On Saturday night, August 4, 2017, the cast of the Emmy-nominated series Pawn Stars returned for their summer reunion season. The show is known for its over-the-top, hilarious reality-based stunts and comedic dialogue, so it was only fitting that the stars would bring the same energy and enthusiasm to the reunion stage. The season four premiere drew 4.3 million viewers, an increase of 33% from the previous season’s premiere.
Series star and founder of the Pawn Stars Gold and Silver Mine, Corey Feldman, opened the show with a short but sweet speech. He thanked the audience for supporting his business and his charity, Corey’s Kids, which provides a safe haven for children with cancer. He also mentioned that he lost 25 pounds on the four-year anniversary of the show, which is an all-time high for him.
Feldman then introduced the panel of experts that would be grading his muscles as part of the reunion’s festivities. They included actor Kirk Franklin, stunt person Matty J, and nutritionist Kayla Tyan. The trio went through a round of introductions and set the stage for what would be an interesting scientific discussion on whether or not weight loss is even possible for someone like Feldman.
A Reunion Worth Celebrating
As exciting as it was to see Corey back on our TV screens after such an extended break, I’m sure many of us (including myself) were just as happy that the reunion was just that—a reunion. Pawn Stars isn’t exactly the best representative of contemporary reality television. While the format is extremely popular, it often times serves as a sad reminder that these famous people have more than enough money and power to keep their children healthy. We’ve seen countless reality shows with cancer as a storyline, but Pawn Stars takes it a step further by having the disease become a part of the cast’s daily lives.
It’s been almost five years since Feldman last graced our TV screens with his hilarious wit and charm. Since then, he’s had a change of heart regarding the way he wants to spend his time. He opened up a steakhouse in Hollywood named “Cowboy Café,” and his business partner owns a sports bar and steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee. That’s a far cry from sitting on his couch and drinking beer with the boys.
At the reunion, Feldman expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to share his story. “I want to thank [creator] Rick [Harrison] and the entire team at Lionsgate for giving me this opportunity to be on your TV and in your lives. I hope I can continue to make you laugh and bring joy to your lives.”
He also thanked his fans for supporting his charity work. “Every day I wake up, I feel like I’ve got a task ahead that I need to do to help my fellow man.”
What Is ‘Corey’s Transformation’?
In addition to thanking his fans and his fellow cast members, Feldman also discussed the weight loss journey he’s gone on since leaving the show. For those of you wondering, here’s a brief recap of what happened.
In 2016, Feldman released a book titled Corey’s Trumpet. In the book, he candidly shared his thoughts on the election of Donald Trump and offered advice to those who might be experiencing emotional or physical stress. In April 2017, he announced on Instagram that he’d partnered with Fitbit to create a meal plan that would help him lose weight.
I was incredibly excited to see Feldman announce his partnership with Fitbit, as I’ve been a fan of his for years and have always wanted to try the device. When he first tweeted about the collaboration, his followers immediately began expressing their excitement. Here’s what he had to say:
“For those of you wondering, here’s a brief recap of what happened. In 2016, Feldman released a book titled Corey’s Trumpet. In the book, he candidly shared his thoughts on the election of Donald Trump and offered advice to those who might be experiencing emotional or physical stress. In April 2017, he announced on Instagram that he’d partnered with Fitbit to create a meal plan that would help him lose weight.”
The next day, I visited my local Walmart to see if Fitbit was carrying his brand and if he’d released any new products in the past year. I was a little disappointed to see that his Fitbit was out of stock and that he hadn’t released any new products. Maybe I was expecting too much. I mean, he did just say he’d partnered with Fitbit. Maybe the company didn’t have the will to bring his gear to market.
Regardless, I decided to give Fitbit a call just to make sure. I explained who I was and asked if they had any idea when his line would be available to order. The phone representative immediately got me an order confirmation email, which made me wonder if there was something to the hype. Did Fitbit have some sort of special incentive to get his gear in stock?
The answer is yes. As it turned out, one of Fitbit’s corporate citizens was battling cancer, and Feldman wanted to help.
‘Pawn Stars’ Helped A Coworker’s Daughter Lose Her Battle With Cancer
Here’s where things get interesting. As I was checking out at the Walmart, I noticed a police officer standing by the cash register. Curious, I asked if he was there to observe the lunchtime rush or if there was a problem.
He said there was no problem, but that he’d been assigned to monitor a Walmart store in another state that was experiencing power outages. So he was there as a favor to his fellow officers, but it turned out to be quite the favor. One of the customers had a daughter who’d been battling cancer for several years. After noticing that the police officer was wearing a Fitbit, the customer asked if he’d be willing to help out with her medicine because she was having a hard time paying for her treatments. The officer agreed, but wanted to make sure that the customer was aware of how expensive cancer treatments could be. He then pulled out his wallet and handed her a $20 bill. The woman told him that it was more than she could afford, but after looking at the officer’s name and badge, she decided to give it a shot. The kid’s name was Isabella, and she was three years old.
Her mother, Ashley, then got down on one knee and proposed a business deal to the officer. She told him that she owned a coffee shop and that she’d be willing to trade him the $20 bill for two bags of her delicious signature coffee. The officer said he’d consider it, and the two struck a deal. Once they agreed on the terms, the two hugged and cried together. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it was obvious that the officer was touched by this story. I’d never seen a Walmart cashier handle a situation like this with such grace and sensitivity. After she made the trade, the officer asked if he could use her coffee shop’s address to send someone a thank you note. Ashley told him he was more than welcome and that she’d be happy to write down the address for him.
Weight Loss Is Challenging For Everyone
During the reunion, Feldman’s panelists weighed in on his weight loss goals and whether or not they were even possible for someone like him. Matty J, who doubles as Feldman’s bodyguard and driver, had the difficult task of rating his boss’s muscle mass. J gave his client an “8.5” out of 10, which is quite the compliment. (J’s 10s are usually reserved for professional wrestlers or action heroes, so this was a huge deal for Feldman.)
“A lot of folks have a hard time seeing past your exterior,” said J. “But when you lose that weight, you’re going to be amazed at how toned you are and how great you look. It’s not easy losing the weight, but it’s well worth it.”
The panelists also had harsh words for those who try to trick their bodies into losing weight. Kayla Tyan, the team’s nutritionist, called such tactics “cheating” and “unethical.” She noted that people who do this are usually “very uncomfortable in their own skin” and that they often end up gaining the weight back. (Tyan is also on record as saying that patients who ask for weight loss surgery usually do it because they’re “very unhappy with [their] bodies.”)