All Of The Drama Behind The Scenes Of ‘Storage Wars’

Storage Wars is a reality TV competition that first began in 2010 and is still going strong. The basic premise of the show is based on the fact that in California, when rent is not paid on a storage locker for more than 3 months, the locker’s contents are allowed to be auctioned off as a single lot of items at an auction that is cash only. Once the auctions are finished, the bidders that won can go through the lockers and estimate how much they can sell the items for. At the end of the episode, we get a summary of the buyers’ net profit or net loss. However, as is the case with many reality shows, the whole story is not often the one that’s shared on air. Here are some of the behind the scenes dramas that the producers left on the cutting floor.

Intense Bidding

During a bidding filming scene in 2015, an argument broke out between Dave, Dan, and Laura, and it even reached a point where things got physical. It was alleged that Dan didn’t notice Mary Padian’s bid, which caused the end of the bidding war to be wrong. Dan and Dave started to fight.

Too Visible

Both on and off screen, Storage Wars cast members have to be weary of robberies. Rene and Casey Nezhoda have been targeted for robberies at their Bargain Hunters Thrift Store, where rare and collectible items were stolen. This could be due to outspoken bids, security measures not being strong enough, and having a physical score to house all of  the wins.

A Cyber Attack

In addition to Rene and Casey, the Dotsons were also victims of an attack directed on them. However they were victims of a cyber attack, and the hackers were able to find their credit card and banking details, as well as other important personal data. However, the hackers were not very slick and the cards were quickly frozen.

A Sordid Past

Jarrod Shulz has had quite a tumultuous past, starting in 1997, when he was arrested for a felony possession of a controlled substance, a DUI, and also narcotics transportation. In 1999, he was arraigned for more crimes, but he was given a parole violation. He did end up serving 16 months in a state prison however.

The Truth Behind The Lockers

The taping of the bidding and the storage lockers is quite exciting, but the truth behind the scenes can sometimes be quite sad. Sometimes owners are no longer able to pay the rental fee for the storage locker, and they have no choice but to forfeit their belongings. Other times, lockers are left behind by people who passed away and their family members did not come to claim the items in time.

How They Met

Darrell Sheets first noticed his now ex-wife Kimber Wuerfel while he was driving around town. After they made eye contact, he knew he had to meet her, and he drove behind her for miles, ending up next to her in traffic. He held up a note with his phone number on it. Despite their ups and downs, the story of how they met is truly a unique one.

Not Real?

In 2012, an anonymous source revealed that: “There are invoices, checks, and other documentation where the production company actually compensated cast members for supplying items that got planted in lockers and then discovered on camera.” This source also alleged that in between takes, more valuable items were planted in lockers to create more dramatic moments for the show.

Wrongful Termination

Dave Hester claimed that he was wrongfully terminated and that the show was fake in a 2012 lawsuit. He also alleged that he suffered a breach of contract and suffered from unfair business practices. He believed that A&E was annoyed with his discomfort at the alleged faked storylines. The judge said that these claims were too generic, leading Hester to file again in 2014. He ended up getting an undisclosed amount of money and also joined the show once again.

A High Salary

Although viewers might be surprised to hear this, maybe due to very low bids, but the cast members make a pretty penny for each episode filmed. In fact, Hester shared that he makes $25,000 per episode and a $25,000 signing bonus. He also gets a $124,500 expense account for the season, and a 26 episode guarantee.

Their Love Story

Auctioneers Dan and Laura met in 1996. Laura said: “When I saw him auctioneering all over the place, I thought to myself, I’m going to marry that man.” Their strong bond was tested when Dan suffered a brain aneurysm, which usually means a 20% chance of survival, but she stood by his side and he made a miraculous recovery.

Not So Reality

Once the rumors started circulating, executive producer Thom Beers decided to speak out in defense of the show. During a live panel, he said:  “I can honestly tell you that the stuff found in those containers are found in storage containers.” However, he later clarified that some lockers are consolidated.

Second Time Around

Dave Hester’s return came as a surprise since he was so vocal about denouncing the show after leaving. It has been alleged that A&E gave him a new contract in order to prevent him from causing them any more defamation. In his lawsuit, it was mentioned: “The defendants would like the public to believe that the series presents an accurate portrayal of the auction process. The truth is that every aspect of the series is fake.”

