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The cast of Pawn Stars continue to get into trouble

Posted by Bill Rippel on November 30, 2021 - 1:55am

The reality show Pawn Stars is one of the most successful and memorable shows in recent history. Let's follow the Harrison family and their beloved pawn shop, World Famous Gold & Silver in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Over the years, viewers have fallen in love with the Harrisons and their associates, watching the hilarious antics that go on in the store but it turns out that behind the scenes, things look different, very different.
From Chumlee's arrest to why Olivia Black was actually fired from the show, we take a look at the wildest behind-the-scenes facts from the hit show.

Humble principles

While we now know Pawn Stars employees as genuine reality TV stars and celebrities, let's not forget that the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop began in 1989 as a true real-life family business, as that was when Richard “Old Man Harrison first opened the store that operated as a 24-hour family business.

Despite being now superstars in their own right, Harrison, his son Rick, his grandson Corey, and family friend Austin "Chumlee" Russell were originally normal folks who worked in the business, before they hit it big with their show. of TV.

True ambition

Although it originally started out as a simple family business, the truth is that old man Harrison always knew that his store was a special place and that, in fact, one day he might make them all famous.

And actually, years before the TV show began, Harrison had been regularly pitching the idea to various networks. They kept saying no over and over, until one chain finally said yes, but it would even be a while before they really hit the big time.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Business mindset

As we discover the truth of Harrison's ambitions to bring his store to the world of television, there is also more behind his decision to aspire to fame.
It wasn't just because he thought he would make a popular show fun, but also because he thought in good business sense: increase the fame of his pawn shop and hopefully attract more customers.

"I thought a show would mean free advertising, and free advertising would mean more business," he told the Star-Telegram .

Never give up

Although Harrison was determined to make a success of his shop and the television gold he knew he could produce, he also knew that the odds were against him. The more I tried to introduce the show, the more people kept rejecting it.

"Everybody told me that nobody wants to watch a show about four fat guys at a pawn shop," he said. Little did they know that one day the world would be paralyzed by that very thing.

First glance
As the years passed, the networks continued to reject Harrison's idea of ​​a television show based on his pawn shop, but he never abandoned his idea.
We knew Pawn Stars airs on History but originally it had a very different house - two, in fact!

The store first appeared on Comedy Central's Insomniac, before being briefly broadcast on HBO. We bet you didn't know about the history of your previous channel ...

Worldwide fame

We all know that Pawn Stars is one of the most successful shows in America today, but did you know that it is actually incredibly popular in the rest of the world as well?
It has been translated into a whopping 38 languages ​​and, by last count, is broadcast in 150 countries.
Harrison also revealed that wherever he went around the world, he was harassed by cheering fans, so widespread was the show's popularity!

"Buenos Aires, the Philippines, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi," he said. "All over the world, people know about the program."

Legal issues
Despite the fact that Pawn Stars has become a massive success, its rise to the top has not been without its difficulties. As they became more and more famous, they began to suffer a variety of legal battles, including the three Harrisons and Chumlee who were sued by Wayne Jeffries, their former manager.
We do not know how it was resolved in the end, but it would not be the end of their problems.

"The more money you make, the more people demand it," Harrison told Fox News . "People will always… eventually go to sue him for something."

Crazy track
As you can imagine, the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop attracts its fair share of weird and wacky items brought in by people from all over the world. But even the most experienced viewers may be surprised by this particular object that was once brought there.
Harrison once revealed that someone brought some erotic art from Japan.

"It's all hand painted," he told Heavy . “It is on a scroll down with each bodily fluid. Everything is really exaggerated. It's kind of creepy and then after I bought it I realized my mother was walking into the pawn shop so I couldn't put it on display. "

Use your head
And that's not the strangest thing someone has once brought through the doors of the world famous gold and silver pawn shop.
Because Harrison remembered that a guy once came in offering the most unexpected item, let's face it, a collection of human skulls!

