Storage Wars Texas: What Happened to Lesa Lewis?

Lesa-Lewis-Storage-Wars-Texas

You’ve probably heard the news by now. Lesa Lewis and Jerry Simpson won’t be returning to this season of Storage Wars: Texas.

In their place, two new bidders are joining the show: Jenny Grumbles and Mary Padian. Since the announcement was made, fans have been speculating about the change, and plenty of rumors are circulating about what really happened to Lesa Lewis.

One of the most persistent rumors is that a scandal from Jerry’s past has resurfaced thanks to an issue of National Enquirer, and A&E had to cancel his involvement to neutralize the damage. There are a couple of problems with this rumor, though.

First, there’s no record of the article being run. Although National Enquirer archives all of its articles on its site, a site-wide search for “Jerry Simpson” brings up no matches. If the tabloid were really running something juicy enough to get Jerry fired, you would assume the magazine would mention it on its site.

Of course, National Enquirer isn’t the only tabloid, and a little bit of digging does turn up an April 2012 article from Reality Weekly, a tabloid dedicated to reality TV. The article does reference Jerry’s criminal history, and also says that he’s been clean for years, while his “friends give Lesa a lot of the credit for his recovery.”

This article is quoted in several recent interviews about the two of them, and it doesn’t seem that Jerry’s criminal history has been a problem for fans. If anything, it’s made him and Lesa an even more irresistible duo, because people love a tale of friendship and redemption.

A&E is remaining tight-lipped about its change. The cast bios for the new members went up on the site without explanation, even though a photograph of Lesa and Jerry still graces the network’s page. Lesa’s own website, www.lesalewis.net, makes no reference to the change either. Perhaps after the premiere, Lesa will explain the situation on her own site and put fans across the country at ease.

In the meanwhile, all we can do is speculate. While it’s certainly possible than Jerry Simpson’s legal history caused this sudden change in lineup, there are plenty of other possibilities.

Reality television is, after all, based entirely on ratings, and it doesn’t seem like coincidence that the two newest cast members are attractive young women. It’s very possible that A&E simply decided that the show needed to be spiced up a little, and the new cast members were the best way to do it.

No matter why Lesa Lewis is leaving the show, fans don’t need to be too worried about her. Recent estimates suggest that her celebrity net worth is an impressive $2.5 million, and her popularity from the show has helped her launch a successful website to help bring more business to her thrift store.

She and Jerry probably won’t suffer too much from the change, and you never know: There might be another spin-off series in the works.

So how do you feel about Lesa & Jerry leaving the show? What do you think happened to them? Leave your interesting and creative responses in the comments section below.

Update 09/29/12 – Lesa Lewis & Jerry Simpson are back! A&E just announced that Lisa and Jerry will be returning for “a surprise visit.” It is currently unclear as to whether they will be returning to the show full time or whether this is just a cameo appearance. Only time will tell.

Update 03/19/13 – What really happened to Lesa Lewis & Jerry Simpson from Storage Wars: Texas? Lesa contacted us and let us know that she left Storage Wars: Texas due to a dispute over her salary. She let us know that the dispute has been resolved and that she will be returning to the show next season.

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T.C. Lane

Travis Lane is the Head Geek here at Online Storage Auctions ℠ & Texas Storage Auction Schedules & News ℠. A former real estate appraiser & investor, turned professional storage unit buyer, turned webmaster & author. He's a passionate guy who loves to laugh, help others, & spend quality time with loved ones and friends.

97 CommentsLeave a comment

  • I IMMEDIATELY Googled why Lesa and Jerry were not on the show! They were the only entertaining part of the show. You need a little bit of “reality” in a reality show and they definitely represented that. I am disappointed they aren’t on season 2, They were easily the most relatable characters and he was FUNNY. Bubba and Ricky are obvious choices for a Texas theme, but Lesa and Jerry were a fan favorite. Hopefully they are still doing well. Would love to see them on a day to day basis.

  • Lesa and Jerry were my favorites. Or Jewwy as Lesa says. She’s tough and I want her to score every time. There’s enough T & A. Bring back Lesa and Jerry. It’s like taking Barry off Storage Wars! Get rid of Victor. He’s an ass.

    • We have closed-caption and they have caught Jelly instead of Jerry. Lol, which is what my hubby and I ended doing every time we saw that.

  • My husband and I really enjoyed watching the bantering between Lesa and Jerry. They made Storage Wars Texas fun to watch! Please, please bring the funny duo back to the show as they make it!!!! The show is just not the same without them!!!!!! I doubt that we will be watching as often. PS. Glad to see Moe is back but, it’s just not enough to keep us interested!

