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‘American Pickers’: How Picking Helps Fuel Danielle Colby’s Side Gig

American Pickers star Danielle Colby is no one-trick pony. On the show, she demonstrates her versatility by helping with picks, handling the shop, researching leads and gathering information about an item. Off the show, she’s a professional burlesque dance that prides herself on the authenticity of her performance and costume. But without her role on the show, she wouldn’t be nearly as passionate about her gig on stage.

Throughout her various roles on the show, Colby has learned so much about American culture that just doesn’t make it into the history books. All of the collectibles that she and co-star Mike Wolfe find along the way are brimming with unique stories. These are the kinds of items that stores just can’t recreate today. For that reason, Wolfe and Colby dedicate their time to tracking down picks among the cluttered warehouse or packed garage. Of course, when Colby accompanies Wolfe on these journeys, she looks specifically for pieces a part of the era of “vintage” style “striptease.”

Recently, the American Pickers star spoke about how her passions for picking and burlesque sometimes blend together.

“I love to collect vintage burlesque. So, anything that’s vintage burlesque or sideshow or oddities, I think are always really fun,” Colby told interviewer Sebastian Talbany.

She also found that picking helps fuel her passion for burlesque and helps her find authentic costumes.

“It’s important for me to be able to go out and find these items,” she continued. “And so, they kind of go together very well because it’s the burlesque that keeps me picking, and it’s the picking that keeps my burlesque looking good and fresh but still have that traditional feel.”

Check out the conversation below.

‘American Pickers’ Star Says Picking Is a ‘Constant Education Every Day’

Even when she doesn’t find a new corset or pair of sparkling boots, the American Pickers star is always happy to find something new on her picks. As she explained in her interview with Talbany, no matter what item they find on their journey, they always learn something new about American culture.

These educational lessons don’t always happen beside Wolfe, either. Oftentimes, Colby embarks on her own picking missions by herself. Certainly, Colby enjoys the joint American Pickers trips. However, with Wolfe’s focus on motors and her focus on burlesque, it can be hard to find a location that caters to both passions. Regardless of her companions, Colby always finds a new nugget of knowledge to take home.

“We pick so many different kinds of things that it’s a constant education every day,” Colby shared. “You get into those scenarios and I think I know everything and then I find out that there’s so much more history if you just study it well enough.”