The man claimed that he had taken them from a dental school, but the others weren't convinced. And it's probably no surprise to hear that Harrison refused to buy these creepy items.

Hidden treasures

You wouldn't believe some of the things that have been insisted on on the show. Did you think you had already seen all the weird and wonderful things that have been in the store?

But from the ancient Slash ID to a life-size submarine, the strangest thing ever brought in was probably a didrachm, a rare coin from none other than ancient Greece, dating to around 325 BC!

Spare change

Although the ancient Greek coin was one of the most notable, it was not actually what brought the TV show to the headlines. One of the most controversial and surprising items came when a woman brought a collection of gold coins which, according to store policy, Harrison melted down for reuse.

But it ran into trouble when it emerged that the coins were stolen and the store was sued for melting them without permission. Whoops!

Damage control

You might think that most of the most memorable objects and events that happen in the store are due to the strange and quirky customers at the pawn shop and the things they bring, but the truth is that the stars of the show only bring as much chaos as they are. Your clients.

Take Chumlee, who once accidentally broke a super valuable $ 20,000 double bass, and didn't even tell anyone! He just quietly put it back in the box and went about his day. LOL.

Stolen goods

Unfortunately, one of the dangers of working in the pawn business is that people will often try to bring in stolen goods to get money while disposing of evidence at the same time.

And this also happened on Pawn Stars , when Harrison paid $ 40,000 for a pair of diamond earrings, which were later revealed to be stolen. The thief got his due and some jail time, and the original owner got his earrings back, but unfortunately Harrison didn't get the $ 40,000 back. That's the nature of the business, Harrison told NPR .

Plan ahead

The history of earrings shows how unpredictable and chaotic work can be in the pawn business, but the truth is that some of these deals are the exact opposite.

Because, did you know that many of the deals made at the famous gold and silver pawn shop are made in advance, long before filming? That's how it is! The staff coordinates the plan with potential clients via email, making sure the right items arrive at the right time of filming. Well thought.

Call the experts

We are all probably familiar with the experts on the various items brought to the pawn shop, and Harrison often draws on his seemingly endless list of friends who are experts on almost every type of valuable item.

But did you know that most of the experts on the show are not actually Harrison's personal friends, but actual professionals chosen by the show's producers? The experts are not there for friendship either, but to promote your career through the exhibition. Maybe everyone will go out for a beer afterward.

Running a script

As with all reality TV shows, many viewers wonder how much of Pawn Stars is actually real and improvised material, and how much is actually planned in advance and with a full script.

Well, the truth is that for this program a lot of scripts are written and the potential salesperson is instructed on how to behave and negotiate, so that he does not seem too nervous or uncomfortable. They are not told exactly what to say, but they use their skills to influence what they say. Fascinating!

Little staff
Even though the world famous gold and silver pawn shop has become known thanks to its stars, the Harrisons and Chumlees, they don't actually work at the store! How can it be?
Well, they are actually there to fulfill agreements for televised shows, but this is done discreetly and privately, away from the regular customers.

The regulars are served by Travis Benton, who is basically the store manager in real life. Who would have thought!

The naked truth
Another much-loved star of the show is, of course, Olivia Black, who became and continues to be incredibly popular with fans.
The controversy abounded when she was fired for posting some photos on a modeling website, but the truth was very different.

Because, did you know that even though she was pulled from the show, she was never actually fired as a store clerk? That's right, he still works there. The production company simply stopped introducing it when they were filming.

A family business

The pawn shop is known to be the family business of the Harrison clan, but the most popular member of the cast is undoubtedly Austin "Chumlee" Russell, who is simply an honorary member of the family but not actually related. .
Did you know that Chumlee actually took on a ton of other employees for being the extra person on the show? It was Corey who made sure to get the contract by being his best friend.

And the rest is history, as the fans love it!

Rugged past

However, although Chumlee is the most popular member of the cast, his life and story are not without its ups and downs and there is often a lot of controversy. Because, in 2016, the police raided his home, initially on sexual assault charges, but ended up finding several types of illegal drugs and, no less than, eight unregistered firearms.

