Pawn Stars Pinball Machine

[shirkle]

The giveaway is on the rare stuff. For instance on that episode, they had a signed lottery ticket by George Washington. The expert shows up and knows everything about it at one glance, all the history of that lottery, what it was for, what happened, etc. Complete bullshit. What happened was the expert owned the lottery ticket, brought it to the shop, and they faked that the other guy owned it. The expert got called in from the parking lot, and they shot the next scene with the expert telling everybody about his own damn lottery ticket.

The whole show's b.s.

Don't you think someone could have brought it in for real, and when they call for the expert, they describe the item. The expert then researches it before coming in.

That's how I've figured it works.

I don't think the entire show is BS. I can tell which parts are scripted and which are not, but I do think that most items are real and actually brought in. I think everyone in the shop knows the items that are coming in well beforehand, but that they are actually brought in by real people.

 

[FrizzleFried]

entire show is BS. I can tell which parts are scripted and which are not, but I do think that most items are real and actually brought in. I think everyone in the shop knows the items that are coming in well beforehand, but that they are actually brought in by real people.

Hey bro... I have some kickass ocean-front property in Twin Falls, ID... the best views! You can have it for a steal... a SERIOUS steal... interested?

 

[R3LL1K]

I like to think of this show as sort of an Antiques Roadshow remake, except they pretend to work out a deal for the item. It's a pawnshop folks. Nobody really tries to sell antique items at a pawnshop. -___-

Though I used to believe they did before LyonsArcade blew away the smoke and broke the mirrors in the last thread.

 

[LyonsArcade]

Yeah, the biggest reason it's fake is because there's this thing called EBAY lol.

Another reason it's fake is because Pawn Shops go out of their way to give you the LEAST you'll take for an item, not help you determine the MOST you can get for an item, lol.

 

[shirkle]

Hey bro... I have some kickass ocean-front property in Twin Falls, ID... the best views! You can have it for a steal... a SERIOUS steal... interested?

I get it, but the fact is neither of us knows who's right on this one. The fact is, it is a real pawn shop, so they do get real items. Maybe not every item on the show has been legitimately brought in by a random person, but I believe most are. Do I think that they are scheduled in advance, then scripted out? Yes. But I think the items originate mostly with ordinary folks who probably either stop in one day or call, and are then scheduled and scripted into the show if their item has entertainment value.

 

[LyonsArcade]

Over on RGP, couple of interesting posts.

1 guy said his buddy lives in Detroit, has some interesting stuff, the show called him, told him they'd ship his item to Vegas via freight, and fly him out to be an expert. They'd have somebody bring it in, then have him come in as the expert to i.d. it, then they'd pay to fly and ship both of them back to Detroit.

Another guy called the Pin hall of fame in Vegas, they told him that the show called them but they didn't have time to restore one. So they called another local collector, and told the guy that they'd inflate the prices to make it look better for t.v. The pin was the guys all along, and the prices were all made up by the producers. The guy that 'owned' the pin at the beginning was just some sap off the street.

 

[OldTymeToys]

I get it, but the fact is neither of us knows who's right on this one. The fact is, it is a real pawn shop, so they do get real items. Maybe not every item on the show has been legitimately brought in by a random person, but I believe most are. Do I think that they are scheduled in advance, then scripted out? Yes. But I think the items originate mostly with ordinary folks who probably either stop in one day or call, and are then scheduled and scripted into the show if their item has entertainment value.

So what do you guys make of the multiple choice questions before each commercial? One recently was about the uniforms and which one was the most valuable that the shop has owned. So are these just random questions that are fictitious? I get that a lot of the show is scripted, but there is some cool memorabilia hanging around the shop- so SOMEONE is bringing in items other than TV's and jewelry.

 

[shirkle]

OK, I stand corrected, then.

 

[khabbi]

When I was there at the store, they told me that you could call the producers and tell them what you plan on bringing in, and if it was interesting enough they'd meet you there to film. No way the film crew could be there all day, every day taping crap coming in like power tools and stereos.. so yeah, it's produced. They do stop taping, research, learn about the product, then feed the shop owner the information and make him look like the smartest guy in the world (lol).

I still enjoy the show, but I agree with you guys.. totally unrealistic for an expert to come in and tell the seller what it's worth.. if anything, they'd tell the store owner only so they could potentially hose the person selling the item...

 

[claymax]

I was watching that episode of Pawn Shop the other night with a bud when the pinball came in. When he bought it for a grand I burst out laughing.

Then when the dude 'restored' it for another 3 large, I turned to my friend and told him there were hundreds of KLOV'ers around the country right now laughing at the tv.

I thought it was pretty funny and kind of solidified my suspicions of exactly how staged it was. I have to admit though, even knowing this, I was still thinking the owner (not son, not gramps) had an amazing amount of knowledge stored in his heed.

So now I'm waiting to see the first CL listing that quotes PS as saying pinball machines are all worth $5K.

 

[whammoed]

Yes, very obviously staged. Its kinda like an Antiques Road Show with "characters". I stop on it while flipping channes occassionally to see what interesting junk they have on.

 

[bradd]

Its a tv show. "reality tv" no. Its scripted, good for them. Dont like it, dont watch it.

yeah, but its on the HISTORY channel. if the prices they show are inaccurate, it provides a rather shitty historical document, dont you think? pawn shops are a historically important subject, as pawning is one of the oldest forms of banking. they also are showing legitimate historical artifacts.

the problem is when they present it as being real, and the values and prices are all wrong. its not an opinion that the prices are wrong, a simple ebay completed auctions search confirms that fact. some scripting is a given, but what this show is doing is nothing short of fraudulent. it is also insulting to the intelligence of their viewers. the least they couldve done is the same research any of us could do, and give accurate values for the items they show.

the issue isnt scripting, its that they are being intentionally factually deceptive. when they switch out soda machines or whatever with other models and claim to be restoring them, they are LYING, and that is inexcusable for a network marketing their shows as being historical in nature.

viewers are being lied to and the show is a fake. if you like fiction masquerading as fact, by all means, enjoy the show! however, some of us naturally dont appreciate being lied to...

cops is a reality show. pawn stars is bull shit.

 

[gutsman004]

Yeah, the biggest reason it's fake is because there's this thing called EBAY lol.

Another reason it's fake is because Pawn Shops go out of their way to give you the LEAST you'll take for an item, not help you determine the MOST you can get for an item, lol.

Pssh..ebay's turned into a joke.Like you can find out how much stuff really is worth due to all the overinflated prices and the shill bidding...yeah,I really want to use ebay as a true measuring stick for an item's worth.Please....

Anyway...about Pawn Stars...dissecting this show is about as pointless as trying to think of what was around before the universe existed.Who cares?! If you like the show like I do,watch it! If you don't,change the damn channel! Staged or not,accurate or no,it's on TV for two things...to entertain you and to hopefully get good ratings therefore making a profit.

 

[bradd]

EBAY LINK HERE