Operation Hardcore Pawn

Les Gold

It's nearly 20 years since the joint ABC / BBC innovative production Sylvannia Waters burst onto our tele sets and the era of reality television was upon us. Week after week viewers were transfixed by the middle class Donaher family as cameras followed their every move. Surely no-one could have predicted what was to follow-from Big Brother, Survivor, Wife Swap, Changing Rooms to X-Factor-the public was hooked on cheap to make, but high rating entertainment.

Now the Shuttle hears of the latest cult hits that are screened on the new channel 7mate on Thursday evenings-Hardcore Pawn about a barn sized hock shop in a run down area of  Detroit and Operation Repo which follows the adventures of a group of Puerto Rican / Mexican auto repossession agents who ply their trade around Los Angeles.

repo gal Sonia Pizarro

Even odder, word comes that a group of well heeled Eastern Suburbs ladies are hosting weekly parties on Thursday evenings in a Point Piper mansion to watch the shows on a giant flat screen telly with waiters, catering and French champagne as up to 30 ladies thrill to the exploits of a world they know little about.

Apparently the tattooed Matt Burch (left) is a favourite along with the Pawnbroker Les Gold  and his endlessly feuding children Ashley & Seth, who deal every day with a bizarre range of clients hocking everything from a lap dancing pole, a live horse or a yellow taxi.

Last night's Repo was a gem with the no-nonsense and amply built repo agent Sonia Pizarro encountering a dominatrix and her slave who was behind in his Toyota payments. As Madam handcuffed the chap to a staircase she ordered him to hand over the car keys to Sonia who was then invited in for a bit of nookie and perhaps a light lashing. She declined.

Andy Warhol, eat your heart our or perhaps as Dame Edna Everage once said :"laugh at other's troubles and it helps to bear your own"
None of this has escaped the attention of the Double Bay society mag Latte Life which has an interview with Les Gold in it's current issue .here.

For those who were too young to enjoy the exploits of Noeline Donaher in her waterfront house at Sylvannia Waters-here is a musical interlude from the lady with her version of No Regrets: