Detroit "Hardcore Pawn" television show

**night-timer** · January-20-13, 08:10 AM

Has anyone been into the Detroit "Hardcore Pawn" shop? The show unfolds in a real way - good, bad or ugly - and the customers never object to being filmed, even when they're getting shafted by the owner or by store security.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euzGDI6m-XM&NR=1

**night-timer** · January-20-13, 08:13 AM

PS. She can "pick me up" anytime

**Brian1979** · January-20-13, 08:56 AM

I have only driven past the building but have yet to go inside. I'll be in Detroit next month and have some things I'd like to pawn and I think I'll go there instead of the Royal Pawn Shop in Chicago which I have been in.

GUSHI · January-20-13, 10:13 AM

Do they ever change their cloths?

**cla1945** · January-20-13, 10:44 AM

I happened to watch it one evening and saw a woman who was being belligerent and swearing was carried out by security and noticed a microphone tucked into the waist of her pants in the back. It immediately made me wonder just how spontaneous and unscripted this program really is.

**Whitehouse** · January-20-13, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by cla1945

I happened to watch it one evening and saw a woman who was being belligerent and swearing was carried out by security and noticed a microphone tucked into the waist of her pants in the back. It immediately made me wonder just how spontaneous and unscripted this program really is.

Same thing with Storage wars. Dave Hester was "fired" from the show. There are allegations that some of the storage lockers are "staged" to have a hidden treasure.

Then again, it's TV. People want to be entertained....

**night-timer** · January-20-13, 11:19 AM

Yeah, the body builder chick didn't seem to mind being in an embarassing financial situation on TV, pawning whatever she owns and being beaten down on price, much like all the store's non-camera-shy customers.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-20-13, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by cla1945

I happened to watch it one evening and saw a woman who was being belligerent and swearing was carried out by security and noticed a microphone tucked into the waist of her pants in the back. It immediately made me wonder just how spontaneous and unscripted this program really is.

I'm shocked, shocked.

**MaxCady** · January-20-13, 11:46 AM

I visited the store about a year ago and talked to Seth and Rich. Both insisted all the customers are real and none of the crazy antics are staged. Apparently the only thing that is prearranged is a release that people have to sign before being filmed.

**canuck** · January-20-13, 11:57 AM

Reality shows are totally scripted, from a to z; that's what makes them realler than real, really.

**eno** · January-20-13, 12:41 PM

Hard Core Pawn seems to play to the worst ethnic stereotypes. I liked the place better when it was a bowling alley.

**Smirnoff** · January-20-13, 03:09 PM

As mentioned:

It's all scripted & "make believe" TV.....especially some of the junk coming through the door.....all of people in the scene are also wearing wifi microphones!

Plenty of $20 t-shirts available for those who visit.....

**grancan** · January-20-13, 03:39 PM

Compared to Pawn Stars this show portrays Detroit in the worst possible light. Black painted walls, lunatic customers trying to scam the owners and a greedy family of wanatbees [[Wes et al), I'm embarrassed to call myself a Detroiter.

**313WX** · January-20-13, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by grancan

Compared to Pawn Stars this show portrays Detroit in the worst possible light. Black painted walls, lunatic customers trying to scam the owners and a greedy family of wanatbees [[Wes et al), I'm embarrassed to call myself a Detroiter.

Yep.

Detroit would be much better off without the Golds and Hardcore Pawn.

Shollin · January-20-13, 03:48 PM

I met Les and the family at Dodge Park. They were doing a charity event and they seemed like very nice people. They are actively involved in charities. It seems most of the stuff is put on, even the arguments among the family.

**wolverine** · January-20-13, 05:20 PM

All of it is partially scripted and staged for legal reasons. All those people filled out paperwork prior to being filmed.

**ElbertHanks** · January-20-13, 06:34 PM

Watched it once and while I find Pawn stars entertaining I can't say the same about Hardcore. I don't think anyone would watch any of these shows if they weren't weren't staged. I mean how interesting is a 'real' day in the life of a pawn shop?

