Shame on the Producers of A&E’s Storage Wars For Telling One Side of the Story

Storage Wars Spike TV A & E

We often discuss with organizing clients the pros and cons of putting personal possessions into paid warehouse storage.

In our opinion, it's only a win-win when the relationship is short in situations such as:

  • Home Construction: You're involved in a home renovation (and need to clear the house so workers can kick up construction dust);
  • Working out of State: You're leaving to go out of state or the country (many folks in Hollywood work overseas for film and music projects for extended periods of time and rent out their homes);
  • Quick Home Sale: In-between living arrangements (our current economy has created some tricky relocation scenarios

Storage Wars Premieres on A&E:

Alg_storage_wars_dotsons Storage Wars is a new disturbing A&E produced reality program chronicling four tough guys on a California road show searching for gold, fine paintings, valuables, collectibles and treasures in storage units where the owners have fallen on hard times and have had to abandon the units through repossession. The Producers have chosen to focus on these ruff-and-tuff men (one of them, Dan Dotson, is feature left), licking their chops, working towards the American Dream and portraying them as brave and noble "saving" or "rescuing" the stuff.

We agree with Kevin McDonough, entertainment critic for South Coast Today of South Coast, Massachusetts. McDonough doesn't appreciate unbalanced treatment either:

""Storage War$" offers not a nanosecond of reflection on the fate of the people whose possessions are looted in this legal but entirely predatory fashion. It's rather interesting — to use a kind word — for A&E to treat the victims of recent hard times as so much roadkill and make heroes and TV stars out of the vultures who close in for the deal."

And to top it off, The New York Daily News, does acknowledge these treasure hunters as definitely not warm and fuzzy, but they're doing work they love and searching for the American Dream. Shame on the Producers for only talking about these so-called "heroes." They need to interview the victims who have lost the ownership and gain a more balanced view.

We just think this is wrong to prey on people who have fallen on hard times whether or not the owners are wasting money on useless storage facilities. What do you think?

Read More:

Merciless clutter vultures wage 'War$' – South Coast Today

Four guys bid on the American Dream via 'Storage Wars' in new A&E storage-locker gambling show – New York Daily News

John_trosko_3
Follow us on Twitter!

,

Comments

21 responses to “Shame on the Producers of A&E’s Storage Wars For Telling One Side of the Story”

  1. Wendy Davie Avatar

    Oh My Goodness, what a shocking and scary concept for a reality show.
    However it is bound to be a hit unfortunately 🙁

  2. Lorra J. Avatar
    Lorra J.

    “We just think this is wrong to pray on people who have fallen on hard times whether or not the owners are wasting money on useless storage facilities. What do you think?”
    I think they all could use our prayers…especially those who choose to “prey” on the storage owners and take advantage of their difficulties.
    Sorry, English major. 🙂

  3. John Trosko Avatar

    Lorra, I have corrected my error with the word “prey”. I prefer the way you said the sentence but don’t want to change it. Thank you for your assistance!
    John aka OrganizingLA

  4. Deb Lee Avatar

    I haven’t seen the program yet, but suspect that, like many shows, it’s all about shock value and ratings. Maybe the “hunters” are really searching for their American Dream…just not the dream that you an I might run after. Perhaps we should pitch A&E with a program that shows the other side of this situation. Did you notice I said “we?” 😉
    Thanks for sharing, John. =)

  5. Jane Campbell, PhD Avatar

    Thanks for bringing this to my attention, John. Anyone whose storage unit gets “foreclosed” on has likely been through everything else that goes before it. Having seen more such units than I can shake a stick at, I say they need compassion, not looting.

  6. Elise Lowerison Avatar

    I just came across your blog while browsing for moving and storage information. Your article about Storage Wars was especially interesting. I especially liked your comments about keeping organized by using self-storage. I am adding you to my favorites. We’re writing from a mini-storage facility in Monrovia, CA called Dry Dock Storage: http://www.drydockstorageonline.com, a very helpful service or option to know about when moving and organizing. We’re currently offering exclusive online specials for self storage. These 50% off specials can be found at our web site. Any feedback would be appreciated as well. Thanks!

  7. ANNETTE RUPERT Avatar
    ANNETTE RUPERT

    KARMA WOW DAVES WIFE MADE THE COMMENT THAT IF HE FELL AND ENDED UP LIKE A VEGTABLE SHE PROB WOULD NOT STICK AROUND WELL DAVE RUN SHE’S NO GOOD I DONT CARE HOW LONG YOU HAVE WASTED YOUR TIME WITH HER SHE’S NO GOOD JUST LIKE MY SON’S GIRLFRIEND … SHE WAITED 11 DAYS AFTER HIS ACCIDENT AND WENT AND SLEPT WITH ANOTHER GUY AND SHE NEVER LOOKED BACK RUN DAVE I HAVE STOOD MY SON’S BED SIDE FOR A YEAR AND 1 MONTH AN THE CRAZY GIRLFRIEND I FIRED HER DUMB SELFISH ASS ON THE 11TH DAY OH YEAH HE;S STILL IN A COMA AND SHE’S BANNED FROM ANY KIND OF CONTACT RUN WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE THEY A&E SHOULD NEVER HAD AIRED THAT ALSO …..

  8. Megan @ Disorder2Order Avatar

    I watched this last week John and I couldn’t agree more.. I’m glad you posted this!

