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Why was Ice Road Truckers canceled?

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Over 3.4 million people watched the premiere of “Ice Road Truckers” on 17 June 2007, making it the most-watched original television broadcast on History Channel since the network was launched in 1995. The reality TV series featured people whose job involved driving across thin ice over deep lakes in the remote Arctic region of Alaska and Canada to deliver critical supplies to cut-off communities, industrial sites, and diamond mines. After 11 seasons, the show was canceled and its loyal viewers were left wondering why. It received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming in 2008.

About the show

How did it start?

In 2000, History Channel aired a documentary series called “Suicide Missions,” which featured the dangerous job of traversing an ice road or man-made structure running on a various frozen water surface in the Northwest Territories of Canada in one of its episodes entitled “Ice Road Truckers”.

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It was based on the non-fiction “Denison’s Ice Road,” by Edith Iglauer published in 1974. It was about the Canadian engineer, John Denison, who was said to have perfected the construction of ice roads in remote areas of the sub-Arctic that provided access to the mining camps and enabled heavy loads to be transported. The documentary gained a wide audience, and was received well after it was shown in the “Modern Marvels” series.

The network finally decided on producing a TV series based on the book, and tapped Thom Beers of Original Productions for this; he was also the executive producer of Discovery Channel’s hit series, “Deadliest Catch.”

Meet the original cast

Alex Debogorski

He’s a legend in ice road trucking, with about a quarter of a century experience of driving through and over the frozen lakes when the TV series debuted. He and his wife Louise, lived in Yellowknife, and have 11 children and many grandchildren.

Alex was the only cast member who appeared in all seasons of the show. He wrote a book about his adventures driving on ice entitled “King of the Road: True Tales from a Legendary Ice Road Trucker,” which was published in 2010. He easily became a fan favorite, as he liked to crack jokes and seemed to have an easygoing personality.

Hugh Rowland

A veteran in the ice road trucking business, Hugh earned the nickname, “Polar Bear,” which was said to be due to his overbearing personality. In season one, his wife Dianne shared that every time Hugh left his family to be on the ice road, she hated saying goodbye to him, knowing the risks of his job even if he had been doing this for over two decades. He filed a lawsuit in 2014 against the show and the producer, Will Morrison, for the injuries he sustained from an accident caused by Will’s reckless driving. Reportedly, it left him paralyzed from the waist down and as a result he couldn’t drive a truck, and prevented him from being intimate with his wife. He was fired from the show due to his false accusations, and didn’t make it past season eight.

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Rick Yemm

He’s a driver from Kelowna who was on his second year as an ice road trucker when the show first aired. He was so scared the first time he was out on the road saying that there was nothing that could have prepared him for it. Rick quit and abandoned the truck after a disagreement with Hugh, his employer, over a malfunctioning floor heater in the truck. He wanted Hugh to have it fixed so he could haul loads without getting frostbite, but nothing was done.

Drew Sherwood

He’s a veteran truck driver but a rookie on the ice road. The 45-year-old Drew was confident of his skills, and said he had no problems adjusting to driving on ice, but ended in a ditch; he was unable to deliver supplies on time when he lost his batteries and battery box. Later, he had to abandon his load when he encountered problems with his onboard computer. Hugh, the owner of the truck, and his mechanic put the blame on Drew for most of the mechanical problems. Drew ended leaving ice road trucking. He was only a part of the series for two seasons.

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TJ Tillcox

He’s 21 years old in season one. TJ saw an advertisement for an ice road trucker in a newspaper and thought he could probably do it, as he had some trucking experience although not on the ice. He said the first time was nerve-wracking, but he soon got the hang of it. Before he got to the ice road, he had an accident when the brakes of his big rig failed to work, and he hit a light pick-up truck; he was cleared of the responsibility. Several days after that, he was airlifted off the ice to receive treatment for severe abdominal pain when he injured himself tying down a load. He only appeared in season one of the show.

Jay Westgard

The 25-year-old elite driver had seven years of experience driving on ice by season one. He was known for hauling the biggest and widest pieces up to the mines. Jay was part of the convoy delivering jet fuel to a remote area; it was said to be a risky job that most veterans turned down. He only appeared in season one.

“Ice Road Truckers”

The land of the indigenous people was said to have been the richest real estate in the world, as beneath the ice there was gold. After 60 years of production and yielding 375 tons of pure gold, they were shutting down as it was no longer cost-effective to mine the gold that was deep underground. However, it was discovered in the 1990’s that there were diamonds as well, estimated to be worth $40 billion, and subsequently Canada became the third leading diamond producer in the world. Operating mines in such an isolated place required heavy equipment, huge tanks, and millions of gallons of fuel, not to mention the supplies needed by the workers there. The TV series chronicled how people delivered what was needed to the mines 563km (350 miles) across the frozen lakes.

Yellowknife, the capital and only city in Canada’s Northwest Territories, was where all the supplies were being piled up and stored as the truckers await the opening of the gateway to the ice road. It was like a truck stop as drivers from all across North America would be coming in to deliver the goods.

The way to the mines from the city was impassable, as there were no surfaced roads, only lakes and ‘spongy permafrost.’ When the lakes froze, it becomes possible to cross.

Another way to get to the mines would be by ‘plane, but it was said to be much more expensive. Also, there’s no way some of the equipment they had to transport could fit or be carried by even a C130 Hercules. According to Alex, it was riskier too because ‘a plane was just a truck with wings.’

