Pawn Stars’ Rick & Corey Harrison: Big payoff for big guys dreaming big

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a dark night, and darker still on this stretch of the Las Vegas Boulevard in the city of sin. The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop juts out of lot number 713, and remains brightly lit like a mercury lamp. Despite the Nevada chill in February, people — like moths — are inevitably drawn within.

To be honest, there’s nothing particularly distinct about this establishment that never closes. Remember, Las Vegas is known for a preponderance of gaudily designed wedding chapels, strip joints, adult video stores and an infinite number of other pawnshops — plenty of competition for easily distracted, fickle visitors.

Still, the modest-sized pawnshop distinguishes itself from the pedestrian because it houses the monster hit that is Pawn Stars — History’s top program that routinely beats its better financed, sleekly produced competitors for ratings. The Harrisons aren’t in the premises this late evening, but we are only too happy to take in the sights, along with the touristy thing to do: Buy merchandise and take photos.

Truthfully, the establishment looks a lot bigger on TV. Not so Rick and Corey Harrison, one half of the Pawn Stars. They are more imposing up close — much bigger than your television can ever hope to be. The vastly tattooed Corey (who looks like he lost a lot of weight), particularly, seems like he can pull your arms out of its socket — with one look.

To the uninitiated (I suspect they are a very small minority), Pawn Stars features three generations of Harrison men involved in the pawnshop business. Each protagonist is a unique, distinct character — the surly (“Old Man” Richard), savvy (Rick), shrewd (“Big Hoss” Cory) and sidesplitting (Chumlee). History promises “clashing and camaraderie every step of the way” — not to mention tons of humor and learning.

That our heroes look more Mafiosi than pawnshop workers is probably what first endeared them to viewers. In a past interview with this writer, Mary Donahue, History VP for development and programming and Pawn Stars executive producer, said the show is “an epitome of American pop culture,” and this has clearly struck a chord even beyond the mainland.

Father and son are in town and walk into a room chockfull of press people. This is the second stop in an Asian tour that has taken them to Tokyo and will bring them next to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and New Delhi. Corey says that Old Man is minding the store, while Chumlee has a commitment in Canada that he can’t wriggle free from.

This is the first time either of them has been in the continent and, while they expected the warmth of Pinoys, they still are surprised and (dare I say) “touched” by the reception from their Filipino fans. What fans we are, indeed. At the meet and greet with fans at the Glorietta Activity Center, legions of Pawn Stars devotees patiently line up hours before the actual event.

Nine seasons after the show debuted in 2009, it has generated and sustained momentum — bringing in not just tourists and clients for Gold & Silver, but proving to be a source of steady income and growing celebrity for the unlikely quartet. Now, the pawnshop is a mecca that attracts up to 5,000 people a day.

Ironically, the Harrisons don’t work the floor anymore these days because a commotion inevitably ensues, with people trying to get their autograph and photos. When the show is filmed, only a handful of clients is allowed in. Las Vegas laws also prohibit the taping of customers coming in to pawn goods.

All part of a Pawn Star’s life, one should say. Make that rock star Pawn Stars.

Excerpts from the exclusive Philippine STAR interview:

I read about the express pawn counter that you guys set up. How’s that doing?

Corey: It’s doing well. We’re still trying to fine-tune it, do a little more advertising. The problem is that I started losing my local customer base because they’d see the line and they would drive to the pawnshop down the street. If they’re looking to pawn a TV or something really quick, they’re not going to wait in line for 20 minutes. It’s open to locals, in and out, no frills, no TV aspect of it all. Just come in, do your business, get out and get back on the road.

Are you guys considering opening another location?

Rick: No. It’s like next to impossible to get another license in Las Vegas. You have to have a license in every location, and a pawn license is like millions of dollars now.

Corey: And I’m busy enough (laughs). I don’t need to add anything else.

Rick: Yeah. We’re already working 12 hours a day.

Corey: I think if I start doing any other business stuff, my wife is probably gonna leave me so...

How insane is your schedule?

Corey: I wake up at 5:30 in the morning, get to the Pawn Shop at six, work out for two hours, film until seven at night…

Rick: Go home, collapse, repeat (laughs)… The way we both look at it is that television shows don’t last forever. So let’s ride this horse until it dies, then when once it dies, we’ll cut up the horse and sell the meat (laughs)!

This whole TV thing has spawned a revenue stream for you guys. How long do you guys see yourselves in this? You signed up for 80 more episodes.

Rick: Yes, we’re filming until March of 2015.

Corey: Then we’ll probably sign another contract after that. We’re not gonna quit the show until we stop having fun doing it. Even after some 215 episodes, it’s still enjoyable to do.

Despite the schedule?

Corey: Despite the schedule. I like being busy. I couldn’t sit around the house all day and do nothing. I would work at a 7-Eleven even if I was retired — just so I could have something to do every day.

