On paper, Storage Wars seems like an idea
that would've never worked—but it did. Watching people bid on storage containers
that have been abandoned by their original owners just sounds strange. But viewers can't get enough, and they want
to know more. Well, let's unlock the secret vaults and pore
over some Storage Wars facts you may not have known... Some of it's staged Storage Wars is another reality show that,
allegedly, plays loose with the definition of the word "reality." Cast member Dave Hester approached producers
with concerns over the show's authenticity numerous times. In fact, he filed a lawsuit against the A&E
network and Original Productions over those concerns in 2012. Hester's suspicions arose because whenever
he won a bid, producers would draw his attention to certain boxes, or unload the storage unit
so he would "discover" certain items. Like the time he found a pile of old newspapers...which
announced Elvis Presley's death. Or when he found a car underneath a pile of
trash—a BMW mini car, to be exact. Hester alleged that the producers were planting
valuable goods in the storage units ahead of time to make the show more interesting. But that wasn't the only reason Hester filed
his lawsuit...he also alleged that A&E fired him from the show after season three as a
result of his concerns. Eesh. But A&E wasn't going down without a fight. A&E is a First Amendment proponent Oddly enough, A&E didn't really deny Hester's
accusations. The channel claimed whatever behind-the-scenes
actions it took were protected by the First Amendment. Since Storage Wars isn't a game show, the
producers can do as they please. A&E claimed Hester's lawsuit was driven by
spite, and nothing else. When all was said and done, Hester was ordered
to pay A&E's legal fees...but a judge also ruled he could proceed with his wrongful termination
suit. In the end, Hester and the network settled
out of court, and he came back to the show with season five. Jarrod Schulz' dark past Though he may have vaguely mentioned it a
few times on the show, veteran bidder Jarrod Schulz never elaborated on his criminal past. Too bad for him that the Internet is a thing. OK Magazine reported in 2012 that Schulz was
arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, narcotics transportation, and a
DUI back in 1997. OK also reports that in 1999, Schulz was busted
again for pretty much the same things, only this time he got a parole violation added
to his charges. For his crimes, Schulz served a 16-month stretch
in a state prison. There's no bidding for the top bunk. Jarrod Owes his fame to His Aunt According to The Orange County Register, Jarrod
Schulz was having a rough go staying afloat in the mortgage business when he got his first
whiff of storage auctions from his aunt, who at the time was managing a public storage
facility. Over time, he and his longtime partner, Brandi
Passante, would go on to open up their own second-hand store, Now and Then. How did they go from there to Storage Wars? It all went down at an auction in Harbor City,
California, where he met producers who were planning Storage Wars. The rest, of course, is history. Mark Balelo's arrest and suicide In February 2013, storage warrior Mark Balelo
was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, but not enough to distribute, meaning it was
probably for his own personal use. This had happened before, too: Hollywood Life
reports that in December 2007, he was arrested and charged with three controlled substance
felonies. Sadly, Balelo's latest arrest seemed to push
him over the edge, as he committed suicide just two days later via carbon monoxide poisoning. Love at first sight If you’ve ever wondered how Dan and Laura
Dotson have stayed solid all these years, it might have a little to do with their relationship’s
beginning. “I found the right man because I am very
high-energy,” Laura told The Huffington Post while discussing her relationship with
Dan, whom she met in 1996. “When I saw him auctioneering all over the
place, I thought, 'I’m going to marry that man!' … We just looked at each other, said 'Let’s
get married, I’ll snatch you up.’” “Four months later, I was pregnant—the
whole doggone thing!” she continued. “We work well together. He’s taught me how to auction and it’s
the best thing that’s ever happened in my life.” Dan Suffered a double brain aneurysm In 2014, Dan and Laura got the health scare
of their lives when Dan suffered a double brain aneurysm in Palm Springs, California. According to TMZ, Dan’s condition was so
bad when he got to the hospital that he was given only a four to 20 percent chance of
living. Miraculously, Dan’s surgery turned out to
be a success; he was released from the hospital a little over a week later. As an added bonus: Dan decided to quit smoking
after 40 years after his surgery saved his life. Pirate's booty Talk about buried treasure. In 2011, TMZ reported that a storage unit
auctioned off by Dan and Laura Dotson unknowingly contained about $500,000 worth of Spanish
gold “dating anywhere between the 16th and 19th century.” The booty was discovered after the storage
unit had been auctioned off. It was reportedly located inside a real pirate's’
chest that was “at least 200 years old." If that wasn’t amazing enough, the report
says the winning bidder made off with the gold by paying a little over $1,000 for the
storage unit. Barry got his start in wholesale produce Speaking to Wisconsin’s Big Cheese on 107.9
FM, Barry Weiss, who left the show in 2013, revealed he worked for 30 years in the wholesale
produce business before his Storage Wars fame came about: "No, actually I was in the wholesale produce
business, fruits and vegetables, that sort of thing, but in pretty big volume. We provisioned everything from cruise ships,
hotels, restaurants, that sort of thing. So I was in that business, jeez, 30 years. But always been collecting antiques on the
side, collectibles, wheelin' and dealin', ya know, with kooky off the wall objects. So that helped fund my passion for collecting
weird stuff." It's like that old saying, when life gives
you lemons, make lemonade...or just sell enough of them until you get a reality TV show. Thanks for watching! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch
more videos like the one you just saw. And leave us a comment to let us know what
surprised you the most about the cast of Storage Wars...