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Building the ice road

The first vehicle to venture onto the frozen lake was a Hagglund used by the Swiss army, as it could float and has an escape hatch at the front and on top so one could bail out in case of a problem. It was used to pull ground-penetrating radar that could measure the thickness of the ice – when the ice became 16-inchesor about 40cms thick, then it would be ready for a snowplow to carve out a roadbed and expose the surface of the lake.

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The next phase was to pave the road with a thick covering of ice. Frigid water from the lake beneath was mixed with snow to make what they called ‘the quick-set concrete of the north.’ Next, the road was flooded, and as it freezes it formed another layer of protection. There would be at least 28 inches or about 70cms of ice that separated the truck from the water. It took about 30 days to build that stretch of ice road that would be ready for the big rigs and 18-wheelers, the construction costing about $10 million. Some roads were made with 50 inches of ice, so that they could withstand a much heavier load.

Preparing the road was not without its risks. Back in December 2004, it was said that a snowplow driver hit a patch of weak ice as he was clearing the road, and the plow dropped to the bottom of the lake. With a temperature of 35 below zero, the water re-freezes in a matter of minutes and could keep one from escaping the water.

Crossing the ice road

Before the truckers went past the gate, they had to undergo a urine test for drugs. Due to long hours on the road, as they had to continue driving until they reached their destination, so the temptation to take amphetamines to stay awake was strong.

The drivers had to transport 10,000 loads for 60 days before the ice road dissolved into slush and melted away. Sometimes the winter season was short, and the road would be closed two weeks earlier than usual. It was a race against the clock, as the mindset of every trucker was generally ‘the more loads, the more money, the more bragging rights.’ However, it didn’t mean they could drive as fast as they could, as they had to abide by the departure times given to them to keep the road from being overloaded, and there was also a speed limit that each driver must adhere to. As a semi-truck moved across the frozen lake, the ice bends under its weight and it would start a pressure wave in the water beneath the surface. If the driver went past the critical speed, the wave could become powerful enough to burst through the ice, and the guy who’s driving behind you could end up in that pool of water.

Alex was usually the first one to cross, as he’s considered to be a good luck charm because he’d completed every first run in the past without any problems. The first haul was the longest, to test the condition of the winter road.

Hugh and his drivers drove in a convoy, with him leading the way. In season one, he hauled massive mine equipment such as ore chutes and a water tank, which weighed nearly 29,000lbs, or about 12,000kgs. He was followed by Drew Sherwood with 18,500lbs, over 8,000kgs of bunk beds and then Rick Yemm with two 5,000lbs supply crates, over 2,000kgs each. Once the convoy started rolling, they didn’t stop for anything.

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When spring came, the ice would melt from the bottom up causing the ice to get thinner. The drivers had no way of knowing this, as the surface looked the same, although they knew that it was just a matter of time before the road becomes impassable. However, they would still try to squeeze in one last run. Alex wanted to transport another load, but the dispatcher didn’t want him to go without a convoy; he convinced them that he could go solo since the load would be lighter. Hugh collided with another truck; he wasn’t injured, but the ammonium nitrate he was hauling was starting to spill, which caused the ice to melt faster; fortunately, they managed to contain it.

The truckers met their goal that winter road season, as they hauled in nearly 1100 loads with Hugh taking first place at 37 loads, beating Alex who managed 36 runs.

Dangers in ice road trucking

People were drawn to the mystique of the ice road because of the danger. The rewards were great, as it was said that drivers could make a year’s income in eight to 10 weeks. One just had to overcome the fear of being on the road for hours, accompanied by the sound of ice cracking, which they said was a good thing because it re-freezes. The drivers could see it too, as it looked like lightning strikes on the ice. It was still downright scary, especially at night when one could hear but not see much of what was happening.

Hugh recalled a time when he took a guy out on the road, only for the latter to park his truck at the mining camp and asked to be flown out of the place because he was too scared to drive back across the ice.

Then there were those who would only last a year – he said that this was what separated the men from the boys.

When there’s a whiteout or blizzard, there would be zero visibility, so there was no way to know if one was still on the right track. There was also the danger of freezing to death, as the temperature could drop to 40 below zero.

It’s important to winterize their truck, and pay particular attention to the air brake system. Moisture in the air lines was a problem as it could freeze, and the ice could mean that the brakes would fail. During the first season, Alex heard an alarm that indicated something wrong with the air dryer. He kept hearing it so he had to get under the truck to check and fix it every time. He couldn’t kill the engine because he needed to keep himself warm, but the truck shouldn’t idle for long either, because the vibration and weight could break through the ice if stationary for too long.

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Alex said that a trucker could minimize the danger of driving on the ice road if he or she followed all the rules that were set in place to keep everyone safe.

Cancellation of “Ice Road Truckers”

After the “One Last Lick” episode of season 11 was aired on 9 November 2017, fans waitiedfor news on the airing of season 12, but none came.

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Alex, who had been a mainstay of the show, wasn’t informed of the network’s plans for the TV series, as he posted a statement on his Facebook page in March 2018: ‘Those TV guys from Hollywood are a bunch of bums! You would think they would call and say kiss my rear, hello…I guess the show is in the dust bin of history [pun intended].’ Although ice road trucking was something he did for a living, whether there was a camera or not, his fans felt that he should have been given the courtesy of knowing if the show was canceled.

