Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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Well the ABC show is in a little town fairly close to my own and is in mid-process of building a new home for the Harper Family. I'm told that they have a spectator's parking lot and shuttle buses to the location... might be fun to go see the day the family gets back to see their new home....
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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I tend to burn out on all these "home redecorate and re-do" shows (Trading Spaces seemed to spawn about 420,000 rip-offs...check the TLC and HGTV schedules for proof).
However, this show is kinda sweet because on the two or three episodes I've seen, it seems a well-deserving, kicked-in-the-butt-by-life family gets something very nice done for them. Two in particular - a large family where the still-young (40-something?) father had recently died and the Mom was left with about five or six kids, and the family with two deaf parents and one autistic son and the other teen son who acted as the "glue" who held everything together and seemed like a really decent kid - kinda touched me, I won't lie. When these two families got their new, re-done houses...I totally teared up. The kids had their own rooms, reflecting their interests, the deaf dad got his own little backyard woodshop, the widowed mom got a resort style master bedroom/bathroom suite she could retreat to, the autistic boy got a downstairs playroom outfitted with toys and activities suited to his condition, siblings of wildly varying ages no longer had to share the same room or beds, etc. It was nice. If you gotta have "reality" type shows, I'd rather see something like this where people are doing good for others and actually making a difference, rather than all that other horseshit (screwing around, cheating, backstabbing, complaining, conniving, crying, hysterics, fake drama and tension, airheads, assholes, etc.) most of the other shows are based on and wallow in. More power to 'em (the Extreme Makeover folks). They - unlike those "Big Brother" and "Temptation Island" nimrods - can sleep well at night. |
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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I liked the show at first, but -- no offense to your neighbors nor anyone else who has gotten their reward on the show -- I could only take so many stories that would be outrageous if they weren't true before I became a bit jaded. Actually, sometimes I want to kick some of their designers.
But congrats to to these folks, and enjoy a day over there. I bet being there in person can be a lot of fun. Like pscates said, it's a "reality" show that, overall, is real for a change and it does people some good. |
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Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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So I took my mom over to see the house yesterday... there were probably a couple hundred spectators across the street from the house. The show had placed some bleachers in those neighbor's yard and will likely have to re-sod their lawn when all is said and done. The house itself is super-nice. Pretty much an Arts&Crafts design, it has a pass-through carport to the backyard which has a really nice eyelid detail. A lot of fieldstone, really handsome. One of the ladies walking past stopped to point out that there was a third chimney-like structure in the backyard that was actually a huge outdoor barbeque pit! Party at the Harper house!
Fortunately for them the house looked finished on the outside. The landscapers were angling to get everybody cleared so they could begin sodding. I expect that they had the heat turned up full blast last night because the arctic express plowed through town last night with really strong, really frigid bursts of wind. I stood looking at the house for ten or fifteen minutes running over what it will be like when those folks get home... and I got every-so-slightly choked up at the expression of Giving that was occurring in this singular event. Certainly there will always be people who are in desperate need, and this is just a fluffy television show, but whenever you see Good happening you should check your cynicism at the door. As I was getting ready to go find my mom on the bleachers a local celebrity, Jeff Foxworthy, came ambling down the driveway from the new house's backyard. Naturally the crowd went wild. I wonder if he took over after Ty's appendectomy? I understand that this show will be aired in a month or so. |
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Of course it's good for the family and you can't help but be a little glad for them, but I am so tired of the sub-genre (reality home improvement of whatever kind) and sick of the category (all "reality" shows) in general, that I cannot stomach to watch any of them for even 5 minutes.
My life is too valuable to me. We're starting to watch less and less TV and reading more / playing board games / just talking / planning for a new home... and it feels great. Television is like a sickness that we're all afflicted with. You don't realize how many hours you wasted on the thing until you stop watching it -- even if you're not a couch potato or addict but just someone who watches say three hours a day. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Member
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My Dad's company (Beazer Homes) is the builder doing the work (He's on the general council, though, so he's not directly involved in this). I drove by there the other day to check it out. It's pretty crazy. The house is basically already built, but broken into pieces. Beazer contractors bring the pieces to the lot and basically assemble it. Very fast-paced
"I understand small business growth. I was one." - George W. Bush |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
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Tonight they're airing an episode done near me. They keep saying that its in Oakland, but actually its in Martinez.
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Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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Yeah I think we all do that nowadays..... I live in "Atlanta" like that house is in Oakland
Thanks for reminding me hyperb0le, you can go check out the house I'm describing at Beazer's website: www.beazer.com It really has been an item of community interest on this part of town, inspirational for everyone and an opportunity to meet your neighbors. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
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On their "How'd they do that" show tonight, they're running a line of text at the top saying "We apoligize to the people of Martinez for misidentifiying their city as Oakland".
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