Les Gold - Hardcore Pawn: American Jewelry and Loan on 8-Mile

**night-timer** · June-01-19, 05:16 AM

I'm keen to get opinions on the reality TV show Hardcore Pawn.

Personally I've never been a fan of 'reality television' shows - they merely show mediocre people "doing their job" - repo, cooking, pawn, etc - but those programs are still popular, for some reason.

Les Gold needs a stylist in a very big way, but apart from that, I've heard that he and his family [[son and daughter) are heavily involved in Detroit charities and are hardly ever in their own store.

**Maof** · June-01-19, 06:28 AM

Is that show still on? The daughter was on one of the local news stations several years ago. She broke free from the show and has her own online designer jewelry website. A portion of her sales goes to a charity.

**Scottathew** · June-01-19, 07:15 AM

Most of "Reality TV" is fake, scripted drama. I used to find shows like Gold Rush and Deadliest Catch interesting, but once I understood the basics of how the business worked the rest of the show was just fake and scripted drama in the spirit of the occupations.

We cut cable a few years back and we've spent more time together as a family and more time outside doing things. We're happier and saving money.

**Carolyn.F** · June-01-19, 08:31 AM

Watched it a few times when she was on. Don't know how they are in real life, but in the show, they were a bag of dicks. The were nasty to the customers and to each other. Definitely not Pawn Stars of the midwest.

**jcole** · June-01-19, 09:21 AM

They are occasionally on The Nine on Fox2 and, contrary to what they act like on their show, they seem to be very nice people and they do give a lot to charity.

**313WX** · June-01-19, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Carolyn.F

Watched it a few times when she was on. Don't know how they are in real life, but in the show, they were a bag of dicks. The were nasty to the customers and to each other. Definitely not Pawn Stars of the midwest.

Agreed.

And yes, the show has been off the air for several years now.

**Maof** · June-01-19, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Carolyn.F

Watched it a few times when she was on. Don't know how they are in real life, but in the show, they were a bag of dicks. The were nasty to the customers and to each other. Definitely not Pawn Stars of the midwest.

"Bag of dicks" is what makes reality t.v...

**Meddle** · June-01-19, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by night-timer

I'm keen to get opinions on the reality TV show Hardcore Pawn.

You could have tried a simple search:

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...highlight=pawn

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...highlight=pawn

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...highlight=pawn

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...highlight=pawn

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...highlight=pawn

**Zacha341** · June-01-19, 12:22 PM

Interspersed with the vain 'bag of chicks' variant to keep things diverse, and equal, you know...

...

Originally Posted by Maof

"Bag of dicks" is what makes reality t.v...

**Carolyn.F** · June-01-19, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Interspersed with the vain 'bag of chicks' variant to keep things diverse, and equal, you know...

...

Lol. Fyi, I was including the sister in the b.o.d. May not be politically correct, but dicks are not gender specific when describing bad behavior in my lexicon.

**SammyS** · June-01-19, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Most of "Reality TV" is fake, scripted drama. I used to find shows like Gold Rush and Deadliest Catch interesting, but once I understood the basics of how the business worked the rest of the show was just fake and scripted drama in the spirit of the occupations.

We cut cable a few years back and we've spent more time together as a family and more time outside doing things. We're happier and saving money.

My neighbor was part of a weight loss reality show a few years ago. They went as far as to set up night cameras so they can catch him night graze on butter sticks. Total bullshit.

**Zacha341** · June-01-19, 04:23 PM

Hah, it's a wild world out there, tv wise. Which is why I cut the cord and only stream what I want to watch. Including the crap sometimes when I'm in the mood...

...

It's like a car wreck you find yourself gawking though you should not.

Originally Posted by Carolyn.F

Lol. Fyi, I was including the sister in the b.o.d. May not be politically correct, but dicks are not gender specific when describing bad behavior in my lexicon.

**Zacha341** · June-01-19, 04:32 PM

I watched Pawn Stars alot for the heck of it. Pretty cool how they would bring in 'experts' to assess the value of things!

Originally Posted by 313WX

Agreed.

And yes, the show has been off the air for several years now.

**softailrider** · June-01-19, 05:03 PM

His father had a pawnshop on Michigan Avenue decades ago, Sams Loan Office, the sign might still be there. His dad was involved in a shootout with a disgruntled customer and he was hit in the buttocks. I believe the store closed shortly after that incident. I’ve heard that family were very unpleasant people.

