Chumlee Talks “Pawn Stars Do America,” 10+ Years of Success on History Channel

Pawn Stars came on the scene in 2009 and hasn't let up since. Not even The History Channel could've foreseen what it inspired. Coming during a time where the effects of a brutal economic recession were being deeply felt by Americans, the show gave people a renewed interest in the things that were collecting dust in their basement. People wanted to see if their "treasures" were worth anything.

Fast-forward 14 years later and Pawn Stars has become a pillar in The History Channel's empire. Last year came Pawn Stars Do America, a spinoff show involving Gold & Silver Pawn Shop Owner Rick Harrison, his son Corey, and Austin "Chumlee" Russell traveling all across America in search of unique finds.

With season two of Pawn Stars Do America set to premiere Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 on The History Channel, I was able to catch up with Chumlee, one of the most recognizable faces from the series. Chumlee has been the lovable goofball on Pawn Stars since its inception. He has a jester-like quality to him, but he's also extremely knowledgeable when it comes to negotiations, video games, and more.

Chumlee talked about all the traveling him, Rick, and Corey have done over the last several months, coupled with tidbits about his collecting habits (or lack thereof), and perhaps most significantly, what kind of impact Richard "Old Man" Harrison had on him.

But Chumlee also touched on the how/why he believes Pawn Stars has been as massively successful as its been for 14 years now:

When we first started, it was kind of a new concept. There have been other similar stuff like Antiques Roadshow, but there was any like actual cash involved. I just think in the time Pawn Stars started, the economy was down, people had a bunch of stuff in their basement, and they were just excited to start being educated to see if that stuff could be worth anything.

Take a listen to my interview with Chumlee below, and be sure to catch Pawn Stars Do America on The History Channel: