“We have not said we are coming to Perry or to anywhere else in particular for that matter. When we do go somewhere to film, we keep it as under wraps as we possibly can to protect the privacy of the people involved.”
So said Jodi Friedman when asked if “American Pickers,” the popular cable television show, was planning to film in Perry. Friedman is assistant to Cineflix Production’s Randi Rosenthal, associate producer for the fan favorite airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on History.
“Mike (Wolfe) and Frank (Fritz) only pick private collections,” Friedman said in a phone interview with ThePerryNews.com. “They do not go to stores, malls or flea markets. They also do not go to museums or auctions or businesses — basically, they avoid anything that is open to the public.”
It was erroneously reported in a local media outlet that filming would be done in Perry.
“We never announce where filming will be conducted,” Friedman said. “A great deal of effort is put into keeping things as quiet as possible. Because Mike and Frank are going to private locations, we do not want a big crowd following them around.”
Confidentiality is a hallmark of the show, Friedman said.
“If you watch the show, you know they will only say the first name of the person or people they are dealing with,” she said. “Last names or towns are never used, as we want to protect the privacy of those involved as much as possible, for any number of reasons.”
Friedman stressed that advance teams would indeed be following up on submitted tips and suggestions throughout Iowa and that filming would be done in July and would last 10-14 days.
“That is not to say we won’t shoot in Perry, but it is incorrect to say that we will be there for sure,” Friedman said. “We will be in Iowa, and the episodes filmed there will air in approximately three months. Those things I can tell you for sure.”
Casting as wide a net as possible is the goal of announcing the state or general area the show will film in, thus generating as many leads as possible. The show is a documentary series following Wolfe and Fritz as they travel across the country in search of America’s most valuable antiques, ranging from motorcycles, classic cars and bicycles to one-of-a-kind memorabilia.
Perry-area residents with large collections or who want to suggest someone to the American Pickers can email their name, number, address and description of the collection and photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 1-855-old-rust.