Rumors that “Ice Road Truckers” would not be renewed circulated online, as an entertainment insider was said to have shared that the cancellation was definite. However, when a viewer wrote on the show’s Facebook page to ask about its status, the reply was, ‘Ice Road Truckers on HISTORY We’re not sure yet, but don’t get left in the cold.’ History Channel’s vice president for public relations said in an email, ‘no decision has been made yet on future seasons of Ice Road Truckers.’

The official Facebook page of “Ice Road Truckers” is still up, but all that was posted were promotions for other shows on History Channel. Despite numerous requests from fans in the comments section for the return of their favorite series, there was no positive response from the network. No one knew why the show wasn’t renewed for season 12. The most probable reason that the fans could come up with was that the series no longer dominated TV ratings. Some said it was probably replaced by “Truck Night America,” which premiered in 2018.

So fans will have to be satisfied with accessing the series in History Channel’s library, still a most enjoyable watch!

Began my journey with Net Worth Post in January 2024. Before that, served as the Executive Editor for Echoes Media. I earned my degree in Journalism from Columbia University.

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The Untold Truth About ‘Bath Crashers’

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Home renovation-shows are certainly more than a TV trend at this point. Although this specific brand of reality series has existed for decades now, with the passing of time these shows have been improving and innovating the concept of remodeling we used to have.

In this regard, the DIY Network’s shows have done an incredible job of bringing new perspectives, takes and technologies into the field. As part of the network’s acclaimed “Crashers” series, we can’t leave out “Bath Crashers”, which despite having ended years ago, still brings us joy for the many iconic, ingenious, elegant and functional bathroom renovations it presented to its audience for several seasons.

So what are the secrets behind “Bath Crashers”? Why did it leave TV screens? Is there a lawsuit against them, and what happened to the cast? Be ready to know the Untold Truth About “Bath Crashers”!

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Renovations Are Very Expensive For A Reason

As much as we loved to see “Bath Crashers” renovations happen, it was inevitable to question how the financial factor of the show actually worked. Anyway, if there was something certain about “Bath Crashers”, it’s that neither Matt Muenster nor the homeowners seemed to mind spending several thousands of dollars on every project.

Nonetheless, that specific aspect of the show is planned like that. As Matt once said in an interview with Winona Daily News, the show purposefully intended its projects not to be cheap. In his words, having a big budget set the series apart from others, and more importantly, it showed the audience what a well-planned and generous bathroom renovation looked like.

While spending so much money remodeling a bathroom is not affordable for everyone, the thing with “Bath Crashers” is that homeowners are completely willing to accept the show’s terms.

If spending a couple of thousands on a bathtub doesn’t seem to really be a problem, the big question is who pays for it? The answer is that homeowners only pay for taxes related to the US laws, but the operational and filming costs are paid solely by the show’s producers.

Matt Is More Than Some Local Contractor

Although the show promotes him as a contractor, Matt Muenster is actually a professional interior designer. Graduating from the Madison-based University of Wisconsin, it’s not surprising that Matt’s renovation skills are top notch. Though unknowingly to many, his beginnings in the field started away from shower tiles and faucets.

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Starting with restaurants’ renovations and local nightlife business, Matt’s talent outgrew his native Wisconsin, and eventually led him to work with independent clients around the world. Even then, his rise to fame only came with his debut on TV in 2008, actually several years before “Bath Crashers” premiered.

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Knowing how impressive his professional background is, it’s easy to assume Matt always knew what and how to do his work in the show. However, as he admitted, the process of creating a fitting design takes some time, which it’s not always affordable for TV sake. This often leads him to solve any issues and inconveniences on the spot, in what he describes as ‘MacGyver-type’ of situations.

Nonetheless, all of this is possible thanks to his production team’s efforts. After initially picking the fortunate homeowners for the show, managing the deals with local contractors, shops and living arrangements for the filming crew, what we ultimately watched in every episode is the final result of a committed crew’s actions.

The Show’s Announcer Is Very Famous

From “Bath Crashers” premier in 2010 to its end in 2016, Roger Craig Smith was the show’s main voice, and one of its most memorable characters.

However, while it’s widely acknowledged putting such a great trademark to a TV show is not easy, many people don’t know that Roger has a long career as a voice actor, announcer and presenter as well.

Although his beginnings date back to the early 2000s as a comedian, Roger went on to work as a voice actor for video games, cartoons, Japanese animations and films. Some of his most memorable roles to date include voicing Bruce Wayne in “Batman Unlimited”, and Steve Rogers in “Ultimate Spider-Man”.

As well, he could be heard in several Japanese and American video games from big developers such as Sonic Team, Ubisoft and Sumo. While his career mostly includes acting, he has also been announcing and narrating several shows over the years, such as “Say Yes To The Dress”, “World Of Dance”, and “House Crashers”.

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By having worked for big entertainment networks such as Disney, HGTV and TLC, it’s not a wonder why Roger has won international recognition in several fields, which makes us appreciate his voice in “Bath Crashers” even more.

Matt Is A Philanthropist

While reality TV stars are usually known for being eccentric and too self-centered, this is not the case with Matt Muenster. Besides being an acclaimed personality and designer, the man uses his fame for good causes.

He’s a committed contributor to Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, an organization which looks out to rebuild houses for people in need. They focus on helping out people with difficult financial situations, especially if they have some type of disability, or are families with children, and minorities.

In his way to find support for said organization, Matt promotes their events in local and national media outlets.

Probably the most memorable of his sponsored charity events is the Flannel Fling, a Gala which collects funds for various social causes every year, including helping out children and old people.

As well, Matt is known for being a contributor to local philanthropic fund collecting events, such as Design For A Difference, and The Minneapolis Metsquerade. More recently, he and his long-time friend Chris Grundy, have joined forces in favour of Priority Partners Cupboards, a project focused on collecting funds to ensure free food provisions and healthcare to people in need.

All in all, it’s nice to know that despite fame and money, Matt actively cares and acts in a positive way for his community.

Ryan’s Business Boomed Thanks To The Show

If you loyally followed “Bath Crashers” back when it first aired, you surely remember Ryan Prosser, one of the most recurring contractors in the show.

Interestingly enough, though he was in the series only for a couple of seasons, his appearances in it were more than favourable for his business – Prosser Construction.

Being cast in the show wasn’t a coincidence or a stroke of luck, though. Back in 2010, Prosser just happened to have the appropriate business to fit in to the show when another contractor couldn’t make it. After being warmly welcomed by the production as part of the team, Ryan was soon taking part in a lot of projects featured in the show.

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Known for his quick but practical ways of working, Ryan stayed overnight, traveled to other cities when something in the operation broke, and worked at an impressively rapid speed just to have the work done in the three-day window the show promised the homeowners.

Although that looks like too much of an effort, the results were worth it. Thanks to “Bath Crashers”, Ryan not only demonstrated his construction and leadership skills, but his business grew with the show’s popularity, thanks to what he describes as a ‘marketing opportunity’.

Though Ryan left “Bath Crashers” in 2013, Prosser Construction is still actively operating in the Washington area, and by all accounts, things are going well for the Prosser Team.

Matt Has Hosted Other Shows

Contrary to what people think, Matt Muenster’s debut on TV preceded the premiere of “Bath Crashers” by a couple of years. His first appearance in a show happened in 2008, when “Bathtastic!” premiered with him as its host and main contractor.

Unlike “Bath Crashers”, in “Bathtastic!” Matt didn’t have to rush to finish the bathrooms’ renovations, nor had to choose people to go through said process. Instead, “Bathtastic!” had a slower but efficient approach to remodeling, offering its audience tools, tips and Matt’s expert guidance when it came to converting an old and boring bathroom into a dreamy, comfortable and stylish place.

“Bathtastic!” aired 65 episodes in total until it was cancelled in 2010, after which Matt went on to host “Bath Crashers” for six years, during which he also hosted several special episodes of the remodeling-focused show “The Ultimate Crash”, in which he joined forces with his fellow network’s hosts Ahmed Hassan and Josh Temple to make old-fashioned looking and neglected houses look beautiful both inside and out.

As well, Matt appeared as an expert in “Hotel Impossible” and “DIY Insider” for a couple of episodes. Nowadays, Matt appears in the online series “Priority Partners Cupboards”, which is part of his charity project of the same name.

There Was A Lawsuit Against The Show

For every reality show, there’s at least one scandal related to the law. “Bath Crashers” is no an exception, even regardless of how nice the show’s work environment appeared to be.

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As it turns out, in 2014 a woman from California named Courtney Muro filed a lawsuit against “Bath Crashers” and Matt Muenster for negligence, after she was injured while filming a show’s episode. As the court’s documents stated, Courtney had been helping her friend who was set to appear in the show as a homeowner, when Matt had apparently asked to tape her hand to a sledgehammer. Complying to the request, Courtney hit the object against a counter top while it was still attached to her hand, hurting her in the process.

The injury was allegedly so severe that it affected her fingers, and even left one of her tendons exposed. As Courtney affirmed, she was shocked at the sight of her open wound, but instead of caring about her health, the show’s staff made her sign a liability waiver, a document which would exclude the production team from accepting responsibility over any accident that occurred to her on set. Although she signed said document, Courtney filed the lawsuit anyway, but there’s no information about the case, which could mean both parts came to an out-of-court settlement.

Matt Worked With Ellen DeGeneres

It’s not unusual for popular reality TV stars to join high profile shows, even if only for a short time. This is exactly the case of Matt Muenster, who in 2015 joined the “Ellen Design Challenge” as an expert.

The show, hosted and produced by the acclaimed Ellen DeGeneres, offered its contestants the opportunity to unleash their creativity onto furniture design projects to impress the jury. The competition’s final prices were $100,000 in addition to being featured in a magazine.

Despite its promising premise, the “Ellen’s Design Challenge” only lasted two seasons, and was cancelled in 2016.

Matt Doesn’t Renovate His Own House

Knowing who Matt Muenster is and how prolific his work is as a project manager, one would expect that his own house would be the most elegant and beautifully designed place; however, this is not the case.

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It’s not that Matt isn’t interested in making his home look nice, it’s just that he’s somewhat indecisive when it comes to it, not wanting to pressure himself into designing something he wouldn’t be happy with.

Although those were his words back in 2012 when the topic was brought up during an interview, it’s surprising to know that he still hasn’t changed his mind, or perhaps made up his mind. As he told AP News in 2018, his approach to remodeling his home has been ‘different, as he hasn’t  been concerned with immediacy’.

