Connect with us

Lists

What is Lisa Kelly (Ice Road Truckers) Doing In 2022?

Published

on

Lisa Kelly is known for her part in the History Channel reality television series, “Ice Road Truckers“. The show featured the hazards truck drivers face in the isolated Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada, who forge across frozen rivers and lakes, sometimes hauling oversized loads.

Lisa was born on 8th December 1980 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. At the age of six, the family moved to a small farm in Sterling, Alaska. Lisa returned to study at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, but only lasted one semester before deciding that the academic life wasn’t for her and dropped out. Lisa then took on jobs as a school bus driver, worked at a couple of gas stations, a pizza company, and became the state’s freestyle motocross champion. She then trained to become a trucker, and after (in her own words) ‘nagging the crap’ out of a couple of companies, she got a job with Carlile Transportation, an Alaskan trucking and shipping company. Lisa acknowledges that this was a difficult accomplishment for a woman, and claims she had to work twice as hard at pulling her weight and everybody else’s, to get the job done as fast, or faster.

Lisa Kelly and “Ice Road Truckers”

The show premiered on 17th June 2007 to a record-breaking audience of 3.4 million viewers, which History Channel, in its 12th year at the time, had never previously experienced. It ran to the end of its 11th season which wrapped up on 9th November 2017, claiming to be taking a short break from production. The show was nominated for an Emmy and four other awards. Thom Beers was one of the producers and a narrator who is also known for the reality TV series “The Deadliest Catch”.

Lisa’s first appearance in “Ice Road Truckers” was in Season 3 in 2009 and she continued to take part through Seasons 4 and 5, took a break for Season 6 and then rejoined in Season 7 onwards to the end; all in all, she took part in 84 episodes. The earlier seasons showed truckers manoeuvring their heavily-laden vehicles over frozen lakes, which are known as ice roads, in Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada, and notably Alaska’s Dalton Highway which is solid ground that is mainly covered in snow. The later seasons were mainly filmed on Manitoba’s ice- and snow-covered winter roads. IMDB coined that form of trucking as ‘a job to die for’. The opening theme song for the first four seasons of the show was “Livin’ on the Edge” by Aerosmith, which well describes the dangers involved. The theme music composers were Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith and Mark Hudson, who co-wrote 12 of the band’s songs and is also a producer.

In 2010 Lisa was the only American trucker to finish the spin-off series, entitled “IRT: Deadliest Roads”, which took three truckers to India and presented them with the huge challenge of transporting jet fuel through the treacherous mountain passes between Delhi to Shima and up to the Himalayas, for helicopter crews involved in mountain rescues. The Rohtang Pass, at a height of 13,000 ft (3,980 m), was most arduous, with the truckers suffering bouts of altitude sickness, dealing with other traffic, and deep snow. The other two truckers, Rick Yemm and Alex Debogorski gave up before the end.

Lisa quips that her biggest challenge in India was all the people gawking at her, as they’d never seen a woman driving a truck before. They would even pull over to take pictures, or stop dead in front of her so she had to avoid hitting them. There were times when the police prevented her from accessing certain parts of the road, because they didn’t think she would be able to manoeuvre the truck through.

https://www.facebook.com/www.lisakellyisbackoniceroadtruckers/photos/a.349158105190057/394364190669448

The second season of the series “IRT: Deadliest Roads” launched on 3rd October 2010. The truckers handled what is known as the world’s most dangerous road – the North Yungas Road in Bolivia. It winds through 43 miles (69 kms) of narrow, serpentine bends, fog, mud and landslides with cliffs dropping below for 2,000 ft (160m) and parts where the road crumbled under their wheels. Then the truckers tackle Peru’s precarious switchback roads through the Andes Mountains. Hair-raising driving to say the least, so the drivers really had to know their stuff – one slip on those roads could end up being fatal!

Advertisement

When asked whether the Dalton Highway in Alaska seemed easier after driving in these foreign countries, Lisa answered that it does, but that she has to be careful not to get careless as ‘it’s still a dangerous road and could get you when you are not paying attention’.

Lisa has also featured in various TV shows such as “The David Letterman Show”, “Luciana by Night”, and in a TV commercial for York Peppermint Patties, and has given numerous media interviews and contributed articles.