  9. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    I disagree. As someone in the business (yes, business not charity), I can say that like hotels the storage business runs on vacancy – or the lack thereof. Empty units and those for which there are no payments cost money in the form of utilities, property taxes, etc. We are not your friends or relatives. We provide a service for which we deserve to be paid.
    Compassion does not pay my employees or provide for their health insurance, unemployment benefits, etc. People who pay their storage bills DO!
    Storage Wars is a fair way to let people know that if you do not pay for 3 months, your property will be sold to the highest bidder. Call them vultures if you wish. I call them customers that keep several people with families employed.

  10. darrell sheets Avatar
    darrell sheets

    this has been going on for years its a show people are you really that stupid yes i said stupid, there are millions of reason s these people lose there stuff they are not all hardships for gods sake then go watch doctor phil and heal your selves

  11. Gibb Avatar
    Gibb

    If these lockers are filled with so call riches. Don’t you think the person who is falling on hard time should be going through his own storage and selling his stuff to keep up float. Just a thought..

  12. jay kreutz Avatar
    jay kreutz

    I have not had the distinct DISPLEASURE of watching the show. Upon hearing it advertised, I was disgusted!! A&E is truly taking advantage of people’s misfortunes IN THE WORST WAY! They should be ashamed of themselves—-but I doubt if they are, because its ALL about making MORE money, isn’t it? In this economy, especially, does ANYONE believe that a person WANTS to lose all of their possessions–what they’ve worked for all of their lives, plus all of their family heirlooms? When its a choice between putting a roof, (even temporary) over your child’s head, or paying your storage unit rent, because you’ve lost your home and your job—what would any person do?? I believe that in at least 90% of the cases it is NOT a choice to lose everything. And it is just as devastating a tragedy as a fire or a flood! Does the network capitalize on those disasters?
    I’m DISGUSTED at the whole premise of the show! I certainly refuse to watch it and I haven’t watched anything on that network since the show aired! I believe that there are MANY others out there that feel as I do, and I hope that by boycotting the NETWORK it will send a message!
    I hope that those others haven’t had to experience this tragedy first hand, but I have, and I have not been the same happy person that I once was….and its been several years! Its something that you just DON’T get over, and to see someone else profiting at my, (or someone else’s) loss defies words! Do A&E, or the show’s producers have NO HEART????
    Most emphatically…heart-broken

  13. Kathleen Avatar
    Kathleen

    Thought you would be interested in sharing this link with your readers. It’s about the new reality television series, “Storage Wars”
    Thanks!
    Kathleen
    http://www.ocregister.com/articles/jarrod-286789-dave-brandi.html

  14. Larry Avatar
    Larry

    Oh No here we go again with the flaming liberals. Whining about the poor person that was too damn lazy to get off their butts and go turn that stuff into their own riches.
    Wah, Wah, Wah, if you feel so bad for them maybe you should start paying their bills out of your own pocket. That should make you take a different look at the situation.
    This is the real world, and in the real world it’s not always pretty, as a matter of fact it gets down right ugly!

  15. treatment of piles Avatar

    This is a great article. Wow, so many of these things I never thought of before. I often read posts, even on this site, and I think they are great, but I don’t take the time to leave a comment. I’m going to start leaving more comments for sure.

  16. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I am one of the unfortunate “victims” of storage unit predators. One of the expenses put on the back burner in the wake of my husband’s long period of unemployment, our unit in Florida was pillaged in 2007. My mother’s salt and pepper shaker collection, to which she added 400 sets right up until her death in 2000, was the only thing I fought to retain, only to be met with hostility and shame by the buyer of the unit’s contents. The loss of this collection, my mother’s pride and joy and the result of family member’s gifts and her own rare travels, still weighs so heavily in my heart. My sisters remain unaware of the event, as I haven’t been able to tell them for fear of causing emotional harm similar to what I experience almost daily. I wouldn’t know where to begin to try to track what happened to my mother’s collection, but I would challenge one of the cast members or producers of “Storage Wars”, in an act of giving back simply to display human kindness, to help me recover her valuables. Sometimes, I think empathy should prevail… don’t you?

  17. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    This is my post — correction: salt and pepper SHAKERS. Thanks.

  18. John Trosko Avatar

    Dear Anonymous, thank you for your comment. I am so sorry this happened to you. No matter where you stand in the “raid the storage unit” conversation, it’s a horrible thing to lose treasures of someone you love. Best of luck to you. – John Trosko

  19. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thank you, John. I can’t think of another business practice which hijacks and sells one’s memories in the form of personal belongings — even bank foreclosures usually wind up with the shell of a house, not its contents.

  20. cathy Avatar
    cathy

    wow darrell..you really are the most ignorant person I think I have ever known… I will now not watch the show because of your ignorance.. just the way you justify the show says alot about your personality..you lack one. and by the way, what about the stuff susan had you sell and then you never gave it back after her fiance/your friend passed..wow..you make Dave hester look like a teddy bear. get her stuff back, I hope she sue’s the hell outta you…

  21. JEFFNEWANDUSED@COMCAST.NET Avatar
    JEFFNEWANDUSED@COMCAST.NET

    WHEN STORAGE GO UP FOR AUCTION IF THEY DONT SELL IT GOES TO THE LANDFILL ONWERS OF THESE STORAGE BUILDINGS HAVE BILLS TO PAY TO IF RENTERS DONT PAY THIS IS A WAY THEY CAN RECOUP SOME OF THERE LOSES ANY PICTURE FAMILY STUFF IS GIVEN BACK IF THEY WANTED IT 90% OF THE TIME THEY NEVER PICK IT UP I ALSO BUY STORAGE UNITS AN THAT SHOW IS MADE UP ITS FAKE

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *