SyFy's "Collection Intervention"

[TheJoeSlepski]

I thought tonight's episode was okay. "TheJoe" did well to pair down his collection of comics by half as I think any ability to do that in this market is a good thing. I understand about them being a big part of one's life. But the only thing that I've never been too keen on the "modern" comics market is they never have quite hit the collectibility of the Gold and Silver age stuff, plus with all the frequent reboots, the current storylines with a lot of the comics these days don't go back into the history of the arcs covered in the older stories (except maybe mentioned in passing).

The text saying I got my collection to 62 boxes is a flat out lie. I have no problem saying that.

I will begrudge them the editing room choices to take what we said and spin a narrative, whether it's genuine or not, because we were there and did say stuff, even if it's out of context at times.

However, I still have about 29, 950 comics. The show said "After selling nothing at Frank and Sons", which was a lie, I did sell a bunch of books, primarily to ringers they sent to our table, but I did sell them.

But no, I still have ALL of my books and no one convinced me to slow down or stop collecting. And I do think it was apparent in the show, I don't collect for the "collectibility" of the books.

Investing is for the stock market.

I read comic books.

I don't CGC slab them, I read them.

/offsoapbox

 

[TheJoeSlepski]

All these intervention shows are the same. They are scripted to add plenty of spin on the "nuttiness" of the intervene, and the editing plays up the poor relatives who have to live with the psycho collector!:lol

In our case, we were told it was the unimaginative suits at SyFy who pushed for that direction.

They shot a bunch of cool story stuff with me, that never made it in.

1. We went to Boom Studios to talk about a career in comics (which has always been my dream and I'm now doing it at Platinum Studios, no thanks to this show) But Ross Richie at Boom was amazingly awesome.

2. I think they cut it because when Elyse asked him about his collection, his experience mirrored mine quite a bit, except he's about 5 years older (in experience, don't know age) so it was obvious to us all that yeah, if I got into working in the field, making xyz more money, my focus would shift to the higher end books and the books I've been collecting will be going up in value in the next 10 years, which is what I said to them.

3. They also took me to Heritage Auctions, to appraise some of my SILVER AGE books, which on the show they claimed I didn't have. I don't have a ton, but I do have some nice ones, and we got them appraised.

4. Lon, at Heritage, was AWESOME and he actually taught me something about collecting, which would have been really interesting for comic collectors to see. It was about recognizing restored comics. But that didn't fit their played out narrative of "she doesn't like comics!" "she wants a table!"

If Bek really wanted a table, we'd get a table. We're a couple, we compromise.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Good for you Joe! Glad to hear you weren't bullied.

 

[Feraud]

I enjoy watching the show to see the cool collections!

One needs to take these intervention reality shows with a large grain of salt. The producers have a plot and craft the show around it.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

You are very right Feraud!

I cancelled my cable long ago so I've never seen the show but my wife has seen an episode or two online.

 

[MegaPrime33]

It's really interesting to hear your take on the show from your perspective. They definitely played it off as if your wife/fiance wanted you to get rid of a bunch of stuff. And hearing that what they wrote at the end that you only have 62 boxes left was a lie, is surprising but then not-so surprising. It's funny what we take for granted as truth or not. I remember saying to my wife when we first started watching was, why does he have to get rid of everything? Why cant they just move to a bigger place?

Did you guys get paid to be on the show? I'm not looking for a dollar amount, just curious.

 

[Eopie Herder]

I enjoy watching the show to see the cool collections!

me too, same reason for Toy Hunters as well. I think Toy Hunters is even more set up, but I just enjoy seeing the old toys. The Spider-Man web shooter from the last episode really brought back memories.

As Joe said with the ringers, which was apparent with the Holiday Barbies last week, and the Transformer that the dude REALLY did not want to sell, is even more evident on T.H., though it's planted items in the collections.

 

[TheJoeSlepski]

Did you guys get paid to be on the show? I'm not looking for a dollar amount, just curious.

A pittance. And that's not an exaggeration. I literally spent more in beer and snacks for our viewing party than they paid me to be on the show.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Usually they don't pay you at all for this type of thing. Your "payment" is the benefit of whatever they're doing for you on the show. Sad part is that so many people are just excited to be on TV so they don't care. This is why reality TV is killing the industry.

