Are these guys for real?
In the case of “Storage Wars’’ the answer is a resounding “no,’’ according to a former regular on the popular reality show.
David Hester has filed a suit claiming the program — which chronicles the adventures of dealers bidding on the contents of abandoned storage lockers — is a scam.
Hester, who mysteriously vanished from the show last summer, claims in legal papers that the producers “salt or plant the storage lockers . . . with valuable or unusual items to create drama and suspense.”
On one show, producers hid a BMW Mini under a pile of junk, according to Hester, who was known for his catchphrase, “Yuuup.’’
In another, a stack of old newspapers announcing the death of Elvis were planted, said the bitter bidder.
His suit, filed in LA, claims he was fired after he complained to cable network A&E about the show being “faked.” He’s seeking $750,000 in lost wages plus unspecified damages.
A&E refused to comment yesterday, as did Original Productions LLC, the company that makes the show.
Well-timed brawls, smart comebacks and suspicious fan-voting results have long strained viewers’ belief that reality is all it seems to be.
But the specific allegations in Hester’s lawsuit yesterday sent some big names in the business running for cover.