Screw this show


I own a independent toy store that specializes in vintage toys as well as contemporary, and I have to say, I dread this show and all that it brings with it.
Because of this show, you will now see waves of people who think that they are instant toy experts, and will all be thinking that they will be next in line to hit it big selling toys. They will hit garage sales and flea markets, all convincing themselves that they are the 1st to do this and that they are falling into easy money, just like all those jack holes who behave similarly following the debuts of Storage Wars, American Pickers and the like. Now, every body thinks that they are experts, and everybody is thinking that they got what it takes to peddle collectibles.
This show only makes it worse with painfully staged segments that show the host "playing" with toys (seriously...that was so deliberately staged it made me almost nauseous to watch it), and downplaying the actual amount of work it takes to get something like this up and running.
The host himself...he has no love for toys, or if he did, it has long since flamed out. He would discover a toy in a box and get excited, but not because of the toy itself...he would exclaim, "Do you know how much I could get for this?!". Sad and disgusting.
You may ask yourself if my strong emotional reaction is only because I fear so much competition. That is part of it, but not all. See, I do get kids in my store...and I will occasionally reduce - sometimes drastically - my asking price for a toy, simply because I know that this kid will take it home & play with it and love it. Once this show hits the airwaves and everybody decides that they are going to be the next Toy Hunter, I will be unable to do these sorts of things because A) competition for said toys will be too high and B) what's to stop the next toy scalper from sending their kid in to take advantage of me?
I got into this business because I love toys, and I also like to share that love. I especially enjoy fanning the flames of love for toys i the hearts of kids (if you notice, the overwhelming majority of kids don't play with toys any more. They play with game systems - thus jeapordizing the future of toys all together).
Toy scalpers like this host will eventually kill the toy industry. Brick and mortar toy stores will become even more obsolete as this army of unrealistic, too lazy to geta real job douches all make the pilgrimage to E-Bay, and kids will be unable to discover the joy of toys as they will now be priced out of their range.
The only solace I have is that these despicable opportunists will soon discover how difficult it really is (to wit : I work a full time job in addition to running my store), and not figure out the tricks of the hobby, and soon jump onto the next big thing.
I just hope that they take this damned TV show with them.

SUCKER PUNCH > INCEPTION

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[deleted]

It would be different if he had any actual love for the toys; but his eyes only seemed to light up when he found a toy he could make bank on. Some of my favourite toys are the ones that are worth next to nothing on the secondary market ( Defenders of the Earth, The Shadow, etc).
And for a so-called "toy expert", he sure made some egregious errors in the pilot. MASK preceded Transformers...? Really? And those Corgi Batmobiles he found were made in the 2000's...

SUCKER PUNCH > INCEPTION

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"his eyes only seemed to light up when he found a toy he could make bank on"

LOL. What rubbish. But as you said in another thread, and I quote:

"I quit watching after episode 3"

You haven't even watch one third of the show. So how would you know when his "eyes light up" and when they don't?

What's more, there's already another thread on this board called "It's funny when he gets excited over a toy that isn't worth much....". Other people seem to think he gets overexcited over cheap toys, and they criticize him for this as well.

Make up your minds then. Which is it? Do you:
a) Hate him for loving cheap toys
b) Hate him for not loving cheap toys

Or do you just...
c) Hate him

Honestly, "c" is the only explanation for some of the witless trash-talk on this board.

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"Honestly, "c" is the only explanation for some of the witless trash-talk on this board."

Pull your head out of your sycophantic bum, sir, and look at the post you just made. You are in no position to make any comments about witless trash talk since you just engaged in it yourself, on a months old thread at that. You love the good ol' Toy Hunter...? Great; good for you. Fap off to his show as much as you please. But don't pretend that your mindless sycophancy towards this greedy cow prevents anybody else from disliking the show or it's whore of a host. The world is a lot bigger than your perspective, sir. Get offline once in a while and maybe you'll find that out.


I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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I felt so wronged when I finally realized this, too. I can't say for sure whether it was Gambit or not, but I think I remember a specific situation in which I wanted a Gambit figure that had just been released but could find one NOWHERE. Eventually one day I was checking, probably a Toys 'R Us, and I found the stereotypical Comic Book Guy in the toy aisle pilfering all of the "good" X-men figures. I remember asking him if he did this a lot and if he was why I couldn't find Gambit. He laughed and like some sort of self-made God of Stock at Toys 'R Us he took a Gambit from his stack and said "here kid," as if he were some Super Bowl winner throwing a kid his game jersey.

Editing in a comment or two about the show itself, nothing made me more uncomfortable than when he sold that...was it the Star Wars speeder bike toy to his friend? And then he started pushing the eight year old kid around on the speeder bike making noises...for some reason I found it extremely creepy and anything but natural. The very first guy he bought from in the series (the one with the...sticker toys? I can't remember what they were called) - he claimed he knew him from somewhere like they were friends, and then he just barreled over him ripping him off like all of the rest.

Painfully fabricated.

It's impressive to see a man feeding off his emotions.

