I'm not doing a funny recap this week of Design Star – because: A) nothing funny happened. And B) there is nothing funny about the fact that New Orleans is still struggling three years after Hurricane Katrina. I love that city, and it is a crying shame that entire neighborhoods still lay in ruins. The local, state, and federal governments should be ASHAMED.
My sermon is over. This week’s final challenge will determine whether Matt or Jennifer becomes the next Design Star. Their challenge: help a family who lost everything in the hurricane to rebuild. Specifically, they will each do a kitchen, living room and dining room in 36 hours over four days. They will have $20,000, Sears appliances, Lumber Liquidators flooring, and the help of carpenters.
John Oleaga is a police officer who helped secure the Lower Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We meet John, his wife, and his mother (I think). Matt will help them create a "minimalist" masterpiece in their formerly flooded-out home.
Mike Gowland has been a New Orleans firefighter for 16 years, and helped feed the other first-responders after the hurricane hit. He tearfully tells us that he's not looking for a hand-out, but they "could use a hand". Mike's wife likes a red kitchen (as do I), and Jen is going to hook her up.
On the first day, they each get one carpenter, who basically clears out all the debris - and begins some painting. Both Jenn and Matt shop for appliances and flooring. Matt selects "Brazilian" flooring, which sounds like an excellent choice to me.
On Day #2, Trish arrives to help Matt, and Mikey V arrives to help Jen. How YOU doin', Papi?!? Mikey V is TOO cute. I may have mentioned that once or twice over this past season. Both Matt and Jen will have a team of carpenters working today and tomorrow - and Trish and Mikey V will switch and work with the other designer tomorrow.
Day #3 is all about finishing up the big jobs - installing appliances, painting, and woodwork. Trish is now with Jen, and Mikey is with Matt (hands OFF, Robot Happy Guy!). Tomorrow, Matt and Jen will finish up by themselves, and need to get the big stuff done today.
Day #4 - they have four hours to get their homes into "reveal" condition. Jen has a mini-breakdown about the sectional couch. Matt remains "Robot Happy Guy". Time's up!
Vern, Martha, and Cynthia arrive to watch Matt and Jennifer do their hosting segments. The judges seem quite impressed with both of them, with Cynthia saying that they are "a million times better" than last season. SUCK IT Kim Myles! I have to say, I'm LOVING the red cabinets in Jen's kitchen, but since when does a girl from Iowa refer to a television as a "telly?". Cheerio, old chap!
Each family gets to see their new homes, and both are thrilled. At the end, the St. Augustine High School Marching Band marches down the street and serenades the happy families. Clive gives the band a check for $5,000 (not a bad gig!) from HGTV and the band ends the show with "When the Saints Go Marching In".
To vote: go to HGTV.com. Click on the "Vote Now" icon (or simply click here). You will see a round circle underneath the designtestant you'd like to vote for (MATT!). Click on this circle under your favorite designer (MATT!). Then click the "VOTE" box between Matt and Jen's pictures. You can vote in this manner once per day. However, if you have a work and a home computer, you can vote TWICE.
To vote via text message, send the letter “B” (for MATT!) to HGTV1 (44881). You can vote in this manner up to 5 times per day.
Next week: The winner will be revealed! In the promo, they said ALL NINE designers return to “set the record straight”. There have been reports that Mikey V has been dis-invited to the finale, but I haven’t been able to confirm this. I will let you know if I find out anything.
To vote via text message, send the letter “B” (for MATT!) to HGTV1 (44881). You can vote in this manner up to 5 times per day.
Next week: The winner will be revealed! In the promo, they said ALL NINE designers return to “set the record straight”. There have been reports that Mikey V has been dis-invited to the finale, but I haven’t been able to confirm this. I will let you know if I find out anything.
Hey David- it seems that Mikey isn't the only cast mamber with a porn past?
ReplyDeleteCheck out this photo of Matt!
(NSFW!)
http://bp0.blogger.com/_s8iAUT3Mig4/SIzgYVh1z8I/AAAAAAAAGNk/Fa0g0I4PKMY/s1600-h/wahc_232.jpg
Hey Tom:
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Goodness, Matt must be hitting the gym with Mikey V!!!
;)
Frankly, I liked Matt's better. And that was Matt's best job doing the hosting duties. Jennifer's 'telly' comment was odd, and just one sign she wasn't on top of her game, perhaps still thrown by the sectional sofa issue.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that so many are still in such rough shape in NO. Several local, state and federal employees should be hanging their heads in shame.
