The dirty job of pest control makes its way to American television screens. While this job may not seem particularly entertaining, apparently it is.
Back in February 2009,
a show was developed after a special appearance of a pest control specialist on Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs. The show, called Billy the Exterminator, features a rock and roll styled exterminator named Billy Bretherton who travels North Louisiana to remove pests and other vermin from private properties. The show was modeled after cookie cutter reality shows that appeared on American television, featuring characters that consisted of Billy's family who made up a team of exterminators.
The show filmed for five seasons and consisted mostly of Billy travelling around Bossier Parish in North Louisiana, removing mice, snakes, armadillo, raccoons, cougars, and other vicious vermin that plagued properties in Louisiana. During the latter seasonal run, Billy eventually traveled throughout the United States, teaming up with other pest control specialists and animal experts to speak about exotic animals and other wildlife. He would go on to remove pests in Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
The network channel A&E, which stands for Arts and Entertainment, offered Billy and his family the chance to shoot a sixth season, but the family declined the offer. Rumor has it that the show will be picked up by a competing station that offered a higher valued contract, but it is unknown what will become of this pest control family in the future. Fans are calling for the show's return, but much of the filming took a toll on the personal lives of the family members, especially the wife of Billy who resigned from the show after the first season.
Several networks have appealed to the family to continue the show, but as these offers were made behind closed doors, it is unknown whether or not Billy will continue shooting. It is also unknown whether he will privately continue his extermination business, but internet rumors have suggested he will likely discontinue the practice at least until a network will pick up the show for an agreed contract.
The history of the star of the show is quite fascinating. Billy started out in the United States Air Force at the age of nineteen and there he aspired to become a part of law enforcement. However, a military aptitude test revealed that he was something of a savant in biology, and he was thus thrust into biology courses and entomology. While being stationed on a base in Nevada, he was able to begin the initial stages of his pest control business.
Since the run of the show, Billy has become rather famous in Louisiana and in many other southern states. Those in Northern Louisiana can recognize him immediately as he tends to wear black leather, black shirts, black cowboy hats, and keeps rock and roll styled facial hair. Since the show was made popular on cable television, Billy Bretherton has gone on to do various public speaking engagements for schools, universities, foundations, charities, and other social functions.
