musick

it should take nowhere past the intro to figure out the show is fake considering they show these big silos they say are hidden cameras that anybody with any attention span (well maybe except those at O Face) would find it impossible not to notice

musick

the Taffer patented Butt Funnel is my favorite

Xiroteus

Always find it odd when they say hidden camera. Hidden is a pin camera hiding inside something not a camera the size of a bowling ball.

Paff

Obviously, there's a "fake" aspect to the show, because as I mentioned before the most common thing Taffer gets on is the cleanliness of the bar. You get that after 1-2 episodes. So if these bar owners know they're gonna be on camera, they'd clean the hell out of the place long before Spike showed up.

But I do enjoy watching the stuff that is clearly true, like the failed concepts for the bars that the owners stubbornly stick to. The fact that a decent percentage of them go back to their old name bears this out.

As for the lawsuit, if they're told to fake the drama that we see on camera, then they're all damn good actors. Believe me, if you told me to get into a fight with or chew out a co-worker that I didn't have a legitimate beef with, you'd know it was fake after 10 seconds.

bluthswede6

Watch an episode of Mystery Diners for an example of obviously staged drama by people who are not good actors. It's painful

spoon81

I find Mystery Diners unwatchable for that very reason. I like Bar Rescue, Restaurant Impossible and Kitchen Nightmares even though there's probably a bit of fakery going on.

dex14

I noticed Tyrie from The Real World: Denver was working at that Hookah bar in Omaha.

devilshalo

I'm not sure why they couldn't leave a table in the back for patrons if they wanted to try hookah? Kind of like table service. But it seems like they inevitably went back to being a hookah bar anyway.

dex14

Apparently they eventually opened up a new hookah bar around the block.

Norm de Plume

A bit of manipulation is to be expected I suppose, but those shows that are outright fake (re-enactments) but pose as real are infuriating (e.g., Mystery Diners and all those rubbish towing and repo shows). Who watches that shit?

CPA-ESQ.

I think they just went back to hooka and 18+ entry (instead of 21+)

UPDATE - The owner Jesse stated in the comments section that his liquor license for Oasis/Taza operates under a Cigar Bar License. Therefore, the state of Nebraska requires him to sell tobacco to maintain his liquor license. That is the reason why he brought the hookahs back with the help of Hookah John. I guess Bar Rescue overlooked that detail when doing the makeover.

dex14

This made me laugh.

TheKing

So tonight they aired what was billed as a "lost" episode.

In reality (heh), the episode was actually the original unaired pilot for the show, the first rescue that Taffer filmed.

It's nice to see a show from the early days again, that at least felt less staged than the most recent episodes. Even more intersting, Taffer isn't in his typical suit the whole time. He looks like he's at a mafia barbecue!

Taffer also filmed intro and wrap-up segments. In the wrap up he reveals what happened to the bar after the rescue.

Norm de Plume

You can also see that in the first season Taffer was less eruptive and confrontational. Nowadays he always yells into the camera when giving his asides, and swaggers around like an ape. It's highly unappealing.

CPA-ESQ.

This episode focused more on the business, profit, and money making of the business (girls like clean bathrooms, liquor sales have high profits, how much per sq ft you should generate).

He came in and said he was in control for the next 4 days (could make any decision he wanted)
He was a much nicer guy, and was winning people over with positive enforcement not yelling at them
The kitchen tweaks were nice to see - and not the usual "this place is gross, clean it up, I'll be back tomorrow"
There was not a huge budget for renovation (no new POS system, just a coat of paint, new sign, and some training)
I liked how they got in trouble for under pouring cocktails

Paff

I think it also goes to show how much the show itself causes the increase in business. People show up because they're familiar with the show, it gets more publicity from being on TV, etc. I mean, the closest rescued bar to me is in Laguna Niguel, but I can tell you if they ever did one in my city, I'm sure I'd go at least once.

But Bar V never had that opportunity as the show never aired, and even when it was filmed no one knew what Bar Rescue was. My guess is that the Bar V concept was unsuccessful too, despite Taffer's comments that had it stayed Bar V it would have done fine. Because it was not like the owner reverted to the old concept, as so many do, but tried a third concept. It was clear he was trying to make the business successful, but neither South Park nor Bar V were getting the job done.

So while Taffer does make improvements to the places he goes, it's just as much (maybe more) Spike that is causing the rescued bars to turn it around.

Norm de Plume

^Good point. I didn't find the name "Bar V" an improvement over the old one. I also find the new signs Taffer's people put up singularly unimpressive. The text is almost always too small to stand out.

dex14

New episodes start tonight.

james2025a

I think last nights episode had Jessie Barnes in. Worth watching just for her.

CPA-ESQ.

Interesting episode and the 18+ bar crowd.

The most interesting part was the girls chasing the camera man down the road. They should have spent more time on that.

The make over was super cool - loved the new store front

LiquidSky

I would have loved to see that drunk slob fall flat on her face. I liked the makeover as well.

Axeramm

Taffer's comments are what started the near brawl and he gets upset that his crew was nearly assaulted.

CPA-ESQ.

This episode had a good mix of "acting for the cameras" (the 2 owners fighting and cursing each other out) - probably pre-production filming to evaluate if the bar would be good for the show.

However, the fight seemed legit - and I could not understand who they were attacking.

If they were attacking the bar owners because Taffer said they were ripping them off, or just an excuse to go nuts for the cameras? The owners seemed to be back at the bar.

dex14

Looks like new episodes are starting up again tonight.

Paff

If I was one of the owners of the bar in tonight's episode (Wonder Bar), I would have demanded veto power if I wasn't allowed to change the bar's name for a year like Taffer required. Because sometimes he comes up with a terrible new name (The Shot Exchange, anyone?). And sure enough, he came up with that lame "/'clear bar/" thing, along with "The Count Room". Sure, the changes in the bar itself were fantastic, but the name sucked.

I would have made him run the new name by me first.