About Horny Mike
Michael Henry – aka Horny Mike of “Counting Cars” fame – was born in 1978. The custom vehicle builder and talented airbrush artist became interested in repairing and customizing cars while living in a trailer park in Michigan, USA. After graduating, he made the radical decision to live in a van and repairing bikes and cars to get by. Later, he would move to Las Vegas, where he airbrushed license plates and t-shirts for tourists.
Mike now works at Count’s Kustoms, the automobile and customization company owned by Danny Koker, the star of “Counting Cars”. As one of Danny’s most loyal employees, Mike was naturally invited to become a cast member on the show when it was picked up by History Channel in 2012. Fans of the series would soon discover that Mike earned his original nickname when he began sticking 3D horns on everything he customized, be it a car or a piece of clothing.
Not much is known about Mike off-screen. Despite being pictured enjoying a birthday meal with a possible girlfriend way back in 2015, the TV star’s personal life remains an enigma to his fans. However, he is fairly active on social media and loves posting about his latest projects on Instagram, on which he boasts over 100,000 followers.
It’s not unusual for History Channel stars to make cameos in other shows across the network, and as well as his recurring role in “Counting Cars”, Mike has made appearances in “Pawn Stars” and “American Restoration”, spreading his automotive knowledge to even more viewers.
As of 2023, the reality star has many new projects and customizations on the way, and likes to keep his fans up to date with the latest news via his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Mike has recently been working on a whole host of project cars, including a stunning vintage Corvette; in December 2022, he announced that he was raffling his 2016 Dodge Challenger, with all proceeds going to a good cause.
Counting Cars
“Counting Cars” is one of the many spin-offs from “Pawn Stars”, one of History Channel’s most popular offerings. The show is filmed in Las Vegas, with most scenes taking place at Count’s Kustoms, operated by Danny Koker. Over the years, fans of the series have been thrilled to see celebrity guests, with cameos from Dee Snider, Alice Cooper, Ziggy Marley and many more.
Although the employees of Count’s Kustoms pride themselves on being a tight-knit unit, there have been rumors of tension behind the scenes. Scott Jones, Danny’s former manager and bookkeeper, allegedly left the show after two seasons due to the bad blood between himself and the mechanics. Scott, who was described by his former employer as “a real ass at times”, would often argue with his fellow cast members about project budgets and schedules – which is perhaps understandable, as his job was to ensure that Danny made a profit on each project. However, it was later revealed that Scott left due to changes in his family dynamic, as his wife had recently given birth, and they were moving states.
The show’s other cast members are Kevin Mack, Danny’s closest friend and right-hand man who became manager when Scott left; Roli Szabo, a skilled detailer; and Big Ryan, a tenacious project scout. George the Mechanic, Harry Rome Sr, Ryan Evans, Joseph Dugan, and Shannon Aikau also play an important role in the operation of Count’s Kustoms.
Although the show is advertised as a reality series, “Counting Cars” contains various scripted elements. The scenes in which Danny is seen offering strangers on the street vast sums of money for their vehicles are sadly faked for entertainment purposes; typically, the production team approaches the “strangers” beforehand, to strike a deal.
The interpersonal drama between cast members is also said to be fake, as well as Danny’s rags-to-riches story, and the auto shop’s lack of money. However, it’s true that Danny sometimes struggles to sell his project cars due to the niche nature of custom vehicles. It’s even been said that the auto store’s 2017 lawsuit against former employee Joseph Frontiera, was nothing more than a publicity stunt at the start of a new season.
Joseph was a regular on “Counting Cars” from 2013 to 2016, but was unceremoniously fired before being accused of embezzling company funds to the tune of $75,000, which he allegedly used to pay off his Range Rover and buy tickets. The team at Count’s Kustoms would later accuse Joseph of misappropriating company funds at his former job as well.
The mechanic’s reputation and wallet both took a hit, as he was fined $18,000 by the IRS. He also disappeared from the public eye, and doesn’t seem to have social media accounts these days. When Count’s Kustoms sued the company that recommended Joseph, his lawyer filed a claim to dismiss. The outcome of the lawsuit remains unclear, as both parties have moved on from the incident.
Danny Koker
Danny Koker was born in Cleveland in January 1964 and has a host of successful business ventures that include a restaurant and a tattoo parlor. The TV icon and entrepreneur was raised by Danny Sr. and Mary Koker, and became enamored with the automotive industry at a young age, perhaps thanks to his father’s job at the Ford Motor Company. In fact, the father-son duo would often repair vehicles as a way to spend quality time together, plus a bit of extra money.
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Danny Sr. and Mary later acquired Channel 33 in the early 1990s, and installed their son as host of several shows, with one of them being “Saturday Fright at the Movies”. After just two episodes of the show, Danny took an hiatus from TV and started up his auto shop, returning to the small screen in 2006 with a cameo in “Criss Angel Mindfreak”. Later, he became an expert advisor on “Pawn Stars” and also appeared in “American Restoration” to share his auto knowledge.
