# History Channel? Bah **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791 "2010-04-12T00:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/81 "2010-04-27T22:02:00Z")
On Pawn Stars the people want to sell the item. I think on American Pickers they find people who have no plans to sell - is that right? ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/82 "2010-04-27T22:08:39Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Anyone give it a shot? > > I was moderately disappointed – it felt like a very shallow treatment, almost like seeing an 8th grade social studies textbook brought to life. I know they’d never get past 1800 AD if they dwelled on everything but stuff like leaving out the French-Indian War made me raise an eyebrow. It also (harkening back to the text book thing) seemed overly jingoistic. “Then the Founding Fathers got together and all decided to fight for revolution because those jerk British were taxing us!” :dubious: Yeah, it was exactly that easy… Yeah, I thought about starting a separate thread for it, but I didn’t end up seeing the whole episode (I went to call my boyfriend about an hour into it), and didn’t think enough people had watched it. My reaction was something like yours, though. I was fearing it’d be more like “America: The Story of White Men” and that’s pretty much exactly what it was. Nothing groundbreaking or different about it. Just like fifth grade history class with fancy camera work. On the other hand, that might be exactly what it’s for. I can certainly see elementary school teachers using it as a tool for their own history classes, if just to get the basics. I know I enjoyed those kinds of things when I was that age. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/83 "2010-04-27T22:13:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > We’re obviously in the minority, but around Casa Silenus, _Pawn Stars_ is at the top of the Tivo list. The guys are all characters, and it’s fun and interesting seeing all the different stuff that comes into the shop. As for **spoke-**'s complaint about “swindling people out of their collectibles,” well, that just isn’t true. Rick doesn’t go out looking for stuff to buy. People come to him because they want to sell something. Og forbid he actually turn a profit. That would be un-American! I guess it’s a matter of taste. I see these poor sad sacks having to sell Dad’s collectables in order to pay off gambling debts and it just depresses me. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/84 "2010-04-27T22:46:32Z")
I have yet to see anyone appear on the show who was trying to pay off a gaming debt. And 90% of the time “Dad’s collectibles” = junk. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/85 "2010-04-27T23:29:18Z")
I don’t understand why people take their collectibles to the pawn shop. I understand needing cash certainly, but once you’ve been told this love letter to Grandma signed by Eleanor Roosevelt on the back of a nude pic of her Uncle Teddy is legit and worth $40,000 at auction, why would you sell it to Rick for $15,000? If you’re not desperate for immediate cash, then sell it at private auction. If you are desperate for immediate cash, then pawn it for the $500 you originally wanted for it, and asap redeem it and private auction it with a $15,000 reserve, which is probably what Rick’s going to do. I think the success of this show is due to the lack of other appraisal shows on TV. My favorite of all time was [Personal FX](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138252/) if anyone remembers that- the great thing about that show is that while few people have 450 year old butter churns that were used in witch trials or a painting by Titian that was in the basement around their house (like the people on _Antiques Roadshow_ or some eps of _Pawn Stars_) they would bring in more down to earth items- a collection of antique irons, or a 1960s View Master a stack of reels, or an odd set of dishes they bought at a yard sale and know absolutely nothing about- i.e. everyday stuff with the occasional surprise. Today as I was getting ready for work it was a LIFE AFTER PEOPLE marathon. Please explain this show’s appeal to me. Three words synopsize it: _stuff falls down_. All else is commentary, with how long it takes to fall down and how overgrown with vegetation it is when it falls down being the two big ones, and I can see how it’d be interesting as a 2 hour special _but it’s a whole frigging series_!!! ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/86 "2010-04-27T23:53:53Z")
This thread makes me nostalgic for the days of complaining that MTV doesn’t play music. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/87 "2010-04-27T23:54:55Z")
Most people want quick cash, they don’t want to bother with finding a way to auction the item. They know it’s worth $1000 but they would rather have $400 right now and be done with it. Same reason people trade cars in when they can get more money selling it - much easier to just trade it when you buy a new car. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/88 "2010-04-27T23:59:05Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Yes! I think that show is despicable. Watched only episode, thought it was interesting enough for about a half hour before it dawned on me how exploitative and unethical it is. Yeah. I love when they bitch about the people who won’t sell their junk/antiques/collectibles to them for nothing so they can then go around and sell it to someone else. Oh those nasty hoarders! ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/89 "2010-04-28T00:06:36Z")
BTW, anyone know why it seems that 90% of the shows on Travel Channel are about food? They should change that channel name. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/90 "2010-04-28T00:10:06Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > This thread makes me nostalgic for the days of complaining that MTV doesn’t play music. Maybe we need a “Compaining About Other Channels’ Programming Channel.” (Hey, this _thread_ has been pretty entertaining.) ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/91 "2010-04-28T00:11:08Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > On Pawn Stars the people want to sell the item. I think on American Pickers they find people who have no plans to sell - is that right? Sometimes, but not always. They’re mostly shown driving around until they spot a place where it looks like someone might have things they’d be interested in buying, usually because it’s piled up next to a barn. But they also get calls from someone at their home base with leads, sometimes in response to ads they’ve seen, and occasionally they mention that someone they’ve bought from has told them about someone else who might be interested in selling stuff. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/92 "2010-04-28T01:17:52Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > BTW, anyone know why it seems that 90% of the shows on Travel Channel are about food? They should change that channel name. Well, it’s better than when it was 90 percent World Series of Poker and thinly veiled commercials for the gaming industry, as seemed to be the case five years ago. At least now they have Anthony Bourdain. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/93 "2010-04-28T01:28:35Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I have yet to see anyone appear on the show who was trying to pay off a gaming debt. And 90% of the time “Dad’s collectibles” = junk. Ummmm… sure. It just _happens_ to be based in Vegas. Pure coincidence! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/94 "2010-04-28T01:32:47Z")
Something I don’t get about \*American Pickers \*is their hard on for oil cans. Are those really that collectible? ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/95 "2010-04-28T04:33:41Z")
> [@RogueRacer](#): > > The just finished series, Madhouse, was actually pretty darned fun (and very redneck) from this ex-racer’s perspective. Yes, it was really entertaining. Is it coming back or is it done and dusted? ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791/96 "2010-04-28T04:34:50Z")
> [@sanibelman](#): > > i read recently that the american version of top gear will be coming to the history channel. I guess if they do reviews of classic cars and maybe some challenges involving broken-down beaters, it counts… blasphemy! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-bah/535791.md?page=4)