"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"... a model for America.

[CanuckAmok]

I generally boycot "reality TV", but I can't watch "EM: HE" with a dry eye; it's what America should be all about.

For those of you who haven't seen it, a team of designers and builders take the home of a family who have suffered a tragedy, and fix it up.

Sounds simple, but what is is, in reality, is the "barn-raising" of the 21st Century. It's about community supporting the less-furtunate; it is in practicality, about neighbourhoods.

Just seeing all the neighbours cheering when the family is returned to their new home tells me there's hope for our society.

[bluestateguy]

1. I passionately hate that show

Shows like that belong on the cable channels, not the major networks. Yet every week this show smashed American Dreams in the ratings, delivering a probably fatal blow to what I believe was the best show on TV in 10 years. But I have also learned a lesson that quality programming often does not equal high ratings from those stupid Nielsen boxes.

If good family programming is what you want, then American Dreams is your answer.

[CanuckAmok]

2. it's on cable here...I didn't know it was a network show.

I stand by my treacley statement.

[Kipepeo]

19. Because reality shows

no matter if they have "good" causes like this one...mean the death of scripted TV.

Networks can make more money when they don't have to pay writers, editors, or actors week to week...not to mention that with reality shows they can make tons of money off the products they place/use in the shows alone. They function as a 30-minute or hour-long (in some cases) commercial that even Tivo doesn't know enough to bypass.

I am more likely to give a personal pass to a show like this one, but for blatantly consumer-driven reality shows like America Idol I have to give a big barf rating.

If only Nielson had barf ratings on a scale. :)

[underpants]

29. "American Dreams" is/was good but WAY to predictable

I knew from the first show that the son would end up in Vietnam and the oldest sister would become a hippie/peacenik. That was obvious from the start. She also was obviously going to start dating a black guy too-they put too much into one family.

[cprise]

3. US should be about tiny amounts of self-congradulatory charity

..from corporations who are robbing us blind?

How disgusting and manipulative.

[CanuckAmok]

4. "The media is the message".

If is furthers the concept of unconditional charity, how can it be so bad?

You've gotta remember there are conservatives and liberals alike who see this and will ask "what can I do to make this world/my neighbourhood a better place?".

[cprise]

5. No, they think "Oh good I'm glad someone is doing this stuff.."

"...because all I've got this week is enough for dinner at McDonald's and a matinee Disney flick."

You are reacting to the show this way because you live in a democracy that nurtures.

FYI the more US society becomes charity-based, the more charitible contributions shrink in the US.

[CanuckAmok]

6. Interesting...

"FYI the more US society becomes charity-based, the more charitible contributions shrink in the US"

Not to be a dick, but I'd like to see this backed with sources; it seems to fly in the face of progressive theory.

[cprise]

11. Here's a datapoint for you

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1454592

Whatever that theory says, it should recognize that charity does not make up for a solid social contract. If it doesn't then progressivism has a big hole in it.

[HEyHEY]

13. That's quite a streatch paring reality TV and food bank donations

There could be a number of reasons for the drop

[Beware the Beast Man]

7. If I may ask, in all due respect,

in between random bursts of cynicism, what have you done to better your community and/or neighborhood? Also, what positives can we take away from such programming?

[cprise]

14. You could start with my tagline.

Beyond ClimatePrediction.net I power my car with biodiesel (read: solar energy) and help promote its use in the community; it is carbon-neutral and a great way for school districts to slash exposure to carcinogens on school buses.

I have participated in the gay civil rights movement starting in 1993, including working with a local speakers bureau where I've discussed LGBT issues at high schools with the general student body.

However brainwashed by the wider culture I felt as a gay youth in the 80s, I eventually came to realize that it scarcely compared to the propaganda that corporations dispense WRT anything that touches economics.

[Zuni]

8. who thinks that?

I see people doing favors for other people all the time. heck, after the Tsunami virtually everyone I know donated something

[cprise]

12. very sad commentary about the tsunami

...there was SO much bluster about it, and ads were everywhere.