A little about Lisa Kelly’s Personal Life

Currently 41 years old, Lisa is attractive with light brown hair and brown eyes. She has a slim, athletic figure.  and is 5ft 6ins (170 cm) tall. The 2010 Men’s Esquire Magazine labelled her “The Sexiest Trucker Alive”. However, Lisa strove to prove that she was more than just ‘eye candy’.

Lisa certainly chose an unusual job, particularly for a woman, often driving a Dalton eighteen-wheel truck from Fairbanks up to Prudhoe Bay’s offshore rigs and oil fields. She has said that she loves the sense of freedom that trucking gives her. She was the only female trucker in the TV series until Season 5, when Maya Sieber joined; later, Stephanie ‘Steph’ Custance joined in Season 10.

One thing that is apparent is that Lisa is an adrenaline junkie. Her job is full of formidable moments such as when she was crossing a frozen lake and the ice started cracking; she propelled herself out of the truck, but thank goodness the ice held. One of Lisa’s dreams was to fly in a fighter jet with the US Navy Blue Angels flight exhibition squadron, and in 2014 she achieved this dream, which she found more difficult than she could have imagined, quipping, “Dreams really do come true and they can come true if you believe that they can and you go for them and it might not be what you expected it to be and it might be harder than your expected them to be, but if you want to badly enough, you’ll get it!”

In her free time, Lisa enjoys horse-riding, snowboarding, skydiving and hang gliding, as well as motocross.

She is an animal lover, and over the years has had a miniature horse called Rocky, a pet cat and now a couple of miniature and other horses on her Wasilla property where she owns a home. Whilst working on the “Ice Road Truckers: Deadliest Roads in the Himalayas”, Lisa chose a puppy called Rampur Jackson to accompany her. Her Indian helper, Tashi, helped her take care of the dog who was given to one of the producers of the show once filming was concluded.

Lisa Kelly’s love and romance

Lisa met Traves Kelly, a full Aleut Native Alaskan and an ardent dirt-bike rider, when she purchased a Kawasaki 125. At the time he was a motorbike mechanic and worked at the shop where she bought her motorbike. They met up again on the race track when Lisa was racing. Traves then invited her to watch him perform in a dirt-bike freestyle show – their first date ended up with him damaging his shoulder, in an injury known as a separated shoulder. They dated for four years before they married in 2008. Apparently they are still married, but possibly not together – Lisa hasn’t mentioned him in her recent media posts

It’s not clear whether Lisa and Traves are still married and Lisa has not let anything slip, but by Traves’ accounts on his Facebook page, it seems he has been in a relationship with Terri-Jo Ewing, a horse-rider, since 2021.

Advertisement

Tragedy befalls Ice Road trucker

Darrel Ward joined “Ice Road Truckers” in Season 6, and soon became a firm favorite. He and Lisa would often partner up for long hauls, and became good friends. Lisa spoke to “Truckers News” about Darrel when she was interviewed at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas in 2016. She said she found it a ‘blast’ to work with Darrel, that he was like a big kid at heart and like a big brother to her. Shortly thereafter on 28th August Darrel died in a tragic plane crash in Montana at the age of 52.

What is Lisa Kelly doing now?

After the end of “Ice Road Truckers”, Lisa, who was one of the most popular stars of the show, kept her audience’s attention by sharing positive statements with the hope that the show would reignite, but it hasn’t happened. She made public appearances, as well as standing in for the Ellen Show. On 10th March 2016, she started promoting brands and proudly announced on Twitter:  ‘Team Lisa = Team Delo! Proud to announce that I am working with Chevron Delo.’

When it was obvious that “Ice Road Truckers” had breathed its last breath, she was released from her contractual obligations and was employed by Chevron Delo as brand ambassador. The downside of her new position is that she had to leave her home in Wasilla and her beloved horses, and move to Fairbanks. In a YouTube video on 22nd September 2021 she relates that she might be gone for a couple of years, and tearfully kisses her horses goodbye.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUCuWnTlF9M/

As an indication of the importance of Lisa’s job, and that of the company, the Delo brand of engine oils, lubricants and coolants are used for a variety of heavy-duty applications e.g. for busses and trucks, as well as construction, mining, agriculture etc. Just as a matter of interest, Chevron, initially the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal), was founded in 1863 by John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler and at its peak became the largest petroleum company in the world. Rockefeller sat at its helm as chairman until he retired in 1897 and the success of the company contributed to his becoming one of the wealthiest people in history. Chevron, now one of the largest companies in the world, is one of the successor companies of Standard Oil and has its headquarters in San Ramon, California.

