A Decorating TV Loser - POST SCRIPT

I woke up this morning and was going to delete my previous post. I was bitter and angry when I wrote it. I don't want my grumpy moments spilling out on my blog. I'd like this place to be one you can read a funny, creative or sometimes insightful tale. Not a place for me to just vent steam.

But then, I saw the comments some have left. I appreciate that people read this blog and took time to comment. So instead of erasing and pretending I didn't write it, I'm just going to add a few thoughts.

I like working in TV. I'm happy my talents are appreciated and used. To be a "ghost" for others means they trust me to help them look good. That's a big responsibility. There are many "ghosts" in TV. The producers who often write the words that come out of people's mouths, the directors, camera folk, etc, etc. I accept that the job of being a "ghost" is allowing someone else to put their name on it. Doing this does pay the rent and I'm lucky to have the job.

TV hosts have too much going on day to day when filming. I and others are there because we have to be. The best TV hosts I have created things for are the ones when working with on a project get frustrated when they are pulled away to do "hosting" duties, like a kid being called inside for dinner during playtime.

The best can design and create what I do for them if they had the time. I learn from them as much as I create for them. We often work together in creating their projects. I'm helping them the way I've had some amazing talented people help me in creating a set or other stuff.

I've known hosts who refuse help and work late nights on their projects so they can be honest presenting it on camera. They feel guilty when I or another art dept. person steps in at the zero hour just to finish a small detail. Behind the scenes these rare TV hosts make it a real team effort. You share in the success and sometimes failure. I would build an ARK for these people, let them sign it and pretend to God they did it.

I'm sad to say, there are a few rotten apples. Because decorating TV has become so big a market, there are many people out there just using it as a stepping stone to fame and fortune. They have no real artistic talent or proven track record in the design field. They just have a good face
and personality on camera.

Some are frustrated actors seeing decorating TV as exposure and another credit to their IMDB page. Some are hoping to build an empire like Martha Stewart. They hire or use people like me to create a phony facade. A friend once said it best...

"We just created a page in their bogus portfolio".

I'm just frustrated with those "phonies" and the person I ran into yesterday was one of them.