The Beginning
Pawn Stars has been airing for over 10 years now and viewers still love it. Its popularity is mainly due to Austin Lee Russell, affectionately known as Chumlee. His funny, charismatic personality plays a big role in the show’s popularity.
The Beginning
A Friendship That Stood The Test Of Time
When Chumlee was a young boy, he befriended a boy named Corey Harrison. Little did they know that their friendship would last all these years and that they’d be co-stars in a television show. It was Corey’s father that opened Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in 1989.
A Friendship That Stood The Test Of Time
School Was A Struggle
Nevada born Chumlee was not academically inclined and had a tough time at school. He found the work to be too difficult and would actually pay other students in his class to do his homework for him. School got so hard that he eventually dropped out.
School Was A Struggle
Is There A Story Behind It?
Chumlee’s real name is Austin Lee Russell, so where does Chumlee come from? Other than the fact that his second name is Lee, it’s not clear why he got that nickname. Most nicknames come from a positive trait, so what’s the story behind his?
Is There A Story Behind It?
The Real Chumlee
His school years were not easy for him and it just kept getting worse. His new nickname was more of an insult than anything else. Because of his size, people started calling him Chumlee, who was the walrus from the cartoon Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales.
The Real Chumlee
A True Friend
It’s no secret that Cumlee struggled academically, and had kids tease him about his size, but he could always count on his one true friend. If it hadn’t been for Corey, Chumlee’s school years would’ve been even worse. Corey always had his back no matter what.
A True Friend
A Friendship That Strengthened Over Time
The boys used to spend a lot of time at Corey’s father’s pawn shop. They would watch Corey’s father, Rick Harrison in action and learn tricks of the trade. Chumlee loved it so much that he eventually started working there at the age of 21.
A Friendship That Strengthened Over Time
Not Much To It
For the first few years of working at Gold & Silver Pawn, Chumlee mainly did mundane work. There was nothing glamorous about his job. Five years later, things changed drastically for him when all of a sudden he was working in front of the cameras.
Not Much To It
Always The Funny Man
The show became so popular that they were airing season after season and people couldn’t get enough. Because of his charming and funny personality, Chumlee became the funny man of the show. He was always cracking jokes and making people laugh. The viewers loved him!
Always The Funny Man
Growing In Popularity
He and his co-star Corey, affectionately known as “Big Boss” had become so popular on the small screen that they were asked to appear as themselves on an episode of Nickelodeon’s iCarly. The episode was called “iLost My Head In Vegas.” They had become real celebrities.
Growing In Popularity
Buying The Right Things
Chumlee had a thing or two to learn when it came to buying stock for the shop. Instead of buying according to how much profit he could make out of an item, he would buy according to his interests. He’d buy things like sneakers and games.
Buying The Right Things
Clumsy Mistakes
Chumlee always had good intentions but things didn’t always turn out the way he planned. Viewers now know that he has a tendency to be clumsy and make mistakes. Unfortunately, some of these mistakes were quite costly. Like when he dropped a $20,000 upright bass.
Clumsy Mistakes
An Opportunity To Learn
Chumlee looked at these mistakes as learning opportunities. Although he still continued to make mistakes, that just added humor to the show and that’s what made him a fan favorite. Apparently his clumsiness wasn’t anything new, because he was the same even before the show.
An Opportunity To Learn
A Fan Favorite Nonetheless
You’d think that people would get tired of his clumsiness, but it was quite the opposite. Viewers loved him even more because of it and his co-stars loved teasing him about it. His mishaps added more humor to the show and made him more popular.
A Fan Favorite Nonetheless
Becoming A Celebrity
You know a person has hit it big when they need a bodyguard to escort them whenever they make public appearances. This is what happened with Chumlee. He received so much attention from fans around the country and he was loving every minute of it.
Becoming A Celebrity
Capitalizing On His Fame
He knew that his fame might not last forever so he wanted to capitalize on it while he still could. So he launched his own line of personalized merchandise with the help of his personal assistant. Soon after, his co-stars launched their own line too.
Capitalizing On His Fame
Soaring Above The Rest
Even though the whole cast of the show had their own line of personalized merchandise, Chumlee’s sales soared above the rest. That just gave him another idea, and that’s when he decided to open up a candy store. People flocked there just because it was his.
Soaring Above The Rest
The Right Location
Chumlee’s candy store is called Chumlee’s Candy Store On The Boulevard because it’s situated on the strip in Las Vegas. Not only is it on a busy street buzzing with people, but it’s also located right across the road from the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop.
The Right Location
An Entrepreneur At Heart
Even though Chumlee didn’t excel in school, he became successful in business. Other than working at the pawnshop he ventured out into different businesses, including making guest appearances on other shows. In 2010, Chumlee sold half his share of the company back to Rick Harrison.
An Entrepreneur At Heart
Balancing Work And Private Life
Chumlee enjoyed the attention he received and really loved being in the spotlight, but he also wanted to keep his personal life private. He had to balance the two for his own sanity. It’s for that reason that he’s never revealed how much he earns.
