- **An update from Joe:**
- "Donna, thank you for your nice comments. We hope to be back on PBS. Fine design needs a showcase on TV. I hope to do it.
- Looking for a sponsor to bring the best of design to TV. It will have to be PBS. My passion to showcase the best of American Design."
Oh, are we happy to hear this? Yes, I know you all are!
- "Where have you gone, Joe Ruggiero?
- Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
- What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson?
- Decorating Joe has left and gone away."
- { Thanks Paul Simon for almost the words :)
- and of course Joe hasn't gone away.
- He just isn't on HGTV }
Do you still watch as much HGTV now as you did in the past?
What happened to all the great programming on HGTV? I wonder if their ratings have declined as people like us have watched less and less, or if they have found an audience who is quite different from those who watched it in the beginning. It used be that their success was copied by others, now they seem to be fishing for hosts from other channels all the time.
Remember shows like Homes Across America, hosted by Joe Ruggiero? In the past, many of HGTV's shows had hosts who actually had decorating & design knowledge and they took us on trips around the country, or world, giving us such fantastic glimpses into beautifully decorated homes, often done by extremely talented decorators and designers. We also were treated to professional design observations by the host. And the host didn't sound like a vaudeville act like quite a few do today, yelling and over animated. Joe spoke in a normal tone. Thank goodness.
Remember shows like Homes Across America, hosted by Joe Ruggiero? In the past, many of HGTV's shows had hosts who actually had decorating & design knowledge and they took us on trips around the country, or world, giving us such fantastic glimpses into beautifully decorated homes, often done by extremely talented decorators and designers. We also were treated to professional design observations by the host. And the host didn't sound like a vaudeville act like quite a few do today, yelling and over animated. Joe spoke in a normal tone. Thank goodness.
Well, of course Joe didn't go away. He is as busy as ever and still making many people happy with his design talents. But HGTV isn't the same without him.
Just in case you've missed Joe like I have, you can visit him on his blog and find him on Twitter as well!
You can visit Joe's blog HERE!
{I blog for the fun of it. And I am not paid
for any of your visits to this site
or any reviews written here.}
There are exceptions of course! Candace Olsen, great show. Holmes on Homes will give you great insight into remodeling. Angelo's Rate My Space is interesting, too. I'll add as I can think of any.
{I blog for the fun of it. And I am not paid
for any of your visits to this site
or any reviews written here.}
I so agree, HGTV just isn't the same anymore, and most of the shows are not very interesting. Too bad, it use to be a place to get some real design information. Thank for the blog addy. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteHGTV is not what I remember at all. It is too flashy, too fake, too posed, too staged and too focused on the people and not on decorating and homes. I am watching it less and less- in fact very rarely.
ReplyDeleteYou're right - I don't watch it as much as I did several years ago. Whenever I put the channel on now, I always seem to get a house selling show, whether it's people looking or sellers fixing theirs up. Every once in awhile I'll hit on Candice Olsen, but it's been rare.
ReplyDeleteI am a long time fan of Joe. Homes Across America featured so many wonderful properties and I miss it. I can also say Joe is alive and well on Twitter!
ReplyDeleteCathy
Again girl...you are so right! I haven't watched HGTV in a long time. It's weird for me to say that because several years ago...I thought that was the only channel my tv had! Now I get my inspiration through beautiful blogs...they are sooo real, like yours!
ReplyDeleteeverything vintage
I must agree; HGTV is not like it used to be. I was so hooked on it when I first found it, but the shows now are just not like the old ones. and yes I do miss Joe I never missed one of his episodes... love Candace too, but for the most part, I don't watch it as much... how sad when things change too much too fast..
ReplyDeleteHugs;
Alaura
Remember Kitty Bartholomew? So many good shows. Mostly gone.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the other night if I was the only one who felt the way you do.
ReplyDeleteI do miss Joe and Kitty Bartholomew. It is too cutesy now.
I can't believe that the audience has changed that much. I know a lot of friends of mine are not interested in it anymore. I used to like to watch it at Christmas but the Christmas shows, if you can call them that, or Holiday shows , can't stand that term, are not special anymore.
Donners!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your new photo over there!
Love it! Beautiful!
And I can honestly say that I haven't watched HGTV in over a year. I really don't want much tv anyway but when I do it is usually the Food Network.
I hope you and Sweet Girl are having a blast designing and creating together! She's a very lucky and blessed daughter to have you!
xo,
Kim
Hi Donna,
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty new picture of you !!
I so agree with you, I LOVED Joe's show and Kitty, I love Candace and the show that tells you what your house is worth !! I don't watch nearly as much as I used to.
Kathy :)
I don't watch hgtv either unless it's reruns. It's now all about building or flipping or staging with no personality. DIY tv did the same. No real decorating on budget shows, how to decorating, or real arts/crafts. The only quilting shows are on pbs and very rare.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind new shows and new gimmicks, but not at the expense of my favorites.
Glad to see all the Joe [and Kitty] fans out there...It's disheartening to see how much HGTV changed. And they repeat these poor shows over and over again. When they do/did air something acceptable, like Candice Olsen, or the also long-gone Kitchen remodeling show[sorry, forgot the name] it's rarely repeated over and over again. And what's more, these Design Star shows are all the same, and impossible for me to take seriously. They're so stagey, fake, and more interested in trying to reveal personal clashes amongst the contestants. The contestants also have to fit a certain profile, generally focused around a "TV-face" and an age group under 35, with one or maybe 2'allowed' exceptions for each scheduled contest run. These exceptions are just tokens[AND are destined to lose]. HGTV, I am sad to report, is LOST now. It's been reduced to a sea of contest-like[..Which house will they pick??, Who will be the next star??]shows that fail to get anywhere close to the quality of the earlier HGTV shows, like Homes Across America.
ReplyDeleteI think hgtv(note small letters) has "gone to the dogs" and I have not watched since Joe left. I have written as much to hgtv so I have tried. i miss your quality show Joe and hope to see you on another network soon. It has been far too long!
ReplyDeleteKay
I'm an HGTV fan but find I've watchd it much less in the last year or so. I remember Joe and also Kitty Bartholomew. I so wish we had them back again instead of so many decorators who appear to be "trying too hard" to be creative and those programs that have become a competition. I think that's why decorating blogs have become so popular because it's real people with wonderfully creative and usable decorating ideas. OK, now I'm off my soap box. LOL I enjoy your blog. Great ideas.
ReplyDeleteBabs