  • The show will never be the same without Lesa and Jerry. I will never watch it again. Nobody cares about two new girls just because there hot. Lisa made it real.

  • Sorry young lady, but most of us do care that the new girls are hot…or at least cute. Lesa, was annoying, and not in the least bit knowledgeable.

  • Those two made the show. Watching it without them is like watching paint dry. They replaced them with a nincompoop and a numbskull. I cannot believe that blonde chick took a kids table and chairs that was 39.99 from walmart. (Yep! I bought that same one for my daughter) and glued stuff to it and tried to sell it for 169. People must be morons. And if anyone has the nerve to say they ARE good looking needs to get out more and quit watching so much TV. We aren’t watching anymore without Lesa and Jerry. They were the shiznit.

  • Lesa and Jerry and Mo were the show. Way to go A&E you have done well everywhere else but here! What happens 20 years ago is probably less than your producer did. They were the show and you need to bring them back. These new people are boring. Let’s go Lesa, Jerry do I hear another Network calling???

  • I think that putting them off the show will make people want to watch other shows. They were a great team and as for the 2 new girls they are just eye candy to make you wanna watch. At least Jerry and Lisa had a sense of humor, not just looking pretty. Sorry, but I won’t watch it now..you go Lisa and Jerry, you made the show watchable. You will be missed.

  • Bring Lesa and Jerry back! My husband and I got a great kick out of them. It’s not important what troubles he has had as long as they are behind him! And if Lesa helps him in the process, it makes them even more enduring. Hello, have you seen The Blindside! We are a true Texas Baptist family and love them and their story! But PLEASE get rid of Victor!

  • I heard from what I consider a reliable source, that the reason they are not on this season’s show is because they are currently filming their own storage wars type show, just spotlighting this duo travelling around the country going to storage auctions as well as some focusing on their private lives (how this type of business affects their private lives) as well Lesa’s business (how the business is operated and such). There is a tentative airing spring of 2013, but may air in the fall of 2013 depending on how successful the filming and editing go.

  • Please bring Jerry and Lesa back! My husband and I watch faithfully and the show is just not the same with out them! Lesa is a down to earth person! I love her brassy look and sassy mannerisms. Jerry keeps her grounded with his witty one liners! If everyone was perfect we wouldn’t have anything to watch! News would be cancelled forever with all the doom and gloom they feed the public….Geez, give Lesa and Jerry a break already!

  • At least Lesa didn’t try to pretend that she knows everything! Victor is a total joke, when he is quoting prices that he will get for his items…I just laugh. He really is a loser…but that’s what gets the ratings. Gotta have someone to hate and someone to love! We love Rickey and Bubba! It must have been the tacos! That’s funny stuff!

  • I think A&E Tv is making a big mistake by not having Lesa & Jerry back on the show. Why does it matter that Jerry has a criminal past. What happen to giving people a chance in life? I support her for giving Jerry the chance to better himself. More people need to do this. When someone does something wrong and does their time for it, why oh why does our society hold that against them forever? If he was a celebrity or political person they wouldn’t. Therefore my husband & myself will not be watching “Storage Wars Texas”, still like the original one in Calif. Pat from Texas.

  • I am saddened and do not support the change! Good job hiring a couple of Vegas motel tramps to take the place of Lesa and Jerry. The most disliked character is Victor.

  • HATE the show without Jerry and Lesa! Mary is quirky but tolerable, but Jenny? Blehhhh… Agree with most of these comments – bring Jerry and Lesa back.

  • Lesa was obnoxious and annoying appearing as though she was half drunk most of the time. Jerry was cool but I don’t know how he tolerated her. The new blonde girl makes pretty and nice furniture. I would buy it. But that Mary girl, she just buys stuff and makes it weird and trashy.

  • I totally loved Lesa and Jerry, they are so funny together. I don’t especially like the 2new girls at all. Jerry and Lesa spiced the show up and she looked like a real woman.

  • Lesa was too annoying. I could not stand her. I almost stopped watching Storage Wars Texas because of her. I like the new cast members and now I can focus my hatred on victor.

  • You know what, I really don’t care why they left, I want to see them back. I saw the first couple of episodes of the second season and frankly I am NOT impressed. I understand that shows rely on ratings, but those ratings are false. Ratings are based on a few thousand households courtesy of the Neilsons. These households are supposed to represent an entire country and frankly they don’t. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t like having a few thousand people represent what my likes and dislikes are supposed to be on TV or anywhere else. THEY DO NOT REPRESENT ME AND WHAT I LIKE TO WATCH. I am sure ratings have gone down, or so I keep hearing. I stopped watching the show because it no longer has anything to offer this Texan. If the show needs to add two bimbos to the cast who really don’t know what they are doing, then the show knows nothing.

