‘Pawn Star’: Shop’s patrons doing better

This Christmas season feels different at Gold & Silver Pawnshop.

Ever so slowly, optimism is creeping back along once-booming Las Vegas Boulevard.

"From what I'm hearing, people aren't bleeding money anymore," said Rick Harrison, co-owner of the shop featured on "Pawn Stars."

He hears it from the river of humanity, 4,000 to 5,000 on most days, who stand in line for hours to pocket some quick cash to feed their families, meet monthly payments or buy Christmas presents.

Most arrive with jewelry. For a while, construction workers were showing up with their tools.

"We don't take tools anymore. There's no construction in town and they are hard to sell," Harrison said.

Many people just need fast cash, "20 bucks to get by until payday. That's every day. They come in with a little TV, a boom box, Xbox or a little wedding band," he said.

But after all the inventory he's seen come through, there's always a jaw dropper, like the 1878 Colt single-action pistol "with a factory letter" that arrived the other day.

Just like every Christmas, he'll be open for business. Not the store, just the window.

For years, he said, "our busiest day of the year was Easter," partly because other pawn shops closed.

Since "Pawn Stars," the History Channel's big hit show and one of the top rated on cable, started airing 2½ years ago, business has gone through the roof. His staff has grown from roughly a dozen to 60.

That includes added employees for the raging merchandise business, which has skyrocketed to 10,000 pieces a month.

The most popular T-shirt? "Chumlee for President," in the same red, white and blue design as Barack Obama's during his presidential campaign.

Asked to put that into perspective, Harrison said, "It tells me that I don't think there's any politician out there that anybody likes."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Mirage headliner Terry Fator is in New York City this weekend to appear on NBC's "Today" show Monday with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. He'll be accompanied by his most promiscuous puppet, Vikki the Cougar, "who, I'm sure, will be pushing to be a co-host," said Fator. He'll be promoting "A Very Terry Christmas," a nod to the yesteryear TV Christmas specials hosted by Andy Williams, Perry Como and Bing Crosby. ...

Legendary comedian Marty Allen receives the fifth Louie Prima Award today and a roasting from fellow entertainers at the Italian American Club on East Sahara Avenue. Lined up for the Tony Sacca-hosted roast: Louie Anderson, Rich Little, past partner Steve Rossi, Pete Barbutti, Sammy Shore, Babe Pier and others. Prima's daughter, Lena, will make the presentation at the noon luncheon, which costs $45 for the general public, $65 for VIP seating. Allen, who turns 90 in March, teamed up with Rossi on 40 appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." ...

As Rita Rudner winds down her decade-plus headliner run in Las Vegas, her 2012 schedule doesn't show any signs that she's slowing down. The BBC has commissioned a series of "The Rita Rudner Show" that she'll be recording in London in July. "Sort of a 21st century version of 'The Jack Benny Show,' " she says. Plus, she's a member of the ensemble cast of a play based on her first novel, "Tickled Pink," which is being staged at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, Calif., in April and May. She and Brad Garrett will be doing some double-bill shows together around the country. ...

Tony Award winner Anthony Crivello, who stars in "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular," will be the celebrity engineer on the train at Opportunity Village's Magical Forest from 6:30-7:30 p.m. today.

SIGHTINGS

Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Cee Lo , spotted at "The Immortal" (Mandalay Bay) on Saturday. ... Jay-Z and Kanye West, holding court at The Bank (Bellagio) early Saturday after their "Watch The Throne" concert at the MGM Grand Garden. ... Jenny McCarthy and "Dancing With the Stars" champs Kelly Monaco and Cheryl Burke, at Chateau (Paris) on Friday. ... Paula Abdul, at the Playboy Club and Moon nightclub after dinner at Nove Italiano (Palms) on Friday. ... Vanna White, taking in Anthony Cools' naughty hypnotism show for the second night in a row at the Paris resort. ... Kody and Meri Brown of TLC's "Sister Wives," at Andrea Bocelli (MGM Grand) on Saturday. ... Ramona Rizzo and Karen Gravano of VH1's "Mob Wives," dining at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) on Friday. ... Actress Sarah Hyland of "Modern Family," kicking off her 21st birthday weekend on Friday at "The Immortal" (Mandalay Bay) .

THE PUNCH LINE

"The chairman of the company that owns the E! network says they are planning multiple spinoffs of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians.' There are now more shows than there are Kardashians." -- Jimmy Kimmel.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.