Siblings get filthy—and rich

(Published Oct. 30, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Contributor

“Dumpster-diving” brothers Jimmy and John DiResta have no problem getting their hands dirty, rifling through people’s discarded items. They transform garbage into “classy junk” that become profitable collectibles.

“Whatever we find, we let it decide what it wants to be,” Jimmy told Living Stars in a phone interview. “We find it, we fix it, we sell it,” added John. Their penchant for scavenging and recycling could be traced back to their father’s “addiction” to flea market items. On Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Money” (Thursdays, 9 p.m.) they demonstrate their combined expertise turning trash into cash, which they’ve been doing for years.

How different are your design sensibilities?

John: Jimmy teaches design at a visual arts school in New York City. His furniture designs are really wild. Compared to them, my pieces look like Fred Flintstone made it. His designs are more interesting but I’m funnier.

What specific knowledge and skills are most useful for you?

Jimmy: I have an education in design and all my life I’ve been designing and building. I taught myself welding [and] using woodworking tools. You need to have a certain love to get started and a tenacity to figure things out.

John: I’m married 23 years with three kids, three dogs, a rabbit. That’s my education.

Have fans created stuff inspired by your show?

Jimmy: I haven’t seen any finished pieces, but a lot of people are always asking me how I made this or that.

What’s been the toughest thing to redesign, so far?

John: We tried to reinvent the pogo stick.