It's Great, but It's Not

"You have a wonderful turn of the century item that I've seen sale for over $45,000. What would you like to do with yours?", "Sell it", "How much you looking to get?", "$5,000", "Well it's not that wonderful…"

If you have ever watched History Channels hit series Pawn Stars you know that type of conversation happens on every item brought into the pawn shop.

Let me set the record. I'm a fan of Pawn Stars, I watch and enjoy the show. However (yes there's a however) there's something about the show that just drives me nuts.

My father has always told me to stay out of pawn shops. If you pawn something in Arizona and you want it back after 90 days you can be charged up to 170.9% interested on your item. I was raised to believe pawn shops were rip offs.

Well, I hate to say it but Pawn Stars perpetuates my fathers point. Some customers come into the Las Vegas based pawn shop with hopes of having a one of a kind item that will help them out of a financial pinch. But on the show, the guys praise the item; make the customer feel all warm a fuzzy until it gets to the money talk. Then all of a sudden they highlight every minor imperfection in the item.

I understand pawn shops have to make a dollar, but wouldn't it be easier to tell the customer what's wrong with the item before propping them up on a pedestal, making them think they have the holy grail of Elvis paintings just to tell them the frame lessons the value?

This may just be the editing of the show, but its a part of the show that just drives me bonkers. However, this doesn't mean I won't watch.