Interesting Facts That Pawn Stars Doesn’t Tell You About Chumlee

Pawn Stars first aired in 2009 on the History Channel and has since become wildly popular. However, things have not been smooth sailing for the show’s star Chumlee both in his private life and in his public affairs. What’s been happening?

A Rising Star

Throughout the years the Las Vegas show has gained more and more popularity because of its hilarious cast members. Austin Lee Russell, better known as Chumlee, plays a big role in the show’s success. His comedic personality really shines through.

Childhood Friends

Early on in life, Chumlee met and befriended Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison, who would go on to become his cast mate on Pawn Stars. Corey’s dad, Rick Harrison was the one who opened up the Gold  Silver Pawn Shop way back in 1989.

Not Academically Inclined

Chumlee was born in Nevada and things weren’t easy for him during his younger years. He wasn’t an academic in high school and he used to pay other students to do his homework. He eventually decided to drop out of school altogether.

The Story Behind His Name

We all affectionately know Austin Lee Russell as Chumlee, but we’re sure that you’ve wondered about where this nickname actually came from. We know we’ve been wondering! Although most people’s nicknames come from something positive, the same unfortunately can’t be said for Chumlee…

The Root Of His Nickname

Other than having difficulties with his schoolwork, he had other issues that made his student life unpleasant. Chumlee may sound like a cute nickname but it was quite insulting. It came from the stout walrus from the cartoon Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales.

Friends For Life

Even though he struggled academically and other kids would make fun of his appearance he had a good friend that he could always rely on. Corey, or as we all like to call him “Big Hoss”, was his only friend in high school. At least these two stuck together.

A Beneficial Friendship

Chumlee and Corey used to hang out at Corey’s father’s shop often. Rick Harrison, along with Corey’s grandfather, owned Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, and that’s where he learned the tricks of the trade. When he was 21 years old, Chumlee started working there full time.

From Zero To Hero

Working at a pawn shop wasn’t a glamorous job because it mostly entailed doing menial work. But after five years of working there, things began to change for him. He was now in front of the cameras and on the small screen.

Comedic Role

With each season, the show gained more and more popularity and success. Chumlee had taken on the role of comedian, always making his co-stars laugh with his jokes. He also had his viewers in stitches too and they loved him for it.

iChumlee

In an unexpected but much appreciated TV crossover, Chumlee and Big Hoss made a guest appearance as themselves on the Nickelodeon TV show iCarly, in an episode called “iLost My Head In Vegas.”

His Buying Choices

He would buy items according to his interests, like pinball machines, sneakers, anything to do with rap music, and games. Some of these objects were fascinating and unique but they didn’t end up being good choices when it came to making profits.

A Costly Mistake

Now, as we’ve seen, Chumlee had a tendency to make a few mistakes here and there, but apparently this has been happening even before the show began. Once, he carelessly placed a client’s upright bass against a shelf and it fell over and smashed to pieces. That mistake cost nearly $20,000!

Learning Through His Mistakes

He was always prone to making silly mistakes, even before the show even started. His co-stars liked to tease him about his mishaps. This just ensured that he was a fan-favorite among the viewers. This dynamic added humor to the show.

Love Despite The Mistakes

Despite his little mishaps here and there, Chumlee’s cast mates didn’t mind and enjoyed teasing him about these mistakes, which you can see for yourself on the show. This is probably one of the factors that led Chumlee to become such a fan-favorite.

Growing Popularity

He received so much attention that when the team would make public appearances he would bring his own bodyguard. This was a sign that he had finally made it big and it was evident that he was really enjoying the fame.

Taking It All In

In the beginning, he loved the attention he was receiving. He even went as far as launching his own line of personalized merchandise together with his personal assistant. The rest of the cast members followed suit and launched their own line too.

Exceeding Sales Over The Rest

Even though the other cast members all had their own line of personalized merchandise, sales of Chumlee’s line exceeded that of the rest. But he didn’t stop there, he even opened up a candy store of his own.

Chumlee’s Candy Store On The Boulevard

Chumlee opened up the candy store in Las Vegas on the strip and appropriately named it Chumlee’s Candy Store On The Boulevard. Conveniently, the store is located directly across the street from the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop.

His Other Personal Ventures

Chumlee pursued other business ventrues, including opening up his own store and also making personal appearances. In 2010, Chumlee decided to sell half his stake in the company to Rick Harrison so the shop could become more efficient.