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Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that Matt’s actual house is not the same one he lived in back when he was interviewed in 2012. As it happens, he bought his present house in 2013, with the conviction of it being the ‘forever-home’ for him and his family. Maybe it’s the emotional value it holds for his family, or the fact the place’s trademark architecture from the 1960s is just too special, but it’s understandable that Matt doesn’t want to rush into changing it, regardless of how surprising that might be to his fans.

The Real Reason It Ended

For six years, “Bath Crashers” had a stable spot on the DIY Network, with the show’s crew doing an excellent job, renovations were top notch, and the ratings high. That’s why when it was announced the show would see its end in 2016, it was surprising to say the least.

For Matt Muenster it wasn’t so much of a surprise, though. As he confessed in 2018, “Bath Crashers” was just too expensive to produce, becoming a challenge for the network to keep it on air.

Even when budget cuts were the main reason “Bath Crashers” came to an end, Matt also admitted that the show’s concept wasn’t fitting for what TV audiences wanted at the time. However, while saying goodbye to the show was sad, it’s undeniable that it gave us many valuable remodeling lessons that will surely continue helping many people in years to come.

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What happened to Tony from “Garage Gold”?

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While we’re used to seeing reality shows featuring celebrities displaying their luxury life, or doing extreme things for a living, there’s another side of the genre that focuses on more simple but endearing people. In the latter category, we couldn’t leave out “Garage Gold”, which focuses on the Garage Brothers’ business, as they clean and convert formerly cluttered rooms into reusable spaces.

Though the fact that they work for free, and only receive the valuable items they find stored in those places as a payment is indeed an interesting factor, the show’s actual appeal was in the Garage Brothers’ working team members, who with their antics and light-hearted humor managed to keep the audience’s attention for over six seasons on the DIY Network.

If you ever wondered what they’re doing now, and specifically what’s happened to Tony, the memorable heavy lifter of the team, then you’ve come to the right place. In this vid we’re going reveal all the details about his life nowadays, including his career, so keep with us!

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What Happened To Tony?

It’s quite normal that when a TV show ends, its stars stay active in the entertainment world, or at least keep their fans regularly updated afterwards through social media. However, in the case of “Garage Gold”, most of the cast have kept away from any TV production ever since the show’s end in 2017.

However, Tony hasn’t been as inactive in the entertainment business as it might seem. Though there’s no information about what caused his unexpected exit from the show’s sixth season, Tony has actually been working in the film industry for some time, under his real name of Anthony Vescio. His career includes working on several short-movies, such as the 2019 “Corporate Clueless” as its director and “500+ The Ride Of A Lifetime” as a writer.

While Tony has been more active behind the camera, his career as an actor hasn’t been completely forgotten, having played a small role in the historical film “Nicholas of Myra”, in addition to voicing a character of the short-film “Full Sun” in 2020.

Besides working alongside outlets such as BuzzFeed, Tony has been actively producing ads for TV, and videos for online shows, local festivals and exhibitions. Tony is nowadays active on the video platform Vimeo, on which his followers can contract his multi-talented services in filming and marketing.

Why Was “Garage Gold” Cancelled?

To date, there hasn’t been any official statement from the DIY Network nor from the show’s producers regarding the real reason “Garage Gold” left TV screens back in January 2017.

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Even so, when a curious fan asked on Twitter about the show’s possible return, “Garage Gold”s account surprisingly revealed that the decision to cancel the show was taken by a then-new network’s executive, though further details about it were left unanswered.

Was “Garage Gold” cancelled due to low ratings? Though this can’t be completely disregarded, during its time on air, “Garage Gold” was certainly promoted as one of the DIY Network’s most watched shows for a long while, weakening this possibility.

Nonetheless, it’s apparent that the show’s production team always kept important information about the series a secret. As a proof, in 2016 Tony’s exit was never addressed, regardless of the many messages that worried fans sent to the show’s official Facebook page back then.

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Considering the channel doesn’t even air the show’s re-runs, and that its social media accounts have been inactive for years, it’s safe to assume that the DIY Network has no plans for bringing back “Garage Gold” in the foreseeable future.

Who Is Tony?

It might be surprising to find out the funny and often clumsy Tony ‘The Muscle’ from “Garage Gold” has a long and thriving career in cinematography. As his professional description on Vimeo reads, Anthony Vescio ‘strives to do good in the world and encourages others to do the same’ with this work.

As a very committed old Hollywood enjoyer, Anthony uses his influences from 1970s films to convert them into modern scenarios. Though that sounds inspiring, his beginnings in the film industry weren’t glamorous. In fact, his first credited work was as part of the electrical department in the short-movie “Of Dreams And Glory”, premiered in 2008.

While there’s no information about his educational background, it’s evident that Anthony’s strong passion for cinema has been a deciding factor for him to remain loyal to this career over the years.

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Career As Director

Anthony Vescio’s first directing credit was in the comedic short-film “Traveling Salesman”, completely produced and filmed in Anthony’s native town of Buffalo, in New York State. Although at least two other directors participated in the project, it didn’t collect much at the box office.

Then in 2009, Anthony directed the two short movies “The Applicants” and “Raggidy End”, and even if neither of these movies was financially successful, back then it was clear that Anthony’s path as a director was already set.

He then went on to become an associate director of many other shorts of a variety of genres, until in 2012 when he directed the drama thriller “Granted”, his only long-film to date. Although the movie received favorable critiques and even won him the Award of Merit in the Accolade Competition of that year, it’s unknown how successful it was at the box office.