Well here is what all amounted to:
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/dis_tsu_tot_aid_pac_cap

In the US it was $3.45 per person (we rank 23rd). Canada donated over FOUR TIMES that much per person.

Oh, and the initial US reflex to block aid cost many thousands of lives when time was critical.

[Zuni]

23. That only covers donations into mid-janurary 2005

the tsunami happened in late december. Plus, it only counted donations to four charitable organizations. Granted these are the largest, but many others exist and were donating. This list only counted funds recieved (not pledged) as of mid-Janurary.

Many Red state types (fundies) donated to their churches missions that operate in many of these affected countries.

It also doesn't include the cost of the Navy mission of many ships and helicopters delivering food and clean water 24/7 in Sumatra

[cprise]

30. So you're saying the figures are inaccurate.

I say they're the only figures produced in the discussion so far.

Also other countries donated privately, too, and according to your logic who is to say those smaller contributions were not also discounted.

As for the timing, well how many weeks should sick starving people lay around waiting? How effective is EMERGENCY reflief if 100s of posuers have to put up billboards and perform publicity stunts first?

According to Newsweek, the death toll on Jan 6 was already over 226,000.

That incredible outpouring of good will is in your head, placed there by PR firms.

[xmas74]

44. My church did large-scale drives for the tsunami victims.

We had a few Sundays were all of the tithe was donated directly to charities for the victims. Plus, we are still involved and on standby for any time any charity ask for OTC medications, clothes or school supplies.
I live in a small community and my church only has a couple hundred members but I remember the bulletin stating that we had donated over $5,000 for the charities (not to mention all of the quilting and knitting circles that wanted to donate blankets and other handmade items that were turned away).

[Midlodemocrat]

35. Actually, that is untrue.

According to the Foundation Center www.foundationcenter.org, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the United States has seen an increase in charitable contributions since 2002. It appears as though the trend that indicated decreases in charitable contributions was largely related to the scandals in the Roman Catholic Church, and now charitable organizations are hopeful that the trend has been reversed.

I would post a link, but the source requires not just registration, but a subscription. The foundation center web site has free information available regarding this trend.

[Zuni]

9. so spreading a message of doing good deeds

is bad just because many corporations are greedy? So instead of showing a program about people helping the less fortunate, networks should just show a rerun of CSI?

I fail to understand why the message is evil.

[cprise]

15. The message is evil when you reconcile it with Disneys behavior as a whole

Forgetfulness is what an Orwellian society is founded on. Why should I forget Disney's positions on taxation, democratic involvement in the economy (incl. universal healthcare) and so much more when I watch or discuss a show like this?

Those charity recipients are being exploited (however nicely) to whitewash a craven entity that tried to stop the release of Fahrenheit-911, and outranked CNN in the Iraq-delusion factor of its ABC News viewers (ABC was #2 after Fox).

Where is Disney's respect for people's ability to feed and house themselves through a democratic safety net?

[Kipepeo]

20. No I think the original post

(or maybe the 2nd post?) by this poster stated that as charity becomes more volunteer-based people give less.

I think that is played out in stats, but I'll have to check to make sure.

[bluestateguy]

16. I just wish people had watched American Dreams instead on Sunday nights

I think that show provided far more valuable lessons, and was probably more realistic too.

[LostinVA]

24. I watched American Dreams from Day One, and LOVED it.

It's ABC's fault for not marketing the show right. It was marketed as a "teen show," and that kept people like my Mom from watching it. She loved it after I told her she HAD to watch it. Best show since "China Beach." I am soooooooooo pissed off ABC canceled it.

[Lorien]

10. I liked the one where they gave a family of 11

who had been living in a 1,200 sq. ft. home a 5,000 sq. ft. home that had lower utility bills than the tiny place they had been living in. Solar roof, energy efficient appliances, even a tank for water collected from the gutters. plus, they recycled most of the old home (and the family had 5 extra kids because they had adopted the teenage children of two neighbors who had died). That's the sort of thing that should be done with every rebuild, IMHO.