His Second Chance

Following his 16-month stint in state prison, Jarrod turned to his family to help him get back on his feet. His aunt showed him around the public storage facility she managed, and later he and Brandi Passante opened up their second hand store Now and Then. He met the show’s producers while it was in the early stages of development when he was looking for pieces to sell at his store.

Free Speech

After Hester filed his lawsuit, A&E hit back by saying that the First Amendment allows them to avoid accusations of falsified storytelling. The judge presiding on the case sided with A&E and said the show falls under the category of “expressive free speech,” which means producers can fabricate certain storylines and get away with it.

Keeping An Equal Playing Field

The 2012 lawsuit revealed many things, including that during the bidding process, the main stars of the show are expected to buy the rights to the lockers using their own funds, while less experience bidders would receive compensation from the network in order to keep things balanced and relatively fair.

An Emotional Case

In 2012, Brandi Passante had to deal with a legal case of her own. An X-rated video was circulated by Hunter Moore on his “revenge porn” site, where he claimed that a nude video he posted featured Brandi. She sued him, saying the video was fabricated and she was not the subject of it at all, and ended up winning the case, and though she only got $750 in the end, she was able to get the video removed.

Some Storyline Help

Thom Beers also opened up in the live panel discussion and said that there were some occasions when writers helped cast members with the one on one interviews. The writers help the cast members to tell their stories by giving them cues.

More Claims

Another claim made was: “While on location filming an auction, Defendants also film footage of the cast members and the public bidding when no actual auction is taking place.” That means that additional scenes can be added on even if there was not a real bidding war taking place, to make things seem more dramatic than they may have actually been in real life.

Damning Accusation

Another accusation that came out of Hester’s lawsuit was one that alleged that the network paid for Brandi to get plastic surgery in order to increase her appeal to viewers, as the majority of the show’s viewers are male.

His Motto

Dave Hester’s signature motto “YUUUP!” made an appearance in a Trey Songz’s music, with the sound bite being featured for years. However, Hester ended up taking him to court over the use of the phrase, but neither one of them emerged winners, eventually dropping the whole thing.

Not A Big Bidder

Barry Weiss, a self-proclaimed “ladies man,” did not really need to join the show for monetary reasons. In fact, he sold his father’s fruit and vegetable distribution company for millions, so he wanted to go on the show in order to garner fame and connect with female fans. He’s now the spokesperson for Sherwood Valley Casino.

Kevin Pew’s Son

The show’s popularity meant that it expanded into other locations, including Texas, Miami, New York, and Canada. The 2015 season that took place in Miami did not end up having a run beyond 10 episodes because Kevin Pew’s son ended up shooting a friend during the show’s viewing party. His son was convicted of first degree murder and the show was immediately cancelled.

His Story

In 2005, Dave Hester was arrested for a DUI charge, and he was given community service hours to serve at his local Goodwill. While working there, he worked with donated items being resold, and once he completed his hours, he continued in the line of business, changing his furniture store to an antique thrift shop.

Storage Wars vs. Antiques Roadshow

Marsha Bemko, Antiques Roadshow executive producer had some harsh words for Storage Wars. She said: “Storage Wars is merely an entertainment show that adds more interest in Antiques Roadshows’ more honest appraisal process. Is it really reasonable to think that someone on ‘Storage Locker Wars’ is going to find a $100,000 item that somebody left in a storage locker?”

The Whole Process

The storage locker bidding is only one part of the whole auction process. Mike Braiotta, of the New York season, shared that in addition to buying and selling, bidders must also know the right people. He said: “Otherwise, you’re going to buy a bunch of stuff and have to sit on it. You have to really, truly be a buyer and a seller. It takes a lot of losing to finally learn how to do that. And I still lose. As long as I’ve been doing it, it’s still a gamble.”

Mark Balelo’s Story

Mark Balelo, also called Rico Sauve, appeared in the second through fourth season of the show as a bidder and buyer. However, behind the scenes he was struggling. He spent time in jail in 2011 after violating his probation and then was arrested once again in 2013. Just days later, he was found unresponsive due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

A Controversial Gift

Jesse James is no stranger to controversy, but one of his most infamous moments was when he was seen wearing a Nazi SS officer hat. He explained that it was all a joke, and that the hat was a gift given to him by Barry Weiss, who he called “his Jewish grandfather” and it was part of a “Hollywood costume.” James shared that he begged for Weiss’s support during that time, but Weiss refused, saying “can’t do it. I got a show on A&E this fall—I can’t afford to get mixed up in all this crap. Sorry, Jess. You’re on your own, kiddo.”