In 2016, Anthony returned to directing with the short-video “Sightseeing”, and later in 2019 with “Corporate Clueless”, both of which were slightly more financially successful than his previous works. As well, in 2019 Anthony premiered his first documentary – “500+ The Ride of a Lifetime” – which is a heartfelt take of the experiences lived by runners of The Empire State Ride.

As Producer & Writer

As an associate to the company Ma’s Meatloaf, Anthony Vescio has co-produced a variety of projects, including his self-directed movie “Granted” in 2016.

More recently, he has been working with the New York-based company NOM Entertainment Group, to produce “Nicholas of Myra”, a million-budgeted movie saga directed by Gerald Hartke.

Anthony also has an impressive career as a film writer, having created the scripts for his early shorts “The Applicants” and “Fixations”, also partially writing for projects such as “*star” and “Corporate Clueless”, the latter achieving moderate financial success. His most recent work in this regard is “Bumbleboi”, a four minutes-long animated short movie set in an apocalyptic scenario, and released in 2021.

As Actor

Though not as accomplished in this field, Anthony Vescio can surely add his acting experience to his professional record, first appearing in his 2008 short “Traveling Salesman”.

Considering said movie only had a budget of $100, it’s not surprising he took the role, while also being the project’s director, writer and editor.

In 2012, Anthony took the role of Chuck Thompson in his self-directed seven minutes-long short “*star”. The following year, he starred as Tony in “Weight Training”, a short-film which he partially wrote the script for. In 2020, Anthony could be heard as the Doomsday Newscaster in the apocalyptic-set short “Full Sun”, directed by Evan Pease and Lucas Santos. As well, in 2021 Anthony had a small role in the first movie in the “Nicholas of Myra” saga – “The Story Of Saint Nicholas”.

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Just by taking a look at it, it isn’t necessary to point out that Anthony Vescio’s acting career is not greatly impressive. However, despite not appearing in big Hollywood productions or winning world-wide acclaim and awards in this field, it’s evident that Anthony’s determination and persistence to push some of his projects forward has been a deciding factor for him to throw himself into acting when required.

His Appearances In “Garage Gold”

Knowing he was in the show since its premiere in 2013, it’s not surprising that Tony became one of the most popular “Garage Gold” cast members. Although his role as a heavy lifter might have given him the appearance of a tough guy, the truth is that Tony’s seemingly foolish personality better fitted with the rest of the crew’s light-hearted humor and friendly work ambience.

The warm reception Antony got from the audience during his time in “Garage Gold”, led him to start a Facebook fan page with the show’s nickname. While his number of followers on the platform weren’t that many, he was overall welcomed, even organizing live chats with his fans and attending events around the US related to the show.

All in all, Tony appeared in five seasons of the show, almost 50 episodes in total.

How Much Did Tony Earn?

If there’s something true about reality TV, it’s that certain details always stay behind closed doors no matter what. The genre is commonly known for being particularly secretive, especially when it has to do with financial-related aspects.

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As has been reported, while the most acclaimed and popular reality stars could make millions with their series, casts from less popular shows could earn as little as $1000, and in some cases they don’t receive salaries at all.

Do these estimations apply to all types of shows? Not at all. Salaries apparently vary depending on every series’ popularity, meaning that despite the fact a network as big as HGTV is known for paying its stars quite a lot, there’s unfortunately no data of how much money the stars of said channel’s much smaller branch – DIY Network make.

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Knowing this and how low profile his career on TV has been so far, it’s not possible to estimate Anthony Vescio’s net worth.

What Was “Garage Gold”?

Despite how endearing the show is, the way “Garage Gold” came to be was nothing short of special.

As it happened, the production company first set their eyes on the business through a quick online research of companies that went with the name ‘brothers’. After a demo-video was filmed and the show was pitched to several networks, it was only a matter of time until DIY Network finally bought it.

Interestingly enough, the business goes by the name of Garage Brothers, but its owner, Kraig Bantle doesn’t manage the company with this brother. In fact, he chose the name following his best friend’s advice that it sounded catchy.

Was The Business Real?

Considering how dubious reality shows are sometimes, it’s not surprising that many viewers of “Garage Gold” have questioned the veracity of Garage Brothers, the business featured in it.

Founded years before the series even existed, we can assure you that Kraig Bantle’s business actually exists.

However, several aspects of Garage Brothers’ real life operations are slightly different to what you see on TV.

For starters, while “Garage Gold” showed Kraig’s crew cleaning and organizing cluttered spaces for free, in real life the Garage Brothers actually have an established pricing for their services. As listed on their website, their fees are measured in cubic yards of junk removed, most of which isn’t sold, but recycled or taken to landfills. As well, usable items found by the team are sold, but at least 25% of its profits are destined for local charities.

Ranging from full clean outs, removing all types of old appliances, electronics and furniture, Garage Brothers offer their services to both casual clients in residences and condos, to companies and organizations with large storage rooms.

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Does This Mean That The Show Is Fake?

The fact that Garage Brothers don’t actually offer their services for free, might be surprising or disappointing to those who watched the show. However, back when “Garage Gold” aired, Kraig Bantle and his team did actually work for free.

As Kraig admitted during an interview with the local website news East Aurora, establishing a business that didn’t charge money for its services had been challenging from the start, making him lose associates and business partners along the way. However, his passion for recycling and helping out other people with his operations, is what ultimately pushed his business forward.