Keeping Things Private

He enjoyed being in the limelight, but he liked to keep his personal life private. He didn’t like to talk about how much he earns. However, it was made public that when he sold his shares in Gold & Silver, he received $155,000.

A Good Business Mind

He used the money from the sale of his shares to invest it in his merchandise business. Even though he didn’t excel in school it seems he actually had good business sense. Which just proves that his bumbler reputation wasn’t at all accurate.

Making Changes

Things were starting to look up for him as he was making good business decisions. He had also decided that it was time to start improving his life in other ways. Two weeks before Pawn Stars aired something happened that would change his life.

Healthier Life Choices

In 2009, his father passed away at the age of 54 from a terminal illness. After his tragic passing, Chumlee decided to exercise more and start leading a healthier lifestyle. He wasn’t very fit before but now he was motivated to make the change.

A Healthier Mind, Body, And Soul

In his quest to lead a healthier life he began exercising at the gym, eating healthy foods, and doing yoga. He has also begun meditation and is practicing mindfulness. So not only is the change external, but internal as well.

Achieving His Goal

Chumlee had set a goal and was prepared to do whatever was necessary to achieve it. He would go to the gym six times a week, he cut out red meat from his diet, and was drinking fruit smoothies every morning.

Incredible Transformation

After months of hard work and determination, he was able to reach his goal. His transformation was impressive. It just goes to show that if you put the time and effort you can achieve anything. Not only was he healthier physically but in every sense.

A Healthier, Happier Person

The change was so dramatic that people couldn’t believe it. This decision to make healthier choices changed his life completely and that was reflected in his totally dramatic body transformation. So how much weight did he actually lose?

How Much He Actually Lost

Through a healthier lifestyle that included nutritious eating and exercise, Chumlee managed to lose 75 pounds over a 12 month period. So not only is he healthier, but he’s a much happier person. Chumlee’s lifestyle change is truly an inspiration for everyone and shows with enough dedication, anyone can make a change.

An Unexpected Benefit

While choosing to live a healthier lifestyle by improving your fitness and eating habits, sometimes there are also unexpected changes that come along with a lifestyle change. Chumlee discovered that he was also able to ride a hovercraft he bought that he was once too heavy to ride!

A New Life

Now that Chumlee changed his lifestyle and made health a part of his routine, he was able to focus on other aspects of his personal life. He soon began dating his long-term girlfriend Tanya Hyjazi, who works at the Mirage Casino as a chef at Stack Restaurant & Bar.

Another Big Life Decision

The couple has announced that they’re engaged. Chumlee finally popped the question and she said yes. They had a private celebration at The Royal Hawaiian Resort in Waikiki as well as an engagement party with friends and family back in the US.

Wedded Bliss

Chumlee has since been sharing heartwarming details about his relationship, opening up and saying: “We were friends for a year or two before we were ever a couple, and got together right around the beginning of 2016.” We all know that marrying your best friend is what everyone dreams of!

The Gang

The couple was surrounded by friends and family to celebrate their engagement at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas. Among them was his best friend Corey Harrison, and the man that got him started in the pawn business, Rick Harrison.

Sweet Husband

It’s clear that his wife has been a positive influence in Chumlee’s life and that he loves her very much. Once when they were apart for a while, he posted on social media about her: “Missing my wife , it’s hard living apart, she is off preparing for our future going to school at USCB while I am in Las Vegas working and it’s the little things I miss like waking up next to her or have dinner together But knowing we get to spend the rest of our life’s together and have moments like this picture is enough to make me happy.”

Was It Too Good To Be True?

Everything seemed to be going so perfectly for Chumlee. He was finally at a place where he felt truly happy, he was healthier, and was about to get married to the love of his life. But something happened in 2016 that would change everything.

Investigating An Allegation

Just when everything was going so well, an allegation of assault was made by one of the employees at the shop. There was an investigation and the charges were dropped because of insufficient evidence. But that’s when the downward spiral began.

Only The Beginning

The case ended well for him but unfortunately, this wasn’t the last time he would need a lawyer. His legal problems were only just beginning. It was as if that incident triggered a series of events and he was charged yet again.

A Police Raid

This time the police raided his home, which ended up in more problems for him. They didn’t find what they were looking for regarding the current case but they found something else incriminating. What they found in his possession could result in another charge.

Illegal Substances

During the search, the police found illegal substances and a firearm in his home. Needless to say, the police were keeping an eye on the reality TV star after what they found in his possession. Those things were enough reasons for that.

