The Las Vegas-based cast members of the hit reality-television show Pawn Stars are reportedly being sued by their ex-manager Wayne Jefferies for an alleged breach of contract.
According to a report by TMZ , Jefferies claims that in 2007 he took the owners and employees of Gold & Silver Pawn — Rick, Corey, the Old Man and Chumlee — and made them into household names by striking up a deal for a reality television show with A&E and the History Channel.
Jefferies notes that prior to his successful efforts ( Pawn Stars quickly became the second-highest rated reality-TV show behind Jersey Shore), the shop’s owners, Rick Harrison and father Richard Harrison, had previously tried to launch a reality-TV show based at their pawn shop and failed.
Things were going great for Jefferies and the Pawn Stars cast until early 2012, when Jefferies leaked news that A&E had commissioned a new pawn shop show spinoff called Cajun Pawn Stars .
When the network found out about the leak, network executives pressured the Old Man and the rest of the cast members to sever ties with Jefferies’ management duties for interfering, which is exactly what they did.
Jefferies is now suing the Pawn Stars guys for breach of contract and is asking for unspecified damages. In addition to the Pawn Stars crew, he’s also suing A&E, the History Channel and various execs for interfering with his management deals.
Currently in its sixth season, Pawn Stars follows the Gold & Silver Pawn shop fellows, who attempt to buy and sell rare and often historical items.
via IBTimes
