‘American Pickers’ Co-Star Lashes Out At Former Partner In Media Statements

Bruce Haring
·3 min read
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They’re still pickin’, but there’s hardly any grinnin’ going on between the co-stars of The History Channel’s American Pickers show.

Former co-star Frank Fritz has reacted to a prior statement by co-star Mike Wolfe on Fritz’s exit from the reality series, slamming it and claiming he’s fed up with past lies. Fritz has not appeared in the new season, and while it has not been confirmed that he was officially “fired,” his future status remains murky at best.

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In late July, when news first started breaking about Fritz no longer appearing on the show, Wolfe posted on Instagram about Fritz. He said he would “miss” him and would “pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.

“I have known Frank for as long as I can remember, he’s been like a brother to me. The journey that Frank, Dani (Danielle), and I started back in 2009, like all of life, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding. I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.”

Fritz has now gone nuclear about that.

“Mike’s statement was bulls—t, somebody wrote it out for him,” Fritz told The Sun this week.

“We were never friends in grade school,” the 55-year-old claimed. “I don’t believe in 10 years he’s said five nice things to me, you know? Unless he was cutting somebody else down and we were both laughing.”

Frank continued: “Mike didn’t call me himself, never, like I said – we haven’t spoken for two years. That is the 100% truth and I don’t like people that lie to people. I’m not a liar just for the fact that my brain can’t remember if I lied or not. I don’t lie to people, even if it hurts. If it hurts your feelings, I’m sorry. If you don’t like me anymore that’s your problem.”

“And if he doesn’t like it, then maybe he should have f****** called me. Maybe he should have called and said ‘Hey, how’s your back doing?’”

Fritz has acknowledged that he also entered alcohol rehab after his back surgery. He added that the show has been vague about whether he had a chance of returning.

Fritz has been the cohost for the show since it began in Jan. 2010, Fritz’s last episode on the antiquing road show aired in March 2020, but he didn’t return when the show emerged from its pandemic-imposed production hiatus.

“I didn’t leave the show,” he told the tabloid. “I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came.”

American Pickers is currently in production on its 11th year and airing new episodes Mondays at 9 PM ET/PT on History Channel.

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