That Wasn’t All

Because they were keeping an eye on him, the police conducted yet another raid at his home. This time they found even more incriminating items. They found more illegal substances and 11 firearms, of which only four were registered.

Chumlee Arrested

Since police were onto him, it seemed as though Chumlee’s luck had run out and things would take a turn for the worse. Soon after, Chumlee was arrested for possession of illegal substances and unregistered firearms. So what happened next?

More Issues Followed

Unfortunately for Chumlee, his legal troubles didn’t end there, after a few months he also faced 20 other felony counts. Luckily, they couldn’t find enough substantial evidence so the charges were dropped.

His Saving Grace

While things were not looking so great for Chumlee overall, one thing did save him from getting into extremely serious trouble. The firearms that were found were not being used for illegal reasons. So now what?

Pleading Guilty

Although the court agreed that the firearms were not being used for illegal activity Chumlee did plead guilty to drug possession, attempted misdemeanor, and unlawful weapons possession. He didn’t get any jail time but was placed on probation for a year.

Putting The Past Behind

Considering he behaves properly during this probation period, all that will remain on his record is the misdemeanor charge. Over and above his probation, he also has to go to counseling sessions. At least it’s better than serving time in jail.

Overcoming Challenges

It seems like Chumlee is trying to get his life back on track again. He went through a rough patch and is now ready to put it all behind him. Could this scandal be the end of his career and fame?

It’s Been A Tough Year

At the end of 2016, Chumlee did a follow-up interview and he opened up about how hard the past year had been for him. It’s important to remember that public figures are people too.

Love For The Fans

Chumlee decided to share his hardships with his fans and thanked them for their support through it all. He admitted that their support helped him get through the toughest of times and their uplifting and supportive messages helped him get through it all. He said he’s unsure whether he could have stood it all without their support.

Forever Grateful

He posted a photo on social media with a caption that explained how he wanted to give a shout-out to his amazing fans that go to see him at his candy store. He also thanked them for their love and support.

So What About The Show?

No one knew what would happen to Pawn Stars, whether it was going to be renewed or discontinued. Surely if the show was cancelled, Chumlee would feel incredibly guilty. Would the fans tolerate the show’s cancellation, or would they suggest Chumlee be booted off in order to save the show?

Business As Usual

Much to the fans’ relief, no lasting damage ensued and the Pawn Stars continued airing as usual and luckily Chumlee is still involved. Thankfully his probation period is almost over.

Getting Back To Normal

During the whole ordeal, Chumlee decided to take a hiatus from the show and took the time to focus on himself. This was the best thing he could have done because he improved himself mentally and physically yet again.

The Show Reached A Milestone

Pawn Stars has been extremely successful and has celebrated its 500th episode. The success of the show could not have been possible without Chumlee and his lively personality. His humor, kindness, and warmth keeps the viewers coming back for more.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Pawn Stars is undeniably one of the most successful shows on TV, and is definitely the History Channel’s breakout hit. This is thanks to the entire cast, but we can’t ignore the fact that Chumlee brought a certain X-factor that made the show unique and kept viewers coming back for more.

Spin-Offs Doing Well

The show was doing so well, the History Channel has brought out 9 spin-offs and they’re becoming very popular. Needless to say, Chumlee is doing very well for himself. Not only is he doing well financially, but he’s learned from his mistakes.

Sweet Digs

It’s obvious that with success, fame, and fortune, a great house comes along with the package. Chumlee has done quite well and it’s safe to say that he has made a great deal of money off his TV shows. He decided to purchase this $1.5 million mansion, which is located in Las Vegas. Check out that pool!

Chumlee’s Rides

In addition to his lavish home, Chumlee is also the proud owner of a customized ’86 Buick Regal, which he has decked out with hydraulics. He owns several other cars, including a Maserati GranTurismo, Cadillac Escalade, a Rolls-Royce Phaton, a 1964 Impala SS, and also a Range Rover. Not too shabby!

A Great Comeback

Although he may have strayed off the path of success for a little while, it seems like Chumlee has gotten himself together and is back to having a positive life. Hopefully, he keeps this up and stays out of trouble.

Stability Is Key

It’s important to note that Chumlee now has a stable life at home. He lives with his wife and their tiny adorable dog. It would appear that he is on the right track for staying out of trouble and keeping his head in the game. After all, as his fans, that’s all we want for him!

Better Than Ever

He’s back to his happy, lively self, and continues to strive to better himself every day. Despite his legal troubles, he’s still involved in Pawn Stars but is also involved in several new business ventures. Let’s see what he’s got in store for his fans!