He was eventually released on bail and escaped from jail in exchange for accepting three years of probation and therapy.

Night fight

And that's not the only time Chumlee has had a serious run-in with the law. Even further back, in 2012, he was involved in a fight on Hollywood Boulevard, and his opponent was left bleeding badly on the ground.

Chumlee couldn't even pretend it wasn't him, as he was caught on multiple cameras getting into the dispute. However, he insisted that it was in self-defense, but we're not really sure what actually happened on that night.

Violent content

And believe it or not, Chumlee isn't actually the only star of the hit show to have had occasional trouble with the police. Because Corey Harrison has had his fair share of controversial encounters too, like getting drunk and causing a mess after drinking at a bar in Big Bear, California, in 2011.

So much so that she ended up in a big fight with another gambler, was called the police, and ended up spending the night in a jail cell.

The program must continue

Despite the fact that Harrison originally dreamed of bringing the show to television as a way to raise the store's profile and thereby increase and improve the business, the truth is that the show became so successful that in reality its Fame can now increase in the way of regular business. Can you imagine it?

On Twitter, store manager Travis Benton revealed that many people now come to see the store as tourists, who get in the way of actual customers who attend. Not only that, but during filming times, the store needs to be closed.

Tourist attraction

And it's not just that the store's popularity means that many of the visitors aren't regular customers. In fact, it has become so incredibly popular as a tourist destination that it has become the most visited non-gambling site in all of Las Vegas!

At times, lines of fans line the entire street, the sidewalks packed with tourists eager to catch a glimpse of their TV heroes, though they are rarely actually seen there.

Pawn, national tour

And it's not just legions of fans who travel miles to see the super famous and popular pawn shop. Also, the stars themselves make many trips a year as part of their national tour.

That's it! Rick and Corey Harrison tour the country themselves, offering VIP experiences, a chance to meet and greet them, and an inside look at the comings and goings of the super famous family.

Wedding problems

In addition to his successful TV show and pawn shop, Rick Harrison turned his attention to his personal life with his beloved Deanna Burditt, getting married in 2013.

But did you know that Harrison and Burditt were allegedly involved in a huge legal dispute with Burditt's ex-husband, who was tried for a variety of sex crimes? He was eventually convicted and sent to prison, and this was not the most romantic and stress-free start for the new couple.

Corey courting
Rick Harrison wasn't the only high-profile star on the show to have his private and romantic life made headlines.
Corey Harrison, in fact, married his college sweetheart. Harrison and Charlene were married in 2000, long before the echoes of fame arrived.

Unfortunately, the pressures to be the center of attention caused his marriage to suffer, and he eventually divorced in 2015. Harrison had a brief relationship with Roxy González.

Stunt man
We all know that Corey Harrison is a wild card and a daredevil. But did you know that he's also known for performing a series of death-defying stunts, and not on purpose?
He was riding his bike at full speed once when his fender came off and he went into a super-fast dive, so he jumped into the air! On another occasion, he wiped out his bike while riding in the rain from Las Vegas to San Diego.

We love a bit of adventure, but these reckless antics are too much for us.

Defy death

It seems to be the way things happen in show business: Once you reach a certain level of fame, you become the victim of an online death hoax. And as for Chumlee, this has happened to him more than once, first in 2013 after an overdose and again after suffering a heart attack.

Chumlee himself took to Twitter to confirm that he was indeed alive and wrote: "May we live long, Rich forever."

End of an era

Although he assured his followers that he was not dead, unfortunately another member of the shop did, indeed, succumb to mortality. Unfortunately, Richard "the old man" Harrison passed away in 2018, at the age of 77.

"'The Old Man' Harrison passed away this morning surrounded by his loved ones," wrote Rick Harrison on Instagram. "Our family, the Gold & Silver Pawn team and his many fans around the world will miss him tremendously. He was my hero and I was fortunate to have a great 'Old Man' as a father."

