Entertainment

Does Anyone Care HGTV‘s ’House Hunters’ Could Be a Farce?

House Hunters Participant Reveals Several Staged Elements of the Show | Fans Will Keep Watching

Bobi Jensen with her husband on House Hunters in 2006. (Image: HGTV screenshot)

A couple days ago, a woman who had appeared on the popular “reality” TV show “House Hunters” on the cable channel HGTV, revealed the show, at least for one couple, was a setup. After a couple days of letting the news sink in, fans have come out to say they don’t really care.

The show, where many prospective buyers choose one of three options within — or slightly outside of — their budget, can get addictive to the real estate junkie audience.

The blog Hooked on Houses recently interviewed Bobi Jensen, whose family of four went on “House Hunters” six years ago to find their new home. Jensen explained how her actual story of “getting a bigger house and turning our other one into a rental” was deemed “boring and overdone” by producers. She says they instead angled the show to focus on how the family with growing children needed a larger space. Technically, this is the case, but Jensen writes that she and her family “lived in an even smaller house quite comfortably” and she now cringes when she watches the episode dramatizing their “desperate” search for a larger home.

That’s not all:

They didn’t even “accept” us being a subject for the show until we closed on the house we were buying.  So then when they decided to film our episode we had to scramble to find houses to tour and pretend we were considering.

The ones we looked at weren’t even for sale…they were just our two friends’ houses who were nice enough to madly clean for days in preparation for the cameras!

When I watch other episodes of the show now I can usually pick out the house they were getting based on hair-dos alone.

Watch the Jensen’s episode of the show:

Given the popularity of the show, a few mainstream blogs have been writing about this news break. But are they surprised? Not really. Will they keep watching the show? Probably.

As the Consumerist puts it “most of us have known the show is at least partially staged.” Jenn Doll for the Atlantic writes that at least part of this isn’t even new news. Sometimes to speed things along, the show revealed in 2008, it chooses home buyers who have already settled on a choice and stages some of the rest. She sarcastically continues:

Shock and horror! Producers made something more interesting!? Producers made real people do things over, or fake them, for TV!? The nerve. Except, how is this different than any scripted reality show or, you know, plotted television shows in general? Are we really mad that the people on The Bachelor may not be there, actually, to find true love? Are we pissed to find out that a Tough Love contestant ostensibly there to find out what she was doing wrong in relationships was actually married? Or that in Top Chef, there were re-takes, or Tom Colicchio may have exaggerated how good or dreadful the food actually tasted?

Of course not. She writes in today’s day-in-age “we are smart enough to know that ‘reality’ is not the same thing as truth with regard to our entertainment.” This is why most people, including Doll, will probably choose to forget or ignore these newly revealed details about the show and continue on watching an episode — or three — of this guilty pleasure.

Jensen on yesterday wrote a follow-up on her own blog that she had an interview with USA Today and was surprised at the “uproar” that was caused by her keeping this “secret.” She emphasizes here that she never really considered it a secret as she always was open with anyone who asked about the experience. She also wrote that she loves HGTV and in no way sought to discredit them.

House Hunters Participant Reveals Several Staged Elements of the Show | Fans Will Keep Watching

Jensen family closer to present day. (Photo via Hooked on Houses)

Putting those truly upset over these revelations in their place, she writes” NO ONE looks at 3 houses and then picks one and ‘gets the call’ that it is theirs!, without at least a little more drama. I assume people know this. How could HGTV afford to keep flying the producer out, etc?  I think people just haven‘t realized this is purely entertainment and have a lot of expectations of ’reality’ for reality TV that would be nearly impossible or unaffordable to pull off.”

(H/T: The Stir Cafe Mom)

Comments (60)

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  • Joyzee
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:58am

    Smells like Fish

    Report Post »  
  • teebubba
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:57am

    I don’t care….most reality shows are the “BS” scheme in some producers mind attempting to organize randomness into a story plot. Even shows that I enjoy like “Chasing Classic Cars” usually manage to disgust me with the retelling the story over and over like the audience never heard what was being said the first time.

    Report Post » teebubba  
    • JRook
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:10am

      What is the intelligentsia that watches Jerry Springer going to do with their time now. Perhaps they will sign up for GBTV.

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    • M13
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:48am

      More lies and silly stupidity from jrook. Please move along nothing new to see here.