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I had a similar experience back when I was kid. I never saw the culprit or maybe he was there but I wasn't aware of my surroundings like I am now. I remember I couldn't find certain Star Wars action figures in the 90s. I could never find Zuckuss, Emperor's Royal Guard, AT-AT Driver, and the Death Star Trooper at any of the stores when I did find them at flea-markets the dealer wanted twenty bucks for each action figure. I wasn't the one to haggle and I'm sure they wouldn't budge from their prices.

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The host is a *beep*

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The moment he called Dakseid "Dark-Seed" I knew something was wrong with the show.

http://www.13tongimp.com/
http://omegafutureworld.blogspot.com/

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And seriously! He said MASK preceeded Transformers! WTF...? Some toy expert.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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[deleted]

Off all the low life collectors I've dealt with in my 30+ years of dealing in collectibles and antiques, the very worst have been sci fi and action figure toy collectors. Especially the Star Wars and Star Trek people. They really act like animals, no manners, no patience, just like sharks when smelling blood. I've dealt in many different collectibles including antique toys, most collectors appear to be intelligent adults, but these idiots never grew up. Watching 40 year old men shove 12 year children aside like rag dolls to grab all of some action figure off a shelf is just pathetic. I feel Toy Hunter is representative of such behavior. This guy looks at everything as how much he's going to make, and I don't believe he's going to sell these items for a 40% markup like he says, probably 500% is more the norm. That's OK, he's in business and has to make a living. What I can't believe is that these collectors are selling him things so cheaply. Most toy collectors of this type (I know lots) would sell their children first unless they're getting top bucks!
Don't worry about this show ruining the collectible business, it's already happened.

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"What I can't believe is that these collectors are selling him things so cheaply."

Which is why most of this show is staged.

"Watching 40 year old men shove 12 year children aside like rag dolls to grab all of some action figure off a shelf is just pathetic."

Couldn't agree more. When I get a case of new Star Wars action figures in, I sell them at the normal retail price. But I see a lot of dealers who mark up certain figures accordingly...and then I began to have people take advantage of my pricing. They would come in and buy them at $12.99 (which is indeed high, but average for an independent dealer who doesn't get Wal Mart or Target's bulk discounts), then sell them on E-Bay for $20-$40. So, I quit ordering new Star Wars toys.
When I opened this store 3 years ago, my desire was to replicate the thrill I had as a child on going to the local toy store. And while I do have some kids who come in every weekend without fail...it is these same parasitic scalpers who make me want to throw in the towel.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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The most unbelievable thing was the female collector parting with a first run Barbie.

If she is as dedicated a collector as she claims to be that would never happen.

http://www.13tongimp.com/
http://omegafutureworld.blogspot.com/

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[deleted]

The host himself...he has no love for toys, or if he did, it has long since flamed out. He would discover a toy in a box and get excited, but not because of the toy itself...he would exclaim, "Do you know how much I could get for this?!". Sad and disgusting.


If it's all about the money then it's not about the love for the hobby or the toys themselves.



Dereksevilclone, do you have a youtube channel?

You should make videos. See what happens.

_________

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Yes sir, I do. I have 3 or 4 videos up. But I haven't put one up in close to 2 years... I really need to. I forgot my Youtube password, and had to create a new account, and I think I can upload videos using my smart phone, so I hope to do so soon. I just picked up a really awesome collection yesterday I would like to document - my fave pick of it is the vintage R2 D2 shaped toy chest! Kinda want to keep it.
I do have a Facebook, also. I am trying to utilize the internet as much as I can, but you're right : I really need to update my Youtube productivity. Thanks for the motivation, my friend!

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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You're welcome.

This is your old account?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSi-FOZeILc
_________

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Holy crap, man! Well done! As Vader might say : "Impressive!".

Yes, that is my old account! Please don't judge my store too harshly by them - they are well over a year old (closing in on 2), and my store has changed a lot since then. They are kind of embarrassing now, to be honest :(


I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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What I dont understand is how these collectors are actually selling their sentimental/childhood *beep* away. I started collecting MIB stuff when I got my first job when I was a teen, and that was when The Phantom Menace came out in theatres. Gradually my collection got bigger and I even added GI Joe (my childhood favorite) to my collection. I always tried looking for rare items, I have a princess leia limited edition from SDCC, and luckily I scored on a SJJ Gohan back in 2000 when it was really hot, (at the time on ebay it was going for $70). I think I've roughly spent around $6000 over the years.

But for me, its not about making a profit. I figure I'll pass it on to my future kids someday. If someone were to offer me a reasonable price even 1 of the figures, I still wouldn't sell them. The sentimental value I have with my collection is worth more to me than money. I rarely buy stuff these days since I seem to be spending more money on going out and drinking, but I'll always have my secret toy collection that none of my friends know nothing about.

Thats why I dont understand why these collectors are giving away rare pieces of their childhood just to make a few bucks, while in turn, he's making a profit off them. From what it looks like, these collectors arent in it for the money, but rather just as a hobby. Maybe they just want to be on TV?

I'll still watch the show, I've always been a big toy person. Its cool seeing all the rare toys that I might;ve seen at a toyshop when I was a kid.

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I WANT THE DAFFY TOY

It's impressive to see a man feeding off his emotions.