Paying tribute
As the world slowly began to absorb the sad news that the Old Man had passed away, tributes soon began to pour in from all over the world.
But that's not all: the Pawn Stars team also aired a special episode in his honor, a one-hour tribute in which everyone talked about him and their favorite moments with him over the years.

"There are a lot of memories here," Rick said in the episode. "And most of them are with my father."

Where there is will

Even though the world was united in their grief over losing the Old Man, his family was going through some secret difficulties behind closed doors as they worked out post-death arrangements.

Because the truth is that Harrison had excluded one of his sons from his will: although Rick and Joseph were included in his inheritance, his other son Chris was completely excluded. The family claimed that this had already been discussed, but we do not know the reasons behind this surprising decision.

Not so big
To many fans around the world, Corey Harrison is affectionately known as "Big Hoss" due to his ravishing personality and physical appearance.
But these days, he's not really that great anymore, as on the advice of his doctor, he underwent a major weight loss program.

After surgery and a complete diet overhaul, Harrison managed to lose more than 200 pounds. Amazing!

Sandwiches

Have you ever noticed how much the Pawn Stars stars eat throughout each of the episodes? You may not have given it much thought, but if you look closely, you will see that most of the time they eat, they are nothing but Subway sandwiches.

And this isn't just because they love a good meatball sub, it's because Subway is actually one of their backers, which means they get paid high sums of money to make sure their 'wiches are regularly featured on the show.

Online purchases
Although you might think that the cast of Pawn Stars have made millions from the show itself and associated endorsements, the truth is that the main reason they have made so much money is for something very different: the merchandising!
That's right, most of the Harrison's income now comes from official Pawn Stars merchandise, which fans are buying as much as possible.

You can buy things like mugs, glasses, and t-shirts, as well as a signed chumlee doll!

celebrities

A show is known to have really taken off when they start bringing in celebrities. It's usually reserved for sitcoms and shows like that, but Pawn Stars became so popular that it attracted more customers than are on a list!

Celeb guests to the store include Phil Collen, Joe Elliot, Jeremy McKinnon, Katie Couric, Vic Flick, Meredith Vieira, legendary singer Bob Dylan, and even much-loved and fun Steve Carrell!

Beauty news

Although the Harrisons are undoubtedly business savvy and incredibly successful television personalities, you may not necessarily think of them immediately when thinking about who might be the next big thing in the beauty business.

But did you know that Corey Harrison has indeed proven his worth in that area? He is none other than the co-owner of a Las Vegas beauty salon and club called Beauty Bar. It has been open since 2014 and has become a huge success.

Sweet sensations

And Corey Harrison isn't the only star on the show who has branched out with other adventures. Because Chumlee also opened his own store, guess what he's selling?

The answer is none other than sweets! Chumelee revealed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he loves candy, so it made sense for him to go into the confectionery business. "My brother and I wanted to do something fun and candy is fun," he said. We can't argue!

The military
After his death, many people have favorite memories of Richard “Old Man” Harrison. But did you know that there is so much of your past that has not even been revealed to most of your fans or loved ones?
For example, we bet you didn't know that Harrison served in the Navy for over 20 years.

Rumor has it he was sent to the military as punishment for stealing a car, but whatever the original reason, it clearly worked out very well.

No need
Throughout the entire series, it's pretty clear that the Harrison family are natural traders, and the complicated business of the pawn industry comes naturally to them.
But the truth is that now they have been so successful that they no longer even need to work to make ends meet, they just do it for the fun of it.

"I'm at a point in my life where if I don't like it, I don't have to," Harrison revealed to Las Vegas Now .

Old Man - the old man

We all know and love Richard "Old Man" Harrison, and his legacy lives on long after his passing. But did you know that his nickname actually earned it long before he became an old man? Sure, he was 68 when the show began airing, but he had been known by his nickname years before this.