    Even on Storage Wars (the original) most people can’t stand Dave Hester, but they will still tune in to watch because he has such a big ego everyone wants to see him fall every now and then. I am not saying that people see Lesa in the same way because they don’t. Victor serves the same role as Dave Hester. And it does not matter if Lesa is not hurting financially and her financial worth does not matter. What matters is that she and Jerry are not on the show this season, which to my mind does bring the show down. A lot of people feel that way. Yes, there are detractors out there and all I can say to that is there is no accounting for taste. If you like stupid bimbos, more power to you, but the rest of us admire intelligence and fire.

  • I enjoyed watching Lesa and Jerry, especially when she would yell out Jerrrrry! They were different and fun to watch. Fun watching them buy looser lockers, and the excitement when Lesa thinks she found the BIG one. The other ones seem to be reading from scripts. The new girls…cute, but not a lot of sparks!

  • You are absolutely right! It is better! Personally, although they were relatable, I felt they were annoying and watching her waste her money and make piss-poor decisions was just too much for me. I don’t care about them spicing up of the show. I like Mary as a more productive member because of what I have seen her do in the past on the show. And seeing her move up from someone who Moe takes his stuff to for appraising to someone actually taking part in the auctions seems not only smart, but enjoyable as well. I liked seeing her in the past and now I get to see more. I really like the new girls personality way better than Lesa’s. Jerry was cool but he seemed a little out of his element on the show. Almost like he was trying to force himself to do it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lesa and Jerry were such good friends that they left because he didn’t feel comfortable with it and Lesa respected his decision. She seemed to care about him a lot even though she makes poor business decisions. Now we don’t have to see them fighting over her keeping a purse or some jewelry every time they find some.

  • Miss them both. They were the most interesting and I want them back. They could have created as much interest as Moe and Mary, bring them back.

  • I will not look at Storage Wars Texas until Lesa and Jerry come back. I miss Lesa fighting with Victor. The new people are terrible. Jenny’s voice is so annoying too. Mary looks and acts like a crackhead, and Moe, I can’t believe he is really a doctor, he acts like a moron. Victor is all on his own now.

  • I must be the only one who noticed that Lesa was on drugs! I think she was doing meth or some kind of upper. She twitched, was hyper and out of breath all the time. Ugh she annoyed me! Jerry though I loved I thought he was funny and level headed with the money. Too bad he wasn’t the one with the money cuz I am sure he would of been a great buyer verses his druggie partner.

  • First of all I’d like to address the issue with Jerry, I wouldn’t believe the crap that is printed in those rag magazines. Then, the past is past, I wont watch the Texas version without Lesa, she brings a great character and I love to watch her. Yeah, Lesa, you didn’t look like a druggy to me.

  • They are great to watch,everyone makes mistakes in there lives. Bring them back full
    time or you have lost my family as viewers and everyone we know.

  • I liked them both. Bring them back and get rid of Victor and Jenny. It’s not the same without them. Who cares if Jerry has a past. At least he is trying to turn his life around and he is funny.

  • We have only watched a couple of shows since Lesa and Jerry left. As far as we are concerned they made the show! The two dippy girls just don’t do it for us here in Canada. Please bring them back right away! Its funny, we don’t even think of watching Texas Storage Wars anymore.

  • How about dog bounty hunter, he messed up and came back. Foot ball player fighting and killing dogs, theres so many political people in highend jobs messing up, come on give Lesa and Jerry a break, we really enjoy seeing them they add bigtime to the show.

  • I’m with you. The way she called him Jerr-EEE like she was calling a pig in for slop. She treated him like a subordinate. By “subordinate,” I mean….well think back a couple hundred years.

  • Lesa is a nut job who treats a human being like a pig being called in for slop. I don’t know how he tolerates that. I hear she helped to straighten him out. That doesn’t give her the right to treat him that way.

    Jenny is a moron. She takes beautiful wood furniture and paints it, which effectively ruins it. Paint does not stand the test of time. It picks up dirt and shows scratches like hell. Her customers must love the fact that they either can’t use any of the furniture they buy from her, or they’re going to have to keep re-painting it for the next decade, until they get sick of it.

  • Lesa and her pardner are my favorite folk on the show. Not all of us are well to do doctors or SMU chickadee’s hanging round Snyder Plaza. I’m heading out to Crockett next week to check out the store. Come on, people, I thought this was a REALITY show. Whats REALITY about taking a nice wood table, sloshing ugly “sea-foam” paint on it and claiming somebody is dumb enough to pay 800 bucks for it? Keep them or lose me.

