SHORT TAKES : Diddley Defends Pawn Shop Ad

Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Bo Diddley makes no apologies for plugging a pawn shop in a TV commercial.

“It’s not a downgrade,” Diddley said Wednesday from his Albuquerque, N.M., home. “It’s an upgrade thing for me all the way.”

The 62-year-old guitar wizard said the commercial slammed by Richmond radio announcer Rik Maybee as “one of the saddest things on Earth” may expose more people to his music.

In the 30-second ad for Jefferson Loan Office Inc., Diddley played his trademark rectangular guitar, Lucille, and sang a ditty about the pawn shop.

Diddley said some might look down on pawn shops, but he was glad for the exposure, recalling a time when “Lassie got more TV coverage than I did.”