# Chumlee in Pawn Stars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090 "2011-01-26T20:23:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/141 "2011-03-25T19:08:54Z")
Looks like the nearest Subway is about 6 blocks away. . . ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/142 "2011-03-25T21:21:48Z")
And sometimes the guest experts make terrible mistakes. For instance, in one show some poor schlub brought in a ragged McClellan saddle – the saddle used by the American armed forces from the Civil War until horse cavalry and artillery disappeared just before WWII. The schlub thought the saddle as highly valuable because he thought it had been used in the _Dancing with Wolves_ movie. The expert declared the saddle to be a fraud because (1) it was covered with rawhide, not harness leather, and (2) it was marked as having a 12 inch seat which the expert thought was way too small. BS on both counts. The Civil War model was rawhide covered and continued to be issued that way until the supply was used up. People who could afford it had the rawhide covered with harness leather and some units did their own modification but the fact that the saddle seat was rawhide was not a red flag. As long as it was used the McClellan came in three sizes which were shown on a brass plate on the inside of the pommel. The sizes were 11 inches (small), 11 ½ inches (medium) and 12 inches (fat ass). They were not sized by the modern convention which designates a pretty standard Western Saddle as having a 17 inch seat. Rick sits there and offers the poor schlub a pittance for a saddle that a museum or a collector or a reinacter might give an arm for. I don’t remember if the schlub took the offer or not, but the point is that while in may well have been a reproduction saddle the factors used by the expert-for-the-show to say that it was not the real thing were just flat wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/143 "2011-03-29T01:22:35Z")
I can’t stand Pawn Stars, or american Pickers either. If they weren’t on the History Channel, I probably wouldn’t care or know about them. But instead of anything historical THC shows these programs. I don’t know how much they show them now, because a few months ago I just plain quit watching THC. (Pawn Stars was on all of the time). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/144 "2011-03-29T04:01:11Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I can’t even THINK the name Chumlee without hearing it in Don Adams’ voice… THAT’S what I’ve been hearing in my head: Tennesee Tuxedo! \* (Talking to his sidekick, Chumley!) (Though it could be Chalmondolay)\* ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/145 "2011-03-29T04:04:22Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I wonder what happened to American Restoration. Four episodes and nada. History just started promoting a new season. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/146 "2011-03-29T04:27:41Z")
Chumlee crossed a line in the episode with the computer crash. The Old Man comes up and starts helping customers with hand written tickets. Instead of watching & learning, Chum mutters it’s time to take lunch. :rolleyes: Yeah right, a whole line of customers, no computer, and Chumlee wants to abandon an 80 year old man to deal with it. I would have chewed his ass and told him to find a ticket book and pen. :mad: That kind of chicken shit attitude doesn’t cut it with me. That’s beyond low down. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/147 "2011-03-30T01:32:51Z")
> [@Spavined\_Gelding](#): > > And sometimes the guest experts make terrible mistakes. For instance, in one show some poor schlub brought in a ragged McClellan saddle – the saddle used by the American armed forces from the Civil War until horse cavalry and artillery disappeared just before WWII. The schlub thought the saddle as highly valuable because he thought it had been used in the _Dancing with Wolves_ movie. > > The expert declared the saddle to be a fraud because (1) it was covered with rawhide, not harness leather, and (2) it was marked as having a 12 inch seat which the expert thought was way too small. BS on both counts. The Civil War model was rawhide covered and continued to be issued that way until the supply was used up. People who could afford it had the rawhide covered with harness leather and some units did their own modification but the fact that the saddle seat was rawhide was not a red flag. As long as it was used the McClellan came in three sizes which were shown on a brass plate on the inside of the pommel. The sizes were 11 inches (small), 11 ½ inches (medium) and 12 inches (fat ass). They were not sized by the modern convention which designates a pretty standard Western Saddle as having a 17 inch seat. > > Rick sits there and offers the poor schlub a pittance for a saddle that a museum or a collector or a reinacter might give an arm for. I don’t remember if the schlub took the offer or not, but the point is that while in may well have been a reproduction saddle the factors used by the expert-for-the-show to say that it was not the real thing were just flat wrong. The guy got it in an auction, and was told it had been used by Kevin Costner, but he had no papers, no authentification, just a brochure about the movie. The expert came in, said he had watched the entire movie, and had not seen a saddle like that in the movie. He told him that it WAS most likely a saddle from the Civil War, but it had not been used in _Dances with Wolves_, and that it was way too small for Costner. So you’re obviously not remembering the episode right. And no, he didn’t take the offer. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/148 "2012-06-19T06:43:50Z")
They tried to promo him screwing up bad and getting suspended in this evenings epi. Of course things didnt work out that way. He is a fun character but it was a little creepy when he tried to hit on the hot book expert and she basically treayed him like a little kid. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/149 "2012-06-19T07:30:30Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > I think this show is way beyond staged. There is no way that Rick know that much about everything. I’ve actually seen him fumble the ball on things I was sure he’d know about. (Hell, _I_ knew about them!) F’rinstance, he didn’t know that the 15th USAAF flew out of Italy, that AAF officers wore hand-embroidered bullion unit patches, or that they flew P-38s in the Mediterranean. He obviously reads a lot and is very knowledgeable in fields he’s interested in (firearms, sports memorabilia, rock music, and so on). But he’s not an expert in _everything._ ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/150 "2012-06-19T10:21:00Z")
