If its snakes you're looking for Billy the Exterminator is covered with them - (A & E photo)

Video Beat EXTRA EXTRA - BILLY THE EXTERMINATOR REMAINS A LAUGHER

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

This is a must watch show if you love animals and care to learn about America's southern lifestyle and humor. In the process a viewer can gain knowledge about animal behaviors, the diseases they carry and how to treat and prevent pest invasions. On a scale of 10 Billy The Exterminator is an 8 as it continues to be a laugher that enlightens. What's wrong with that? - Recommended TV Listings

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A SOURCE OF LAUGHTER & KNOWLEDGE

Following our column regarding TV programs that can help you laugh we tuned in on our favorite show on that topic Billy The Exterminator. We were pleased to see that the program has maintained its laugh factor. Billy is the Hulk Hogan of the critters world as he eliminates threats and refers to the animals as brother just like the Hulkster.

BTE (Billy The Exterminator) is relatively a new program for viewers in East Asia. The series originally aired on the A & E channel in America that televised 88 episodes over a six season period. The program currently airs in East Asia on the BIO channel twice a day Monday thru Friday.

Billy the Exterminator (formerly The Exterminators) is a scripted American reality television series which airs on the A&E network. What makes this show work is Billy's appearance, wit and the chemistry he has with his family who are involved with their pest control company. If animals and alligators could speak Billy would be a hero since after capture he releases them into the wild thus giving them a second life.

The show follows the professional life of Billy Bretherton, an expert in the field of pest control and the proprietor of Vexcon Animal and Pest Control in Benton, Louisiana, which serves the Shreveport-Bossier metropolitan area. Bretherton, a former Senior Airman in the United States Air Force, had previously been featured on the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs series on the season 1 episode "Vexcon", and the season 2 episode "Termite Controller". Both previously and in his current show, Bretherton is known for his unusual fashion style, consisting mostly of black garments (many of them leather) with large silver jewelry and steel studs and spikes in various configurations.

Many members of Bretherton's family, such as his parents, "Big" Bill and Donnie, and his brother, Ricky, as well as other employees, make frequent appearances. Donnie Bretherton normally acts as Vexcon's dispatcher and rarely goes out on jobs. Ricky's ex-wife, Pam, resigned during the production of the first season.

As noted in many episodes, Billy Bretherton prefers, if at all possible, to relocate captured animals and is a proponent of natural methods of control. He frequently gives a description of the pests, their preferred environment, and any diseases (usually using their Latin names) associated with them. Ricky Bretherton acquired an allergy to bee and wasp stings due to being stung so many times.

Billy Bretherton entered the United States Air Force at age nineteen intent on a career in law enforcement. However, his military entrance examination indicated that he had an aptitude for biology, and he was sent to study both biology and entomology. His extermination career began in earnest while stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Back in 2004 Pilgrim Films contacted us and wanted to shoot a pilot for Discovery Channel (that was a) reality pest control show", said Bretherton. "They had interviewed about 200 different companies and found us and liked us. They sent scouts out that rode around with us for a day, made the determination that we would be good for filming, and we ended up on Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe". The Spike network was also approached about picking up the series.

Originally called The Exterminators during its first season in 2009 on A&E, the show was renamed Billy the Exterminator before the second season. The title change is reflected in repeats of season one episodes.

Beginning in the show's fourth season, Billy and Ricky go to various places throughout the United States to assist with local exterminators and wildlife rescue services in the removal of local vermin and wildlife, in addition to tending to a few jobs back in Louisiana. The program's opening credits have also been redone to better reflect Billy's attitude; the new credits omit Billy's wife, Mary, who resigned during the show's first season.

This is a must watch show if you love animals and care to learn about America's southern lifestyle and humor. In the process a viewer can learn about animal behaviors, the diseases they carry and how to treat and prevent pest invasions. On a scale of 10 BTE is an 8 as it continues to be a laugher. What's wrong with that?

NOTE: There have been four seasons of the show released on DVD. Season five is available on instant video online.

NATIONAL RADIO PUBLISHED IN 5 LANGUAGES

National Radio text is published in five languages, Thai, French, Russian, Khmer (Cambodian language) and English, Any of our foreign language material and our Roman Wanderaugh columns is legally available ONLY on our National Radio site. Our sports, entertainment and feature programming has been broadcast on over 1000 radio stations.

TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia/Thailand time zone. Check our chart or your local listings for time in your area.

NOTE TIMES OF THE SAME TELECAST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

© Copyright: National Radio. Any use of these materials, whole or in part, is prohibited unless authorized in writing by National Radio. Contact: nationalradio@yahoo.com All rights reserved.