7 Questions With … Les Gold of truTV’s “Hardcore Pawn”

Les Gold has to be a tough guy a lot in his business, running a pawn shop in rough-and-tumble Detroit. This is the side audiences have seen and grown to love over five seasons of truTV’s Hardcore Pawn, which follows the daily goings-on at American Jewelry & Loan, which Gold owns and operates with his two grown children Ashley and Seth. But there’s also an undeniable warmth to Gold as well, and as he took some time to answer our “7 Questions,” this was the side we got to know. Outside this conversation, he revealed that he’s working on a book about the show and his life in the pawn business, a career that has spanned over 50 years, and that he takes his employees to a restaurant every Tuesday so they all can watch — and laugh — at each new episode of Hardcore Pawn.

Hardcore Pawn returns for Season 6 — which Gold says will deliver “real excitement” — at 9pm July 10.

1. Aside from Hardcore Pawn, of course, if your TV only carried three shows, which ones would you want?

Dallas. I also enjoy watching the repo shows, even though, thank God, my car has never been repo-ed. Lizard Lick Towing or Operation Repo. The other shows I enjoy are the storage shows, when they go into those storage units and sell merchandise. But Dallas is my favorite. I watch it all the time. Every Wednesday! Thank God Hardcore Pawn is not on Wednesday nights, or we’d have a problem.

2. What’s been your strangest fan encounter?

I was in Boston a couple weeks ago, because I’m beginning to write a book. So I’m at dinner, and a woman recognizes me through the window, barges into the restaurant with a camera — right in the middle of me eating a mussel — pulls me aside and says, “Oh, God, I love you! Can I take a picture?” So the anonymity of what my life used to be has changed, because now people think I’m a celebrity. But I’m just a pawnbroker that’s fortunate enough to have a TV show.

3. Tell me about a time when you were starstruck.

We were actually in California, and I was at a restaurant where Donald Trump was. That was pretty exciting to me. Not that I had the courage to walk up to him, but just being in the same area, because business is very important to me, and somebody with that type of success, it’s very cool to be around them.

RELATED: “7 Questions With … Ron Shirley of truTV’s Lizard Lick Towing

4. What are three things you must have in your fridge/pantry?

Salt-free oat bran pretzels, Crystal Light, and fruit.

5. What’s the one thing you’re waiting on someone bringing into your shop to pawn?

It would have to be something like a signature, a personalized item, or maybe a document from the forefathers of the United States. George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, even though he wasn’t a forefather, he was just somebody who was just so unique.

6. What do you think about the other pawn shows on TV?

They’re not us. We’re not Antiques Roadshow. We are actually a Detroit pawn shop. There are other pawn shows out there, but they don’t show the reality of life. The draw that truTV has really focused on was the reality of what goes on in a real pawn shop with real people. People stand there, and they’re pawning their merchandise and you see the big lines of people bringing stuff in. That’s really one of the things that’s a big draw, so the difference between us and everybody else is the reality that truTV shows you.

6. What surprises people about the pawn business?

If you’ve ever watched that show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, that shows you how the other half lives. Well, the draw of our show is showing people how the other other half lives. It’s actually legitimized pawnbroking. What you’ve had in the past is this stigma that pawnbrokers only dealt with only drug dealers and drug addicts and thieves. Now, what truTV is showing you is the mom that has two kids at home that need food on their table, and she needs to put a roof over their heads.

7. How’s Detroit doing these days?

Things in Detroit are going to be tough for a while. What we do see, because we are like the economic barometer, when the loan line is shorter, things are getting better. When the redemption line — the people picking up their merchandise — is longer, things are coming back. People are going back to work. We lost a lot of the population in the last few years. So we’re struggling a bit, but if you look at downtown Detroit, it’s absolutely beautiful, and it’s coming back to life. We’re drawing a little different, and younger, crowd to live down there. So it’s very unique.

Photo: Courtesy of truTV

18 Comments

  1. I’m an old, Southern lady and I love the show. Ashley has what it takes to be a successful pawnbroker in Detroit. I’d love to have lunch with you Ashley. I know it wouldn’t be boring.

  2. Lili needs to keep an eye on Les! He does have sex appeal and exudes confidence. We look forward to Tuesdays and try to watch all the shows–even reruns.

  3. Love your program, Les keep up the. Good work ashly should. Respect your ideas, and you as her father. Seth can be a real Ass. He needs to show respect as well. Those kids don’t realize how good they have it. STOP IT!!!! That’s your DAD!!!!! Love U’all. Ida Schneider/ Florida!,,,!,

  4. Les, Seth & Ashly
    I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.
    I watch every re=run etc. I live near Seattle WA> and if I ever come your way I will stop by to meet you.
    Dont know how to spell this next word, MASHOOGE, there are so many coming into your shop ha ha ha, I enjoy every moment of it.
    Love you all,
    Marianne

  5. One of the best I seen, I love les and the way he want you all to run it as a family business , I totally agree with that ! Seth and Ashley do not know how lucky they are to have a father as good as you , I’ live in England , single no kids, that all I every wanted, but I can’t so I know what it mean to have family , les you are one hell of a lovely guy. And I’m think of fly over to say hi and shake your hand, keep it up a great show , many thanks for the laughs and the high and lows of your day to day business , hope to see you one day Sharon x

  6. The show cracks me up most of the time, but you guys often show what a heart you have when you try to do what you can who really need some help. But Les you could change that shirt once in a while. Keep up the good work.

  7. I love Ashley she is good, efficient, dedicated and definitely not a bitch, Seth on the other hand is a bitch.
    Anne

  8. Seth, you’re a good guy but you act as though you are heartless. Les you are the BEST DAD I’ve ever seen on t.v., (maybe with the exception of Andy Griffith). You are one sharp pawnbroker! Ash, You sure know how to push Seth’s buttons..LOL You my dear are a jewel! I just know there’s another side to Seth, though.

  9. Really enjoy the show, better than the rest! Les, your nice until it’s time to not be nice! Ashley, tone it done ..PLEASE.. At times you really grate.

  10. That’s 8 questions, morons.

    Les, get rid of Seth and Ashley before they tear the store apart trying to be the boss.

  11. this show is terrific, I watch it all the time…it totally cracks me up when some customers “demand” that Les,Ashley and Seth are going to give them what they want for their items instead of the amount the items are acually worth, hehehe…don’t those customers know that even if it were “real” gold, the value of it goes down at the very least 10% right after they bought it and in most items, the value deninishes the longer you have it, regardless of how well you kept it up.

    Les,Ashley,Seth and crew, I know you all have your squables with each other but your all doing a great job none the less…if I lived in Detroit, American Jewlers would be the only pawn shop I’d go to.

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