For those interested Rick wrote a book about his life in the Pawn business. > **[License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver: Harrison,...](https://www.amazon.com/License-Pawn-Deals-Steals-Silver/dp/1401324304)** > > License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver \[Harrison, Rick, Keown, Tim\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/151 "2012-06-19T10:39:43Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > For those interested Rick wrote a book about his life in the Pawn business. > > [License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver: Harrison, Rick, Keown, Tim: 9781401324308: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/License-Pawn-Deals-Steals-Silver/dp/1401324304/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340101075&sr=1-1&keywords=rick+harrison+license+to+pawn) I dont want to let this book get out of the shop but be fair. Its used and has been read. The corners are curled and it has a coffee stain. Ill offer you #2.50 and that is my final offer. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/152 "2012-06-19T13:12:39Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > …she basically treayed him like a little kid. I’d act like a little kid around that woman too! She is hot, adorable, sexy and intelligent, all at the same time. She needs her own show, focusing on historical books and such, a show that could be a great addition to the “History” channel. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/153 "2012-06-19T13:18:59Z")
For those who don’t know whom we are talking about, I give you [Rebecca Romney](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=tweySyEuLUgIKM:&imgrefurl=https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/about-us/press/library-lights.aspx&docid=sl91HtZqgveS3M&imgurl=https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/SiteFiles/images/romney.jpg&w=250&h=250&ei=w3vgT9y2FYLx0gGm_-jODg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=226&vpy=219&dur=333&hovh=183&hovw=196&tx=86&ty=80&sig=115953243897538276395&page=1&tbnh=183&tbnw=196&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:75&biw=1385&bih=905), book expert. > [@](#): > > For four years [Romney] has used her background in classical studies of Greek and Roman literature and linguistics, along with her ability to read in six languages, to help collectors start their first library with a single book or round out the collection of an American Revolutionary War buff with just the right version of Common Sense by Thomas Paine. “It’s not a matter of ‘Should I get a copy’ but which copy,” she says of her advisory role with clients, where she gets to know collectors and discovers books that add the right touch to a library. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/154 "2012-06-19T13:28:05Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I’d act like a little kid around that woman too! She is hot, adorable, sexy and intelligent, all at the same time. She needs her own show, focusing on historical books and such, a show that could be a great addition to the “History” channel. Amen to that, bro! This site needs an :inlove: Smilie just for her. For some reason, any woman with the name of Rebecca is all of the above. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/155 "2012-06-19T14:04:10Z")
The picture in that link isn’t very good. She looks much better than that on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/156 "2012-06-19T14:41:20Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > The picture in that link isn’t very good. She looks much better than that on TV. I think she looks incredible. It’s the only one I could find, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/157 "2012-06-19T15:28:45Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > For those interested Rick wrote a book about his life in the Pawn business. > > [License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver: Harrison, Rick, Keown, Tim: 9781401324308: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/License-Pawn-Deals-Steals-Silver/dp/1401324304/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340101075&sr=1-1&keywords=rick+harrison+license+to+pawn) I started reading this a few nights ago, on the recommendation of my brother. Rick actually does know that much - he’s a voracious reader and studier and has been in the business a long time. He had epilepsy as a child and his grand mal seizures left him bedridden for weeks at a time, so he read like crazy and never grew out of his curiosity but grew out of epilepsy. Halfway done, interesting book so far. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/158 "2012-06-19T15:55:35Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Also, notice they don’t discuss the pawn side of things a whole lot. Occasionally it comes up, as when the guy didn’t show up for his Rolex. But I think they stay away from the pawn side of the business because it’s by far the seedier side of the operation, and the people involved are more desperate and it costs them more money. It’s one thing to show a guy getting $500 for an old heirloom, it’s another to see someone charged 120% - 300% APR interest, or to pawn his $5000 wedding ring for $500 and never come back for it. Rick Harrison says this in the introduction to _License To Pawn_: > [@](#): > > On _Pawn Stars_, the vast majority of the customers you see are selling, not pawning. There’s a simple reason for that: Most people who are in the position where they have to pawn something don’t want to be shown on television. There’s a stigma attached to it, which is why it’s legally considered a private transaction between the pawnbroker and the customer. He laments later in the book that he hardly ever gets to do pawns these days, on or off camera, because there are always people in the store taking photos and videos, and pictures of him dealing with pawners would violate their privacy. On page 70 of the hardcover, in fact, he says “I’m legally obligated not to reveal our customers’ identities.” He, the Old Man, Hoss and Chumlee basically can’t work the counter for everyday pawns any more because of that. I recommend the book; besides being a good-reading look into his and the other stars’ backgrounds, it teaches a lot about the world he inhabits. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/159 "2012-06-19T16:19:53Z")
An acquaintance who has 25 years experience in a pawn shop swears that pawn stars is scripted with respect to the items that are brought in. Did you ever wonder how the “stars” have such a wide range of knowledge on items that they claim they’ve never seen before? Forewarned maybe? Hardcore Pawn is another one. They attract very few interesting items in favor of featuring every nutcase in the greater Detroit area. Another scripted presentation. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090/160 "2012-06-19T17:09:29Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > For those who don’t know whom we are talking about, I give you [Rebecca Romney](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=tweySyEuLUgIKM:&imgrefurl=https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/about-us/press/library-lights.aspx&docid=sl91HtZqgveS3M&imgurl=https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/SiteFiles/images/romney.jpg&w=250&h=250&ei=w3vgT9y2FYLx0gGm_-jODg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=226&vpy=219&dur=333&hovh=183&hovw=196&tx=86&ty=80&sig=115953243897538276395&page=1&tbnh=183&tbnw=196&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:75&biw=1385&bih=905), book expert. Interesting. I am very familiar with Bauman’s books - I can’t afford to buy from them, but as I have sold some of my collection off at various points, I have sold many books to them in their NY store. The manager there is a guy and not nearly as cute - dammit ;). But they do know their stuff and do great business at the high-end of the market. Maybe I gotta watch this show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-in-pawn-stars/569090.md?page=9)