Have the Fishermen of Deadliest Catch “Gone Hollywood”?
One of our readers posted a comment to our forums recently, suggesting that some (or all) of the fishermen featured on Deadliest Catch seem to be hamming it up for the cameras and inventing dramas/scenarios that they know will make for good television. The truck prank, for example - would the Hillstrand brothers have gone through all that trouble if they didn’t have an international television audience watching them? Sure, we know these fishermen work hard and play hard - they always have - but I guess its a fair question… has the Deadliest Catch phenomenon changed the way these fishermen do their jobs when they’re on camera?
I’d love to hear your comments, and be sure to vote your opinion on the poll below!
April 17th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Gone Hollywood…no way….name one actor that is going to be filmed regularly with dirty, uncombed hair, not having bathed in several days………..
April 17th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Nooooooooo not by a long shot. I can understand what your saying about the prank. He probably would have done it, even without the cameras lol.
Dutch Harbor and the Bering Sea are a far cry from Hollywood. Woudn’t get me on one of those boats our there!
April 18th, 2008 at 11:45 am
The “man overboard” seemed very bogus. If something so serious occured, why did the camera never stay focused on where the deckhand was washed off the boat? Also, as the cap. was hugging the “rescued” fisherman, why did he constantly look towards the camera? And last but not least…. How often are the boats in such close proximity to one another? Now unfortunatly I am questioning all the drama!
April 18th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ifb1f58b28b88257cf9f80f2ebaf8d8ab
April 19th, 2008 at 12:44 am
These men risk their lives on a day to day basis. To say that they are “hamming it up” for the cameras is an insult to the lives that have been left in the deeps and freezing water of the Bering Sea. I have nothing but respect to those guys who are showing use what true heart and dedication to the work the do. They have families at home who worry dearly for their well being. That is an insult to them and what they represent. My HATS off to you all.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Posted on top three instead of here. Very Disappointed…
What a bunch of junk. I swear I used to be a diehard fan but it has gone downhill. It is obvious that this season’s “theme” is superstitions…. OOOhhh. It is also obvious that the TV influence has jacked the show. It was much more genuine in its early days. I am not so sure anymore. Particularly after this week’s news that they were caught with some creative editing. It may be the last season for this one anyway but they should have let it be what it was in the beginning. Somehow they took all the good out of it and made it yet another Hollywood type production. Next we will find out the Wizard’s big storm scene was really filmed on a backlot soundstage where they did Titanic. Give me a break.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Some hamming but I believe mos of the drama is quite real. I think your nuts to think the man overboard was staged. Look at the caps face, that my friend was not fake!
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 am
So, Phil’s boys spend his money freely because there are no real consequences. Phil huffs and puffs but that is as far as it goes so they know they can do what they want. Being a parent of 4, 3 of them boys, I know what works and what doesn’t. To really take care of that particular problem… Take away the credit cards Phil! Please… I know you love your kids but that doesn’t have to be free access to you credit!
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Scorchinghot,
His hair wasn’t even wet….I have 7 years working on harbor and ocean tugboats so i do have knowledge and respect for the profession. Some hollywood drama, some staged b.s. .I was/am a huge fan, but it is what it is. I was not meaning to offend, but i didn’t fall off the back of the turnip wagon. Sorry.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Edgar and Sid have been to visit Martha Stewart already!
April 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
About that - Have the Fishermen of Deadliest Catch “Gone Hollywood”? survey. Let’s see, after watching these guys do the $%$ they do to make a living and knowing that at any minute, anything can go wrong and they could be as cold as their catch - I don’t freakin think so. These guys seem to be at the edge the whole time they’re working. I don’t see a problem with cracking a 4 second joke for the camera. I think if these guys can catch a laugh herre and there, doing what they do, then more power to ‘em.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
No way have they gone hollywood. They should. There is nothing I would like more is to see Syd walking a red carpet. The other captians too. Clean up the greenhorns and bring them too.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I gotta tell you it jus seems a little different this year. Before I would not miss one now its like their too too big for
their own britches, kind of fake. And I really love all of them but am getting a little sick of the behavior on
some of them espically when the one kid punched the fish, have respect for all living things.. Im not meaning to offend just my thoughts. thank-You
May 9th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Laurajean Says: I echo your thoughts laurajean I will very soon not be watching if the old way does not come along back soon. They got to big to soon and dont know how to handle this. How they are doing it now is Not The Way. Thank-You
May 16th, 2008 at 2:17 am
I like the boat called the northwesten craptin Sig Hansen i called my dad after you Sig. I am training greenhorns.