And it would be a true shame if HGTV disinvites Mikey V to the finale. To bring him back for last night's episode and then not next weeks would be a blatant slight.
ReplyDeleteBTW, have votes from home and work here.
ya, I agree with Howard...hoe could they have him on this show but then NOT have him on the finale? That Aint Right!!!
ReplyDeleteRae and Mike went down to New Orleans and helped clear out houses for Spring Break. The pictures are heart breaking, really....still so much devastation. Where is the help?
Ha ha...wondered if you had any recommendations for voting......we know your penchant for unbiased reporting.
ReplyDeleteI don't normally vote in these things (usually because I honestly forget to do so), but I am going to because I am touched that they did something for people still recovering from Katrina.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is the deal with the new layout? I really likee!
I've been a fan of your blog since reading your Top Chef recaps. I've since gone to your archives and read all your reality tv blogs -- awesome. As a former New Orleanian and Katrina victim who lost everything, Sunday's Design Star left me in tears. The make overs were beautiful and both families seemed genuinely thrilled with their new spaces. Kudos to HGTV, Matt and Jen.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they dis-invite Mikey V after he was on the finale? I prefered Jenn kitchen but Matt's dining and living room.
ReplyDeleteI caught that "telly" reference too, and thought it was odd.
ReplyDeleteI liked Jenn's bold decision to do the cabinets in red, but thought the cabinet door style was WAY too traditional for the color. She should have picked cabinets with plain/flat doors to accent that red. Her living room was a bit 'flat'. Brown and white is nice, but where's the pop? The bold kitchen didn't seem to go with the understated living room.
Matt's designs/colors were honestly better and I hope he wins. I've voted for him.
Mark :-)
I liked the red cabinets in Jen's kitchen (red's my favorite color)but agree she could have picked a better, more contemporary style for the cabinets. I liked her stove better than Matt's. Also her fireplace that Mikey V. designed was nice too. The rest was pretty boring IMO. I thought Matt's design was best overall and he did great with the kitchen considering how the floor plan was. I agree with Vern in that I liked the way he did the hardware all horizontally much better than how Jennifer turned them vertically on the doors. I love Matt's design best overall, and I love MATT best overall.
ReplyDeletebtw Jen is ahead in all the polls on the HGTV message board, so please please vote Matt and get all your friends to vote Matt. If you don't then all the homes in America will have giant flowers and leaves painted all over their walls!!!
Are you sure that's Matt?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad they went to New Orleans and did something for those families. It's heartbreaking and infuriating to see how bad things still are there. Heck of a job, Brownie, my ass!
The show was great, and it was so good to see how supportive and kind Matt and Jennifer were to each other. They obviously wanted to please the families and do all they could for them.
Appropriate recap!
Darling Joy -
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely NOT Matt. He wishes!!
XOXOXOXO
I was crying my eyes out during the episode. All those poor people in NO. Those families were so sweet.
ReplyDeleteAnd how classy was Matt, letting Jennifer have Mikey first because he knew she had never done a kitchen before. He's definitely not a back stabber like those Top Haircut bitches. GO MATT!!!
Bernice again. Right, David? Oh.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? LOL
xoxoxoxox
I forgot to say how much I loved Matt's dining room. I want that light fixture.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJen's husband is British. Thus "the telly" :)
ReplyDeleteI voted for Matt. And I LOVED his dining room in New Orleans.
First, that photo that Tom Aloisi posted of "Matt" doing porn, was not Matt....
ReplyDeleteMatt was robbed.
Even though in the first season they gave David the nod, America probably wants their gay designers to be stereotypically queenular. When Mike and Matt were show in the recaps and Mike was being silly and saying who the two of them would dance and then dance some more and then sing show tunes, Matt just stood there and then finally let out a butch "yeah." He's too cute.
I'd much rather have seen a design show featuring Matt. When Vern commented about Jenn's designs and all of the hand-painting on the walls she used -- I think at least 3 times -- that she didn't want to be a "one-trick" pony, I thought, yep, that's she is. I thought her design in New Orleans was okay, but rather bland and too much white on beige on cream. And her not noticing that the sofa was a sectional that needed to be attached and had connecting parts that would show if she used them as separates was a huge blunder.
But America must want a ditzy blonde. She seems like a sweet person but her designs did not inspire me.