However, that’s not all Lisa’s doing – that’s what she loves best, so she hasn’t stopped trucking along those icy roads. On 16th October 2021 she posted a video where she had spun out on the ice, but luckily was able to right the vehicle without any serious consequences. She appears at various trucking shows, has her own online shop now, and best of all, has bought a new truck – a Peterbilt!

With that, in February 2022 she started a new business called Arctic Fox Trucking, and a video series on her YouTube channel followed by over 37,000 faithful fans. She also posts regularly on her Facebook page, with 900,000 followers.

Advertisement

Lisa Kelly’s net worth

Lisa has claimed that her salary on the show was not that great, as it wasn’t much more than the usual trucker’s salary. However, according to authoritative sources, her net worth as of mid-2022 is estimated at around $600,000.

In conclusion

All in all Lisa is an inspiration and was thrilled that “Ice Road Truckers” revived the image people held of truckers. She has a genuine love for life and wants to live it to the fullest ‘with the precious time that I’ve been given here on Earth.’ One of her favorite things to say is, “I’m the only one living my life, so I’m going to live it to make me happy. I can’t live for other people and I hate when other people judge my life because I’m having fun rather then just live their own lives so they are happy with themselves.’

Joined Net Worth Post in June 2016. Previously, Lead Correspondent at Insightful Media. Holds a degree in Research Communications from Columbia University.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

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

Lists

The Untold Truth About ‘Bath Crashers’

Published

on

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”!

https://www.facebook.com/171310439558838/photos/a.171312602891955/171312606225288/

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.

Advertisement

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BF-T38Tssjp/

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”.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

https://www.facebook.com/413407455420633/photos/a.540146202746757/919719618122745/

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’.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

Lists

What happened to Tony from “Garage Gold”?

Published

on

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!

https://www.facebook.com/garagegoldtvshow/photos/455108354667164

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.

Advertisement

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.

https://www.facebook.com/garagegoldtvshow/photos/a.455065078004825/645411582303506/

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.

Advertisement

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”.

Advertisement

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.

https://www.facebook.com/garagegoldtvshow/photos/457465931098073

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

Lists

Who pays for Yard Crashers?

Published

on

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.

https://www.facebook.com/Yardcrashersfans/photos/a.196070520448646/196070753781956/

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

https://www.facebook.com/Yardcrashersfans/photos/1598965796825771

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.

Advertisement

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”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf1MhpTBqSg/

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

Recommended

Lists23 hours ago

The Untold Truth About ‘Bath Crashers’

Home renovation-shows are certainly more than a TV trend at this point. Although this specific brand of reality series has...

Lists23 hours ago

What happened to Tony from “Garage Gold”?

While we’re used to seeing reality shows featuring celebrities displaying their luxury life, or doing extreme things for a living,...

Lists23 hours ago

Who pays for Yard Crashers?

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

Lists23 hours ago

What happened to Rust Valley Restorers?

Some TV shows are so meticulously planned, that there’s no way they can’t become successful. However, there are other series...

Lists23 hours ago

How did Joel Taylor from Storm Chasers die?

It’s known that reality series are, in fact, not always as real as they make it seem. Despite that, some...

Lists23 hours ago

What happened to Ray on Trailer Park Boys?

TV shows come and go all the time, but “Trailer Park Boys” definitely isn’t easy to forget. Ever since its...

Lists23 hours ago

How real is History Channel survival show Alone?

Out of all the reality TV shows you might find, survival competitions are truly the most extreme ones you would...

Lists23 hours ago

The Untold Truth About Expedition Unknown

Although stories about previously unknown, ancient treasures and unveiled mysteries are usually seen as fictional fantasies, those same topics are...

Lists23 hours ago

What happened to Tiny House Nation?

Tiny houses have been a trend in the US for quite some time now. While some people see them as...

Lists23 hours ago

Why did Jordan Butler leave Misfit Garage?

With so many shows out there, it’s not easy to keep up with what reality TV has to offer nowadays....

Trending