May 16th, 2008 at 2:19 am
I like the boat called the northwesten craptin Sig Hansen i called my dad after you Sig. I am training greenhorns. jackson
May 18th, 2008 at 12:16 am
i’m looking forward to the little problem child on the northwestern getting his ass kicked,then fired…
May 21st, 2008 at 3:29 am
still a good show, but no one has died, atleast no one important. so lets kill someone off. HUGE ratings boost!
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
Trust me, these guys are not faking mishaps! They would not risk taking a chance of a man falling overboard (on purpose) going bad just for the cameras. Also as far as the prank jokes…work hard, play hard!
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I doubt they would stage some of these things. But IM sure they would sometimes cause some drama on the boat durning a settled time. But who knows… Other wise its a good show. Just wish I could go and watch them In person. Then all the answers will be done.
But I have noticed that the camera men and the editors have been changing the effics on some scenas and voice at times. and they seem to have repeats within episodes.
May 25th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I think some of it is staged. Why would the seasoned deck hands on the North Western fall for the greenhorns obvious butt kissing, it is almost enough for me to stop watching the show.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:32 am
It use to a fairly interesting show yet I really get tired of almost each and everything that comes out of the crews mouths is some over-used cliche’ e.g., “That’s what I’m taking about,” “Hellll Noooooo!,” and the ever-lasting “Oh Yeah Baby.” The hamming-up for the cameras is getting old real quick!
May 26th, 2008 at 10:36 am
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May 26th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Do they ham it up a little for the cameras? Sure! What do you do when someone puts a camera in your face? All shows take the same path it is inevitable, as they get more popular they keep adding more bells and whistles to keep the “common” viewer interested. So in short I don’t think the crews have gone Hollywood, the stuff they do is typically locker room type stuff not Hollywood! If anything Discovery has made the show more Hollywood, that happens to all good shows!
June 1st, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I do not think the guys have gone Hollywood at all. Although Sig Hansen is georgeous enough to. These guys are REAL men. The show is great. I always wish them the best.
June 1st, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Have these guys turned Hollywood?
Well, consider this. You have been working at your job for 20 years, just getting on with it, notching out a living. Then you find someone has an interest in what you do and they shove half a dozen or more cameras all over the place, watching your every move, day and night. How would that change the way you do things?
Then, it turns out there are quite a few viewers that like what they see, and they want more. How would that change you?
Then you find as a result of all this people from all over the World want to get to know you, to chat, to find out more. They want you autograph, they want you to open things and support events. They want to interview you. How would that make you feel?
So, have these guys turned Hollywood, well, probably. But are you surprised. Can you blame them? Wouldn’t you think Hmmmmmmm, this is a bit different!
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Gone Hollywood? Yeah, a little bit. So what? More power to you! My personal favorite was when the Rollo got boarded by the fish police and they had dressed up and mooned the SOB’s when then left…loved it. Had heard you guys were the crazy bunch. Having been boarded and broke a trip due to out of date flares, I know what a pain in the ass those game guys can be. The show rings a certain truth, Hollywood or not. Everyone of you Capt.s are real assholes, especially Sig and Phil. Personally, I don’t know a Capt. that isn’t. Wishing all of you Godspeed, safe trips, lots of crab and don’t leave on a friday. Christy M.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:56 am
I think these guys are so darned competitive that, cameras or not, they WOULD take an old truck out to prank someone with, weld a pot shut, make flour bombs to screw with someone, or anything else they could think of. These guys have a history of YEARS of rivalry. It’s a guy thang. I think they may ham it up a tad for the cameras while on deck, but I’ll bet they’re all like that for real.
I think captains or anyone in important positions where lives are at stake can be stern or assholes when necessary to get the respect necessary to keep everyone safe. It doesn’t mean they aren’t nice people.
I met Capt. Phil from the FV/ Cornelia Marie a couple weeks ago here in Seattle. He was extremely nice, laughed a lot, talked to anyone who approached him, and genuinely had a good time. A few guys from the Timebandit showed up which was totally unplanned. The commeradery between them is amazing, it’s for real, and there’s no doubt in my mind they’d prank each other any way they could think of as long as nobody would get hurt.
