Alas, poor History Channel....
Unfortunately it's gone way down in quality. Still, there's "Pawn Stars." Of course I'd heard about it, but hadn't seen it much (I caught a few eps in Vegas last year). I wish they had some follow-up for the more unusual items they purchase, but it's nice to get some disjointed bits of history scattered all over the place. They do show a side of the pawn shop trade which makes it seem less disreputable than most people think of. Yet one still wonders how many people pawn stuff and gamble the loans away... of course, that wouldn't be the pawn shops responsibility.
Is the store worth visiting? I assume some here have seen it.
When they're not filming, it's generally packed with people. Ropes and stantions for traffic flow.
It's a business that is more like a free tourist trap. The wall behind the cashier is full of various souvenirs. The biggest seller is Chumlee T-shirts.
Oh, sure, if you want to buy, sell or pawn something they'll help you, but it's nothing like the show. For one thing the stars are rarely there.
Quote: NareedI was rather taken with the Hsitory channela few years abck. Then I switched cable companies, and the new one carried it dubbed into Spanish (I hate dubbing). Last week, though, they finally figured out they had the bandwidth to carry two audio tracks. So now I can watch it again.
Unfortunately it's gone way down in quality. Still, there's "Pawn Stars." Of course I'd heard about it, but hadn't seen it much (I caught a few eps in Vegas last year). I wish they had some follow-up for the more unusual items they purchase, but it's nice to get some disjointed bits of history scattered all over the place. They do show a side of the pawn shop trade which makes it seem less disreputable than most people think of. Yet one still wonders how many people pawn stuff and gamble the loans away... of course, that wouldn't be the pawn shops responsibility.
Is the store worth visiting? I assume some here have seen it.
I was into this show for a while a couple years ago, but I think it's jumped the shark. The guys themselves are almost never there; they come in to film when enough interesting things have been gathered for good segments, after this many years of showing stuff that's somewhat normal. The website does follow up on some of their purchases, including offering some of them for sale. The line to get in the store is reportedly out the door at all hours; it's like a line at a club. The side stories about them are largely manufactured by their producers at this point, not real interactions between them (if it ever was, but there's a verite in the early shows that seems forced now). The earlier episodes are in heavy rotation, and are much more interesting than any I've seen filmed in the last year or so.
And to add to Babs' comment about the "early stuff" - is it just me or does it seem like reality shows start out being close to reality, which is then plowed asunder by producers who decide to meddle in the later years?
Quote: Face
And to add to Babs' comment about the "early stuff" - is it just me or does it seem like reality shows start out being close to reality, which is then plowed asunder by producers who decide to meddle in the later years?
Face:
After awhile, its pretty boring, so the producers "have" to spice it up.
SFB
Frank Scoblete, author of "Confessions of a Wayward Catholic"
Quote: SFBFace:
After awhile, its pretty boring, so the producers "have" to spice it up.
SFB
I dunno. When I look back to all of those types of shows that have hooked me, I love the first year or two. Take "Sons of Guns". The entire show is just a dude and his crew building guns, talking guns, finishing guns, shooting guns. The show is about what it says it's about - Guns. Fast forward a year or three, and now it's about the same tired script of in-house beef and love interests between coworkers. It's lowest common denominator TV.
Makes me sick. I don't give a rip about Paul and Paul Jr's manufactured rift. I want to see a bike built. I don't care about Mike and Frank's weird relationship. I want to see old stuff pulled out of barns. And I sure as hell don't care about some idiot dating the bosses daughter. I just want to see them fix and fire that MG-42.
So what's really boring? The topic? Or the repetitive nature of every single show that feels personal drama is a must-have for viewing?
Must be why my Netflix is almost completely filled with National Geographic documentaries. If David Attenborough made it, it's a guaranteed winner.