In fact, that's what they actually called him when he was only 38 years old!

Rest in peace

After Richard "Old Man" Harrison passed away, he received a fitting farewell with a beautiful funeral ceremony, in his hometown of Las Vegas. Many people know that his loving family gave him an emotional farewell, but not everyone realizes that fans actually had the opportunity to say goodbye as well.

Because the family opened the funeral home to the public for a few hours, allowing fans to come and pay their respects in person.

What's behind a name

Chumlee is arguably one of the most popular members of the Pawn Stars cast , but have you ever wondered where he got his unusual nickname?

Well, the truth is that it came from the classic animated television series Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales , with a penguin in the title role. And the penguin's companion was a silly walrus named, you guessed it, chumlee! Chumlee certainly isn't dumb, but that's the real inspiration behind the name.

Alternative identity

And it's not just chumlee who has become known and loved by fans around the world, referred to with an affectionate nickname. Because in reality, almost all of the cast members of Pawn Stars are known by names other than their official nicknames.

After all, we know that Richard Harrison is known as Old Man, Austin Russel is Chumlee, and Corey Harrison is Big Hoss. But did you know that they also tried to call Rick Harrison "The Observer" and Richard Harrison "The Assessor"? These were more work-related nicknames, but they weren't a hit with fans, so they dropped them after a while.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Naked eye

 

Have you ever wondered, while watching Pawn Stars, why don't you see so many people pawning items in the store? Generally, customers there are making suitable sales more often.

 
 
Naked eye

This is because, if you think about it, many people who are hoarding their own belongings for loans are probably in dire straits and don't always want those moments to be broadcast on TV. Therefore, the simpler sales are easier to obtain permission to be broadcast.

Offer and demand

As we know, Harrison's original idea of ​​transferring the pawn shop to a television show was inspired, in part, by his desire to gain more publicity for the place and thereby attract more customers.

But even he couldn't imagine how popular the store would one day become, and how much they had to adapt to meet increased demand. In fact, many more customers started frequenting the store, so they had to hire 30 new people and expand the area by 15,000 square feet!

Morrison painting

Many Pawn Stars fans and viewers feel like they know the store quite well, even if they haven't managed to get there in person yet. And one of the most memorable and impressive items on display at the famous venue is none other than the massive painting of Doors frontman Jim Morrison.

But did you know that it was actually the work of famous speed artist Denny Dent? Not only that, but it was originally on sale for $ 20,000, but the stars later decided that it was such an important part of the show that it would no longer be for sale.

Prank calls

Seeing that the show has become so popular, we can imagine that more and more people have gotten in touch with the world famous gold and silver pawn shop over the years.

But we bet you didn't think about how many people call the store not for really legitimate reasons, but just for the fun of stopping by and hearing them answer ... For that reason, they get a lot of prank calls, most of the time, with a request for a 1991 copy of the popular video game "Battletoads"!

Single party

We know that Harrison persevered for years to get his beloved pawnshop translated into a television show, and it was certainly his hard work that really paid off. But did you know that it was also a fluke that brought the store a television deal?

That's right, Leftfield Pictures executives stumbled upon the store while in town for a bachelor party, and that's when they were inspired to show it off to their bosses on the History Channel.

Side kicks

The show has, of course, turned all of its top stars into bona fide celebrities, but sometimes it's the least-watched background players who also gain a huge following.

Other smaller figures, but still much loved by the show, are Antoine, the huge security guard; Peaches, the perpetually late blonde clerk; part-time flea market buff Scott; Audie, middle-aged and bearded Latino, and 'Fat Back', the mechanic. Each of these guys makes Pawn Stars the show we know and love today.

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Corneliu Boghian good article , thanks for sharing
December 2, 2021 at 6:23pm
Simon Keighley Interesting article, things do look different behind the scenes. I used to love watching Pawn Stars - it's broadcast over here in the UK. Thanks for sharing.
November 30, 2021 at 9:14am