[alarimer]

25. But can they afford the property taxes on that place?

I am sure some of this so-called charity will come back to bite them. Plus this so-called charity is just free advertising for Home Depot and the like. Treacly, emotionally manipulative CRAP

[Lorien]

38. The builders paid off their mortgage

that plus the huge energy savings-I think they weren't going to be hurting financially afterward.

And actually, it's a big ad for Sears, not Home Despot. My point was that if people are going to build Mcmansions, they CAN be built to be more Eco-friendly than smaller traditional homes-it just takes a little planning. The extra expense will pay for itself over time, no doubt.

[Book Lover]

17. Tear up rather at the increased tax and utility bills

A few weeks ago, www.sfgate.com ran a story about a family up near Penngrove whose house was redone. They can't afford to heat the place, and the tax bill has gone into the unaffordability range.

[burrowowl]

18. When their property taxes go up

who pays?
Water wasting appliances, etc. who pays? Who pays the Fed and State taxes on the windfall?
And why can't people earn enough to have adequate housing?

[Lindacooks]

21. Are you serious??

'And why can't people earn enough to have adequate housing?'

Haven't you been paying attention for the last five years? The employment situation in this country is dire, at best, with the prices of homes skyrocketing.

The question is, why can't housing prices be affordable so more people can have adequate shelter?

[Kipepeo]

22. This part:

"And why can't people earn enough to have adequate housing?"

I'd LOVE to see a reality show that followed this question to the end result. Instead of putting a bandaid on a situation (which is greatly appreciated by everyone, I admit that) why not go further and expose what is the problem, etc. and THEN fix it?

It's like nothing can touch *true* reality anymore for fear of offending viewers.

If they showed why and how Joe Smith lost his job (manufacturing in the south for example b/c of Bush) then they'd be at least digging deeper than face-value.


edited to add: And yes I love these house-porn shows as much as the next person myself but I swear I would like a little more background for once.

[underpants]

27. Two good articles on the tax implications

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/05/tax_consequence.html

http://tampatrib.com/nationworldnews/MGBWB60F28E.html

[Midlodemocrat]

42. I think Californians will not be subjected to brutal tax

implications. My understanding of Prop. 13 is that the house assessments can only increase 2% per year as long as you reside in the home, at which time it is reassessed at current market value.

I am not sure about improvements. Would they be assessed differently? I know we did some improvements on our home last year and got whacked with a $80,000 difference in assessment.

[underpants]

45. Yes, that is the gist of both of these articles

You can gift up to $50K but almost all of these improvements add way more than that in value. I read another article about how the producers were going to pay the residents a rent for the week they work on the homes and hopefully get around the increase in property tax but no tax expert thought it would fly in an audit.

[lildreamer316]

26. Oh for F****'s sakes people!!

Sure, it's an hour long commercial for Sears,etc.
Sure, it's paid for by corp. you don't agree with on policy, practice,etc.
Sure, it's made to jerk tears out of you and so on.
Of course some ppl will fall for the obvious goals of this program.
BUT IT'S STILL A HELL OF ALOT BETTER and MORE POSITIVE THAN ALL THE OTHER BULLSHIT ON that they are forcing down our throats.
I, for one, believe that I am smart enough to see through the obvious selling points to the fact that they honor ppl who are doing good in their communities and at least give them some of what they need. After all the shit we have to deal with (politics-wise)and how we are watching our country collapse from within, isn't it nice to see something bring so much joy to people who have done good things,and to know they exist among the thousands of idiots we know voted to bring "armageddon" upon us? Quit being so damn cynical....if I were that cynical I'd jump off a cliff! Lighten up,and take what joy you can from life. Geeez.:eyes:

[cprise]

32. I never said "thats just the way things are"

...now that would be cynical. However I am not stupid and am capable of being critical.

It is easy to do the 2 minutes of hate at GW Bush, someone who is nothing more than a figurehead and a corporate servant. And sadly that is who DUers overwhelmingly focus on.