Rumor is Rick shopped the idea of a pawn shop show for 10 years and no one was interested because the pawn business is very depressing and not very exciting. It was the producers of the show that decided that they needed to start taking in non-traditional items to make the show interesting. Before the show they bought mainly watches, coins, and jewelry. Supposedly the son and his goofy friend didn't even work at the store but the producers wanted to get a family angle with three generations.
One of my clients owns one of those "Storage" facilities where you can rent a 10 by 10 space for $60 a month, and even larger if you need it.
They have about 100-125 units.
Have had them for about 15 years or so. And we are in a fairly wealthy area.
Lots of time to have folks not pay their bill, and have many auctions to clear out the "stuff" left behind.
Most of it is dumpster ready. In 12 years? Maybe a couple pieces of furniture that were worth more than $50 at a yard sale...
So, that show, "Storage Wars"? With old cars, jewelry, fabulous antiques? BS. It is all planted.
IF you got it, you sell it, then you don't pay the bill...
SFB
but in the back where the offices are, not up front. Once
a week they sign autographs for money. I think Rick
and the old mans are $25 and Cory and Chum are $15.
The entire show is a set up, they get real people
sometimes who come from all over the country with their
stuff, and sometimes they use local actors. You contact
the producers with what you have and they tell to show
it to them if you're going to be in Vegas on such and
such a date.
It's all so bogus now. Who in their right mind would take
a document signed by George Washington to a pawn shop.
Rick makes an offer and they turn it down. Silliness..
Quote: SFB
So, that show, "Storage Wars"? With old cars, jewelry, fabulous antiques? BS. It is all planted.
It usually belongs to the 'expert' they take it
to at the end of the show. he loans it to the
producers, they plant it in a locker, and they
expert gets it back when it's over. I know
somebody who's been buying lockers for 20
years and not once has he found one thing
of real value. Yet they find jewels and coin
collections and things worth $20K on a regular
basis on the show. What its done is ruin the
business for real people who do it for a living.
Every auction is full of amateurs now who
bit thru the roof because they watch the show.
Quote: onenickelmiracleNareed, sometimes shows are broadcast in multiple languages you can access if your tv has the button to switch them on the controller. i've done it by accident on the old tv so can't say what to look for.
It's called SAP, or Second Audio Program. It's been around since at elast the 90s, but few cable channels bothered with it. Since cable went digital, though, the set-up menu for the box has a choice for audio language (in Latina America typically English, Spanish and Portuguese). This is supposed to be a global setting applying to all channels and shows. In practice, it works on some channels but not in all.
To respond in a general way:
1) I know the show is staged. All such shows are. This is TV and entertainment, not the news. I wouldn't be surprised if they have sellers audition , either. And of course we never see the producers obtaining signatures in a release form, either. One thing, though, is that I'm not sure just how much the cast actually knows about the things they buy. Some of it must be fed to them, but the way they carry out conversations either means they act really well, or they are at least conversant on the subjects.
2) Despite the amounts they often bandy about on the show, I'm sure the cast makes mroe money from the show than the store. So I wouldn't expect to see them keeping shop, when they could be promoting the show and making more money off that (trade shows, autographs, apeparances, etc).
3) The "personal" story bits just get int he way of what little actual history we get ;) If I wnat good drama, I see a movie, TV show or read a book. If I want real drama, I browse the news.
4) My only reason to visit the store wuld be to see just how many unusual items are on display. If there is a line to get in, though, I'll pass.
store and there's nothing to see. Some of the
stuff from the show is there, most of its not
because they never really bought it, it's a TV
show.
Most pawn shop people do not know much of anything. They make their living on people who redeem their items. If you need money, have a friend who is a regular pawn it. He will get more than you can.
Most auctions are on Friday in big cities, so the buyer can try and unload it at a flea market that weekend.
not dumb at all. He doesn't even talk like he does
on the show, it's all an act. The only one not acting
is the old man. People who know him say he's a
jerk, way worse than he's portrayed on the show.
