Does the name Antiques Roadshow ring a bell? Created for the BBC back in 1979, it chronicles the unexpectedly captivating process as appraisers travel throughout the country to size up people’s antiques. (There’s an American version airing on PBS, too.) The team goes to auction houses, private homes … blah, blah … well, the show’s great, and Paul Rudd may be its biggest enthusiast.
“My favorite television show is Antiques Roadshow, some people may consider that nerdy,†he told Vulture at the Tribeca Film Festival’s premiere of Nerdland last night. “I like the original British one, but I actually prefer the American version. I like learning about all of these things that people own; learning about different kinds of furniture and pottery and antiques. The appraisals are super interesting! I like seeing what people bring and and I like hearing about what people discover in their attic and what things have been passed down in people’s families. I’m fascinated by historical memorabilia, so I tend to like that show.â€
It’s not always a fun, breezy time at the Roadshow, though. Rudd acknowledged that anxiety frequently ensues while watching one too many episodes in a sitting — particularly when appraisals take an unexpected turn for the worst and an antique is declared worthless. “Even more so when [the sellers] get really excited about what it is,†he continued. “Not even the value, but they think they have something that’s very special and they love it for all of the right reasons, and it’s a fake. It’s heartbreaking!â€
It certainly is, Paul. But as the old adage goes: All’s fair in love and antiquing.