Pirate’s Hidden Treasure

In 2011, it was reported by TMZ that a storage unit that was auctioned off by Dan and Laura that apparently contained about $500,000 worth of Spanish gold that could date back “anywhere between the 16th and 19th century.” It was found after the unit was auctioned off and was reportedly found inside of a real pirate’s chest that was estimated to be “at least 200 years old.” It also was reported that the buyer bought the unit for just over $1000!

Barry’d Treasure

When Barry Weiss left the show in 2013, it didn’t take long for his own spinoff show called Barry’d Treasure to launch. However, it didn’t take off and it last just one season. He told Wisconsin’s Big Cheese on 107.9 FM:  “I’ve always been collecting antiques on the side, so that helped fund my passion for collecting weird stuff.”

Darrell’s Son

Darrell’s son, Brandon “The Sidebet” Sheets was featured on the show and was seen joining his father on bids. However, once he started bidding against his father, he was booted. He shared on Twitter: “I am no longer affiliated with Storage Wars, Darrell will still be in new episodes but I have been told I am no longer on the show (budget).” He was clearly upset, and he continued, saying he had: “bigger plans for myself than to be degraded by a show and people who simply do not care about others and their quality of life,” and “some people just didn’t appreciate what I brought to the table.”

Trouble In Paradise

Speaking of Darrell Sheets, he himself had some behind the scenes issues with A&E. It was reported that in 2015, the network wanted to cut his salary per episode from $30,000 to $15,000, and they only wanted him to be featured in four out of the 26 episodes of the season. He said that he thought they were trying to phase him out to bring in a younger cast member who they could pay less.

The Talented Newcomer

In season 10, tradesperson Emily Wears joined Storage Wars alongside Dan and Laura. Wears had been working at her father’s auctioning company since she was 10 years old. She won auctioneering competitions, becoming the first woman to win the major ones, and placed in second and first places at the International Auctioneer Championships in 2008 and 2009. She also appeared in Money Barn and even auditioned for American Idol, but she did not pass the audition.

No Emotions

While we know that often the lockers that are auctioned off have become available because of sad reasons, what producers tried to keep under wraps is the fact that these reasons are never discussed, since the show runners believe it would be much harder for the cast members to turn a profit on items that are deemed sentimental, and viewers might find it uncouth to sell them.

Some Items Are Brought In

Hester’s infamous lawsuit also mentioned that some of the most valuable items that are seen in the units have actually been brought in by the show, mainly from antique company Off the Wall Antiques. A&E would pay the store to feature these items.

Playing Favorites

It has been alleged that the cast members of the show that were considered to be the producer’s favorites were given more air time. Hester’s lawsuit said that the producers would also plant valuable items in the lockers being bought by their favorites, which would in turn give them more screen time and a high fan following.

Pushing Confrontations

The most exciting parts of watching an episode of the show are the bidding wars, of course. They can include a lot of tension, especially when emotions run high. However, some cast members have reported that when producers feel this tension, they push confrontations because they think it’ll make for a more exciting scene.

Brandi’s Past Trouble

Although Brandi is one of the most beloved members of the Storage Wars cast, she has also been in trouble in the past. According to starcasm, in 2007, she was arrested for driving under the influence, and she even pleaded guilty. She had to pay a fine of $390 and was on probation for 3 years. Luckily, it seems like she learned from her mistake.

Now And Then

Brandi and Jarrod used to be linked to one another and they even opened up two locations of their thrift shop called Now and Then. However, these never really took off, and revealed in an episode that they weren’t able to turn a profit. Both of the stores have closed, with the first closing sometime in 2013 and the second closing in 2016.

Were They Ever Married?

Fans loved Brandi and Jarrod together, which is why they were stunned when they learned about the couple’s split. They share two children together, but they never actually had a legal marriage ceremony. While it is unclear what caused their breakup, it appears that they split up sometime in 2018.

She Pursued Him?

Before they ended their relationship, Brandi and Jarrod were together for 20 years. The story goes that they used to work at a carpet cleaning company and because he was her boss, he could not pursue her. However, Brandi denies this version of the story!