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Rick Harrison and Robin Leach at the Simon G Jewelry Summer Soiree at Azure Luxury Pool on June 4, 2011.
Sunday, June 5, 2011 | 3:18 p.m.
Robin Leach's Vegas DeLuxe
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Rick Harrison at the Simon G Jewelry Summer Soiree at Azure Luxury Pool on June 4, 2011.
It’s the biggest reality TV series renewal in television history -- 80 episodes over four seasons -- and hometown heroes and Pawn Stars cast members are thrilled. I’ve learned that beloved treasure-spotter Rick Harrison flew to New York early today to launch a publicity blitz for his new book License to Pawn out Tuesday by Hyperion.
Rick also will appear on Fox & Friends tomorrow morning, plus The Don Imus Show and Good Morning America. He also has a 30-city radio satellite tour and returns to Las Vegas on Friday for the first book signing.
The new, massive The History Channel contract, which guarantees at least four more seasons, comes on the heels of this past week’s record ratings. Pawn Stars on Monday and Tuesday nights was the top-rated series in its time slots, ahead of all cable and major network shows.
“I’m absolutely baffled as to why we’ve become such television stars,” a happy Rick told me last night at Azure Luxury Pool of the Palazzo, where he celebrated with co-star Austin “Chumlee” Russell at the Simon G Jewelry Summer Soiree and celebrity fashion show.
“The success is wonderful, but it’s a double-edge sword. It’s getting very difficult now to run our actual pawn business because we are filming 40 weeks a year now,” Rick added. “In fact, we finished shooting Season 4 on Friday, and we start Season 5 on Monday! You could say our job of finding people’s buried treasure has become ours, too.”
We’ll have my full interview with Rick tomorrow right here at Vegas DeLuxe, so be sure to check back for the full details -- and his revelation of what he collects. Plus, the incredible vintage automobile he’s just picked up in a pawn trade.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
Congrats to the staff at Gold and Silver Pawn, It's too bad ya can't even get near the store anymore due to the long lines just to get in the door. I think locals should get prefferred treatment. I wanted to go in and buy an item I knew they had but the line was terrible.
I happen to run a couple stores near to Gold and Silver Pawn and I have congrat Rick. I have known Rick, his family and some of his staff for a few years. What you see is pretty much what they are. Class acts, funny as hell. Not the kind of loudmouth, riff raff, shiesty kind of people that you typically see running these kinds of stores. And good number of the foot traffic that goes to Rick's store also makes it's way to mine, so thanks Rick!
This show's success may be the store's doom. As one person said, the lines are long and real customers can't do any real business there.
Maybe it's time for them to open another store and keep this one as some sort of "attraction" or museum?
Love the show! Congrats to all at the shop.
If you do have something to sell or want to buy it is becoming a hassle I guess. "Defenders" couldn't do one season. Show works with a basically G rated formula, except for an occasional female customer with cleavage.
chumlee deserves an emmy!!
______
Maybe you can put him as a write-in candidate for president.
I think the show fits Vegas' to a tee.....crooks doing they're best to rip off the public, just like the casinos. When an expert comes in and says a piece is worth x amount of dollars, Rick flat out won't even give half and does his best to swindle the customer and let's not forget their 'ambassador' when he was in Big Bear, he not only pushed a patron, but a sheriffs deputy as well. All of them are a real class act...I'm surprised the show got extended.
Congrat to everyone there at Pawn Stars. We watch them all the time here in Canada we were able to last December bring our kids to Las Veags and get in there to look around hoping the kids could me Rick, Corey, Chumlee and even Grandpa. We can't wait to see more of the show maybe one day they could do a travel outside come to Canada buy some things here the would be pretty cool then we could be your first customer lol. Got some great things to sell. You every come to Calgary Alberta look me up.
Don't personally know "Rick" however, reliable local gaming contacts classify him as a "non-tipper" -- which is certainly his prerogative but gratuity fosters an invaluable reputation particularly for those sporting such community and national recognition as opposed to becoming known as an unappreciative cheapskate.
BTW: Enjoyed the purchase/restoration of the crashed helicopter episode.
FWIW: Favorite History Channel Programming -- "The Classroom" because there are no commercial interruptions followed by Modern Marvels.
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History Channel?
Hollywood has completely sold out to the reality TV phenomenon that cost little to make (no need to contract with an A-list actor) and there is always enough of the dull-minded viewership to keep ratings in the green. Driving trucks across the ice, pulling crabs out of a pot, watching the Jersey dolts go to a club, watching "Dog" collar another meth-head - for the 10,000 time, never seems to get old.
There used to be a "daytime TV set" - before cable. Soaps and game-shows enjoyed by the stay-at-home wives while Hubby was in the Vietnam - Now, daytime is realtime and that "set" has become the bread & butter for the production companies who are afraid to take a risk on hiring real actors and coming up with some creative.
Palin had one of these shows...but it was just too dumb even for the dimwitted.
What's next? Nat-Geo stats a reality rehab in Botswana?
Great four more years of:
"I don't know anything about this item, so I will call in an expert."
Perhaps the History Chanel should consider giving a show to the experts. If I wanted to watch a bunch of overweight no nothings, I would hang out at the Circus Circus Buffet.