  • I don’t think the reason of Jerry and his criminal background are true. Jarrod from the original Storage Wars also did time in jail for drugs so I think it was more they wanted some young girl in there not an attractive, personable hard working WOMAN.

  • they should have dropped fancypants victor instead
    he is such a prima donner it’s untrue that appraiser
    that victor visited to get his multi swiss army knife appraised
    thinks he has an authentic texan accent yeh right victor is from
    the posh end of long island new york but lesa and jerry cracks me up
    so much i started impersonate them they are a great tv couple
    but the others should go is rick and bubba everything that comes out
    of thier yaps always has to be about food may no wonder why bubba
    is overweight he is not funny at all but moe and mary such a class act
    they should have thier own show at least he’s quirky and funny next up
    the return of roy williams and why do’nt they do crossovers like other tvshows
    do.

    frankie (tbird) smales

    frankie smales tv and movie review uk

  • I’m glad she is gone, I liked Jerry and miss him on there… but if you were to ask me to pick between Lesa and that damned Jenny Grumbles I’d take Lesa any day! I can’t stand that nasily sound little bimbo with the nasty birth mark on her arm.

  • Lesa and Jerry were the two people I liked most. I won’t make negative comments about some whacky chick near SMU who, if she found a solid Bubinga Wood Grand Piano would throw a coat of cheap paint on it cut a hole in the top and sell it as a play battle tank. I can’t see within the hearts of men and women, we humans are not to judge lest we ourselves be judged. What business is it of mine even should classless midget throw herself again and again like a dodgeball with long brown hair at a well-to-do Doctor? Answer: NONE, NONE AT ALL. All that aside, Lesa and Jerry were the only two whose humanity, whose humility, whose agape love for each other was the most uplifting and wholesome relationship shown on TV in the last 4 decades, yea even since the Nelson Family did leave the tube. In other words…. THEY MADE THE SHOW WORTH WATCHING.

  • Well, I hope that Lesa and Jerry are doing fine. I was watching Storage War Texas when it began but have not been watching since the two disappeared. I hope the A&E would wise up and bring them back. The show hasn’t been the same. The other two girls on the show are not very entertaining and can’t stand them. So Please bring them back, I hope in the future A&E will think of there fans and not STUPID rumors.

  • My husband had a bad history of alcohol and drugs. Was in jail! But he ended up being one of the nicest men I ever knew. People can change and it is up to us to let them know how proud we are of them. So Jerry I am proud of you and keep it up. There are negative people in this world, you need to ignore them. They are not happy with themselves so they find someone else to put down. You keep going guy, you have more people that love you then dislike you. Hold your head up high, Honey!!! Lona


  • ***LESA LEWIS RESPONDS***

    Thanks for defending me. Apologies for using all of you, my dear and loyal fans
    The truth? I don’t even come close to a 2.5M net … So I demanded a raise, which I didn’t get. So … we’ve quit

    Because of all your ranting, we’re hired again. See you in a couple of weeks and all of next season. And yes … we’re getting paid way more than our original demand. Thanks to all of you! xxx L.

  • i watch this show in the uk and i am hooked, i miss leza and jerry i dont like the new blonde one, shes too up her own backside. I hope they are back for the next season. I really like storage wars with dave hestor n jarrod.

  • I too would love to meet Lesa and Jerrrry, for happy hour, I think they were brilliant on the show, her expressions were class, and the two of them had me in stitches every time. Big mistake them leaving the show …… and then to replace them with …… Mary !!!!!!! and then ……. jenny !!!!! oh lordy …..We want entertaining and for them to ” find ” the gold in them lockers … not furniture restoring ! Oh and just for a change wouldnt it be nice if sulky Bubba actualy got a locker which didnt make him thousands of dollars.

  • Thanks for this info lisa, Im here in UK and have only just been watching the shows with ” Mary and Jenny ” ………..REALY !!!!!!! Bring back Lesa and Jerrrrrrrrry.

  • yes bring lesa and jerry back (his past is PAST). Get rid of that awful ‘blonde’ with a voice that sounds like chalk screaming on a blackboard, thats Jenny Grumbles, Yuk and double Yuk

  • You said it right “characters”. This show is so fake. I used to love the original storage wars. I never got into the Texas one. The New York one is even worse. I just saw a commercial for the new York one with a guy called big Steve. They have him saying “that’s a big Steve hello”, which sounded so lame and fake. I think Dave Hester is telling the truth about the show being rigged. So I no longer watch.