Balancing Work And Private Life
Making Money Work for Him
You’d think that he would have squandered the money he received from the sale of his share of the company on little luxuries, but he didn’t. Instead, he made his money work for him and he decided to invest it in his merchandise business.
Making Money Work For Him
Time For Personal Change
Chumlee was doing very well financially and was making smart business decisions but he felt he needed a change. The change he was referring to not business-related but more personal. Sadly, something unexpected happened that motivated him to make some changes sooner rather than later.
Time For Personal Change
A Personal Tragedy
The thing that urged him to turn his personal life around was the passing of his father. He had been suffering from a terminal illness and eventually passed away at the age of 54. For this reason, Chumlee decided to start leading a healthier lifestyle.
A Personal Tragedy
True Change Comes From Within
Chumlee has never been fit so in order to achieve his goal of leading a healthier life he began eating healthy, exercising, and doing yoga. He also practices mindfulness and has begun meditating as well. It goes to show that true change comes from within.
True Change Comes From Within
Doing Whatever It Takes
He is so committed to achieving his goal that he’s prepared to do whatever it takes. That includes drinking healthy smoothies every morning and going to the gym five to six times a week. He had even cut out red meat from his diet.
Doing Whatever It Takes
Achieving Great Results
His determination and dedication were admirable. He managed to not only reach his goal but he exceeded his own expectations. His transformation was truly remarkable. This is proof that you can achieve anything when you set your mind to it and persevere.
Achieving Great Results
Happier Than Ever
Not only is Chumlee healthier since his transformation, but he’s also a much happier person. This decision to make a change was so dramatic and it completely changed his life for the better. He lost so much weight and it’s so evident.
Happier Than Ever
Total Weight Loss
From the moment he began his weight loss journey he’s lost a total of 75 pounds. It took 12 months of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Not only is he loved as a celebrity now, but he’s become an inspiration for people wanting to lose weight.
Total Weight Loss
An Awesome Advantage
Chumlee couldn’t be happier with the results that he achieved, but there’s another reason why he’s even happier. Now that he’s lost all that weight he can finally ride his hovercraft. He was too heavy to ride it before but now he can finally enjoy it.
An Awesome Advantage
A New Lease On Life
After losing the excess weight, Chumlee felt like he was ready to concentrate on other areas of his life. That’s when he started dating Tanya Hijazi, who is his long-term girlfriend. She’s a chef at the Stack Restaurant & Bar at the Mirage Casino.
A New Lease On Life
Taking It To The Next Level
Things progressed so well with Tanya that Chumlee decided to pop the question while they were in Hawaii. She said yes, so they decided to have a private celebration in Waikiki, at the Royal Hawaiian Resort. Once back home they celebrated with family and friends.
Taking It To The Next Level
Sharing The Love
The couple is so happy and in love that they can’t help but share their happiness with the world. They have shared some details about how their relationship evolved from a friendship. They started dating in 2016 and they feel like they’ve married their best friend.
Sharing The Love
Surrounded By Loved Ones
Even though they’d already celebrated their engagement whist in Waikiki, they wanted to celebrate with their friends and family. What better place to celebrate than at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas. The whole team from Pawn Stars was there to celebrate with them.
Surrounded By Loved Ones
A Great Partnership
Chumlee’s life has changed for the better since he proposed to Tanya. He has become more open and shares a little more about his private life with the public. Once, when Tanya was away studying he posted on social media about how much he missed her.
A Great Partnership
Life Was Good
Chumlee had never been happier and everything seemed to be going well for him. He was happier, healthier, and engaged to be married. But in 2016 something happened that had a huge effect on Chumlee’s life as he knew it. Would he lose everything?
Life Was Good
The Allegations
Just when he was happier than ever, one of the employees at the pawnshop made an allegation of assault against Chumlee. Even though the charges were dropped after an investigation was conducted things were not looking good for him. What else could go wrong?
The Allegations
The Downward Spiral
Even though the assault charges were dropped, Chumlee managed to find himself in hot water again. It seemed as if that was just the beginning of an array of incidents where he’d need a lawyer. What was he charged with this time? What would happen now?
The Downward Spiral
Yet Another Incident
After being charged a second time, the police went to his home and raided the place. The search resulted in a whole new charge against him. They didn’t find anything with regards to the second charge but they did find some illegal substances.
Yet Another Incident
The Raid
When the police raided his home, they not only found illegal substances in his possession but they also found a firearm. The firearm was registered so they didn’t find enough to charge him at the time, but the authorities were definitely keeping an eye on him.
The Raid
Not Backing Down
The police were convinced that Chumlee was involved in some illegal activities. That’s why they raided his house yet again. Unfortunately for Chumlee, they found more incriminating evidence. They found 11 firearms and even more illegal substances. Only four of the firearms were registered.
