‘American Pickers’: Danielle Colby Sends Special Message to Mike Wolfe Amid Recent Show Drama

American Pickers star Mike Wolfe celebrated his birthday on Saturday, receiving plenty of love from his co-star, Danielle Colby, and their fans. Part of the celebrations included a special online auction of some of the special items the Antique Archaeology team has picked up over the years. Colby and the American Pickers Instagram page did not recognize former star Frank Fritz on his 56th birthday.

“‘Help your brother’s boat across, and your own will reach the shore.’ I never trusted this quote until I fell in with the Wolfe boys. Happy Birthday to my brother from another mother, [Wolfe],” Colby wrote on Instagram Saturday. “I’ve loved helping your boat across even the stormiest seas. In turn, Thank you for all you do to ensure that my boat reaches its shore safely. Let’s keep paddling together. We’re good at it.” She included a new photo of Wolfe’s Antique Archaeology store.

History Channel also posted an older picture from American Pickers to celebrate Wolfe’s big day. “Happy Birthday [Wolfe]! May all your American picking dreams come true this year,” the network wrote. His store also celebrated Wolfe’s birthday by hosting an online auction that started on Friday, only for people who signed up for the store’s email list.

While the History Channel might have hoped American Pickers fans would join them in wishing Wolfe a happy birthday, this didn’t happen. Instead, the Instagram post became flooded with people demanding they bring back Fritz. “The show sucks since they booted Frank,” one fan wrote. “I bet Frank didn’t wish a happy birthday,” another commented. “He did Frank dirty,” another Instagram user wrote.

Fritz has not appeared on American Pickers since March 2020. Over the summer, Fritz gave several interviews to The Sun, claiming he has not spoken to Wolfe in two years. Fritz accused Wolfe of never reaching out after he had back surgery. “I haven’t talked to Mike in two years. He knew my back was messed up, but he didn’t call me up and ask how I was doing. That’s just how it is,” Fritz said on July 19.

In late July, History and Wolfe confirmed Fritz would not be returning to the show. “The support that you all have given us has been a constant reminder of what the show’s message has always been; thru these places, people, and things we all have a common thread. We’re here to not only take care of the past but also each other,” Wolfe said in a statement released by the network. “I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.”

Wolfe hasn’t spoken about the situation since and hasn’t posted anything on Instagram since Oct. 1. In August, Fritz told The Sun he didn’t believe Wolfe even wrote the statement History released. “We were never friends in grade school,” Fritz said. “I don’t believe in 10 years he’s said five nice things to me, you know? Unless he was cutting somebody else down and we were both laughing.”