Dave Hester, 'Storage Wars' Whistleblower, To Pay $122K in Legal Fees

"Storage Wars" bidder Dave Hester, known for his trademark “Yuuuup” bids, might be wishing he’d said "nope" to suing A&E and the show’s production company, Original Productions, after a judge ordered him to pay $122,000 in legal fees.

Hester’s lawsuit said he was wrongfully terminated after he complained that A&E and Original Productions plant valuable items in the storage lockers that are up for bid on the show. But as part of an anti-SLAPP request from A&E and Original, the judge ordered Hester to cough up the cash, the Hollywood Gossip said.

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Hester is an easily recognized character from the show, known for his arrogance and last-minute “Yuuuup” bidding style.

Bloomberg Business Week reported that Hester filed the lawsuit based on the Communications Act of 1934, which bars from TV shows from “influencing, prearranging, or predetermining outcome.” The judge decided that competition shows such as "The Amazing Race" fall under that Act, but that shows like "Storage Wars" don’t fall in that category, Business Week said.

Hester’s isn’t the first lawsuit to come out of reality shows, of course. Business Week highlighted a lawsuit after the first season of "Survivor" where a contestant said the show’s producers affected the vote to send her home. It was settled out of court.

Hester isn’t sitting still since he was tossed off "Storage Wars". He’s got his own auction site, the Examiner said, at Auctioneer for Hire. He also sells “Yuuup” T-shirts.

After Hester’s lawsuit, the International Business Times reported that a source said Barry Weiss, the rich and flippant bidder on Storage Wars, is leaving the show, too. Although there isn’t an official announcement yet, Weiss has apparently filmed his final show.

The IB Times also reported previously that "Storage Wars" was looking for "cheaper talent," and that the auctioneers and also bidder Darrell Sheets may be released. That was confirmed in May.

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