If so, then if you consider this, and look at the drawing and use your imagination, it could be possible, it may be true, Ancient aliens might in fact have been a good show.Quote: soxfanThe only two shows worth watching on the History Channel are Vikings and Ancient Aliens, hey hey.
Quote: EvenBobI've seen Chum on a couple talk shows and he's
not dumb at all. He doesn't even talk like he does
on the show, it's all an act. The only one not acting
is the old man. People who know him say he's a
jerk, way worse than he's portrayed on the show.
I met Chum last year. He's a lot smaller in person and, besides being baked to the hills, was completely normal. Surely not the bumbling buffoon as seen on TV.
Quote: EvenBobNo, it's not worth visiting. The 4 stars are usually there,
but in the back where the offices are, not up front. Once
a week they sign autographs for money. I think Rick
and the old mans are $25 and Cory and Chum are $15.
WTF? I can't imagine grown men/women paying for autographs from these clowns. I can't imagine charging for autographs…...
Quote: treetopbuddyWTF? I can't imagine grown men/women paying for autographs from these clowns. I can't imagine charging for autographs…...
Everyone whose autograph is "worth" having charges for it. Or rather most such people. Penn and teller sign everything freely after their show in Vegas.
Still, a few years from now lots of people are going to try to sell their Pawn Stars autographs. :)
Quote: treetopbuddyWTF? I can't imagine grown men/women paying for autographs from these clowns. I can't imagine charging for autographs…...
I can't imagine it either, but as the saying goes, "you will never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public"
Quote: djatcPawn Stars is the one show I don't mind it's faked, as long as they keep putting up cool historical/military stuff. Just finding out the story of the items people bring in is good enough for me, and the prices it's worth is an added extra.
Yes, that's exactly the whole point of the show. In particualr I like learning something surprising about someone or something well-known. And those XIX century guns are just plain weird.
I have a couple of items in my Audible queue(*) about everyday life throughout history. it's all well and good to learn what the personages of history did, and sometimes how and why and for how much, but I always want to kno a little more about what regualr people did, and how, and why. Some items that pop up now and then help fill in this kind of trivia.
(*) These would be a Great Courses lecture, and a Bill Bryson book.
Quote: Facemy Netflix is almost completely filled with National Geographic documentaries. If David Attenborough made it, it's a guaranteed winner.
Up until a few years ago, NatGeo channel was a favorite. Excellent documentaries. Now it seems it's "Alaska State Troopers" 24/7. Sad.
Quote: chickenmanUp until a few years ago, NatGeo channel was a favorite. Excellent documentaries. Now it seems it's "Alaska State Troopers" 24/7. Sad.
There seems to be quite a few Alaska based reality type shows on lately. The more I see them the more I am thankful I am not in Alaska.
Quote: SFB
So, that show, "Storage Wars"? With old cars, jewelry, fabulous antiques? BS. It is all planted.
Oh, I wasn't fooled. I'm sure there are times when a valuable car or some furniture/painting was stored without really knowing the treasure it was, and wound up in the proprieter's hands. That must happen. But for every single auction to have several "ZOMG" scores? Gimme a break. It's laughable.
Quote: chickenmanUp until a few years ago, NatGeo channel was a favorite. Excellent documentaries. Now it seems it's "Alaska State Troopers" 24/7. Sad.
Attenborough's "The Life Series" narrated by Oprah might be the single greatest thing I've ever seen, followed very, very closely by his "The Blue Planet". A must see by anyone who's still breathing. Normally I'm a "to each his own" type of guy. But if you're not enthralled by either of these, you just got problems, simple as that ;)
What about related/spinoff shows? I haven't thought to see them, but from the promos apparently the guys who restore antiques and cars also have their shows in History too (their shows are History?? <w>). Are either of them worth watching?
What I like is to see old, odd, unusual or weird items, with a smidgen of actual (one assumes) history expounded about them.
Quote: NareedAfter having watched a great deal of Pawn Stars the past month (it's on at 5 am for an hour, right when I'm prepping for the daily workout), I've decide that whether the "customers" are "real" doesn't matter at all. The stories about the cast are scripted, and mostly I ignore them. Curiously they feature in the promos for the show...
