# Hardcore pawn very different from Pawn stars!



## omnibus (Sep 25, 2001)

Hardcore pawn in Detroit and pawnstars from Vegas are both pawnbrokers but that's where the similarity ends.

In hardcore the security guards are very visible as are the secure windows where the money is handled.

The premiere episode features a woman trying to retreive a pair of earrings without a receipt and in the process threatening the owner of the shop. Also a stripper pole mounted in a wood base is purchased and demonstrated.

Those familiar with the Detroit area will recognize the location of the store off 8 mile road which is the northern boundary of Detroit.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

What channel (and when)?


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## goblue97 (May 12, 2005)

jradosh said:


> What channel (and when)?


It's on truTV and I believe it debuted last night.


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## Unbeliever (Feb 3, 2001)

The original pitch reel for Pawn Stars is very different from Pawn Stars.

I haven't watched Hardcore Pawn yet, but it sounds like the what the original pitch for Pawn Stars was.

--Carlos V.


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## Allanon (Nov 2, 2005)

After researching the episodes on the Tivo I found the pilot episode actually aired last December and the first 2 episodes I recorded are 102 and 103. Did anyone see the pilot? Was it a documentary turned in to a series?


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

To me, Pawn Stars is more about the items, and the characters are secondary. Funny and important, but secondary.

For Hardcore Pawn, it is really seemed all about the characters.

I enjoy Pawn Stars better, but I will keep watching HP.

What was up with the gun store owner? There has to be some history there, like he tried to sell something to the pawn shop one day and they lowballed the price.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

Saw 5-10 minutes of this show last night. When he was giving a stolen ring back and a guy bringing a drum set in.

I'll say this, a few minutes of the daughter on the screen was enough to make me not watch the show. What an annoying attention whore. The main guy seemed interesting so I'll give it another shot but if the daughter gets much screen time I don't care to watch.


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## uncdrew (Aug 6, 2002)

Loving Pawn Stars, but did wonder why they don't show any of the bad stuff, which undoubtedly happens.

They seem to purposefully avoid:
1. Rude customers
2. Confrontations
3. Stolen items
4. Fights

All that stuff must happen. Pawn Stars makes it seem more like a museum.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

uncdrew said:


> Loving Pawn Stars, but did wonder why they don't show any of the bad stuff, which undoubtedly happens.
> 
> They seem to purposefully avoid:
> 1. Rude customers
> ...


I did see a recent bit on Pawn Stars where a customer was both rude and confrontational. He had what he believed was an original sculpture but it was clearly a later reproduction. I thought he was going to jump over the counter and strangle the guys. The security guard even made a melodramatic approach to the counter and was waved off.

Granted, that is the minority and it might be the only time I've seen something like that, but I thought it was an interesting turn from the usual.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

ClutchBrake said:


> I did see a recent bit on Pawn Stars where a customer was both rude and confrontational. He had what he believed was an original sculpture but it was clearly a later reproduction. I thought he was going to jump over the counter and strangle the guys. The security guard even made a melodramatic approach to the counter and was waved off.


There was also the case where a guy came in with a Russian policeman's cap to sell and, after explaining how he got it, was turned down because it was a stolen item.

I don't think in HP you are going to see too many $20,000 boats or similar luxury items.


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

Ehhh, it was ok. The daughter is obnoxious, and the Dad just hams it up for the camera I think.

It's like any show truTV does. They take a hit show elsewhere, and then jack up the ridiculous factor, and release it as their own show, ala Operation Repo.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

Pawn Stars seems to be like a riff on "Antiques Roadshow"

Hardcore Pawn sounds a lot more like what you would expect out of a reality show that occurs in a pawn shop.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Pawn Stars is my current favorite show to watch while I'm surfing the web (like now). I let my TiVo load up with Eps and then hit "Play" and do a mini-marathon. REALLY love the information and learning about all the weird stuff people bring in. I'll definitely give Hardcore Pawn a look. I just set the SP.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I loved the flip out from the guy in the gun store.


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## uncdrew (Aug 6, 2002)

bareyb said:


> Pawn Stars is my current favorite show to watch while I'm surfing the web (like now). I let my TiVo load up with Eps and then hit "Play" and do a mini-marathon. REALLY love the information and learning about all the weird stuff people bring in. I'll definitely give Hardcore Pawn a look. I just set the SP.


Agreed.

The history lessons are fabulous, and delivered in a very clever and interesting way. And I like the negotiations and of course all things Chumlee.


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## Gregor (Feb 18, 2002)

Not sure about HP. If I want to watch people flipping out I can just watch Jerry Springer.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

So wait. Is this show real or is it another scripted fake reality show like the other shows on this network! ie Operation Repo and All Worked Up?


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## MarkofT (Jul 27, 2001)

Pawn Stars is historical documentary series set in modern times with cash involved. That's why it's on the History Channel. If they can't teach a lesson about the item, they don't show it on the show.

Hardcore Pawn just sounds like a reality TV show based in a pawn shop.


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## jstack (Mar 26, 2005)

Gregor said:


> Not sure about HP. If I want to watch people flipping out I can just watch Jerry Springer.


