New York, New York – June 14, 2010 – Ghost Hunters, Syfy’s hugely successful reality series, has been renewed for a triumphant seventh season. After inspiring two spin-offs, creating the hottest paranormal franchise in cable, Ghost Hunters has set the standard for paranormal investigating and has cemented its place as a destination for spine-tingling entertainment! Its reign will continue with 25 all-new episodes, slated to premiere on Syfy in 2011.

Since the series debuted in 2004, viewers have flocked to Syfy on Wednesday nights to catch the latest hair-raising cases from the files of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), led by Rhode Island plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. The first half of season six (airing spring 2010), averaged a 1.9 Household rating, 2.6 million total viewers, 1.6 million Adults 18-49 and 1.6 million Adults 25-54. Syfy was the #1 cable network in Ghost Hunters’ 9pm timeslot for the spring season.

Before season seven debuts, viewers can enjoy new episodes from the entire Ghost Hunters franchise all summer and fall. The new class of ghost hunting hopefuls are currently in training under the watchful eyes of Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango on the new season of Ghost Hunters Academy, now airing Wednesday nights at 9pm. Ghost Hunters International will debut a new slate of episodes on Wednesday, July 14 @ 9pm, and the rest of Ghost Hunters season six will premiere Wednesday, August 25 @ 9pm.

Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunters Academy are produced in association with Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Films and Television (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, My Fair Wedding). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers.

About Pilgrim Films and Television

Pilgrim Films & Television produces a wide variety of non-fiction/reality programming for television. Along with the Ghost Hunters franchise, long-running series include Dirty Jobs (Discovery), The Ultimate Fighter (Spike), American Chopper (TLC) and My Fair Wedding (WEtv), as well as new series Top Shot and Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy (History), and many others.

About Syfy

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as Sci Fi Channel, and currently in 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010 – HISTORY’s ratings streak continues with new powerhouse line-ups on Sunday nights – with season 4 of ICE ROAD TRUCKERS (9pm) and series debut of TOP SHOT (10pm) – and Monday nights – with season 2 of AMERICAN PICKERS (9pm) and season 3 of PAWN STARS (10/10:30pm).

• Up against stiff competition on Sunday, June 6 – the season 4 premiere of ICE ROAD TRUCKERS at 9pm ET banked 2.4 million total viewers, 1.4 million adults 25-54, and 1.3 million adults 18-49. Then premiering at 10pm on Sunday, the debut of HISTORY’s first competition series, TOP SHOT, drew 2.1 million  total viewers, 1.3 million adults 25-54 and 1.1 million adults 18-49.
  

· Season 2 of AMERICAN PICKERS kicked off on Monday, June 7 at 9pm ET with 4.1 million total  viewers, 1.9 million adults 25-54 and 1.7 million adults 18-49. Versus the season 1 premiere, season 2 of AMERICAN PICKERS was up 32% in total viewers.

· Following AMERICAN PICKERS on June 7, season 3 of the hit series PAWN STARS premiered to 5.3  million total viewers, 2.9 million adults 25-54 and 2.8 million adults 18-49  at 10/10:30pm ET. The season 3 premiere was up 83% in total viewers versus the season 2 premiere.

· In Monday night’s 10-11pm time period, PAWN STARS was the #1 show on all of television among adults 18-49 with an average of 2.8 million. And, for the entire night, PAWN STARS was the #1 show in all of cable among all key metrics including: total  viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.


AMERICAN PICKERS follows the adventures of professional “pickers” and childhood buddies, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they travel America unearthing relics of historical, collectible and pop culture value. In this series, viewers meet an assortment of fascinating, quirky characters – everyday people with stories about their artifacts and themselves that open a window onto American history. Season 2 of the series premiered Monday, June 7 at 9pm ET, and airs Monday’s at 9pm thereafter.