What about related/spinoff shows? I haven't thought to see them, but from the promos apparently the guys who restore antiques and cars also have their shows in History too (their shows are History?? <w>). Are either of them worth watching?
What I like is to see old, odd, unusual or weird items, with a smidgen of actual (one assumes) history expounded about them.
I can't seem to get into Counting Cars, American Restoration, or Cajun Pawn Stars. It's typical for any TV station to make massive spinoffs if they find that one hit. What makes Pawn Stars interesting is the guys on the show, historical impact of the items, and the experts who appraise the material.
Quote: djatcI can't seem to get into Counting Cars, American Restoration, or Cajun Pawn Stars. It's typical for any TV station to make massive spinoffs if they find that one hit. What makes Pawn Stars interesting is the guys on the show, historical impact of the items, and the experts who appraise the material.
I enjoy Counting Cars, even if I don't think their design work is very exciting. I lost respect for American Restoration when the brother of the main guy on American Restoration, showed up on Pawn Stars to sell an old Coke machine, (which he pretended was an old family heirloom). The Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison bought it, then took it back to Rick's Restorations to get it fixed. I am not even sure the finished Coke machine was the same one they originally brought in.
Quote: AyecarumbaI lost respect for American Restoration when the brother of the main guy on American Restoration, showed up on Pawn Stars to sell an old Coke machine, (which he pretended was an old family heirloom). The Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison bought it, then took it back to Rick's Restorations to get it fixed. I am not even sure the finished Coke machine was the same one they originally brought in.
I woulnd't be shocked to know the items they get restored on Pawn Stars aren't the items showed as bought. It's TV, again, and entertainment.
To do it so transparently, though, it's either clever or the worst chutzpah. That is, were they kind of winking at the audience, or trying to fool them?
Quote: djatcI can't seem to get into Counting Cars, American Restoration, or Cajun Pawn Stars.
I've also seen one about a pawn shop in Great Britain. But it's on at really odd times, like 1 am.
My interest in cars ends in "do I have enough gas or do I need to get more?" But you can learn itneresting tidbits from cars, too.
Quote:What makes Pawn Stars interesting is the guys on the show, historical impact of the items, and the experts who appraise the material.
Yes! The toher day someone brought in (sure they did!) a football signed by, allegedly, the 1967 Bears. Corey casually mentioned the players of the time had other jobs during the off-season (in fact this went clear to the 1970s). So I already knew that. But then he added the game programs of the era would have ads directed at local business requesting jobs for the players, so they could stay in the area year-round. That I didn't know.
It's a small detail, but it gives you an idea of the differences between historically proximate eras. And slo how fast things constantly changed during the XX Century (and in this century, too, for that matter).
The other week they had Corey ask for a piece of the business, and threatening to quit and go work elsewhere if Rick adn the Old Man refused.
While this seems like good drama, it isn't. Corey doens't just work for his dad at the pawn shop. He also works for a TV show, from which he likely earns more money anyway. So, sure, he may get better pay for his pawn shop job elsewhere. But he won't get another TV show as well. It's not good drama when you know the conflict can only end one way.
TV is already cliched and bent to the needs of the show. There's no need to make it worse.
Now, if he had said he had a job offer at one of the spin-off shows...
Quote: robbiehoodShe pawned the coins for an amount far below their collector value and scrap value.
Everything's pawned at far below its value. The item then is merely collateral for a loan.
Quote: djatcI can't seem to get into Counting Cars, American Restoration, or Cajun Pawn Stars. It's typical for any TV station to make massive spinoffs if they find that one hit. What makes Pawn Stars interesting is the guys on the show, historical impact of the items, and the experts who appraise the material.
