I forgot to mention another thing that really struck me yesterday - the general feeling of the crowd yesterday seemed to be "What's so special about this family?". They're a family of four, the dad is a firefighter and they bought a crappy house that had a lot more problems than they originally realized. Yeah, that sucks, but why does that mean they should get a new home?
Everybody there seemed to know a family who had applied for the show who was "more" in need. Even my mother knew someone from her Kantele group who had applied - the woman was a single mother living in a run-down home, and is simultaneously trying to work full-time and care for her child with full-blown cerebal palsy. The child needs round-the-clock care and their home is just not adapted for her needs.
It was just interesting to the expectations that this show has raised - that a family is only "deserving" of a new home if they've experienced some kind of horrible family tragedy. Ie. one of the parents died AND they lost their home, or the entire family has cancer or some other equally terrible thing. I mean, how many shows did we see about families who lost loved ones in 9/11 or Katrina?
Or another woman gave the example of a family on a recent show she'd seen about a couple who adopted special needs children from China. Children who'd been abandoned by everyone - their family, their society, their country. Children who'd never received any kind of love, affection or education. And the dad was sick and died from brain cancer two days after the reveal. He never got to see the house.
Heads all around nodded in agreement. Yes, indeed, they were a family who deserved a new home.
But that said, considering it is the season opener, I do think there must be *something* else about this family that the are not telling us. Unfortunately with TV being the way it is and always needing sensationalism, they couldn't ever just show some ordinary family on their two-hour special season premiere. So until then, everyone will be just be waiting around to see what it is about this family that makes them worthy of this new house.
Labels: TV
posted by Ksam @ 10:18 AM
2 Comments:
I saw that show with the family who adopted all the kids and then the father died; it aired when I was back home in July, very moving. I'm sure there is something else about the family who got the house you saw, something that maybe isn't public knowledge, but it will be when the show goes live. Don't think I can honestly say I've ever seen them do a show where the family wasn't "deserving". But of course there are so many families in need, it's gotta be tough to choose. From what I understand, it's not only how "deserving" they are but there is a rigorous interview process and background check that goes into how the families are chosen.
What I always think is so ridiculous about those shows is that if, instead of paying Ty Pennington a huge salary and all the production costs, they could do a lot more good by spending that money on several houses for families. I suppose that's not really possible because they wouldn't get the ad revenue, but I still always find it strange that so much money is spent on making these things entertaining when so much more could be done by eliminating all those costs.
Have a safe flight home!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home