**313WX** · June-01-19, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

His father had a pawnshop on Michigan Avenue decades ago, Sams Loan Office, the sign might still be there. His dad was involved in a shootout with a disgruntled customer and he was hit in the buttocks. I believe the store closed shortly after that incident. I’ve heard that family were very unpleasant people.

The bolded isn't surprising. I imagine the Pawn business isn't for the faint of heart and you sort of have to be tough and calloused, especially when you're dealing with people cut from the lowest common denominator in Detroit *ALL THE TIME.*

**Maof** · June-01-19, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

His father had a pawnshop on Michigan Avenue decades ago, Sams Loan Office, the sign might still be there. His dad was involved in a shootout with a disgruntled customer and he was hit in the buttocks. I believe the store closed shortly after that incident. I’ve heard that family were very unpleasant people.

Which is now Gold Cash Gold. Funny thing, after the thread was posted this morning, I pulled up the article about the shootout.

http://corktownhistory.blogspot.com/...cash-gold.html

**Smirnoff** · June-01-19, 07:31 PM

With a last name of "Gold" & being a pawn shop owner, what other alarms would get your attention?

**Bigb23** · June-01-19, 07:54 PM

Which is now Gold Cash Gold. Funny thing, after the thread was posted this morning, I pulled up the article about the shootout.

http://corktownhistory.blogspot.com/...cash-gold.html

That was a great story, but how did the comment section turn into a big clearing house for International loans? That's scary.

**Honky Tonk** · June-01-19, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Maof

Which is now Gold Cash Gold. Funny thing, after the thread was posted this morning, I pulled up the article about the shootout.

http://corktownhistory.blogspot.com/...cash-gold.html

Great post!

**night-timer** · June-02-19, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

His father had a pawnshop on Michigan Avenue decades ago, Sams Loan Office, the sign might still be there. His dad was involved in a shootout with a disgruntled customer and he was hit in the buttocks. I believe the store closed shortly after that incident. I’ve heard that family were very unpleasant people.

The sign might still be there. Before Django died [[a DYes forum regular) he told me he was keen to buy the sign when we drove past it on Michigan Avenue. That was about five years ago. I don't know what has happened to the sign or the building since then.

**Maof** · June-02-19, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by Bigb23

That was a great story, but how did the comment section turn into a big clearing house for International loans? That's scary.

Just noticing that now. Scammers for sure.

**Maof** · June-02-19, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by night-timer

The sign might still be there. Before Django died [[a DYes forum regular) he told me he was keen to buy the sign when we drove past it on Michigan Avenue. That was about five years ago. I don't know what has happened to the sign or the building since then.

It is now a restaurant and the sign is still up. See my previous post. Here's the last paragraph...

Under new ownership, the upper floors of the building have already been renovated into six apartments and rented, and the ground floor commercial space will soon open as a comfort foods restaurant called Gold Cash Gold, another reference to the building's odd exterior lettering. Curiously, the new owners have decided to restore the pawnshop-era paint scheme.

**Zacha341** · June-02-19, 08:19 AM

LOL! I prefer Zeidmans Loan and Pawn if I am going 'there'!

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

With a last name of "Gold" & being a pawn shop owner, what other alarms would get your attention?

**AvtpeasK** · June-04-19, 09:29 PM

I actually went to store about 7 or 8 years ago when the show was on. They were not filming that day and Les and Seth were there with some of the other guys, very chill. We actually met, chatted for a bit, they were super nice and and it was actually a lot of fun. Sure enough some crazy dude walked in causing a hilarious scene, Les turned to us [[my brother was with me) and goes something like, “see it’s not just on tv” and we all laughed.

In true fashion I sold my DVD player for $10 and went straight to motorcity and lost it 😛

**Former_Detroiter** · June-04-19, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Most of "Reality TV" is fake, scripted drama. I used to find shows like Gold Rush and Deadliest Catch interesting, but once I understood the basics of how the business worked the rest of the show was just fake and scripted drama in the spirit of the occupations.

We cut cable a few years back and we've spent more time together as a family and more time outside doing things. We're happier and saving money.

It was obvious that Hardcore Pawn was fake. Customers don't walk in stores wearing a microphone.