Fans are devastated at the news that Frank Fritz, the antiques expert who gained fame on the reality series American Pickers, has died at 60.
Fritz, who left the series in 2021, had been suffering from health problems and was hospitalized from a stroke two years ago.
The news was announced by Fritz’s friend and co-star Mike Wolfe, who said that Fritz passed away last night.
“I’ve know Frank for more [than] half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny,” Wolfe wrote in a social media tribute. “The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”
Fritz and Wolfe gained fame as the hosts of the reality TV series American Pickers, which premiered on the History Channel in 2010. The series showed the two “pickers” traveling across the USA, searching for valuable antiques and collectibles in unexpected places.
“We’re looking for amazing things buried in people’s garages and barns,” the show’s opening narration explains. “What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We’ll buy anything we think we can make a buck on.”
“We make a living telling the history of America… one piece at a time.”
The series attracted millions of viewers, becoming one of History Channel’s most popular programs. In its debut year it was the #1 non-fiction series among total viewers and adults 25-54.
While the antiques were often interesting, there’s no doubt it was the chemistry and charisma of the two hosts that kept viewers coming back for more.
In 2021, it was announced that Fritz would be leaving American Pickers after a decade on the hit series. Fritz said the decision was not his own, and that he was pushed out by the network after a back surgery.
“I didn’t leave the show,” he told The Sun at the time. “I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came.”
He also suggested that his co-host’s ego was a factor, saying the show had “tilted towards him 1,000 percent.” “I haven’t talked to Mike in two years,” Fritz said. “He knew my back was messed up, but he didn’t call me up and ask how I was doing. That’s just how it is.”
In July 2022, Fritz was hospitalized from a stroke. In 2023, he had a tearful reunion with Mike Wolfe, and the two resolved their purported feud. However, Fritz declined an offer to rejoin American Pickers, deciding to focus on his health.
It’s clear that the two former co-hosts have remained friendly since then, and it seems Wolfe was by his side til the end.
“We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home,” Wolfe wrote on Instagram. “I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know [you’re] in a better place.”
American Pickers remains a staple of the History Channel lineup. Fritz has never officially been replaced as co-host, though series regulars like Danielle Colby, Mike Wolfe’s brother Robbie, and friend and antiques expert “Jersey Jon” Szalay will rotate accompanying Wolfe on his antiquing trips.
Colby also shared her own tribute to Fritz on social media. “Frank, I will miss your ability to make everyone laugh, your love for talking tattoos, your epic collections but what I will miss the most are those little glimpses of vulnerability from time to time,” she wrote.
“Frank, you loved your cat and your momma and we bonded on those things. You will be missed for all of these reasons and so many more.
Rest in Peace Road Dog.”
Rest in peace to the iconic reality TV star Frank Fritz 😢🙏 Please share this story in his memory.
Hilarious clip from a long-lost episode of The Carol Burnett Show
This hilarious clip from a long-lost episode of The Carol Burnett Show starring Tim Conway and Harvey Korman hasn’t been seen in aImost 40 years.
It’s brief, but it’s long enough to make anyone giggle.
The Carol Burnett Show was one of America’s most successful series during its first run, which lasted from 1967 through 1978. It has been on numerous «Best/Greatest TV Shows of All Time» lists and was consistentIy among the top 30 most-watched shows each season.
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, two of the most well-known comedians of all time, were regulars on the show. Despite the fact that they were not a comic partnership Iike Abbott and Costello, they were frequently used in skits due to their popularity with viewers.
Tim dresses up as a lady in this episode, which is only available on DVD, and he and Harvey go undercover as a couple. Tim warns Harvey not to hold her too closely, but Harvey insists that they must appear to be a reaI pair in order to complete the task.
Tim concurs, adding it’s great as long as they remain professional. Now it becomes very funny: Harvey can’t fathom why Tim would assume this was for anything other than work.
Tim then flicks his hair like the comedic genius that he is, causing both performers to break character and giggle, though they try to keep it in as much as they can. The audience isn’t much assistance either; everyone in the studio was Iaughing at this point.
Harvey combs his bangs before pulling out his compact powder and rubbing it on his mustache and chin, making everyone, including Harvey, laugh even harder.
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