Harper family

It suddenly dawned on me - The EM:HE show coupled with How’d They Do That? will package up nicely for cable, network syndication or video/DVD release at some future date. Just take out the commercial time and slap two of these together for a full hour, maybe an hour-ten of entertainment. I’m not saying this is happening, but it can be likely to have a long-lived marketing, as long as Disney has a hand in it. As I mentioned in the last report, my enthusiasm’s gotten a little worn on the broken feel to the home makeovers being detailed over two nights. However, in this case, by the end of each episode I’ve turned around – it’s everything taken as a whole, and when it’s done right, every sweet moment builds upon the next.

If you’re a faithful watcher, you’ll know the format always includes sections on demolition/construction, Ty’s Secret Room and ends with, well…the surprises. In this family’s week, of course, there were some moments that were more intimate than we usually get - the dynamic was different with Ty laid-up. The family even allows filming of a prayer circle in the house with the designers. Since demo dealt completely with the septic tank removal and sewer line hook up, details seem unnecessary. I’m just not going there, understand? I’m reporting it all as just two main aspects of this How’d They Do That? - Ty’s week expanded and Harper reveal highlights.

Ty admits he’s a little jealous while stuck in the hospital remotely watching the designers do his hosting duties on Day One. The pout-heavy, disappointed look on his face is captured in one of the HTDT classic freeze frames – I think I want wallpaper of that look! Ty notes that his first memory coming out of anesthesia from surgery is seeing “His girl” and a camera crew in his hospital room. I think that must have been Ty’s mom, sitting next to the girlfriend, and talking with the doctor. (I wonder what mom thinks of this girl - Ty’s picked a girl with hair to complement his, that’s all I’ll say).

We also get to meet three of Ty’s high school friends, who also man “Ty’s” woodworking shop in Atlanta. Paul gets to confirm through them that Ty’s been “non-stop entertainment” for a longtime. In the shop, Paul gets their help routing a bench designed by Ty in the hospital that he’s dubbed the “sternum bench.” It’s especially for the Secret Room.

A bit of fill-in for Ty’s absence while the designers are in Ty’s hometown comes in the form of a visit from Atlanta native, Jeff Foxworthy. The comedian gets out a few of his signature redneck definitions. Ed Sanders gets Foxworthy just as confused with a query heavy in Ed’s English. Michael must have been quite busy doing the shopping for the house, because he was the least shown in this extra footage. One thing he did highlight, was explaining how he’ll pre-arrange the house’s furniture off-site, take a Polaroid picture, then provide that to the production coordinators for the move-in. That eliminates some chaos in the final hours, I’d imagine.

The pinnacle of the Ty-focus segments in this show came in a very quiet but powerful moment. Ty is reading through get-well cards that have arrived since news of his hospitalization has broken over the weekend. Cards are from the Andersons, the Burns… you know, families the design team has helped, and he’s sharing them on-camera. Then, who should walk up behind Ty? Sweet Alice has flown from California to see that Ty is recovering from his surgery. She makes Ty emotional, talking to him in her direct, heartfelt way, holding his hand, and explaining how important it is for him to take care of himself.

The rooms we didn’t spend enough time in or didn’t get to see until the Monday show, finally get their time to shine. Ed Sanders did the main work in the Lifeguard room, which I didn’t realize had a good deal of specialty painting done by the crew’s muralist, Nancy Hadley. Ed was happy that his room was well accepted by LaVaughn Harper. The Englishman hasn’t spent much time on a classic swimmer’s beach, apparently, so he felt a little lost working the design. The Secret Room looks much less plain than what I took away from the EM:HE episode Sunday night. I guess the birch D.J. console with 8 turntables and room with storage cabinetry built in the same plain birch washed out all focus on the green bamboo poles and Photoshop-altered bamboo wallpaper. There’s a Gibson guitar room too; only a commercial-break snippet of Milton seeing it that made it in. One more additional room for Milton Harper, revealed here only, was a home office with a fireplace. “So happy to see my family happy”- stated the youngest Harper

Not only was this the biggest home build so far, there were extras galore this time. We got the info that Beazer Construction/Beazer Homes employees donated money - $100,000 for home maintenance. But now, it is also revealed that Beazer Homes has another $100,000 for a college fund for their boys. And Beazer Homes made a memorial donation of $50,000 to an Atlanta homeless shelter in the name of their son Rommel Harper. I think the scope of the project and the gifts to this family had to have had a great deal to do with Ty Pennington being from Atlanta. (Beazer Homes is Atlanta-based too.) Ty wraps the episode with a stroll through the Harper’s great room, casually stating, he’d like to stay a few days to finish recovering, and making himself at home on the sofa in front of a TV. I think Ty’s welcome anywhere he goes. Well, the hospital might be glad to be rid of him?!