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dereksevilclone

Holy crap, man! Well done! As Vader might say : "Impressive!".

Yes, that is my old account! Please don't judge my store too harshly by them - they are well over a year old (closing in on 2), and my store has changed a lot since then. They are kind of embarrassing now, to be honest :(


I like the store. At least you have your own business.

If you have a new account link it here.

_________

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I like Toy Hunter a lot.Jordan's not that awful a guy.He's very possibly excited about the toys he sees,but he is a collector and seller.He pays the people back that he got the toys from.He has to make a lot of money on at least some of the toys he sells.He cuts people breaks.

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The host/toy hunter's a rude & self-absorded ninny, in my (not so) humble opinion.

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If you do the math, his profit margin isn't that great. It certainly wouldn't cover his travel expenses. This is just another fake reality show. His over the top enthusiasm is also really annoying. I tried to give this show a chance but it just plain blows.

http://www.13tongimp.com/
http://omegafutureworld.blogspot.com/

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I think it was on the show, the first episode maybe, when he had the Bubbler from Thundercats that he called Corgi cars "Corgee" or some weird mispronunciation. I'm a female collector but my brother collects cars and I died laughing, what a poser!

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I STILL love the wat that this *ahem* toy expert announced on the show's pilot that MASK pre-dated Transformers.
Ass.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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I don't hate him.THe men on American Pickers say "I can't go that high of a price.Will you meet me halfway?" You don't mind when Frank and Mike say it,but some of you just hate when Jordan Hembrough says it.Why do all or most people who see an episode of more of Toy Hunter single Jordan out?

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I, for one, do not watch American Pickers, so I can't vouch for that. And I have watched 4 episodes of Toy Hunter, thus I think I am entitled to form an opinion of Mr. Hembrough.
Also, I have owned a toy store for 3 years now, so I think I am also qualified to speak on the subject when I say that Hembrough and this show are overall detrimental to the toy collecting hobby.
I don't assume or expect you to feel the same way that I do, so you should not expect my opinions to mirror your own.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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I don't mind it. I like seeing the toys. Yeah, they do too much of him opening a box and looking surprise and then...commercial!


It was cranberry red, with a removable liner, a detachable hood, and tortoiseshell buttons.

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Racerg, you've hit it on the head. Toy Hunter, like every other "reality" show that is centered on someone who buys and sells for a living, must always come down to prices and haggling. Without question the majority of this stuff is staged, for dramatic intent. But this has the side effect of making the host seem like a money-centered hack, which is (usually) not the case...even the losers on Pawn Stars were once legit, actually running their store and buying and selling (now they only come in during closed hours to film staged scenes).

The problem with Toy Hunter is that toy collecting is the haven of the truly obsessed, the uber-nerds...I mean, just look at this thread, people complaining because the poor bastard mispronounced "Darkseid," and also because he was wrong about "the original Batman," as if the average jerk on the street even KNOWS there was a '40s serial. (I would assume these would be the same people who would argue that the "original James Bond" was the guy who played him in that TV movie that came out years before "Dr. No.")

So as a non-obsessed, non-toy collector, I think this show is great. Quite obviously it is meant to cater to people like me, not the hardcore toy nerds...guys (and maybe girls) in their 30s and 40s who collected these toys and like to see them again, kicking ourselves with that perfect 20/20 hindsight on how much they're worth now and how we never got our parents to buy us extra sets so we could sell them someday.

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"The problem with Toy Hunter is that toy collecting is the haven of the truly obsessed, the uber-nerds"

Wow. Elitist, much?

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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yeah, way to totally discredit yourself. Also mispronouncing 'Darkseid' IS a legitamate criticism... especially for an expert. It would be like Chef Ramsey not being able to pronounce 'tapenade'.

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I don't know why I keep watching this embarrassing mess. I guess because it is only a half hour and I'm too lazy to delete it off my DVR. He called Adam West "The Original Batman". He wasn't...the role was first played by Lewis Wilson in the 1943 serial by Columbia Pictures. Then he gushes about Bob Kane creating Batman but gives no mention to Bill Finger. This d-bag is just fed info by lazy production assistants who can't be bothered to do proper research. Screw this show.

http://www.13tongimp.com/
http://omegafutureworld.blogspot.com/

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Slightly off-topic but does anyone remember The Collectables Show on FX? This was from the early days of FX when when they had a bunch of shows all filmed in the same building, and most of it was good stuff. Anywho, The Collectables Show had people bring things in and they'd have appraisers evaluate the item, kind of like Antique Road Show I guess, and they'd have bits of information about particular collectables, tips for collecting, and every episode featured a "Super Collector", someone who amassed a very large collection of a particular thing. These segments were shot on location at the collector's home or wherever they kept their stuff, and it was always fun and informative.

My point to this is that I really miss shows that are simply informative, that aren't all about buying/selling. An item's value plays a part but it wasn't the focus, and none of the stuff was staged or exaggerated. Sometimes it's fun seeing some of the old toys on Toy Hunter but the show kind of grates on me after a while.

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I miss the old F/X. Yes, I remember that show! And it's format beats the hell out of the money grubbing Toy Hunter bollocks.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

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