In the late 1990's to early 2000's, Comedy Central broadcast a game show called "Win Ben Stein's Money". Ben Stein was a rather obnoxious and opinionated right-winger who produced and co-hosted the show with Jimmy Kimmel who now has his own late-night show on ABC. "Pawnography", a spin-off show from History's "Pawn Stars" is essentially the same format as "Win Ben Stein's Money". Instead the prize isn't money but collectible "stuff". And the host is a bit different, but we'll get to that.
The premise of Ben Stein's original show was simple enough. Stein would put $5000 in the "bank", and the first round consisted of three contestants answering Jeopardy-like questions in "funny categories" with dollar values which would extract money from "the bank". Contestants won money which was always being propagated as being Stein's, even though it was really the money of the show. (Stein made millions from the show, so whatever money was supposedly lost during his show were negligible overall.) After the first round, the last place contestant (the one with the least amount of dough) had to leave, his or her money would return to the bank, and Ben Stein would become the third participant. Although Stein couldn't actually win, he could prevent the other contestants from obtaining "his money" by answering correct questions.
In the final round, the contestant with the most "cash" had to beat Stein directly by going head-to-head with the host/producer in order to win an additional $5000. Stein and the contestant each try and answer correctly as many of 10 questions as possible in 60 seconds. The higher number of right answers was the winner. Each contestant would be in a booth. The contestant's booth looked like a one-room brown-stone while Stein's booth looked like the sitting room of a posh château. If the contestant beat Stein, he would win an extra $5000. If not, the contestant would receive the money he had won during the other rounds plus maybe "Win Ben Stein's Money" the board game. During each airing Stein would repeatedly say things like "These contestants are trying to take MY money!"
Now fast-forward 10 years. With the success of "Pawn Stars", the History Channel has decided to resurrect "Win Ben Stein's Money" with a bit of a twist. Instead of cash, contestants are trying to win collectibles at the Pawn Shop. Each round has up for grabs a collectible item plus the virtual "cash" earnings won by answering correct questions. The first round involves two contestants, and Corey and Chumlee acting as a third contestant. In the second round, Rick Harrison becomes the third contestant. They answer similar questions as in "Stein's Money" but there are no set categories. If the Pawn Stars team ever wins the round, the item up for grabs is lost. If a contestant wins the round, they "sort of" win the item, but not entirely. After the second round, the contestant with the highest "cash" winnings must play all three Pawn Stars in the same head-to-head as "Stein's Money". Another item is now up for grabs, but the contestant must beat the Pawn Stars to win the other item(s) of the other rounds, plus the cash. (If the Pawn Star contestants came out ahead in the previous rounds, only the item of the 3rd round can be won plus the cash.) If the contestant loses the head-to-head round, he or she wins nothing. However there is one final "round" after the questions. Before revealing how the outcome of the head-to-head round, the contestant and Rick Harrison can negotiate for a money "deal" in lieu of the contestant taking away the cash and the prize(s).
In the original show, Ben Stein was a somewhat over-bearing conservative who, strangely, had charm, personality, and a good sense of humor. Despite his politics might drive liberals into setting fire to effigies of Barry Goldwater, Stein had enough of a spark in his eye to make the show at least modestly entertaining. And you always laughed when he griped about losing "his money". And contestants at least kept the money they won during the other rounds.
However, in "Pawnography" the contestant gains no prizes unless they beat the Pawn Stars in the last round, which I think is a total sham. And, Christopher Titus, the current host of "Pawnography", is an over-bearing humorless and down-right insufferable jerk. He has the dis-respectfulness of a John McEnroe and the crassness of a Howard Stern, cubed. Titus has the kind of personality which makes King Kong look like an honorable gentleman. His cutting little comments are about as funny as Joseph McCarthy during his hearings in the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security in the early 1950's. Whether Titus is liberal or conservative, I don't care. I might have rated the show about a 7, but with Titus, it rates 3 points lower. Only Titus could make Stein seem like a courteous gentleman. Maybe the reason they got Titus is he makes the other Pawn Stars, Harrison, Corey and Chumlee, seem much more socially courteous and respectful. As long as Titus is hosting, I probably won't be able to suffer the insufferable.
