HGTV’s Property Brothers Hoax

[Packard]

In a recent episode of Property Brothers on HGTV, Fran Drescher joined the brothers to surprise her housekeeper of 30 years. 

The housekeeper and her husband went to Mexico to visit relatives and were to be gone for a month.  The co-conspirator was her daughter.  It was presented that the housekeeper and her husband were completely unaware of the ongoing house upgrade. 

At this point I have to step back from the narrative and discuss a bit of TV tech.  Apparently, the reality people wear a transmitter, and I presume a lavaliere microphone.  On women, the transmitter is frequently observable.  They apparently clip it to the rear of the women’s bras.  The outline is easily observable in many cases and appears to be about 3” to 4” square and about 1” thick.  I have never observed the microphone. 

OK, so back to the narrative.  The housekeeper and her husband are driving back from the airport to their just-remodeled home.  They are purportedly unaware that anything is happening or is about to happen.

Drescher is on the front porch and comes out to greet the husband and wife.  It is perfectly clear that the transmitter has been attached to the rear of the housekeeper’s bra. 

She seems surprised to see Drescher on her front porch there to greet her.  She seems surprised about the remodel. 

So how did the producers clip that transmitter to the back of her bra without her being aware that they had?

I have some doubts about the authenticity of the “surprise”. 

Can someone explain this to me? 

 

[jujigatame]

I actually know someone who was on another show like that.  As they were arriving home, they were met by the producer at the end of their street and told that they were on a show (but not which one), and there was a surprise at their house and that they need to be wired up, they weren't told what was done or who did it so they'd be actually surprised.

 

[Packard]

I actually know someone who was on another show like that.  As they were arriving home, they were met by the producer at the end of their street and told that they were on a show (but not which one), and there was a surprise at their house and that they need to be wired up, they weren't told what was done or who did it so they'd be actually surprised.

That might account for it.  They did seem to be surprised to see Drescher and even more surprised to the the brothers. 

At the time the whole thing looked like a setup. 

OK.  I am satisfied with that answer. 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Reality shows have one flaw, that's the cameras. Even in the least scripted or controlled form, they still know that they are being recorded. That changes people, even those who are not nervous about it will act differently than they would if it was totally candid.

 

[luvmytoolz]

The ones here in OZ are pretty much as scripted as they go. My nephew was one of the builders contracted on "The Block", and the contestants would appear for a few hours every so often, the builders would have to disappear, and they would film the contestants scenes making it seem they were working, and then they'd be gone and the builders back on site again to continue working.

Like most of these so called "reality" shows, it used to be about the designs and work and was interesting, now it's purely about the manufactured drama more than anything else. Absolute rubbish.

 

[kevinculle]

It strikes me that there are very significant legal and financial hazards associated with undertaking major renovations on someone's home without their knowledge or permission.  I would strongly suspect that the surprised reactions in these shows are amateur acting and not genuine.

 

[Cheese]

It strikes me that there are very significant legal and financial hazards associated with undertaking major renovations on someone's home without their knowledge or permission.  I would strongly suspect that the surprised reactions in these shows are amateur acting and not genuine.

I'm with Kevin on this one...slicing & dicing a private party's home without their specific authorization seems like a potential lawsuit in the making.
Think about that completely original Porsche or Ferrari or Greene & Greene home that got repainted and "up graded". There absolutely has to be some paper-work that needs to be signed off. Fifty years ago it was considered to be a bonus round...now days it's a lawsuit.

 

[sancho57]

most of those reality Home Improvement shows are set ups.
https://www.nickiswift.com/27699/property-brothers-totally-fake/

a couple of the HGTV host have been sued for crappy work to.

 

[Packard]

There is plenty online on how the original Property Brothers show remodels the home, giving “Option #1 or Option #2, goes about limiting their liability.  But in those cases, the home owner is paying for the renovations.  The Property Brothers is only providing design services, and video documentation that will probably help when they go to sell their renovated home.

But on the Celebrity version, I could find nothing about permissions.  Even when the home owner is aware of the process, they don’t get to watch as the work is progressing. 

I would be disappointed every time they use open shelving in kitchens instead of cabinets.  Or pedastal sinks in bathrooms and no medicine cabinets behind the mirrors. 

If they did the house for me, I would have to spend $10,000 - $20,000 to fix the mistakes they make.

And what is it about putting luxury vinyl plank flooring in houses valued above one million dollars?  Is there any way that makes sense?

In any case, the show seems “hoax-y”.

Some of the shows seem less hoax-y.  There is a show that centers on the west coast.  A pair of twins are real estate brokers, and they remodel the homes to improve sales price.  It seems less script-y (or maybe the twins deliver the lines better), and since they are using their own money to do the upgrades, there is less risk for the home sellers. 

In any case, I find that their observations on what makes houses sell better to be of interest.  I am filing that information for when I go to sell my house.