Danielle Colby (born December 3, 1975) is an American reality television personality[1] who appears on the History reality television show American Pickers.[2]

Danielle Colby
Colby in 2010
Born (1975-12-03) December 3, 1975 (age 48)
Occupation(s)Burlesque dancer
Antique shop office manager
TV personality
Websitedaniellecolby.com

Personal life

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Danielle Colby was born in Davenport, Iowa which is on the Mississippi River and grew up as a Jehovah's Witness.[2] By 2004, she married and had two children.[2] Her television career eventually led to the breakup of her first marriage. In May 2012, she told WQAD-TV that "fame and notoriety are not easy for him to deal with at all, so the relationship ended up not working out."[3]

Performance career

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Colby owned and played on a female roller derby team, the Big Mouth Mickies, for three years until injuries forced her to give it up.[4]

While living with her family in Chicago, she attended a burlesque performance starring comedian Margaret Cho and dancer Satan's Angel prompting her to become a burlesque dancer. After she moved back with her family to the Quad Cities area of Iowa,[2] she created the professional burlesque troupe Burlesque Le Moustache, with nine performers, including Colby herself with the stage name Dannie Diesel.[5] They toured eastern Iowa and western Illinois.[6] As of October 2014, Colby owned a burlesque academy called Dannie Diesel's Bump 'n' Grind Academy in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago which is by Evanston.[7]

American Pickers

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Colby was a close friend of American Pickers' Mike Wolfe for a decade before the concept of the show had even been developed.[4] Once the show was sold to the History Channel, Wolfe asked Colby to work at the office of the antique shop Antique Archaeology.[8]

American Pickers premiered on the History Channel on January 18, 2010.[9] It was the top rated non-fiction series of 2010 among total viewers and adults 25–54.[10]

Fashion design

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Colby owned and operated[citation needed] 4 Miles 2 Memphis, a retro clothing based company.[11][12] A brick and mortar location for the business opened on January 8, 2013 in the Wicker Park area of Chicago east of Oak Park; however, it closed within a year.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Danielle Colby Cushman". American Pickers. A&E Television Networks. Archived from the original (website) on August 13, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Schulz, Mike (April 13, 2010). "Women's Liberation: Founder Danielle Colby-Cushman Discusses Burlesque Le' Moustache, Performing April 24 at the Capitol Theatre". River Cities' Reader. Davenport, Iowa. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  3. ^ Colby, Danielle (May 8, 2012). "News 8 Exclusive: American Pickers Star Danielle Colby talks family, fame and burlesque" (Interview: video). Interviewed by Denise Hnytka. Moline, Illinois: WQAD-TV. Retrieved May 25, 2012. 1m07s to 1m55s.
  4. ^ a b "Q&A: Danielle Colby-Cushman of 'American Pickers'". Seattle, Washington. April 4, 2010. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010.
  5. ^ Lavelle, Ciara (May 10, 2012). "American Pickers' Danielle Colby Cushman on Burlesque Dancing, Her Co-Stars' Quirks, and How She Almost Died in Florida". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  6. ^ Chance, Todd (January 5, 2014). "American Pickers star Danielle Colby-Cushman talks new show idea, vintage earrings". Mlive. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  7. ^ Burke, David (October 20, 2014). "Danielle Colby takes a different route in her burlesque career". Quad-City Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  8. ^ Hawks, Asa (December 6, 2010). "Photos – American Pickers' Danielle Colby Cushman is burlesque dancer Dannie Diesel". starcasm.net. Macon, Alabama: Chicory Media LLC. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  9. ^ Kimberly Clay (February 10, 2010). "American Pickers: History Channel's New Sensation". Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  10. ^ "HISTORY Posts Blockbuster Ratings on Monday Night with Premiere Episodes of Hit Series 'American Pickers & 'Pawn Stars'". September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  11. ^ "Danielle Colby Designs". Danielle Colby. Archived from the original on June 19, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  12. ^ 'American Pickers' Star To Open Shop in Wicker Park - Wicker Park - DNAinfo.com Chicago Archived January 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "'American Pickers' Star Closes Shop; Broken Cherry Changes Course - Wicker Park - Chicago - DNAinfo". Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
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