Rick: It’s still the No. 2 or 3 show in the US. I just don’t see myself quitting. I enjoy my job. It’s fun. One day it will end, but I’m going to keep on doing it until it does.

What about your dad? Is he cool with it, too?

Rick: I’m going to keep him working. He’s 72 years old, and if he doesn’t have something to do, I’m afraid he would die in six months. So I’m going to have him work forever so he lives a long, long time (laughs).

And I imagine he likes that, too?

Rick: He likes it. He likes getting away from my mom (laughs).

Corey: I think if you broke it down per word, he’s probably the highest-paid guy in the history of television.

I could probably understand how you guys are big in the US, but for the show to resonate in Asia as well…

Rick: There’s a lot of reasons. First off, it’s a game show. Most people don’t realize it. First round: Is it real? Second round: How much are you going to get for it. Bonus round: I call in an expert. There’s just a whole lot of different aspects that people like. Some people like to watch the interactions between us; some people like the whole history aspect. I hear from moms all the time that it’s the one show the whole family can sit down and watch together.

Corey: I think the No. 1 universal thing is that everybody’s got that silly thing in their closet that they think could be worth money. There’s always a chance you could turn on Pawn Stars one day and that’d be on there. Then you can tell your wife “See I told you I shouldn’t have thrown that away.”

You’re probably encouraging hoarders.

(Rick and Corey laugh.)

You guys seem to have followed very similar paths (in his biographical book, License to Pawn, Rick writes about extensive drug use as a kid; Corey shares the same in a chapter he wrote).

Rick: That bad gene runs in the family (laughs).

But the ability to turn it around — you deserve credit for that.

Rick: I guess so.

Corey: It was a learning experience. Thank God I did it when I was young, not when I was 30.

Rick: Even my dad, that’s why he joined the military because him and his buddies got in a little trouble and the judge said, “You want to go to jail or you want to join the military?” My dad said I want to join the navy (laughs).

At one point you compared pawnshops to banks.

Rick: I’m a poor man’s bank. If you need 50 bucks, you can’t go to a bank and borrow it. It’s the original banking system at its core, and it’s been that way for thousands of years.

Corey: It’s the world’s second oldest profession, and it paid for the first (Rick laughs).

Have you seen the spin-offs (Cajun Pawn Stars, Pawn Stars UK)? What do you think about them?

Rick: I’ve watched a little bit of them. You have to expect it to happen.

Corey: Imitation is the best form of flattery.

Rick: I’m not gonna begrudge them that. I’ve done things in business that the other guy was doing first.

Corey: Trust me, if we were the second people to be asked to do a reality show, we would have done it.

I’ve watched Storage Wars, Barter Kings. Do you think you could do stuff like that, too?

Corey: I guarantee you I’d be better at it. (Rick laughs)

Really? What made you say that?

Corey: Let’s just say I’ve met some of the guys. I just know I’d be better.

How about you (to Rick)?

Rick: I used to do it when I was younger. I know the whole business.

Corey: It’s bush league (Rick laughs).

Rick: All you’re doing is bidding for a locker. You have no idea what’s in it. It doesn’t take a lot of skill.

Corey: It’s 90-percent luck when you’re in those things.

Rick: It really is. You open up a door and you can barely look inside and say, oh, okay I’ll pay 50 bucks from it. If someone wants to pay more, then let them have it.

Despite your personal struggles with substance abuse in earlier years, you both knew it deep inside that you were destined for something better. Corey, you wrote that you expected you’d be back with your family.

Corey: I just always knew I would. I had a lot of friends during that same time that would just screw over their parents. I never did it to Dad because I knew that wasn’t gonna last forever. I was having a lot of fun and was being a very stupid kid, but eventually I had to grow up. It was going to be a lot easier if we were on better terms.

Was there a worry that you couldn’t get out of it?

Corey: I almost did. Luckily, we had a good enough relationship, and he happened to know some police officers who got me out of a lot of trouble. After that happened is when I really cleaned myself up.

Rick: I was never just way into it. When I found out I was going to be a dad, I just quit everything. I (knew I) gotta start being a little bit responsible.

What was your dream?

Corey: When I was 18, I wanted to earn $1,000 a week. I remember that number. I remember that specifically.

Rick: I just always wanted to be rich.

Were you ever in doubt?

Rick: It was always hard, but I always knew I’d be rich.

Belief.

Rick: Yeah (laughs).

Corey: It’s just something that me and him (Rick) got and neither of his brothers got it and somehow it got passed down to me… When I was a kid I didn’t know what it was gonna be, but no matter what I was gonna do something.

When Pawn Stars ends, what’s next? Do you see yourselves working the pawnshop counter again?

Rick: I’m thinking like in five, 10 years from now, I’m just gonna get a ranch in Texas and live my days out there.

Corey: You know, I wouldn’t have a problem going back to work at the counter. I’ve set myself up pretty well so I won’t see it happening. One day I’ll say f___ the world and I’ll move to the Philippines.

(Pawn Stars airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on History. But you knew that already.)