Just like everything on TruTV. It's easily the worst channel I receive. Everything on that channel is over-dramatic, fake and overall just garbage.


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

Pawn Stars is a lot closer to reality than Hardcore Pawn is. No, the brokers don't generally go into details about the items like they do on Pawn Stars, but there is also not the drama that Hardcore Pawn has.

To be fair, Hardcore Pawn is in detroit, and is going after mass merchandise. Pawn Stars is in Vegas, and they clearly are going more after the collector items. 

The best part of Hardcore Pawn was when they stated that their business was still doing well despite the bad economy. Ofcourse it is! Due to the bad economy, people have to pawn, and you can lowball them knowing that they have no other choice.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

UGH. I keep TRYING to watch this, but apparently TRUTV doesn't put much effort into using accurate guide data for their programming. I've recorded what I THOUGHT were two new episodes only to discover they were "Wildest Police Chases" or some such carp. Oh well. I shall persevere... Supposedly TiVo is picking up some Eps later tonight.


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## DanB (Aug 14, 2001)

Well, if it isn't at least partially scripted I would be surprised.



Spoiler



If your "head" of security assaults and sexually harasses an employee and he's allowed to return to work with what appeared to be only time off and an apology, something's not right



One thing -- the owner definitely meets my visual expectation of a pawn shop owner.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

I'll try an episode but I get scared of TrueTV after that fake tow truck show they have on there.


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## Icanseeyou (Apr 9, 2010)

The guys in HardCore Pawn have a lot of shines to deal with in Detoilet.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

pmyers said:


> I'll try an episode but I get scared of TrueTV after that fake tow truck show they have on there.


That's why I didn't watch it at first, but it seems that they are presenting this as an actual reality show. The other shows that I mentioned before are completely scripted and fake (well they say they are based off actual events).


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

vertigo235 said:


> That's why I didn't watch it at first, but it seems that they are presenting this as an actual reality show. The other shows that I mentioned before are completely scripted and fake (well they say they are based off actual events).


Yes, they seem to show this as a non-reproduced show, but definitely focus on the "reality" aspect of it, and less on the item aspect.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

I thought it was funny how when the owner was explaining how pawning works and he made a jab at the pawn stars show by saying that they inspect the items and they do NOT call in experts because "we're the experts"


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

vertigo235 said:


> I thought it was funny how when the owner was explaining how pawning works and he made a jab at the pawn stars show by saying that they inspect the items and they do NOT call in experts because "we're the experts"


Yeah. Finally got a chance to see this... Somehow I don't think these guys are "experts". Especially not the loud mouthed daughter who only THINKS she's an expert. Definitely like Pawn Stars and AMerican Pickers better. I can watch those with my kids and they learn something. The episode we watched reminded me a bit too much of the Jerry Springer show. I'll probably watch it myself, but my wife and kids don't like it.

I DID think the Gun Shop owner was pure genius kicking those guys out of this store though... You just KNOW the owner of the Pawn shop got him to agree to some ridiculous price off camera just so the guy could get his gun shop on TV. By kicking them out of his store, he all but _assured_ he'd be on TV and now he doesn't have to sell all those guns at probably cost. I think he was "dumb" like a fox.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

I think the guys may be *trying* to do the "let's have interesting items" thing, but really they are a traditional pawn shop and know jewlery and whatever well. They should stick to that.


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

vertigo235 said:


> So wait. Is this show real or is it another scripted fake reality show like the other shows on this network! ie Operation Repo and All Worked Up?


That is what I expected it to be... It does seem a bit more manufactured, but not outright reproductions like those shows...

Who knows though, maybe they got better at it.

I really thought the stuff with the gun store owner was legit. I got the impression he was promised that they would pay an agreed upon price for the items, and would not barter with him just because they were putting him on tv, and as soon as the guy asked for the holsters to be lowered, he flipped out.

Was kind of funny. Enough to watch it again.

I didn't really like the dig at Pawn Stars where they said, "We don't need the experts, we are the experts." Nobody can be an expert in everything. So either they limit the stuff they buy and sell or they are full of it. Pawn Stores probably mainly uses experts just for the show, and it is not a part of their every day pawn business...

Anyways, I will keep watching, but I assumed a full out waste of time like Operation Repo was going to be had... so like I said, either they are getting better at faking these shows, or this is a bit of reality in it.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

Yeah until they start dropping $10k+ on historical items and or things that need restoration, I'm not going to believe them.


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

I guess I bought the stuff at the gun shop as pretty legit. I can see the pawn shop guys going in, using up a bunch of free ammo (because, hey, we'll get your shop on TV!), dickering over the price of the guns and then when the shop owner takes a bit of a hit on the cost of the guns, the pawn shop guy has to push it that much further and try to jack him on the holsters, too.

:up: for cancelling the whole shootin' match () and tossing them out. Just pushing too far, it seemed to me. And somewhat confirmed with all the "what did I do???" conversation outside. Not all businesses are total negotiation fests.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

So I've watched a couple of episodes based on this thread and here are my thoughts:

I do like that this seems more "pawn shop-ish" to me compared to Pawn Wars but the production quality (being in SD) is just so bad that it is hard to watch.

There are some strange people in Detroit (and I'm sure that goes for pawn shops in general)!


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