Not Backing Down
His Arrest Shocked Everyone
It seemed like there was no way to evade the police any longer and he was eventually arrested. Things were going from bad to worse for Chumlee. They arrested him for possession of unregistered firearms and for possession of illegal substances. What would happen next?
His Arrest Shocked Everyone
More Legal Issues
Things were spiraling out of control for Chumlee and there was no end in sight to his legal battles. Only a few months after his arrest, he was charged with another 20 felony counts. Thankfully, the charges were dropped because there wasn’t enough evidence.
More Legal Issues
A Silver Lining
Chumlee’s legal battle seemed to be endless but finally, he caught a break. The unregistered firearms that he had in his possession were not being used for illegal activities, so at least that was in his favor. But he still wasn’t out of the woods yet.
A Silver Lining
A Guilty Plea
It was determined that his firearms weren’t being used for anything illegal, but they were still unregistered so there had to be consequences. He pleaded guilty to unlawful weapons possession, attempted misdemeanors, and drug possession. He got probation for 12 months but no jail time.
A Guilty Plea
Moving Forward
As long as he behaves for the full 12 month probation period, the drug possession charges and the unlawful weapons possession charge won’t remain on his record. He will, however, have a record of a misdemeanor. Counseling sessions for a year were also part of the ruling.
Moving Forward
Coming Out On Top
Chumlee went through a really bad patch and had to face the consequences. Now that it’s all behind him, he’s trying to concentrate on getting his life back on track. He wasn’t sure if all of this would affect his career. What about his fans?
Coming Out On Top
Celebrities Are Ordinary People Too
In order to be open and honest with his fans, Chumlee decided to do a follow-up interview in 2016. He spoke about the past year and how difficult it was. He may be a celebrity but he’s still just an ordinary person that makes mistakes.
Celebrities Are Ordinary People Too
Expressing Gratitude
During the interview, he also made sure to thank his fans for their constant love and support. He expressed how he felt that he would have never been able to get through it all without their support. He will be forever grateful for their loyalty.
Expressing Gratitude
Using Social Media
He didn’t want to just tell his fans that he was grateful for their support, he wanted to show them. So he used social media to show his appreciation. He posted a photo with some fans and gave a shout out to his loyal fans.
Using Social Media
What Happened To Pawn Stars?
After everything that happened no one knew if the show would be discontinued or not. They didn’t know if the bad publicity around Chumlee would affect viewership. Would he be removed from the show? It’d be a pity if it fell apart because of his mistakes.
What Happened To Pawn Stars?
Such A Relief
The fans were relieved to hear that the show would continue as usual. More importantly, Chumlee would still be part of it. He’s still on probation but that hasn’t stopped him from getting back into the swing of things and putting the ordeal behind him.
Such A Relief
A Short, Personal Break
The show is said to continue but with everything that he went through, Chumlee felt he needed to take so personal time off. He wanted some time to concentrate on himself again. It was time to get back to eating healthy and exercising again.
A Short, Personal Break
A Memorable Milestone
Despite everything, the show reached a memorable milestone. Greatly due to Chumlee and his funny personality, the show celebrated its 500th episode. Viewers just couldn’t get enough of the charismatic, kind, and warm Chumlee. He felt so privileged to be part of the celebration.
A Memorable Milestone
A Certain “Je Ne Sais Quoi”
No one can deny that Pawn Stars has become a huge hit and is undoubtedly one of History Channel’s top shows. Each and every cast member contributes to its success but Chumlee, in particular, adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the show.
A Certain “Je Ne Sais Quoi”
Spin-Offs Growing Popularity
The History Channel decided to bring out not one but nine spin-offs in the hopes that they’d become as popular as the original show did. And they were right to do so because all nine spin-offs are becoming more and more popular with each episode.
Spin Offs Growing Popularity
His Humble Abode
Thanks to the success of the show and its spin-offs, it’s no surprise that Chumlee is doing very well financially. What better way to put the ordeal behind him than to buy a beautiful home. His $1.5 million home is in the heart of Las Vegas.
His Humble Abode
Pimped Out Ride
As if buying a lavish home wasn’t enough, he splurged on a classic 1986 Buick Regal. He even had a hydraulics system custom fit. Apart from his Buick, he also owns a Cadillac Escalade, a Maserati Gran Turismo, and a Range Rover, amongst others.
Pimped Out Ride
Turned A New Leaf
Chumlee managed to put his ordeal behind him and has definitely turned over a new leaf. His comeback has been remarkable and he’s doing better than ever. Not only has he gotten his personal life back on track but he’s thriving financially as well.
Turned A New Leaf
Finally Some Stability
Not only is his business life a success, but things at home have also never been better. He and fiancee finally tied the knot and are blissfully happy. They live in their Las Vegas home with their beloved dog and life is great.
Finally Some Stability
Loving Life
Chumlee had overcome his setbacks and came out on top. He’s still an integral part of Pawn Stars, runs his candy store, and is involved in other business ventures. We couldn’t be happier for him and can’t wait to see what else he has in store for his fans.
Loving Life