‘Pawn Stars’ Chumlee joins PodKats! to talk about his journey through weight loss and the future of ‘Pawn Stars’ on History Channel.
“Pawn Stars” debuted in July 2009. The reality show gives viewers an insider’s view of running Gold & Silver Pawn, but mostly it’s about the people: Rick Harrison, who runs the store in Downtown Las Vegas, Corey Harrison, Rick’s son, Chumlee — that’s Austin Russell’s nickname, and The Old Man — Rick’s father, Richard Harrison, who died Monday morning after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. The show featured a parade of local experts on collectors items that show up on pawn shops’ countertops. And the junk that everyone wants to believe is worth hundreds — maybe thousands. The merchandise, and the experts who knew so much about it, captured more attention and prompted several spinoffs. From Counting Cars to American Restoration and Cajun Pawn Stars. Pawn Stars created a national following and a foundation for Reality TV programs in Las Vegas.
Chumlee of ‘Pawn Stars’ pursues weight loss through surgery. The 35-year-old cable sensation decided to have gastric-bypass surgery Feb. 15. In early 2014, Chumlee’s friend and fellow “Pawn Star” Corey Harrison underwent lap-band surgery and dropped nearly 200 pounds. In his own weight-loss campaign, Chumlee says he plans to hang a poster of Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, for post-surgery fitness motivation. “I want abs like that!” Chumlee says. “And I want a Brazilian butt-lift.”
“Pawn Stars” will air its 500th episode on Monday at 10 p.m. on History. “Pawn Stars” debuted July 26, 2009. After completing the first season, Corey was about to tell his father and grandfather that he didn’t think all the additional work was worth the meager uptick in business. “The show definitely hit at the right time. It couldn’t have been a better time for it to hit,” Corey says. “Oh, no. I was hoping for a season or two and hoping it would help out business,” says Gold & Silver Pawn Shop owner Rick Harrison. “I never thought it would turn into this.”
Chumlee is expanding his “Pawn Stars” empire, one Pez dispenser at a time. “I wanted to start a candy shop, and here we are,” said Austin “Chumlee” Russell, a favorite figure on History’s “Pawn Stars.” “My brother and I wanted to do something fun, and candy is fun.” Thus, Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard, the new store on the lower level of Pawn Plaza, just south of Gold and Silver Pawn at 725 S. Las Vegas Blvd., opened in May. “It’s time to acknowledge the fact that Chumlee might be able to open up his own business by now,” Russell said.