It’s remarkable to look back on just how popular History’s “The Curse of Oak Island” has become over the years, especially considering just how intensely frustrating the show can be at times.
The series follows brothers Marty and Rick Lagina as they search the island for a mythical treasure rumored to have been there since the late 1700s. For over 200 years, Oak Island has been scoured by excavators and treasure hunters looking to solve the island’s mystery once and for all. In all that time, nobody has even come close to finding the treasure, and the Lagina brothers are no exception. At this point, viewers are nine seasons in, and the brothers are essentially in the same spot they were when the show began: they have no idea where the treasure is, what the treasure might be, or if that treasure even exists. This lack of progress has led to some pretty vocal criticism from the series’ fan base, and some questions about whether or not the series should even continue much further into the future.
Rick Lagina, as it happens, is someone who prefers not to watch the show he’s in — though his reasons have nothing to do with frustration over the lack of answers regarding the grand mystery, but rather, a more personal factor that many viewers may relate to.
Rick still loves the show, he just can’t watch himself on camera
In a 2015 interview with MyNorth.com, Rick Lagina stated that he doesn’t watch any of the episodes himself, as he finds it difficult to see himself on television. “I tend not to watch any of them. Yes, I am serious.”
Going further, Rick explained, “We’re just a couple of Yooper boys, ya know, it’s hard to watch yourself on TV in my opinion.”
“Yooper” is a nickname for residents of Michigan’s upper peninsula, where both Rick and his brother grew up and gained their distinctive northern Michigan accents. Rick went on to explain that he is still very enthusiastic about the concept and mystery underlying Oak Island as a whole, as well as the answers yet to be uncovered in their search, but that enthusiasm doesn’t make him want to watch himself in front of the camera — at least, not often. “I believe there’s a wonderful story yet to be written, and possibly a long-lost treasure to be found,” Rick said. “I am gratified that people enjoy the show.”
It’s certainly refreshing to hear Rick speak so candidly about his love for the show and the search … even if he doesn’t watch the show that everyone else enjoys so much.