Former American Pickers co-host Frank Fritz died on September 30 in hospice care due to complications of a severe stroke. Fritz has been a pioneer host on the show since 2010 and has maintained the role for about 10 years. The late star contributed to the success of the American Pickers; however, due to an irreconcilable difference between him and co-host Mike Wolfe, Fritz’s exit from the show was announced by the network in 2021 amidst his failing health.
American Pickers new season recently debuted and fans have expressed their anger towards their recent actions while raising questions about the real reason Fritz exited the show. Lovers of the TV series claimed that Fritz was disrespected and snubbed by the show’s network, as they noted that there was no dedication or mention of Fritz name during the launch of season 26 even though he died a few weeks ago.
Fans express their displeasure towards ‘American Pickers’ new season premiere
A fan took to Reddit to voice their disapproval, noting that “there was no dedication to Frank on the season premiere last night. I feel like they should have at least made a title card at the end or something to honor him?” Some Reddit users came to the network’s defense as they explained that the premiere episode may have already been sent to stations and couldn’t be re-edited, while others argued that with technology and digital editing, it should have been easy to add a title card or tribute.
A fan suggested that “Maybe a brief farewell tribute supercut of his best moments? At the very least, a tribute title card,” would have saved the network from backlash from fans, while another user noted that they saw a title card on a Frank-centric rerun, but not on the new episode premiere. Some fans also found the move utterly displeasing they claimed that the show was dead to them.
Mike Wolfe and History Channel honored Frank Fritz
While the show may be facing backlash for disrespecting Frank Fritz, they also played their part in honoring him. Before the season’s premiere, Mike Wolfe took to social media to share another tribute to Fritz. He explained that Fritz would always be missed and he could never be replaced. He also said they would work on every episode to make him proud. “As always, since Frank has left, I dedicate this show and all the others this season in his honor,” he wrote.
On the other hand, History Channel, the show’s network, dedicated a night to honor Fritz by showing highlights of his time on American Pickers. They aired several of his episodes from 11am to 6pm. Also, between 6pm and 8pm, the channel also broadcasted the Best of American Pickers with the late star and an ‘In Memoriam’ title card was also at the top of the evening episodes.