Who Watches This Stuff?: “Pawn Stars”

By Tom Comi

Channel Guide Magazine‘s never-ending quest to understand why you are watching the stuff you are watching continues today as we explore History’s fascinating reality hit Pawn Stars.

With a marathon airing tonight (beginning at 8pm), we sought feedback from reader Lauren Anderson about what draws her to the show that revolves around a Nevada pawn shop owned by the Harrison family.

CGM: What is it about this show that you find interesting?
Lauren:The history of the items is what I find fascinating. I majored in history and love when the Harrisons bring in experts to explain the historical significance of the items. Once a chair from the floor of the U.S. Senate was brought in on the same day as a signed photo from NASA’s Gemini launch.

CGM: What is the coolest thing you have seen sold on the show?
Lauren: One really cool item was a first edition copy of For Whom the Bell Tolls. The really great thing was that George Stephanopoulos came into the shop and bought the book.

CGM: What is your impression of the Harrison family, and how do they enhance the show?
Lauren:The family dynamic really makes the show fun to watch. They bicker a lot but end up relying on one another’s expertise when certain items are brought in. One really great episode featured the boys trying to design a fancy new office for “The Old Man” so that the customers wouldn’t see him falling asleep at his desk. He seemed to like the office, but in the end he went back to his cramped quarters on the floor of the shop.

CGM: Has watching “Pawn Stars” made you think about selling to or buying from a pawn shop?
Lauren: It always make you think about certain items that have been handed down in your family and wonder if it could be worth something. It’s interesting that most people who bring in an item have an idea of its value and what they want for it but the Harrisons always seen to win out in the negotiations.

CGM: Would you recommend this program to your friends or family members and why?
Lauren: I would recommend it. A marathon could pull you in for hours. Not knowing what is coming into the shop next — combined with the family dynamic and the fun of of watching the negotiations —makes it really compelling TV.

[Note: If you would like to be interviewed for an upcoming segment of “Who Watches This Stuff?”, contact us at editor-tv@tribune.com.]

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© 2009 AETN. Credit: Joey L