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- Editor’s
Note:
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- This
column will be a regular feature in the Wayback Times in which
my husband will take interesting people out to lunch … and
send me the bill.
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- (It’s
a tough job, but someone has to do it!)
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- Send
us an e-mail if you have someone in mind for one of Peter Neilly's
interviews over lunch.
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- Rene Huard
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- Out to Lunch!
with Peter Neilly
- Memo to the boss: Had lunch
with René Huard, The Antique Hunter, on June 15,
2006. Expense account with Swiss Chalet receipt is attached.
Interview follows.
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- No gourmet, vertically stacked,
artsy, girly food for us! He (René) is the Antique Hunter
and we’re both hungry. It’s fries with gravy (aka...
“sauce”), chicken, and more fries, at the Port Hope
Swiss Chalet.
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- Peter: Thanks for meeting with me, René. I’m
sure most readers of the Wayback Times and, in fact, most antique
collectors are familiar with your television series, The Antique
Hunter. Could you tell us who came up with the original concept
of the show and how you came to be involved with it?
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- René: I was doing an antique show at the
Convention Center in Toronto in 2000 and was approached by a
gentleman who seemed more interested in me than my antiques.
He wanted to know how long I’d been selling antiques, where
I sold them, and where I bought them. Then, after about half
an hour of many questions and no purchases, he explained that
PBS was looking for a companion show to the Antiques Road Show
and asked if I would be interested in auditioning.
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- It was to be called “The
Antique Hunter.” Three days later, I did a reading at Summerhill
Productions and met the people that would be involved in producing
the show. They liked the fact that I was an active antique dealer
out there buying and selling in the field and mentioned that
they didn’t want anyone who was stuffy, but more of an antique
“picker” type. I met the principal involved with the
show and then we did a demo reel at the Ganaraska Picker’s
Market right here in Port Hope. Then we had to make a pitch film,
which is a three minute compressed film portraying the style
of the show, designed to convince the broadcaster that the show
was worth doing.
Things went smoothly and we were ready to start producing the
show in 2001 when September 11 happened. Everything came to a
halt immediately. I gave up all hope of hosting the show and
went back to selling antiques at shows and on eBay. Then, close
to two years later, I got a call that Global Prime was willing
to do the first season and eventually we ended up doing 39 episodes
before the series ended. It wasn’t picked up for a fourth
year.
Peter: While sitting here in this restaurant, we’ve
had several people approach us and congratulate you on the show
and express how much they enjoyed watching the Antique Hunter
series. You must be very proud of what you have accomplished.
René: I am proud of what we’ve done. I enjoyed
doing the series. It was fun to do and I enjoyed meeting many
different people on a one-to-one basis. I love the interaction
with people who have the same interests. I owe a lot of thanks
to the production crew and the people involved in research for
the show. They were the ones responsible for finding the locations
and the unique individuals featured in the series.
Peter: Although best known as the Antique Hunter, I know
you have been involved in acting in movies and commercials and
traveling as a front man for the blues and rock band, The Meteors.
What’s ahead for René Huard in the future?
René: As far as the future is concerned, I’m
in the planning stages of recording and releasing an original
music CD. I hope to record 10 to 12 tracks and my goal is to
aim for a July 2007 release. My musical influences include blues,
rock and soul. Lenny Kravitz is one of my favourite artists.
I’m also looking forward to getting out and performing again.
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- As well, we’re in the process
of setting up the website http://www.renehuard.com/.
The idea behind it being that people who watch and are familiar
with the Antique Hunter can contact me with questions or comments.
I will be offering an appraisal service through the website for
items from fishing tackle and decoys to Mom’s china. It
will also feature things that I’m interested in collecting
myself.
Peter: Thanks again. We wish you all the best.
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- Out to Lunch archives: View the list of all
interviews.
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