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Home Free: My 'Extreme Home Make-Over' Obsession

January 25, 2007

We’ve all seen it, and I don’t know about you, but “Extreme Home Makeover” gets me a little misty: the loving family that’s fallen on hard times, the sob-inducing backstory full of tragedy and heartbreak, the inspiring preservence against all the odds. And as I sit there, soggy Kleenex in my hand, I say to myself: if only these poor, wonderful people had a beautiful house to call home.

Well, in the words that launched a thousand product placements: Move! That! Bus!

I admit it. I watch “Extreme Home Makeover.” And I also admit that I weep like a child every time it’s on. It’s gotten so bad that I well up when a see a promo for an upcoming episode.

But that doesn’t change the fact that I feel a little uneasy while watching these families outfitted with state-of-the-art kitchens and plasma televisions. I just cannot shake the feeling that these poor, troubled families are being exploited for our entertainment, and that their well-being and the future of their housing is being treated lightly for the sake of good television, and for the desired tear- jerking reaction from the audience.

Comments

Mauirice R Brubaker wrote:

My wife watches the show and loves it. However when I do watch an episode, I wonder how they can afford the upkeep. On top of that I wonder if the neigbors try to take things from them. after the cameras leave. I do believe that ABC is trying to do good things, but still have an uneasy feeling after the show ends. Myabe I am jealous that they get a fabulous new home and will never be able to take care of it.

posted at January 26, 2007 08:59 AM

Marlo wrote:

Can this show get any more scripted? My biggest question is why are they always tearing down the houses completely? When the show first started the houses were partially kept. Now no matter what, the house is gone regardless of how strange the house may look on the street. This is why the Chicago episode was crazy. They tore down a two flat apartment and built this house. It was beautiful but was smack in the middle of the street surrounded by all two flats. If you are familiar with Chicago neighborhoods this would bother you too.

posted at January 27, 2007 07:22 PM

Brea Schofield wrote:

Do lottery winners not face the same challenges?

What is life without the random gift of magic and the game of chance? I worked with Sears for several years and personally worked on the Extreme Home sponsorship. I've sat at conference tables while advertising executives (some less than 30 years old) read stories of desolate families and chose their fate. But is that so terrible? Aren't we all faced with random occurrences that define our destiny? We all face chaos and have to learn to use it to our benefit. How fantastic is it that a random family could receive a fresh start? Who cares if the home isn’t worth as much as the building costs? Networks do insane things to gain ratings… how could we criticize them for ‘wasting’ money on a home?

Does it really matter if it is Santa Claus or ABC or Sears? We all have wants, very few are NEEDS, but in this world of Wal-mart dominance, I commend Sears for doing their best to build brand equity without stooping to their competitor's levels.

posted at January 27, 2007 07:56 PM

K J wrote:

My question is, how in the world do they pay the taxes on this new and improved super house? And what in the world does having terminal cancer have to do with needing a Plasma screen in every room? It's one thing when they do something like create a house that is light-sensitive for the kids allergic to light or hypoallergenic for the kid who is allergic to dust, but sometimes it's just ridiculous.

posted at January 29, 2007 02:07 PM

lisacog wrote:

But I *can* criticize the network. They aren't just gifting a car or other large item, it is a home, which is often the only estate a family has. If they can't sell it when it's time to retire, or they outgrow it, they have lost part of their future. The previous house may have been a crapshack, but it would sell.

I also want to know if the network helps out if the two day construction goes bad - if plumbing goes haywire, for instance. This matters, and is worth questioning.

I don't watch the show any more. I got tired of being manipulated emotionally, and the way they raised the bar on how tragic and heroic the family had to be to deserve the gift was nauseating. It's also become a bit too flag-waving for my stomach.

Personally, I'd like to see the show disappear.

posted at January 29, 2007 02:09 PM

rhondalou wrote:

I did read that Extreme Makeover does come back and check up on the people on the show.
I know they come back if there are things to fix.
I really think this is a great show. The 1/29/07 show really was great and i (who never cry) had tears in my eyes.
I often wondered myself how people can upkeep the homes and pay the electic,taxes and other bills?
I love the show and hope they keep up the great work.

posted at January 29, 2007 02:52 PM

Elizabeth wrote:

I have also been troubled by what comes next for these families, and I did a little web-searching to see if I could find any info. As one might suspect, there are families who could not keep up with the taxes and other expenses associated with these mansions and lost everything because of it. One family of agoraphobics are now apparently homeless agoraphobics--not a "tears of sympathetic joy" kind of picture. I've stopped watching the show because of this issue--and also because of what another poster noted about the ratcheting up of the "worthiness" factor. How much more pathetic and heart-wrenching can the stories get to prove these families are deserving?

posted at January 29, 2007 04:03 PM

Don wrote:

Where is all the money going? ABC is making a massive amount of money on this show and it seems most of the costs are donated. What is ABC giving up while all the little people give much?

don

posted at February 18, 2007 05:46 PM