Chronicling both the incredible challenges as well as the history of this fascinating region, season 4 of ICE ROAD TRUCKERS premiered Sunday, June 6 at 9pm ET, airs Sundays at 9pm thereafter. This season, the hauls are the biggest they’ve ever had to undertake; so enormous that they must drive dual trucks in order to get these important loads to their destinations. Veteran drivers Hugh and Alex are back again, along with Jack Jesse and Lisa Kelly, the first full-time female driver to appear on the series.

HISTORY’s hit series, PAWN STARS, brings viewers inside the doors of a family-run pawnshop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men from the Harrison family— grandfather Richard, son Rick and grandson Corey— jointly run the business, with clashing and camaraderie every step of the way. This family lives and breathes the pawning business, using their sharp-eyed skills to carefully assess the value of items their colorful customers bring in, objects ranging from the obscure to the truly historic. Season 3 of PAWN STARS premiered Monday, June 7 at 10pm ET, and airs Monday’s at 10pm thereafter.

History is filled with legendary tales of amazing marksmanship. Now, HISTORY is tapping into these inspiring feats of sharp-shooting for it’s first-ever competition series – TOP SHOT – which premiered Sunday, June 6 at 10pm ET, and airs Sunday’s at 10pm ET thereafter. Sixteen of the nation’s most skilled marksmen have been carefully selected to compete in the new 10-episode series. Some have professional shooting experience, some are amateurs –all will showcase breathtaking timing, speed and accuracy in their quest to win the $100,000 prize package and title of “Top Shot.”

Tune in next Sunday 6/13 at 10P to find out who goes home next.

He took a few runs down the hill at Bush’s Pasture Park, shot the breeze with racers and spectators, and autographed countless cars, helmets and T-shirts.

A film crew captured it all for a new television series that will premiere later this year on the History Channel called “Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy.”

Even if you had known Larry was in town, you might not have recognized the stand-up comedian and actor without his trademark cut off, untucked flannel shirt.

“We camouflaged him in a soap box derby shirt,” said Jean Reinhart, assistant director of the Salem Soap Box Derby Association. “He took the sleeves off.”

Larry’s appearance was kept on the down-low — at the insistence of producers — to maintain the integrity of the event and of the show, which sends the down-home comedian on the road to immerse himself in lifestyles, jobs and hobbies that celebrate the American experience.

“We had to kind of keep it quiet,” Reinhart said. “The last thing they wanted to happen was it to become a zoo.”

Organizers succeeded. The event, and the filming, went off without a hitch.

A crew from Pilgrim Films & Television, which produces other shows like “Dirty Jobs,” “Ghost Hunters” and “American Chopper,” was at the track both Saturday and Sunday. Larry was on scene the final day, from start to finish.

I’m sure you’re wondering why they chose Salem, and no one here really knows. A producer for the show referred all questions to a public relations firm, and all I got from a spokeswoman there was a press release dated Jan. 22.

Perhaps they chose Salem because we have the only dedicated Soap Box Derby track on the West Coast. Maybe because Bush’s Pasture Park offers a picturesque backdrop. Or perhaps because when you Google soap box derby, Salem pops up No. 7 on the list.

“They contacted us out of the clear blue sky,” said Jim Youngers, the director of Salem Soap Box Derby Association. “We weren’t sure we believed it.”

After doing some checking, they realized the offer was for real and had to get busy making arrangements. They had about a month to prepare, with releases to be signed by city and parks officials, and by parents.

They planned for every last detail, including providing an unofficial body guard for Larry the Cable Guy.

Chris Smith, whose daughter Sierra is a soap box racer, was an easy choice for the job at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds.

Smith shadowed the star for about 10 hours that day, making sure he didn’t get overwhelmed with autograph and photo requests.

“Every once in a while we had to stop and get back to filming,” Smith said. “But at the end of the day, he took care of everybody.”