Though Garage Brothers have slightly changed their way of doing business since “Garage Gold” ended, charging money for their services seems a more viable way to keep their operations active. Despite that, the fact that Garage Brothers has set affordable pricings to the general public while continuing their charity work, proves that the company has kept itself loyal to the same principles that gained them “Garage Gold”s audience’s hearts back in the day.

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Who pays for Yard Crashers?

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Reality TV is constantly changing as years pass. However, the audiences’ general fascination with home-improvement shows seems unlikely to end anytime soon.

Although this genre has produced many internationally acclaimed shows, it’s undeniable that the success achieved by the DIY Network’s series of “Crashers” has raised the standard very high in the field. As part of this series, “Yard Crashers” stands out from the rest for presenting a fresh approach to what house yards renovations actually are. By leading the audience through the process of remodeling courtyards and gardens, Matt Blashaw and his team brought new life to people’s landscapes for over a decade.

Moreover, after being on air for so long, it’s only expected that many people want to know more details about the show’s important factors, such as who pays for the renovations, and how much they actually cost.

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So is the show really free of charge, or do homeowners pay to get the work done? Get ready, because in this vid we will reveal all the details regarding “Yard Crashers” finances!

Who Pays For “Yard Crashers” Projects?

Whatever the reason behind its success is, there’s no denying that “Yard Crashers” light-hearted humor and safe entertainment was a big reason people loved it so much.

Nonetheless, no matter how good a reality TV show is, there are always certain aspects of it that are questioned sooner or later. In this case, the most common doubt that comes to people’s minds with regard to “Yard Crashers”, is whether or not renovations in the show are really free.

The answer isn’t actually very complicated. Following reports made by homeowners featured in the show, it’s made clear that not only does “Yard Crashers” not charge them for the labour costs of the  renovations, but that the materials, furniture and appliances are indeed free as well – these conditions apply to every “Crashers” show.

As affirmed by  former series’ participant Bill Cunningham, not only was his family not charged for remodeling their house, but the show’s production staff even paid for the food consumed by the team and family. It’s known that many local shops exchange supplies and appliances in return for being promoted in the series, though a big part of the operations are still financed by the producers. All in all, it sounds like a good deal for everyone, assuming of course that the payback for the producers is the resulting popularity of the series.

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What About The Taxes?

It’s already too obvious that the homeowners featured in “Yard Crashers” are more than fortunate. Getting a top-notch renovation of their courtyard and not paying anything for it is indeed pure good luck, especially for people who couldn’t afford these types of services otherwise.

Knowing that this sounds too good to be true, you’re probably wondering ‘where’s the catch’, right? While the “Yard Crashers” crew does everything for free, they don’t take responsibility for the taxes related to the project. This is why the production staff usually files a 1099 tax form invoicing the participants for the renovations’ costs, which vary depending on how extensive the work done is.

Even if receiving an invoice with these expenses isn’t ideal for anyone, thinking of it as an investment might do the trick, as at the end, the participants’ property’s value increases at least three times of what’s paid in taxes.

Is The Show Real?

Though the whole financial factor of “Yard Crashers” has been cleared up, that doesn’t stop people from distrusting other show’s aspects, such as its legitimacy.

While it’s guaranteed that indeed every “Yard Crashers” renovation is real, the audience couldn’t be faulted for believing that the show has staged and scripted scenes. This becomes especially suspicious since at the beginning of every episode, Matt Blashaw coincidentally happens to find a homeowner willing to renew their courtyard in a random store.

So is this real? While it isn’t confirmed or denied that this specific part of the series is faked, a former participant in “Yard Crashers” branch show “House Crashers”, confessed online of having cheated their way into being successfully picked for the show. Apparently, he and his spouse had known the exact store the show’s staff was going to visit that day, thanks to a friend who worked with the crew.

After being picked and interviewed by the host, the production crew eventually visited their house, and they were selected.

While this affirmation doesn’t prove “Yard Crashers” is staged, it makes it evident that with the necessary connections and a bit of luck, it wasn’t too hard to be picked by them, putting a show with an otherwise clean scandal record under a not so bright light.

Why Did Ahmed Hassan Leave?

Many long-time devoted fans of “Yard Crashers” surely remember Ahmed Hassan, the show’s first host who appeared in it from its premiere in 2008.

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Ahmed is well remembered for more than just being the show’s original host, though. While his professional career in the home-improvement industry started a couple of decades ago, his interest in the field dates back to when he was still a little kid, helping his father out in their garden.

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Ahmed grew up to be what he describes as a ‘people server’, for being able to talk a lot and convince others through his words; that’s what led him to become a TV host in the first place. Though he had small roles in several DIY Network’s shows, his big opportunity came with the premiere of “Yard Crashers” and “Turf Wars”, a spin-off competitive series which he hosted for two seasons.

Unfortunately, his good time on the DIY Network eventually came to an end. In 2011 he openly expressed his desire to make “Yard Crashers” a more varied show, which wasn’t taken very lightly by the producers, and led to his firing, though the network simply affirmed that his contract hadn’t been renewed.

Why Did Chris Lambton Leave

Following Ahmed Hassan’s exit from the show, he was replaced by Matt Blashaw, who in 2016 took a break from it, leaving the spot open for Chris Lambton.