[underpants]

28. I agree with you completely it is a great model for America

Yeah it's just a TV show and all but it shows what communities can do when they really want to.

[tk2kewl]

31. I do not agree

The model for choosing deserving families is one of sensationalism more than need. While these folks benefit from the "makeover" there are many much more needy in the same communities.

A yet to air episode features a Suffolk Co., NY Cop who lost his wife to cancer. Tragic. Cops in Suffolk earn six figure salaries even without OT.

[bleedingheart]

33. It reminds me of Queen for a Day

however it is nice that they fix up these people's homes.

I would much rather see a show about Habitat for Humanity which helps people but it isn't as glamorous for TV.

[flamingyouth]

34. That show always makes me cry.

Without fail.

[miss_kitty]

36. Sorry I'm late-but I brought popcorn!

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Hey! I can understand wanting stats on a claim, but getting the poster's bona fides AFTER a link to the info has been posted? Take a chill pill.

The show is a study in classic manipulation tactics. A few families make out really well-Who pays the taxes on that windfall though?
The corporations ARE taking loads of money off of us and then handing back a token, which is tax deductible, gives them the best most far-reaching PR in the world. PR money could not buy.

The show is teh suck. I'd like to see them do it in the true spirit of noblesse oblige-anonymously.

[tk2kewl]

37. not to mention they dupe ordinary laborers to work for free on the project

[redqueen]

39. It makes me cry. I like that they run ads for Habitat for Humanity.

I can't watch that show. It makes me cry with happines for the families, and yet I still get so terribly jealous.

I can't handle feeling that conflicted. :crazy:

[crispini]

40. Call me a cynic,

now, I've only watched it two or three times, but I think it's emotionally manipulative and basically an infomercial for Sears. Are these people going to be able to afford the taxes on their new, higher-appraising homes? Are these people going to be able to take care of the maintenance on all of their "cool" stuff? Pools, ponds and so on take a lot of work (and a lot of expense). How good is the quality of the work when they just toss it up so quickly? They've gotta be cutting corners there.

I dunno, I think it's good TV, but would those involved be doing it if it WASN'T on TV? I really have to wonder.

We had a guy in our neighborhood whose house burned down. Everyone in the neighborhood has pitched in to help him rebuild his house. They didn't get any credit, they didn't get any product placement, they didn't get any star turns on TV. They just did it.

I guess I just really have to question everything when fame and fortune is involved -- and when the result is so faaaar above and beyond what they really started out with, and is maybe way more than what they really can use or maintain. :shrug:

[miss_kitty]

41. Bingo.

Kudos to your neighbours for being neighbourly too, and taking care of a fellow human being in need, who had no TV show to help.

[SoCalDem]

43. The "problem" with this type if show (as I see it) is this....

It's an emblematic "bandaid"...just as "Queen for a Day" back in the 1950's. It's just voyeurism without the pornographic twist that usually is associated with it.


For the few families, it's fantastic..who WOULDN'T want a brand new house with all the gadgets that go along with it?.. Is is a "reward" for being the most pitiful person of the moment, though??

Voyeur TV is embarrassing to watch....in any incarnation.

Handsome men and women (who just cannot seem to find a date:eyes:..) video-prostituting themselves, in the hopes of selling something else on tv on a regular basis??

or

Families with "severe problems", having the Screaming Nutty guy from Sears ads suddenly show up to knock down the "bad" house, and give you a brand new one, because your family was "recently judged to be be most pathetic"..?

or

The whole process just reinforces the infantile notion that somewhere "out there", a "white-knight" or "guardian angel" will swoop in at the last minute and "rescue you"..

This is the same mentality that drives people to buy those lotto tickets, and visit those casinos..:(

The reality of it all is that it's a giant Sears ad..

[NMMNG]

46. It's a really nice concept

But instead of paying what is probably 1-2 million for one house for one family (considering how extravagantly they deck those houses out) it seems they could make a much more conservative house that would serve the family just as well. With the leftover money/goods each week they could assist many just as deserving and needy people in the same community by donating it to a local charity.