      Report Post »  
  • MAMMY_NUNN
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:55am

    Put on a show of the deterioration of a black neighborhood and it might be worth watching.

    Report Post »  
  • In-God-I-trust
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:43am

    I liked their craft making shows very much but now everything is just the same reality-not really reality stuff. Who would ever think these reality shows are real? At least the craft making shows were useful and creative. We live in a world of junk TV, junk News, junk politics, junk music, junk religion, junk and more junk. :>(

    Report Post »  
  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:23am

    My mother, before her untimely death, loved those HGTV “sur-reality” shows. I don’t know what she got out of them, but were she still here, I’m sure this news would not dissuade her one iota from continuing to watch them.

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
  • sallyredneck
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:10am

    I always believed all reality tv isn’t reality you cannot be real with a camera blasting in your face knowing you have to make it interesting or no one will watch.

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  • teddyc73
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:08am

    I just can not understand why there are so many articles about this. They are all written with the assumption that every episode or the majority of episodes are faked in the same way as this family’s episode. Im not saying there isn’t a lot going on behind the scenes that the audience doesnt see, house buying is long and complicated and the show must do what it needs to get a show made and on air, but come on, one incident shouldnt discredit the entire show. Good grief people, show some common sense.

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  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:04am

    HGTV used to have some great shows that dealt with actual hands on home repairs and rebuilding rooms, and/or structural support of a home. Just good down home “how to” information that any common man/woman home owner could use. Now, its all of that choreographed singing, dancing, and swirling around through the home and yard. Many of the results look like rattle can spray painted cardboard. Okay, exaggerating a bit. Their last interesting shows have been Holmes On Homes, Holmes Home Inspection, and the other Canadian guy who is bald, just can’t think of his name now. If you can’t learn how to do your own work from these shows, you can learn how to deal with and watch a contractor during his progress in an effort to save some money, and to get the work expected.
    Even the shows on Discovery, they have nothing more than flip this house comedy and drama shows.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • T-2
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:16am

      the other bald guy is Brian. Those 2 shows and renovation reality is about the only thing I watch on HGTV while I channel surf.

      Report Post »  
  • 338lapua
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:03am

    I have been watching this show for (seems like) forever. It is entertainment. I never thought for a moment that everything was as it seemed. Therefore. I do not care.

    Report Post »  
  • Chromo200
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:58am

    I watch HH international just to see foreign places .. love the small refrigerators and the small showers/bathrooms. It makes me appreciate the good ole USA.

    Report Post »  
    • RedDawn2012
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 12:37pm

      Yup! I get the vicarious pleasure of traveling around the world and seeing how other people live without leaving my own living room.

      Report Post » RedDawn2012  
  • willbedone
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:58am

    WHAT is house hunters? I have never heard of it.
    I guess that goes to show that I don’t watch much TV.

    Report Post » willbedone  
  • PATRIOTMAMA
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:56am

    Anyone with half a brain can spot the “fake” drama a mile away with these “reality” shows. Pawn Stars is still an ok show even though you know it’s staged. The experts are only ever a “couple minutes” away and they even interview the people. Come on was there ever any question? Still like the shows but the trumped up drama does get a little old sometimes and then I just have to go watch the old fashioned TV Drama or Sitcom. NCIS, Burn Notice, Royal Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond are kind of like a reset button. Good old scripted drama with comedy. Love it. Just need to make sure you have a brain when you watch the others. Maybe that’s not so common I mean look at who was elected President. Enough said.

    Report Post »  
  • 1WhoQuestions
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:56am

    What? You mean it’s not real? There’s a shocker.

    I wouldn’t think anyone would seriously take a camera crew with them when they go to look at houses. Let alone the time fram. Last nights episode, for instance, featured a guy who was changing jobs and needed 30 days worth of paystubs to get a loan. Queue dramatic music. What kind of idiot would change jobs/companies mid-process of getting a loan for a house in today’s market when you know they are going verify your employment? Let’s put in the offer, get it accepted, set a closing date less than 6 weeks out and change jobs during those 6 weeks. Odds are that’s not gonna happen, especially as you may start the new job and something happens two weeks later to where you get fired. Kiss the loan and your future house goodbye.

    My wife and I simply enjoy seeing what else is out there. I don‘t know how many times I’ve heard this. “The back yard is too small for my dog.” Sure. 20‘ deep by 50’ wide and you have a Chihuahua. So yes, the show is staged.