As with his fellow show’s hosts, Chris has an extensive career in landscape-building. However, what is really more impressive is his career as a TV personality, having appeared in shows such as “The Bachelorette” in 2010. Though he didn’t end up dating the show’s main star, a chance of destiny led him to meet his now-wife, Peyton through the series.

Afterwards, Chris hosted several home-improvement shows, including “Going Yard” and “Best Ever Three Houses” before joining “Yard Crashers”. Although it was always said that Chris’ presence in the show wasn’t going to be permanent, he added a air of stability during the season he was in it. However, following the show’s hiatus in 2017, Chris joined the landscape-building show “Lawn & Order”, and then “Home United”, a problem-solving show for couples, which he co-hosted with his wife Peyton.

Nowadays, Chris is a judge in “Clipped!”, a show hosted by Martha Stewart which challenges its competitors to build the best ornamental-shaped trees.

Why Did Matt Blashaw Leave “Yard Crashers”?

Knowing how popular Ahmed Hassan was, the audience was obviously flabbergasted when he left “Yard Crashers” in 2011. However, the show moved forward with Matt Blashaw as its host, and unexpectedly his popularity matched Hassan’s.

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Prior to “Yard Crashers”, Matt already had a prolific career on TV. As an actor, he debuted in the 1996 movie “The Ringmaster”, followed by a small role in the series “DiResta”. During the next decade, he appeared in some low-budget movies, before officially debuting as the host of “Project Xtreme” in 2009, which preceded his work in several home-improvement series before joining “Yard Crashers” in 2011.

Nonetheless, just when the audience thought Matt was going to stick with the show long-time, in April 2016 Matt announced he was temporarily leaving to focus on his real-life business. During his time in “Yard Crashers”, Matt also appeared in the HGTV series “Vacation House For Free”.

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In 2016, Matt joined “Ellen’s Design Challenge” as an expert carpenter, though the next year he went on to appear in “DIY Ultimate Retreat”, which to date is the last show he’s appeared in.

What Does He Work In Nowadays?

Fortunately for his long-time “Yard Crashers” fans, who wanted him to renovate their garden and courtyard, Matt Blashaw hasn’t left the business.

As seen on his Instagram account, Matt not only still works as a landscape builder, but operates as a contractor. His business Blashaw Residential, offers remodeling services to its clients, in addition to acting as a realtor for selling and buying properties in Kansas.

Although Matt admittedly confesses his desire to eventually return to TV, for now putting his full-time attention to his business is his priority.

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Of course, this is good news for those who still want him in “Yard Crashers”, but there’s still more. Matt’s personal life has taken a turn for the better with his marriage to Lindsay Archer, whom he coincidentally met on set of “Yard Crashers” back in 2015.

It seems that the couple clicked quickly, which is only expected considering both of them are expert landscape-builders and designers. Matt and Lindsey tied the knot in late 2017, and in July the next year, the couple welcomed their only child to date, son Jace William.

How Much “Yard Crashers” Paid Its Cast?

TV stars’ salaries will always be a topic people will be interested in, especially if these are kept in secrecy, including those involved in reality-type series.

While HGTV is normally open in revealing financial details about its celebrities, the same couldn’t be said about its associated channel – DIY Network.

The fact that the latter is evidently more discreet about their finances makes it hard for the general public to even get an idea of how much their favorite TV stars earn.

However, considering “Yard Crashers” usually had quite a generous budget to work with – as did its fellow “Crashers” series – then we can assume the filming and operational crews earn more than decent salaries.

When it comes to the show’s hosts, it becomes more evident that their salaries working for the network were quite good. For their part, Ahmed Hassan and Chris Lambton have an estimated net worth of over $1 million each. Meanwhile, Matt Blashaw has an estimated net worth of close to $2 million, not only resulting from his career on TV, but from his real estate business as well.

How People Get Into “Yard Crashers”?

Being offered the renovation of part of your property for free seems like an impossible dream.

Though it became a reality for those lucky homeowners who appeared in any of the “Crashers” series, the truth is that the selection process involved in achieving that dream is quite hard.

As it happens, there were too many people wanting to renovate their courtyards back then. This meant that to make the picking process less complex for the team, the “Yard Crashers” crew focused their search efforts mostly in California. Although they also traveled to other states in search of participants, this didn’t happen as often when the show rapidly gained popularity.

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On the bright side, any interested homeowners who weren’t lucky enough to find the “Yard Crashers” team in their favorite city’s stores, had the opportunity to submit a volunteering petition to the DIY Network’s website. While this method was probably not as effective as being picked in person, the small chance of appearing in any “Crashers” show was probably thrilling.

Was “Yard Crashers” Cancelled?

Knowing how high its popularity was for several years and, that no new episodes have been premiered for a while, it’s only natural that the “Yard Crashers” audience wonder what happened to the show.

Unfortunately, anything related to the future of “Yard Crashers” is uncertain. The series had been on air for a decade by 2017, when the DIY Network simply just didn’t renew it, but then refused to officially cancel it. The result is that “Yard Crashers” was left out in some sort of limbo, and so far, no one has confirmed what’s going to happen to it.

While there isn’t anything confirmed so far, it’s suspected that going through so many changes of hosts played a big role in the issue. As well, other shows from the “Crashers” franchise had been cancelled prior to it, due to budget cuts, which sounds like a strong possibility of explaining this situation. Either way, as long as “Yard Crashers” isn’t cancelled, its fans shouldn’t lose hopes of it returning to TV.

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