One of the boat captains from season one of Deadliest Catch is a friend of a friend. He hated the experience and actually turned down participating in the second season. In his case, Trident Seafood owned multiple boats which appeared on the show and had signed the deal to participate without any real input from captains or crew. He pretty much had to participate the alternative was not crabbing that year. He said he didn't profit from it either as the money went to Trident. In any event, while he might have sour grapes he say that he constantly had to deal with the production crew undermining, in his view, his authority and the boat's safety. All in an effort to get compelling footage. While the safety angle is not much of an issue with a pawn reality show unless you are staging robberies. lol. It does give you a sense of how things are set up.

**sturge** · January-20-13, 10:13 PM

I laugh at people who think they will get the full value of an item at a pawn shop. They want to make money, people!

**old guy** · January-20-13, 11:40 PM

Seriously, I think it puts a really bad light on Detroit. That's quite possibly the only view some people around the country see of Detroit. Too bad.

**AUSSIE** · January-21-13, 12:01 AM

Its shown in Australia

For mine the whole show looks staged, i really only watch it as they show the streets/buildings of Detroit, and of course live in hope maybe one day will see a certain location that i have interest in

Cheers

**night-timer** · January-21-13, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

All of it is partially scripted and staged for legal reasons. All those people filled out paperwork prior to being filmed.

So you make more money agreeing to be filmed than you get pawning your goods.

**rooms222** · January-21-13, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by night-timer

So you make more money agreeing to be filmed than you get pawning your goods.

That is the principle behind all the tv court shows, starting with the People's court. There is a fund for each case that is the maximum small claims limit for NY. The monetary judgement [[if any) comes out of that fund, and the two sides split the rest, if any. Also, the defendant no longer has to pay directly if he loses [[and the plaintiff gets paid for sure).

**Wingnatic** · January-21-13, 08:24 AM

Oct.2011 after finding out the price of snowblowers , my wife suggested we go take a look for a used one at American Jewelry & Loan [[we had about 5 seconds of air time looking at the snowblowers on the episode where the had the black Hummer parked outside the entrance . As we approached the entrance a lady with a clipboard stopped us and asked if we were selling anything , we said no we were buying something today . She said ok and that was it , what happens after that I have no idea . It was pretty quiet in there that day , we were probably there maybe 45 minutes . Maybe they pick at least one person per show that could be a problem lol Bought a snowblower for a pretty good price , an employee started a few of them up to show they worked .

**313WX** · January-21-13, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by rooms222

That is the principle behind all the tv court shows, starting with the People's court. There is a fund for each case that is the maximum small claims limit for NY. The monetary judgement [[if any) comes out of that fund, and the two sides split the rest, if any. Also, the defendant no longer has to pay directly if he loses [[and the plaintiff gets paid for sure).

It does go on their Credit Report though.

**jefferson78** · January-21-13, 09:27 AM

When the show first aired, I thought it was interesting, albeit a little much. What ultimately turned me off was the constant bickering between sister and brother. They both have major character flaws and I blame the father, Les for this. And maybe the mother who has appeared on a couple of shows.
The stereotyping might be what is so annoying. They certainly act like money-grubbing store owners and some of the customers are downright scary.
It is obvious that some of them play it up for the cameras. I mean, coming into a pawn shop, demanding a certain price, then raising holy-hell while being thrown out of the store? This has been played so much by the show that I find it hard to watch anymore. It's all about how much money each can get.
Very little about the item or what it is really worth.
Ultimately it is the personalities that will doom this show. You can only take so much. I find myself embaressed for the city when they state anything about Detroit.
As for the other "pawn shop" show that is fimed in Vegas. Again, the personalities are hard to watch, it also seems staged and if I have to hear that stupid laugh from the oldest son, I'll stick a fork in my ear.
This is the problem with reality shows. They eventually ruin it themselves with the abrasive personalities of the main characters. Staging the scenarios does not help either.