Larry was a huge hit with parents, who may know him from his Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a best-selling book, and multiple comedy CDs and DVDs. He is famous for developing the Larry character, distinguished by his redneck appearance, his affected Southern accent, his off-color humor and catch phrases like “Git-R-Done!”

Kids are more familiar with his role in the Disney/Pixar movie, “Cars,” in which he was the voice of Mater the Tow Truck.

“A lot of the kids didn’t really know who he was at first, until he did the Mater voice,” Smith said. “Once he did that, their eyes lit up.”

That reminds me of one of my favorite lines in “Cars,” near the end of the movie when Mater gets his wish to ride in a helicopter and hollers, “I’m happier than a tornado in a trailer park!”

I’m sure soap box derby racers and spectators were just as thrilled to have a celebrity in their midst.

Larry the Cable Guy, aka Dan Whitney, spent a lot of time interacting with the kids and their families. (His stage name, by the way, comes from his middle name, which is Lawrence.)

There were 47 kids competing in the event, including about a dozen from the Salem area.

“I think he was more funny in person,” said 12-year-old Jarritt Youngers. “He was a really fun guy to hang out with.”

Larry gave him a pep talk and tucked him into his car before one of his races. He also autographed the tail of Jarritt’s white stock car.

More than a few local derby cars now bear the comedian’s signature. Cameron Reinhart had him sign the foam on the inside of his master car.

No matter how they fared in their races — Jarritt placed fourth in his division, and Cameron had two fourth-place finishes — the experience was once in a lifetime.

“I think I’ll remember that forever,” Jarritt said. “I think it was one of the most funnest races I’ve been in.”

That’s something coming from a kid who’s been at this more than four years, entering an average of 20 races per year.

Autographs and mementos aside, the experience had a different kind of meaning for parents and organizers.

“I think it’s huge exposure for Salem Soap Box Derby, and I think it’s huge exposure for Salem period,” Jim Youngers said. “I think there are a lot of people who don’t realize that soap box derby still exists. It’s going to be a huge shot in the arm for all of us.”

Soap box derby has been in Salem for nearly six decades. Construction of the track began in 1951, and the inaugural local championship race was held the summer of 1952.

But don’t get the adults wrong, they will treasure memories from last weekend just as much as the kids.

Jim Youngers, as race director, spent a lot of time walking up and down the hill with Larry.

“He was nonstop laughs,” Youngers said. “I’ve got to tell you, he really keeps you on your toes. He comes at you with one-liners from nowhere.”

Smith, the appointed body guard, had something to talk about to Larry about after learning the comedian lives part-time in Florida, where Smith and his family lived before moving to Salem. Aside from being particularly funny, Smith said “he’s just a normal, everyday guy.”

In their conversations Smith learned that Larry recently took up golf and mentioned getting a tee time at Bandon Dunes before leaving Oregon.

Larry reportedly also spent a day with the film crew at the Rough and Ready Lumber mill outside Cave Junction.

While producers of “Only in America” aren’t divulging any locations, it didn’t take much effort online to find that Larry and the show’s crew have also been to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida, where Larry swam with the mermaids; the Calaveras County (Calif.) Fair, home of the world-renowned Jumping Frog Jubilee; and somewhere in south Louisiana, where Larry did some crawfishing.

At Weeki Wachee Springs, like in Salem, the celebrity’s visit was not announced ahead of time to avoid a possible disruption in the park’s day-to-day operations. In a story about his encounter with the mermaids, Larry said he would be visiting as many as 40 cities and attractions, with footage edited and shown across 13 episodes.

All I can tell you for sure is that the series is scheduled to premiere sometime this fall.

But why wait until then to learn about Salem Soap Box Derby. The 59th annual local championships are at Bush’s Pasture Park next Sunday.

Larry the Cable Guy won’t be there, but you’re sure to see an enthusiastic group of racers who will be competing for the opportunity to represent this community at the world championships.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100606/COLUMN0807/6060350/1126/COLUMN