his services for the coming season.

 

[Scott-S]

It is tough to believe anything the ex-con Hester says. Although I have always wondered about this very thing.
I thought it was common knowlege that "reality" shows have a lot of "scripted" parts, but if it is true the producers are planting items, it is pretty sad and will most likely make me stop watching.
My gut feeling is that this whole lawsuit by Hester is just a grab for money. After all, once a con, always a con.
I am glad I wont have to see his smug face any more in the future either way. So I guess we are all winners.

 

[Stan]

There are so many really crappy "reality" shows on now, I don't even pay attention any longer.
These might be on different networks, but "Hoarders", "Duck Hunters", "Doomsday Prepers", a seemingly endless list of junk TV. Just the commercials make them look ridiculous, although they must have some sort of audience.
"Storage Wars", "Parking Wars" and others fall into this category. Must be a lot of people with plenty of free time, but there are much better things available to watch.
Plus, as Scott mentions, "reality" shows are always scripted. They're also heavily edited and manipulated. There are a few decent ones on the major networks, but the cable shows are not very impressive.

 

[schan1269]

The worst one is South Beach Towing. Tru TV(is that the network name???) even says...
"Not reality, actuality"...
Lopez/Anthony are co-creators of the show and I've watched it like once...

 

[schan1269]

The most interesting part of that story...
The Brandi Passante stalker porn...
Off to Google search...

 

[Jesse Skeen]

They should be sued for no longer being the Arts and Entertainment Network!

 

[Hanson]

I stopped watching The Learning Channel after they started airing UFO specials.

 

[Charles Smith]

I'm shocked, shocked, to find that scripting is going on in here!

Seriously, how in the world could anyone believe that ANYTHING put on television today -- especially something so incredibly formulaic as the cable "reality" shows -- isn't scripted and manipulated up one side and down the other? On ANY network?

 

[KevinGress]

My gut feeling is that this whole lawsuit by Hester is just a grab for money. After all, once a con, always a con.
I am glad I wont have to see his smug face any more in the future either way. So I guess we are all winners.

Can you direct me to where I can learn more about Hester being a con? I know that he was arrested for DWI and that helped lead him to thrift stores which led him to 'buying storage lockers', but the very little I've seen of the show and him, he seems overall like a decent guy.
I also remember seeing a video on YouTube several months ago claiming that Storage Wars was staged, so this news, if true, doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[Malcolm R]

I'm shocked, shocked, to find that scripting is going on in here!
Seriously, how in the world could anyone believe that ANYTHING put on television today -- especially something so incredibly formulaic as the cable "reality" shows -- isn't scripted and manipulated up one side and down the other?  On ANY network?

+1
The concept of any actual "reality" on any of these shows is laughable.

 

[Scott-S]

Kevin;
He is portrayed (editing?) as a real jerk. I can only judge him on what I have seen.. The Con comment has been made on the show when he got really pissed off when one of the other players made a hat that changed Hester's company logo to "Con Gallery".
He was convicted of a DUI which makes him a "Con". But I thought I had read a story that mentioned he had issues with check fraud as well. Don't take that as a fact. I will look around a little for the story if you really are interested.

 

[Stan]

I stopped watching The Learning Channel after they started airing UFO specials. 

The Learning Channel used to be pretty decent, more PBS style, with their more scientific, nature related shows. They have definitely gone downhill in the past few years. With their "Toddlers and Tiaras", "Long Island Medium" and others, they're probably tied with A&E for junk programming.
The really sad part is shows like this have an audience. The "dumbing down" of America continues.
A&E should change their name. Arts is certainly gone, and entertainment is hardly the correct term for the crap they show now. They still have a little respectability. I watch the occasional repeat of "Criminal Minds" and they run a decent movie once in a while, but pretty rare.

 

[schan1269]

Saw this the other day on Facebook...

 

[Brandon Conway]

Most of these "reality shows" on History Channel and A&E are at best loosely scripted/staged, and at worst completely scripted.

Some, like Pawn Stars and American Restoration, falsify the "impromptu" walk-ins to the shops - these are arranged meetings and usually they have decided beforehand what the price is and whether the item will be sold. But at least on these shows the basic truth is that these are real places you can go and get those services, in principal. Just don't expect to see the main guys on the show when you walk into the Pawn Shop, because they don't actually work regular shifts like they portray. And at least with American Restoration you can see the general process of how they restore an item.

A show like American Pickers I'm less generous with because they constantly show them "freestyling" when all the meetings are completely arranged. Did Mike use to do this? Probably, but everything on the show is scheduled, and they know exactly which items they will be picking beforehand, etc. If you're ever in any doubt of this, ask yourselves how they get the camera angles they do.

The storage auction shows are even more problematic, IMO, because everything is a set-up for the show, and the falsifying of auctions does have legal ramifications if someone wanted to press charges.

The reason to watch these shows if to see random items of interest, such as the cars, old gas pumps, bikes, soda machines, memorabilia, guns, etc. The bantering and - heaven forbid - an episode "storyline" (will Chumlee clock in on time after he promised to do so?!) is of far less interest.

 

[Walter C]

The only thing I watch on A&E is Longmire. If not for that, I would not even known it existed.

The sad thing is when going through the listings, when looking for something to watch, is that it's littered with reality shows. Most of them, I would not watch at all.

 

[Stan]

I stopped watching The Learning Channel after they started airing UFO specials. 

Right there with you. Are they the same channel that shows that ridiculous "Ghost Hunters"? I'm actually removing some of these from my DISH remote "favorites" because they have nothing worth viewing any more.
Started with DISH a few years ago and immediately made a custom list that dropped off probably 100 lame shopping channels, along with all the women's "chick flick" garbage. I'm now down to about 30 channels that might have something I enjoy. The other junk might help their stats when advertising, but most of it is worthless.