American Pickers used to have golden ratings for The History Channel. However, viewers have been losing interest for years. You can take your pick about why the show is allegedly “bottoming out.”
The latest rumor about American Pickers involves Dave Ohrt—specifically, where on Earth has Dave gone, and why? Dave hasn’t appeared in an episode in several years. The timing of his mysterious departure has fans complaining and “demanding answers.”
What’s really suspicious is that Frank Fritz, Mike Wolfe’s “other half,” also left Pickers around the same time as Dave. Although, Frank’s disappearance was allegedly due to a “back injury.”
But then Frank got fired from Pickers a year after he left. Now, the conspiracy theories are growing that Dave’s absence was somehow connected to Frank getting the boot.
Tuko included a bio on Dave in their American Pickers cast members article from a few years ago. They said Dave was a millionaire and described him as a “talented actor” with a “stunning” skill in repairing motorcycles.
His bio also listed Dave as the owner of GMC Savanna Automobiles, with an annual income of $250,000. But there doesn’t appear to be a website connected to this company, so what’s the real truth?
Dave did appear on camera in May 2022, but it wasn’t televised nationally. Barely 300 people have viewed his video presentation on YouTube.
Dave Met Mike When He Was a Kid
Dave spoke about American Pickers at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Clinton. He had some crazy stories to tell about Mike and Frank.
First, Dave talked about meeting Mike for the first time decades ago, when Mike was still a kid. Mike had heard about Dave collecting “antique bicycles,” and he visited Dave to learn all about it.
Dave said that Mike told him, “I’m gonna become an antique dealer.” Dave just laughed him off and said, “Good luck with that, buddy.”
Then, Dave discovered that Mike really meant it. He said that Mike “was smart enough” and learned quickly. Dave also set the record straight on where he stands with Mike.
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He told everyone, “It’s not like we’re best friends or anything. It was like a business relationship.” Then Dave spilled the tea about how Mike’s antique dealing business turned into a hit reality show and how it started going wrong.
Dave said he was there at the beginning when Mike and “his buddy from high school” put together the pilot for the show. The “buddy” was Frank, and Dave called their pilot a “sizzler.”
Dave watched the “sizzler” and thought to himself, “That’s entertaining, but good luck with that, buddy.” During his presentation, Dave confessed that American Pickers felt “unreal” and that it was “weird” that the show was eventually broadcast in 64 countries.
While he might not consider himself a “talented actor,” Dave talked about the production company he worked with when he was on the show. He claimed that the “entertainment industry is not like you think.” Dave revealed, “It’s pretty money-motivated, but you meet some interesting people.”
Dave is Over the Show
Then Dave dropped his first bombshell. While he claimed that the show is not “fake,” Dave thinks that Pickers has “plateaued.” He believes the show still has “enough viewers” to remain on the air, but Dave revealed, “I’m over it myself.”
He added, “I’m getting older now. I mean, I just turned 68 this month.” He also revealed what he misses about the show and it might not be what you think.
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For Dave, the best thing about being on Pickers “was all the perks.” He mentioned, “Rick Nielsen, Cheap Truck, Aaron Smith you get backstage passes everywhere.”
Dave’s second bombshell was all about Frank. He claimed that he always gets the question, “Will Frank be coming back to the show?” And his answer was crazy.
He said, “The reason… you know… Frank, like we’re all human beings, and Frank had an alcohol issue.” Dave did allege that Frank has “fought it and fought it,” and he’s doing well. Shockingly, Dave claims that Frank’s health “won’t permit” him to do the show anymore.
Dave even claimed he sees Frank “all the time” and that Frank “just doesn’t want to go back.” Although Dave never doubted the “chemistry” between Mike and Frank was real, and he called it “Laurel and Hardy” hilarious.
Mike is Left to Deal with the Show’s Fallout
The U.S. Sun said that ticked-off fans were demanding to know what happened to Dave, an American Pickers “favorite.” The Sun reported a “teaser” clip for the most recent episode appeared on the Pickers’ Facebook page. According to the Sun, “fans begged to know why the repairman [Dave] hasn’t been featured in years.”
In the clip, Mike sorts through “various trinkets” in an antique shop, such as “rusted cast iron pans.” He ends up bargaining for black-and-white photographs and old neon signs.
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Fans seem to think the new episode is “the same old, same old.” They began commenting on Facebook, “Where is Dave?” The Sun described Dave as a “former TV star” and said no one from The History Channel or the cast “has explained his disappearance,” although Dave seems to have answered that question to the Rotary Club of Clinton.
That just leaves Mike to deal with the fallout of American Pickers. The Sun confirmed that he went “back home,” and 59-year-old Mike didn’t seem so concerned about the show’s future, until recently.
At first, Mike posted stuff on Instagram, like a photo taken from behind the wheel of his 1960 Impala. He said he was cruising at 60 miles per hour. Mike wrote, “Full moon tonight… feels good to be back home.”
After Frank exited, Mike’s 63-year-old brother Robbie joined the cast. The current cast includes Danielle Colby, another series fave, and Jon “Jersey Jon” Szalay.
Viewers Are Calling the Show a Disaster
On social media, Robbie and Jon recently shared that they’re in Alabama shooting new episodes. Fans noted that and turned it into another controversy. Since American Pickers is supposed to be in the middle of its current season, why is Jon already going on about new stuff?
Jon didn’t seem to care either way, and he wrote online, “Down in the Deep South filming all-new episodes of American Pickers!!” The photo Jon posted showed the trunk of a rundown black car filled with flowers. The antique vehicle has no wheels and was parked in an open lot by a large forest.
If fans weren’t too enthused about that post, Jon also wrote, “Stay tuned!!” on an uploaded selfie of him and Mike behind the wheel. Shockingly, American Pickers is currently in its 25th season. The Sun confirmed that “the show has suffered from up and down ratings since its premier” late last year.
When the first new episodes aired in December 2023, the season premiere drew 723,000 viewers, but episode two’s ratings dropped to 676,000. Unexpectedly, ratings climbed to almost one million viewers on March 6th, but the following week, more than 150,000 viewers dropped off again.
Did Mike get the hint? Before the March 20th episode aired, he went on social media to beg fans to tune in. But Mike might not want to hear what some Pickers’ haters are saying right now.
A video appeared on the show’s Facebook page, throwing shade, and people didn’t just call American Pickers boring. They labeled it a “disaster.”
Some viewers are also claiming that the show no longer appeals to women. The Sun said that viewers are slamming the producers for “including too many episodes centered on vehicles.”
