The History Channel's Pawn Stars has been pulling in good ratings since the new season began. Is it a true history show? No. Does something historical come into the shop every once in a while? Yes. But there is another aspect of the show that is bringing in the viewers: CHUMLEE.
Chumlee (aka Austin Russell) is an employee of the family owned & run Las Vegas Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, yet he isn't a member of the family. He is the best friend of son, Cory or Big Hoss as he is called, whose grandfather & father own the shop. Chumlee's value as an employee seems to be strictly comedic relief, but this is what is making the ratings.
Viewers have seen Chumlee screw up something on almost every episode and be yelled at by the owner, The Old Man (Richard Harrison). He has a way of really getting under The Old Man's skin with his stupidity. It gets to a point where Chum, as he's affectionately known to other employees, is almost a caricature in the shop. This appears to be a positive thing.
If you Google Chumlee, you can follow him on Twitter, MySpace, MySpace Music, Facebook, or Wikipedia. He has started to gain a cult-like following. So, if you want to see a fat guy who knows virtually nothing about the historical items that he is appraising or their significance, tune into Pawn Stars. You may not learn anything from him, but he'll give you a laugh.