I had high hopes for Counting Cars. I could see them grooming Danny for a year or so. When it came on, major letdown. OTOH, American Restoration is my favorite of them. Probably because I like seeing how they do it and they give you tips. The interaction is not real, but when they explain how something is done that part is. It did partially inspire me to take a welding class.
Quote: EvenBobNo, it's not worth visiting. The 4 stars are usually there,
but in the back where the offices are, not up front. Once
a week they sign autographs for money. I think Rick
and the old mans are $25 and Cory and Chum are $15.
The entire show is a set up, they get real people
sometimes who come from all over the country with their
stuff, and sometimes they use local actors. You contact
the producers with what you have and they tell to show
it to them if you're going to be in Vegas on such and
such a date.
It's all so bogus now. Who in their right mind would take
a document signed by George Washington to a pawn shop.
Rick makes an offer and they turn it down. Silliness..
Unbelieveably correct.
And the side storeis are so set up and staged.
It was pointed out on one website that some "transactions" were staged well beyond normal staging. For example, a gun store in the locale has a rare gun. They arrainge to have some guy come in and try to sell it. They get to talk about the history of the gun and take up 10 minutes...and either they "buy it" or they dont. Either way the guy brings it back to the gun strore. No money changes hands
There is this lady doctor that brings in pieces of her collection of old medical equipment. And she sells it for like 75 dollars . I suspect she brings it in so they can talk about the history if theitem, fill in some show time, and then pretends to sell it...and then just takes it home. What the heck does she need 75 dollars for.
And then it cracks me up that relatively uneducated people are giving me lectures on obscure items and obscure pieces of history as if they knew thisoff the topof their heads.
Before given the script, they couldnt tell me who fought in the spanish american war...let alone tell me the date it started. Before the script is handed to them they couldnt tell me who the wife of Woodrow Wilson was, or his hobbies, and shoe size.
Its all scripted, staged, and is not anything like what you would see in a typical day in a pawn shop.
And Harcore Pawn is even more staged if that is possible.
I saw a pawn stars slot machine in reno..amazing
And the storage wars type shows are super staged...unrealistic, and did i mention....STAGED
Quote: LarrySIt was pointed out on one website that some "transactions" were staged well beyond normal staging.
As I've said a number of times before, I don't mind any of this. It's TV entertainment, not the news. Stage away. At least without a regular cast of "sellers" you don't knwo beforehand whether the items are real, forgeries, reproductions, etc, or whether they will sell or not. Adn the items and tidbits about them are interesting. I estimate you elarn about as much about them as you would seeing them in a museum.
In fact, it might be possible, though not now, to write a drama or comedy show centered on a fmaily who deals in antique and/or odd items, not necessarily in/through a pawn shop, complete with buying and selling of said items, and some brief historical exposition on each.
Yeah, right.
Quote: treetopbuddyThe above seems true but I know for a fact that Lizard Lick Towing is 100% legit
yeah THATS the one on the level reality show.
legit reality show.....oxymoron
It been reported that there are times that they can tow a vehicle with no confrontation. But they wait and wait till someone comes home to instigate the confrontation
heck if most of the day they quyietly tow cars away..what fun is that.
might as well drum up something for the cameras.
and then if there is internal conflict between workers, and side stories.....please tell me you dont believe that.
every reality show has staged conflict...its what sells
storage shows is all about conflict between bidders
pawn stars has conflict between the family and chumly
harcore pawn..all kinds of family and worker conflict
I dont watch towing shows...but it has to revolve around conflict
chicago pawn...conflict between brothers
all staged.
Quote: NareedAs I've said a number of times before, I don't mind any of this. It's TV entertainment, not the news. Stage away. At least without a regular cast of "sellers" you don't knwo beforehand whether the items are real, forgeries, reproductions, etc, or whether they will sell or not. Adn the items and tidbits about them are interesting. I estimate you elarn about as much about them as you would seeing them in a museum.
In fact, it might be possible, though not now, to write a drama or comedy show centered on a fmaily who deals in antique and/or odd items, not necessarily in/through a pawn shop, complete with buying and selling of said items, and some brief historical exposition on each.
Yeah, right.
these reality shows have become the poor mans "friends" or "seinfeld",except they dont have to pay the actors 1 million dollars an episode. They dont have to hire good writers.
Its a great savings.
they just get some photogenic mopes with some personality, and set up some conflict, and set up some phoney stories revolving around their stores, their storage bidding, their towing....and they have a poor mans sitcom sometimes a cross between a sitcom and antiques roadshow.
its [poor quality, staged, not real, and an insult to my intellegence.......but i still watch with my wife and laugh at the phoneyness.......so I guess either way the shows are a success from people who like them and people who like to hate them.
Quote: LarrySthese reality shows have become the poor mans "friends" or "seinfeld",except they dont have to pay the actors 1 million dollars an episode. They dont have to hire good writers.
Yes, but the fad for "reality" shows won't last forever, anymore than the fad, or fashion, for Westerns did.
BTW, every writer who has ever lived considers themselves the bestest ever greatest wirter that ever lived or will ever live. So don't try to convince the writers in "reality" shows they're not very good. You'll never hear the end fo it ;)
How would you classify "Mythbusters"? Certainly theye dit things heavily, but by the mere fact that they re-test "myths" and admit to mistakes, I think their tests and experiments are real and not staged to achieve a specific result. But I have a smidgen of doubt whether having achieved a real result, they don't stage it to make it more photogenic.
Quote: FrankScobleteI am writing a new book and one section has information about a show I did on the History Channel. I can tell you "history" is a truly relative term when it comes to television.
The channel programming was pretty true to the title for it's first 10 years. Then in 2005 it realized that documentaries about Nostrodamus and 2012 were bringing in most of the revenue. In 2008 it dropped "channel" from it's title and just became "History", and essentially became a reality TV channel.
Quote: pacomartinThe channel programming was pretty true to the title for it's first 10 years.
I recall some really good shows there. Modern Marvels, for example. On A&E they had good stuff like The History of Weapons at War.
The problem is when Cable here went digital, the SAP, and the English audio track along with it, vanished. The dubbed programming was terrible, rife with errors, mistranslations and plain stupid voice choices. So I quit watching. Now the English audio track is back on, but the shows are much poorer.
Is anyone wathcing the new "Cosmos" BTW? I dind't much care for the first ep. it seemed to be "Look! Pretty stars!" for about half the time, but I can let that go as a general intro to the ignorant masses. What I really dind't like was the animated dramatization of Giordano Bruno. Sagan's "Cosmos" used live actors, they had no lines and Sagan narrated what was happening and what was said. They were used as illustrations, not as inserted stories.
I loved his show, I watched all the eps as many times as they ran and I still have the book (and I read it, too).
I'll watch a few more, but I'm not hopeful. Besides, back when Sagan's "Cosmos" ran, there weren't umpteen other science shows, podcasts, websites, etc. as there are now. I expect there won't be much new for me to learn from this new show. But I'm glad it's on anyway and I wish it much success. There can't be too much science popularizations.
Quote: NareedYes, but the fad for "reality" shows won't last forever, anymore than the fad, or fashion, for Westerns did.
BTW, every writer who has ever lived considers themselves the bestest ever greatest wirter that ever lived or will ever live. So don't try to convince the writers in "reality" shows they're not very good. You'll never hear the end fo it ;)
How would you classify "Mythbusters"? Certainly theye dit things heavily, but by the mere fact that they re-test "myths" and admit to mistakes, I think their tests and experiments are real and not staged to achieve a specific result. But I have a smidgen of doubt whether having achieved a real result, they don't stage it to make it more photogenic.
mythbusters started off to be very scientific, and has gotten a little show bizzy. It used to be only the 2 older guys, but in order to get the younger generation they bring in the younger folks and try to make it more jazzy. I think by now they are getting low on ideas for "myths". Ithink the show has outlasted its original intent.