My friend, Jean didn’t come with me to the public appearance with Capt. Phil was because she went camping. I told him about it. He was nice enough to talk to her on my cell until she actually BELIEVED it was him. It was really funny! He then told her he’d pose with me to take a picture and we txt’d it to her. God, she was sorry she didn’t go with me! It was great! Before I left he even autographed her a post card that said, “Jean, you should of been here! Captain Phili - Cornelia Marie over and out!”
Just in case anyone is wondering, Captain Phil lost a lot of weight, looks very rested and much healther… I truly hope he has a full recovery!
June 9th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
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July 7th, 2008 at 5:49 am
I like the fact that some are trying to protect us crabbers, however in the old days 90 % of the stuff that happens on crab boats would not even be able to be edited by a Hollywood person. So as far as showing off heck yes those kids on the Cornhole Marie would have never made it. The only true people they show is the Time Bandit and the Northwestern, and even with that said Sig has his name on Russian king crab which is makeing my King Crab market not worth as much. He also thinks he is so Godly like as to try and beat people up in Dutch Harbor. Check out police reports for there in the beginning of this year. The only reason i can say this is cause i have been fishing out there since 92 and see first hand how this stuff goes about. So as far as Hollywood Absoloutly 100 %. Oh and Blakes nothin but a big crybaby. ” ever since i was a little boy all i wanted to be was a crab skipper” Boo Hoo, quit your crying and get back to work.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Yes, they are hamming it up and if you bozo’s can’t see that it’s because you’re not paying attention. Just like “American Chopper”, the show has gone Hollywood. They invent things to cause controversy and I for one will not be watching much longer if it doesn’t stop. The show has run it’s course, (no pun intended), anyway. I mean how long is throwing a crab cage into the water and hauling it up going to last as interesting?
Phil is a walking heart attack and Keith is a jerk, so let’s focus the whole season on those two.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I actually thought about this a little today (before I saw this post) and you have to admit it’s a cruddy job. But Discovery Channel wants to show the people of the world that people go out and do these things. Not just on dares and not just for publicity but an actual day-to-day way of living.
So what if they pull weird (”staged?”) pranks? So what if Phil lets his kids run around with credit cards? Who are we to judge the actions of these people?
All shows are edited to capture your attention but you have to admit this is just about as real as it gets! It’s not like you have a station of graphics artists making digital waves and pay these guys act like they’re slipping and falling with fans blowing fake wind on them. These guys don’t put on a performance then live in luxury at the end of the day. Show me an actor who will go on a crab boat for months in horrendous weather with bumps, bruises, broken bones every time you turn around. Hours of being on your feet without food or sleep.
Discovery captures this on film and say, “This is an actual job. This is what these guys do.” So what if they want to continue to market this to people. I still find what they do interesting. Hell, I could probably watch the raw, unedited footage for days and find each part about it interesting. Most other people, though, not so much.
There is a huge difference between reality and Hollywood and I feel bad that people go around claiming these guys are “creating the drama” and “hamming it up for the camera.” If anyone’s creating the drama, it’s the editors in that editing room going, “Now add that dramatic, climaxing music and cut to that wave that washed over the deck a few hours earlier.”
Yes, there is a lack on continuity in some of the editing but like I said, it’s a show and it needs to grab people’s attention because when ratings drop, the show is dropped.
Sorry, but I’m still yelling at Phil for not getting immediate medical treatment. That’s reality. I’m finally relieved Keith got rid of Moi. That’s reality. Scotty almost knocking out the greenhorn. That’s reality. Look at what’s actually genuine about the show.
The only way I could say they’re going Hollywood is if they’re having other people do their work and they’re taking the credit. They’re hardworking guys and I love that about them. Like if Sig had other people captaining him for him and the only thing he does is stand around claiming he’s the captain.
I’d stop watching if that ever happened.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Some fake, most real, a lot of editing. I would like to see 1/2 you men (”boys”) do what they do day after day. As far as going Hollywood, i think it will ruin the young ones (honestly), but the older men I think it will just be an experience, a fun one if that. They are having fun now. They work hard, let them play hard without talking smack!
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
TV Stars dont have to risk their lives on Crab Boats anymore. Plain and Simple