 

[newworld]

It's fascinating to hear directly from someone who was on the show. Thanks for posting, Joe.

Now that I've read your take, I'm fundamentally confused by something. It sounds like your wife doesn't really have a big problem with your collection, is that correct? If so, then why would you two participate in a show with the word "intervention" in it? That term is highly charged and denotes a behavior that is way out of the norm and is extremely disruptive to the lives of the people involved. If your wife didn't feel an intervention was needed, why do the show?

 

[MegaPrime33]

At the end of the show, they showed you guys in your dining room with a table with no boxes. Where did you end up moving them to? It's funny how they edit it as to make you believe you got rid of everything.

 

[Eopie Herder]

It's fascinating to hear directly from someone who was on the show. Thanks for posting, Joe.

Now that I've read your take, I'm fundamentally confused by something. It sounds like your wife doesn't really have a big problem with your collection, is that correct? If so, then why would you two participate in a show with the word "intervention" in it? That term is highly charged and denotes a behavior that is way out of the norm and is extremely disruptive to the lives of the people involved. If your wife didn't feel an intervention was needed, why do the show?

he stated on Twitter that they actually signed up for a show called "Master Collector"

 

[Moviefreak]

he stated on Twitter that they actually signed up for a show called "Master Collector"

Here was the sign up form...

https://ccasting.wufoo.com/forms/master-collectors/

They totally planned to con people into signing up, then blindsidding them with the real intention of the show. They knew that no collectors would sign up if they knew the spin and direction they were going for, so they suckered people into thinking they were going to be on tv to SHOW OFF their collection and get praised for their big collection.

 

[Kerr Avon]

Wow. Glad I'm not paying for the Syphyllis Channel anymore. I gotta say though, that woman does seem like a smug *****.

 

[Feraud]

The more I learn about the production of these television programs the less I like them.

My son (18 yrs old.) is a talented singer/guitarist who expressed interest in trying out for American Idol. They held try-outs this year in Newark, N.J. and we took a trip intending to give it a shot.
I took one read of their release form and scrapped that idea.
They make you sign a brutally one-sided release form stating you turn over everything about yourself, to be used in any way they choose, now and forever, throughout the universe, and in every media known and un-known! It's awful how these production companies exploit people.

 

[newworld]

he stated on Twitter that they actually signed up for a show called "Master Collector"

Holy crap! That totally redefines EVERYTHING. What a douchy thing to do! Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Holy crap! That totally redefines EVERYTHING. What a douchy thing to do! Thanks for clearing that up.

Totally douchy. The only way this type of thing works properly is if you have the spouse/friend/partner sign up for the show. That's harder to find than people who are proud of their collections though!

 

[Moviefreak]

Totally douchy. The only way this type of thing works properly is if you have the spouse/friend/partner sign up for the show. That's harder to find than people who are proud of their collections though!

Have you read that sign up form? They ask you all these questions about your collection as if they are interested in showcasing great ones. Then they ask for your significant other's name and phone number. :lol

What I suspect is that, most of these people who go on the show walk away feeling ambushed. But they always say, "my spouse support my habit snd clever editing showed different". They actually might not know how that spouse really feels. I bet many wives and husbands just pacify things and say "I support your collection that took over our house and every closet", but secretly they are fuming. Then when a call comes from Producers of a tv show, and they ask them how they feel... It just erupts and spews :lol
Cut to... Camera in the house and spouse under the microscope. One can hide feelings in front of the spouse, but alone, on the phone with a producer... The truth comes out.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

I don't know about that. My wife is terrible at hiding things from me. :lol

 

[Moviefreak]

I don't know about that. My wife is terrible at hiding things from me. :lol

Some wives are honest... That is why my collection is confined to one room and not allowed to make it's way to other parts of the house :lol

But I have a friend who didn't know how his wife felt about his collection until we had a group sitting at dinner and she threw him under the bus. It wasn't until she had another person ask her about it AND open the door by siding with her. Then she just let it out. My friend was sitting with his jaw open because he never suspected that is how she felt.

I think, when the producers call the spouse, if they don't get any signs of the collection being a problem, they won't pick you for the show. They are pouncing on the ones where there is an issue.

Then after the filming is done, the spouses are back peddling and saying, "that is not how I feel honey". :lol