Anthona wrote:
Years ago when Bob Vila was in the Old house, he left because he said
that he didn't like the way the show was going..building and repairing
luxury homes only. I agree then and still agree, the way they show how
perfect they can make million dollar homes look great is sickening.
How many of us can afford such luxury? Maybe they felt some guilt and
now show another show right after that, "Ask this old house"...which
is fine. But so far i have never noticed them visiting someone in a
city, like NY or Chicago...its always a private home in some boon
docks areas.

IIRC, Vila got booted because he was trading on his fame from the show
getting an endorsement contract with Sears. From various interviews and
reports since then, the rest of the cast and crew considered him an
idiot anyway. (That agrees with my impression from watching TOH back
then, as well as his own copycat show. I grew up in the business, so I
knew a lot of what he was spouting was pure BS.)The first replacement
was okay, but really more of a boat geek than a carpenter. He is pretty
watchable on his current series with some other channel, about
historical buildings. The current puppy of a TOH host, pretty much of a
look-alike for #2,is no expert, but he doesn't pretend that he is, and
thus acts like a stand-in for the viewer.

They have heard all the people bitching about the show becoming 'This
Old Mansion', and are trying, sort of, to get back to their roots this
season with the New Orleans arc.

---
aem sends...