Having won over scores of fans with his presence and wit, Danny became something of a household name in 2014, thanks to an interview on David Letterman’s Late Show, and his signature bandana-and-shades combo also made him instantly recognizable wherever he went.
Being a man of many talents, Danny is also present on the music scene, and founded the hard-rock band Count’s 77; other members are John Zito, Stoney Curtis, Paul Disibio, Barry Barnes, and Tommy Paris. In fact, Count’s 77 has often been credited with the revival of the classic rock genre, which was slowly dying out.
Danny is a shrewd businessman who often promotes his band on “Counting Cars”, with an episode of the show dedicated to the making of a 1970s tour bus for the group to enjoy. As it happens, Danny Sr. was a baritone vocalist and keyboardist for “Cathedral Quartet”, a southern gospel group that has since disbanded. Danny formed Count’s 77 one fateful evening in his own rock club, Count’s Vamp’d, and never looked back. The group have since become a sensation on the Las Vegas club circuit, and earned themselves a loyal fanbase.
When Mike Varney, the owner and founder of Shrapnel Records, attended a Count’s 77 show, he was so impressed by what he saw and heard that he offered the group a record deal. The band released a self-titled debut album with Shrapnel Records in August 2014, and performed at the famous Hard Rock Café during a promotional run. “Soul Transfusion”, the group’s sophomore project, was also released via Shrapnel Records in 2017.
Korie Koker
Danny’s beautiful wife Korie has been a constant presence in the celebrity’s life since they began dating. Born in Las Vegas in August 1965 and raised in Chicago, the stunning brunette is also a businesswoman with a Bachelor’s degree in broadcasting. Currently working as an entertainment director, Korie’s job history includes a stint as a production co-ordinator, and a short-term camera operator gig.
Danny and Korie married in 2015 after dating for several years, but seemingly have no plans of expanding their family unit. The low-key couple shy away from divulging details of their personal life – so much so that they are yet to share details of their wedding ceremony and other milestone events. However, Korie is often spotted at her husband’s shows, and on his social media profiles when he dedicates posts to his spouse.
As Danny’s number-one fan and business partner, Korie uses her Instagram account to promote Count’s Vamp’d and upload holiday snaps. According to Korie, Danny trusts her so much with the running of Count’s Vamp’d that he leaves the important decisions to her. Unlike her controversial husband – who was previously lambasted for supporting Donald Trump and badmouthing environmentally-friendly vehicles – Korie very rarely gives interviews or shares her opinion on hot-button issues.
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“Pawn Stars”
As mentioned, “Counting Cars” was inspired by the success of “Pawn Stars”. Both shows are produced by Leftfield Pictures and air on the History Channel; with over 20 seasons and 500 episodes, “Pawn Stars” has become a cultural phenomenon with millions of faithful viewers. The series is filmed in Las Vegas’s World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which opened in the late 1980s and was run by three generations of the Harrison family – Richard “Old Man” Harrison until he passed away in 2018, his son Rick, and his grandson Corey. Austin, Corey’s close friend Chumlee is also a cast member.
“Pawn Stars” became the most-watched show on History shortly after debuting in July 2009, almost as popular as “Jersey Shore”. In each episode, customers bring goods to pawn or sell, and will haggle with staff members until they strike a deal or go back home. Rick Dale and Danny Koker were both invited to the show so many times that they also became fan favorites. and were given their own spin-off series.
The idea for the reality show came about when Colby Gaines and Brent Montgomery of Leftfield Pictures spent a weekend in Las Vegas, and began interviewing pawn shop owners. It’s possible that the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop was already on their radar, having appeared in a 2001 PBS documentary, and an episode of “Insomniac with Dave Attell”.
It was Rick’s lucky day, as the businessman had been looking for a production company to make a series about his store for years. After joining forces with Leftfield Pictures, the show was pitched to several networks, and finally given the go-ahead by Nancy Dubuc of the History Channel, who wanted to go against the network’s status-quo and try out something new.
Thanks to the success of “Pawn Stars”, networks saw the potential for pawn store shows and tapped into a previously unexplored market. Although similar series, such as “Cajun Pawn Stars” and “Hardcore Pawn” have yet to reach the popularity of their predecessor, it can be said that “Pawn Stars” started a whole new subgenre. The show undeniably changed the lives of its owners and employees as well, attracting over 1,000 customers a day and boasting increased sales. With a showroom that measures 15,000 square feet and dozens of employees, Gold & Silver has become a forced to be reckoned with.
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Celebrities who have graced Gold & Silver with their presence over the years include Bob Dylan, Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, and the Oak Ridge Boys. Despite the occasional legal issue or embarrassing incident, the team at Gold & Silver are more united than ever and looking forward to season 22 of the show, which will probably air in late 2023.
Moving back to “Counting Cars”, an eleventh season of the show has yet to be greenlit by History Channel. Fans became concerned in 2022 when no announcement was made, given that the last episode of season 10 aired in December 2021. This means that no new episodes have aired in over a year, leading to rumors of cancellation or an hiatus. Although we don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, we can confirm that, for now, “Counting Cars” hasn’t been cancelled, and will make sure to keep you updated with any new developments.