    I don’t see storage wars lasting much longer. Maybe I Iam giving the American viewing public more credit then they deserve, but I think they don’t like being fooled. Shows can be both entertaining & real. They claim to be legit and completely real. Going as far as to say they have to go to many auctions to get the footage you see on tv.

    It is a shame many good shows are being taken off the air for so called reality tv, which isn’t reality at all, but it is cheap to make. So they take a chance & hope to get a big hit like duck dynasty. Plus they have no shortage of wannabes who want their 15 minutes of fame.

    TNT just cancelled Leverage not to long ago. A show that grew its fan base more and more each year, which is rare. It had great writing and award winning actors & actresses. They did this and replaced it with a show like 72 Hours, which is a rip off of survivor & amazing race. Plus many other lame shows. We need to write to the networks & show our displeasure. I know I went ot, but we all want good shows & want the networks to have programming we want. Hopefully, they come up with a better system then the Neilson ratings, since it no longer works.

  • I met Lesa and her Husband Doug in Custar S Dakota last week. They are the most genuine people you could ever meet. We partied for hours with them and just had a blast. She was the Star of that show Storage wars Texas as far as I’m concerned and they made a hugh mistake taking her and Jerry off the show. A&E get it together and bring them back.

  • They have turned the show into such a silly mess with Mary and Jenny, I just can’t watch it anymore. Lesa & Jerry make the show and unless I hear she’s back, I’m done.

  • please get rid of Mary, if any one is on drugs,, it’s her. she also has no talent for rwefurbishment! she makes good stuff into junk!

  • Lesa, Please stop with the ugly fat lip injections. Looks like the only way your mother could get a baby sitter is wet your lips & stick you to a window or a mirror!!! It is not attractive.

  • I didn’t like her the first time she was on and this latest return where they are billing her is a villain is even more ridiculous.

  • I completely agree with Linda. Lesa is a big mouthed life. I don’t care how much money she supposedly has. She is the very definition of trailer. They likely plant things in lockers. You ever notice how there is usually one thing that they need to go seek an expert opinion on? Just like Pawn Stars, etc.

  • Jerry is funny and seems like a good guy. Lesa, however, is a grade A b*tch. She is incredibly mean-spirited and petty. She brings the show down. Truly awful person.

  • Hit the nail on the head w this comment. Idk where
    They found this cast but those 2 were the worst of the whole terrible group. And i know prices/style can very a bit by regions and I live in the northeast but the prices they quote for all the old outdated (NOT vintage or antique regardless of what they say) are outragageous. I wouldn’t pay one tenth of what they say there gonna charge. Hell u can find half that same furniture on Craigslist or the curb for free. And the few ACTUALLY nice pieces of furniture Jenny buys she takes them from nice looking 200-$300 table or dresser in a nice dark wood finish. And paints them over to look like something a 10 ur old re “hand” painted is some terrible non wood color and then thinks that makes them worth $200 more or sometimes double!!!! R U SERIOUS AFTER JENNY REFURBISHES THOSE ITEMS SHE MAY AS WELL THROW THEM ROGHT INTO THE FIREPLACE! Honestly she’s takes something I wouldn’t mind Puttin in my living room o something I’d b embarrassed to be seen in a trailer!! Seriously do ppl in TX actually find her “fix ups” as better looking than when she pulled it from the locker?!!!? Honestly if that’s try then I need to stop throwing out my old pr broken tables/chairs and furniture and just selling them on eBay 10 yrs after I buy them to Texans for 3xs what I paid for it brand new lol

  • i have stopped watching this show as I absolutely cannot stand Kenny. He is a loud mouth, egotistical, bully, stupid (in my opinion), and a real detriment to the show. His beer gut is a disgrace as is his mouth. Dropped this show from my list of “to watch”. Changed it to “definitely NOT!)
    Besides having managed a storage facility I know it is not that common for people to store their valuables and then not pay the rent.

  • I loved Lesa she is like most of us women who work really work in hat kind of world x living ! I did x a while the same work and like her I had to confront me with men ..she is funny like her helper who is a very nice guy ! I detest instead the others girly one always doing the stupid blondy vamp trying to make a fool of the others…and Mary doing all that little faces so ridiculously like a candy girly ! Rick is a smart man I like how is act do superior without caring if they like him or not ! Too bad if Lesa is not coming back I love her !

  • I love watching Storagw Wars Texas and I love watching it when Lesa and Jerry are on the show. She brings humor and laughter to the show. It’s not the same without them both
    When will there be new shows. I also love Ricky & Bubba and Jenny & Mary and can’t forget Moe.

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