Hit hard by the strike? Sell your diamonds!

Could this be the strangest attempt yet to capitalize on the Writers Guild strike?

From an ad in today's Variety:

"As the largest volume collateral lender in Beverly Hills for 20 years, I want to take this pportunity to help bridge this troublesome financial time for all industry workers. I'm extending reduced loan rates on all fine jewelry and art."

Yeah, because the striking scribes and out-of-work below-the-liners who don't know where their next paycheck is coming from are knee-deep in "fine jewelry and art."

Wait, there's more:

"And as gold and diamonds values have recently skyrocketed I will also purchase items at top dollar."

Time to raid your closets, WGA, SAG, DGA, IA and Teamster members! The pawn brokers at "The Dina Collection" will help you out... well, while purchasing all of your family heirlooms.

-- Michael Schneider

Comments

[stuiec]

Ummm, Michael... this is an ad for a pawnbroker -- that's what a "collateral lender" is.

When he says "reduced loan rates on fine jewelry and art," it means he'll charge less interest when someone pawns an item of that type.

[Mike]

Of course (slaps hand on face). I've re-written it to make that more clear. But as editor Dana notes, that makes this even more sleazy!

[stuiec]

It's kind of a tough call. On the one hand, pawnbrokers inherently take advantage of the desperation of people in financial straits. On the other hand, better to pawn a piece of jewelry or a painting and keep one's house than lose the house to foreclosure and THEN be forced to pawn away one's possessions. What this pawnbroker is doing is giving union members a discount -- one hopes that few people are in such dire need that they have to use the offer. (By the way, some union strike funds pay out in the form of loans that have to be repaid, so I can't fault the pawnbroker here.)