Summary
- Rick Harrison’s legal disputes with his mother over the family business have tarnished his once brilliant reputation.
- Despite his success at Pawn Stars, Rick’s conflicted attitude towards customers has led to tense interactions at the store.
- Rick’s several failed marriages and controversial comments about trans people have also contributed to his public image problems.
Rick Harrison, famous reality TV executive Pawn Stars, has been the subject of many controversies over the years. Since it began broadcasting in 2009, Pawn Stars has become one of the most-watched reality TV series due to its unique premise, which focuses on the day-to-day operations of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Managing and co-owning the shop with his father, Richard “Old Man” Harrison, who started it in 1989, Rick quickly became one of the most recognizable faces on TV. Pawn Stars it became the highest-rated program on The History Channel.
However, over the years, Rick has been the subject of many controversial reports, affecting his reputation as an ethical reality TV star. After Richard’s death in 2018, Rick took full ownership of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which seemed to cause a rift between him and his mother, Joanne Harrison. With Pawn Stars season 23 is on the horizon, Rick will return to the screen to take fans on a journey through another dramatic season. However, Rick’s reputation is not the same as it was when he made his reality TV debut in 2009.
The 20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now
Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows you can stream or watch right now.
Rick’s legal problems with his mother make him seem shady
Rick’s mother sued him over the family business
In 2022, Rick was caught up in family drama after his mother, Joanne, filed a temporary restraining order against Rick to prevent him from defrauding her property. According to Joanne, Rick signed over his 51 percent stake in the family business after waking up from a coma. Joanne also accused Rick of reducing her stake in the business. According to his lawsuit Rick took out a $3 million loan using his property as collateral, and he also failed to record the over $100,000 in cash and $500,000 in silver that Richard had before his death.
According to Joanne, Rick signed over his 51 percent stake in the family business after waking up from a coma.
Rick originally paid his mother $25,000 a month, but he stopped doing that in 2020, and Joanne only received $85,000 for the entire year. Joanne’s lawsuit wanted her monthly allowance back because she had to pay up to $15,000 a month for medical care. He also wanted complete transparency and unspecified damages and injunctive relief. In his defense, Rick claimed that his mother was being manipulated by people who didn’t have her best interests at heart. Rick claimed he had been trying to talk to Joanne for months without success.
Rick Harrison gives some customers attitude
Rick has poor customer relations skills
Despite Rick’s years of experience as a Pawn Shop owner, the reality TV star seems to lack the patience to serve the different types of customers that walk through his doors. Rick’s disparaging comments and offers often anger some of the customers, leading to a heated argument between them. In the episode titled “Another Christmas Story“, a man visits the store to buy an “NBA Championship Ring” that Ricck had reserved for his recently engaged fiance. However, the atmosphere became tense when a customer wanted to know if the 1975 Golden State Warriors ring was genuine.
Rick became angry that the customer didn’t take his word for it, and he looked visibly upset when the customer tried to verify the quality of the diamond with his own diamond tester. In the end, Rick was able to prove that the diamond was real and then set the final price at $11,000 after the customer offered $5,500. The customer left the store disappointed with Rick’s unwillingness to work with him on the price tags before noticing Rick’s opposing attitude, claiming, “It looked like he wanted to punch me in the face!“(via Filmy).
Rick Harrison loves them and leaves them
Rick’s Forever Together promises are very fleeting
Although only 59 years old, Rick has been married three times, ends in divorce. Rick’s first marriage was in 1982 when he tied the knot with his first wife, Kim. Unfortunately, the marriage only lasted until 1985, when the couple divorced. A year later, Rick was at the altar again and changed his marriage to his second wife, Tracy Harrison. Rick and Tracy remained married for 26 years until they divorced in 2011. The couple had three children during their marriage: Corey, Adam and Jake.
Two years later, Rick’s Pawn Stars The cast was with him in Laguna Beach when he married his third wife, Deanna Birditt. However, in 2020, Rick filed for divorce from his third wife, seven years after the couple tied the knot. Rick said he filed divorce papers stating that his state of mind compared to Deanna’s had become so different. According to the filings, Rick explained that their marriage had become conflicted because they had different tastes, views, likes and dislikes. However, the divorce process was drama-free, as Deanna and Rick reconciled just months after he left (via Daily mail).
Rick Harrison has been accused of transphobia
Rick came under fire in 2015 for comments in support of Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio. During the interview CNNRick admitted that he was worried that his support for Marco and his conservative views had advertisers worried, and he worried that it might even cost him his show. Pawn Stars. Rick cited issues surrounding trans public accommodations as one of the issues he was most concerned about, noting that he was concerned about legislation that “Some cities may allow a man who identifies as a woman to use the women’s restroom.”
According to Rick, the law was made without considering the unintended consequences because he believed that some nasty men would take advantage of this and enter the bathroom with young women. Rick’s controversial comment was considered transphobic because it was intended to deny trans people the ability to use the bathroom that match their gender identity. Although Rick didn’t lose Pawn Stars, the reality TV star reportedly lost several endorsements. Meanwhile, Marco also dropped out of the presidential race after losing in Florida.
Sources: Filmy, Daily mail, CNN
Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars is a History Channel reality show set in the world famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Hosted by owner Rick Harrison, his father “The Old Man,” his son Corey, and their friend Chumlee, the show follows the daily buying and selling of various novelties and antiques brought in by customers, providing valuable historical context along the way.