    Home improvement shows, OTOH, can be very interesting to watch. And yes, we know a lot of those are staged too. Just getting ideas.

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  • txjb
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:55am

    Everything is a farce , greedy & untrusting people , senate,congress etc . all levels of government .

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:46am

    It’s television, people. Nothing in reality television is real.

    Report Post » piper60  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:51am

      Thank you…. I’ve been trying to explain to my girl for months that most of these reality shows are scripted……She watches the crap out of storage wars and I even caught a major eff up on the program and she still can’t believe its scripted…

      Report Post »  
  • JQCitizen
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:45am

    Having watched the show in the past, (We don’t have cable anymore), my amazement would be if anyone BELIEVED most of the scenes were not staged. LOL!

    Report Post »  
  • Magyar
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:42am

    Another example of our disappearing morals — nothing is real or honest– Fake and corrupt for the almighty buck.

    Report Post »  
    • teddyc73
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:10am

      I think you’re being a tad extreme there Magyar. Good grief. It’s a TV show about finding a house, not Jersey Shore.

      Report Post »  
  • menticide
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:35am

    I have found that most of these so-called reality shows aren’t all that real to begin with. One of the shows that’s gotten pretty well torn apart on that end is Pawn Stars, but I still watch it from time-to-time. Ever since I read about how staged everything on Pawn Stars is I’ve started to look more critically at other reality shows and I have found that most of them appear to be just as staged too. I really don’t think there has been a real reality show since An American Family. How long ago was that? Like forty years or so…

    Report Post » menticide  
    • loriann12
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:44am

      I occasionally watch Pawn Stars. What I’ve noticed is he buys for half or more than what the item costs, and they don’t show a lot of people walking away thinking they could get a lot more somewhere else. I watch because the bald guy (sorry, forgot his name) has epilepsy, like me. I take all reality shows with a grain of salt.

      Report Post »  
    • menticide
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:53am

      If you Google the phrase Pawn Stars Staged, you will find some interesting articles…

      Report Post » menticide  
  • netmail
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:31am

    New faces and new houses but the exact same story line and end result every single time. Typical, lame, ‘cattle call’ formula week in, week out. International is slightly more interesting, especially episodes that show case houses deep in a remote jungle somewhere hot and inaccessible. That will make me day dream.

    Report Post »  
    • PATRIOTMAMA
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:51am

      Pretty sure that is the appeal of the show to begin with. Daydreaming or seeing other houses. Everyone knows the formula is the same. I just enjoy seeing different houses and how they’re layed out, decorated, painted, different fixtures, kitchen materials and so on and so on. Anyone that‘s ever bought a house for real knows absolutely that you don’t just look at three the realtor picks for you and pick one. I didn‘t realize they had already closed on the house before going on the show but I’m not surprised by it in the least. House Hunters is one of our “filler shows” you know when nothing else is on or I’m cooking dinner and just want to have it on, late night when I’m dozing or whatever. Kind of like watching golf on Saturdays so you can have something on that doesn’t take a lot of mental energy as well. I like the show and will continue to watch just to see other homes out there. No big.

      Report Post »  
    • netmail
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:11am

      “Familiarity breeds contempt.” I think the producers of this series have become incredibly lazy.

      Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:30am

    .
    What the hell is HGTV?…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:43am

      Home and garden stuff, Spank. The one being talked about let’s buyers pick between 3 houses. A total crock of course, but the international one shows some cool places and homes. I liked when they did good garden stuff, long ago and far away they had some good landscapers, and problem solvers on. Not anymore, so it’s by to another screwed up station

      Report Post »  
  • GeorgeWashingtonslept here
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:28am

    Nope.

    Report Post »  
  • barber2
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:26am

    Call Eric Holder. The DOJ loves to examine ” corporate corruption!”

    Report Post »  
  • frnchmn
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:25am

    It’s a show about buying a house, who gives a rats @$$!

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:24am

    People like to Dream about finding the Perfect House!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • KyleD
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:20am

    I certainly don’t care. I enjoy watching the show to see the different houses throughout the country…they could completely cut out the buyers for all I care…in fact often times I would prefer that because most of them are idiots who don’t know a good house when they see one.

    Report Post »  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 10:51am

      Have to agree to that-some young couples don’t look for anything but the “decor”.

      Report Post »  
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