“Pawn Stars,” one of the most entertaining “reality shows” on cable, is the anti-“Antiques Roadshow.” Where AR caters to the fantasy that every attic hides a treasure, PS is willing to say sorry pal, your attic is full of junk. It stars the Harrisons, three generations of hard-bargainers who run the Bloomingdale’s of pawn and resale shops in Las Vegas—a department store of used gems displayed along wide aisles and in well-lit cabinets.
The DVD “Pawn Stars: Volume 5" is a fast-pace edit of what purports to be a day at the Harrisons’ Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. Everyone bringing in his heirloom or “amazing” discovery has a story—and a price in mind, which the Harrisons most likely won’t meet. One guys lugs in a 1995 Nintendo game, a failed product, and asks for $200. “We’re a little apart there,” says the laconic pawnbroker who replies with $80. Can’t you meet me half way? “No,” he broker insists. “Eighty’s what we’ll do.” And $80 is what the customer gets.
Perhaps the funniest episode involves a hayseed with the Stradivarius he found at the bottom of a cedar chest in the back of an old barn. It even has a label that says Stradivarius. He thinks he’s going to be a millionaire, but the broker smiles. Maybe as much for the camera as the customer, he sends for his “buddy” the violin appraiser (one among a drove of buddy experts) who pronounces the instrument as a copy, circa 1920. The customer still thinks he’s going to leave with a heavier wallet. “How much you gonna give me for it?” “Nothing,” answers the broker with a smile as sharp as a steel blade. “Antiques Roadshow” could use benefit from a little “Pawn.”
