Metaphors Make 'Pawn Stars' and 'American Pickers' Hits

"Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers" are two of the most popular shows on TV. While the antics of the characters on these two shows bring viewers back every single week, there is more at play than just some great audio clips. There are threads that these two shows touch off in our psyche that make them perfect for the modern world.

Everyday People

Unlike many realty show stars, the people on "Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers" seam real. Unlike celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, you do not expect to see Mike, Frank, Chumlee or the Old Man slip up and show a side that the cameras never see. You expect these people to be the same on camera and off camera.

Celebrity news is one of the bigger industries right now in entertainment. Americans thirst for news about how celebrities have faltered. For many people, it is refreshing to see people on TV each week that are like them. They like to see someone doing what he or she can to make an honest buck without attempting to pull a fast one. People like to be reassured that anyone can have a chance at becoming a celebrity in the United States.

Sitting on a Gold Mine

People usually state that the American Dream is that anyone can work their way up to the top. Another aspect, though, of the American Dream is the old thought of sitting on a gold mine. The fact that the stars of "Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers" fine the mini gold mines each week that people have been sitting on for years gives up hope that we too might have something hidden in a dark corner of our basements that might make us some money. With unemployment high and the job market bleak, people find that this small dream is something to keep them going.

Rusty GoldIf you watch "Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers" chances are good that you would be fibbing if you said that you did not keep your eyes out for rusty gold. One of the going trends in the United States, due to these shows, is trying to find some type of forgotten treasure that might be turned around for a profit. A variance of the idea of sitting on a gold mine is something that pushes people to garage sales and estate sales every week. The worries about the economy again are being temporarily forgotten due to the thought that a fortune might be hiding on a table at your neighbor's yard sale.

"Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers" have given us hope that anyone can become a celebrity in America and take a share of the limelight. They also make us think about the items that we have forgotten about that might make us a few dollars here and there. These shows drive us out in droves to every garage sale we come across. They restore a little bit of hope for a few hours each week and make us forget about those situations that have kept us down in the past.