‘Pawn Stars’ Chumlee, Rick Harrison to launch ‘Pawn After Dark’

Even after more than 15 years as co-stars of “Pawn Stars,” there’s a side of Rick Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell TV viewers have not seen.

They are about to see it. Buckle up for “Pawn After Dark,” a Harrison-Chumlee podcast to launch on major streaming platforms in January. Expect the guys to banter with such guests as Raiders owner Mark Davis, guitar legend Billy F. Gibbons and BMX icon and host of MTV’s “The Challenge,” T.J. Lavin.

The show’s executive producer Tracy Whitaker, who would be captain of the Las Vegas Behind The Scenes All Stars if there were such a thing. Whitaker has kept “Pawn Stars” purring for 10 of its 15 years on History. She is giving to the public what has heretofore been caught only off-camera.

“What I see is this incredible comedic banter between Chumlee and Rick,” Whitaker says. “It’s something that we wanted to put out, in the sense of being able to show their audience and their fans another side of the guys.”

The show is recorded at a studio inside Gold & Silver Pawn, the hub of “Pawn Stars” since the show premiered in the summer of 2009. The concept is the shop is closed. Chumlee and Rick give fans a glimpse into what happens after hours at the world-famous pawn shop.

Chumlee has been an extension of the Harrison family and business since he and Corey Harrison met in middle school. A fan favorite, Chumlee has been on the entire “Pawn Stars” ride, branching out to separate projects, such as his Chumlee’s Candy on the Blvd., co-owned by his brother Sage at Pawn Plaza.

“Pawn After Dark” is a separate production, outside of History. Corey Harrisons’ involvement, if at all, is not determined. Harrison has moved to Tulum, Mexico, but is still a “Pawn Stars” co-star.

Though the shop is presented as “closed,” the show leans into some pawn give-and-take. Celebrity guests are asked to bring an item for review – and Gibbons has been featured on a previous episode of “Pawn Stars.”

“It might be something from their personal collections, something they want to know more about, that they think Rick can help them with, or even possibly sell the guys,” Whitaker says. “They can kind of dip into it, and that’s what puts it all back into the pawn shops and these interesting items. That’s what people are used to, and what the guys are known for.”

Time and a half for Gibbons

On the topic of the ZZ Top great, Gibbons is performing at halftime on Monday night’s Raiders-Falcons tilt at Allegiant Stadium. Gibbons is bringing his BFG’s band to the party.

Monday is also Gibbons’ 75th birthday. He is a citizen of the world, forever on tour. Getting him to land at Allegiant Stadium on his actual birthday was a minor miracle.

Danielle Bradbury, “The Voice” fourth-season champ, is singing the national anthem. Ex-Los Angeles Raiders defensive tackle Bill Pickel is lighting the Al Davis Memorial Torch. Pickel played 12 seasons in the NFL, and was with the Raiders from 1983-1990 in the L.A. era.

Game time is 5:30 p.m. (as this is a “Monday Night Football” telecast), get there an hour early to enjoy the soaring stylings of David Perrico and the Raiders House Band.

Three more for Cellar

The Comedy Cellar has signed a three-year extension to stay in place at the Rio. The offshoot of the famous comedy annex in New York City is now under contract through Dec. 13, 2027.

Operator Noam Dworman deserves credit for keeping on task as the club battled through the pandemic shutdown. Similar to New York, the Rio club’s schedule is consistently strong. Sunday it’s Alonzo Bodden (“Last Comic Standing” champ), Emma Willman (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”), Andy Haynes (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”), Gabriel Rutledge (“winner of the Seattle International Comedy Competition) and regular host Mark Cohen (“The Sarah Silverman Program”).

Reading matters

Just getting into Pat Hickey’s new tome “Here & Hereafter: Nevada Voices on Life and the Great Beyond (Jack Bacon & Company).” The book is a collection of prominent Nevadans’ views on the afterlife.

A columnist for the Reno Gazette Journal, Hickey has assembled interviews with such notables as Mike Tyson, Elaine Wynn, Oscar Goodman and Penn Jillette, among about three dozen others.

From Tyson, “I just want to be remembered. That’s all … I want to grow with my children. I want to one day see my own grandchildren. I want to now do the best in the world, so they have a better life than I had when I was a kid.”

Cool Hang Alert

Vegas jazz great Michelle Johnson hosts “A World of Christmas” at 7 p.m. Sunday at Myron’s at the Smith Center. Guest vocalists are Giada Valenti, Patty Ascher and Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie (has become a ubiquitous, modern-day Perry Como this holiday season). A string quartet is also in the mix. Go to thesmithcenter.com for intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.