Hoarders |
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Malorkis
Commercial Hater Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 18 |
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Posted: 24 May 2010 at 9:43am |
I just went to the A&E website forum to see what people had posted about the show! They are so cruel to these people that have serious problems on the show-I had to leave the site. Couldn't read any more posts!
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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Malorkis, I was going to post about this show today after watching a few episodes of some sort of Hoarders marathon they were showing last night.
I don't know what you mean by "cruel". But I'd have a hard time not being tough with most of those people. Hell, most of these people know they have a problem, some of them giving up their own kids due to the hell they've created in their homes...so when they refuse to friggin' clean up their homes, my sympathies are pretty low. I've worked with the severely mentally ill, and my mother had Alzheimer's, and for such people I've had sympathy and patience. But when I saw some of those people crying about having to give up actual garbage when their own (and sometimes their kids') fate is on the line, and then refuse to throw away a plastic container because they might be able to use it in the future, my sympathy is pretty low.
Then there was the guy who, while the crew of people were trying to help him, wanted to go through 10 y/o magazines he'd never read, to see if there were articles he might want to read in the future.
When your young children are on the verge of being taken away by Child Protective Services, or when your grown children won't even visit you anymore because there's not even a place to stand and you refuse to do anything about it, or when your pets have to be taken away because you've been collecting and neglecting them, and don't even see a problem---well, I wanted to wipe their whiny-assed tears from their faces with my fist.
Their spouses pissed me off even more. One guy had his whole family sleeping on the driveway in a tent in near-freezing temps because, in order to fumigate the house of bedbugs, he'd have to clean it (but won't)---and his wife just went along with this---I wanted to kick both their asses.
The show is a helluva lot more interesting than Clean House, though.
I wish I could find a pic of the property where the guy was keeping, among the old appliances and tires, dozens of beat-up old vehicles and a school bus. Two acres packed with junk, and the house he lived in, barely visible from the road.
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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Why do we need to have a show about people that love to live in dumps? I don't get it.
That is one gross show...seriously - what's next? 'Feces Eaters'?
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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I thought it was pretty good, Pa. If nothing else, it gives me a lot of slack when it comes to how my own place looks.
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Dreamstalker
Junior Executive Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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Ditto. We have collections, but they're organized and the house is generally clean. Mom doesn't count not being able to find a knitting pattern as "hoarder-level messy" (while my jewelry supplies migrate, they tend to stay in one corner of the living room).
My grandmother was a hoarder of sorts...the downstairs generally looked presentable, but the attic--YIKES! When we sold the house it took us an entire weekend and three contractor-sized dumpsters to clean it out (NO idea how much junk was up there until we actually started tossing it out). When we threw anything out we had to do it quickly while she was in the bathroom so she wouldn't scream at us or try to bring it back inside (typically she would do this with old food). The one thing mom and I don't quite understand is: we've seen a couple episodes where the homeowners had some relatively small--compared to the rest of the crap in the house--collections that had actual value (knitting stuff, old comic books, music, gaming figures) and were forced to completely throw them out even if they were serious about selling them. |
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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Yeah, there was one guy who wouldn't part with about a cubic foot of CDs he'd collected and wanted to save as backup. Jeez, it was about a cubic foot...it wasn't like the guy who built a huge shed just to accomodate his beer can collection (which overflowed into his house, anyway). That same guy had apparently spent all his money---about $500,000---on the beer cans and beanie babies and other near-worthless collections.
I'm just too cheap to start big ol' collections of stuff, myself. I have my favorite rocks and pieces of wood over my fireplace, but all that stuff was free.
Oh, I also have several thousand vinyl record albums, but haven't added to them in about 20 years.
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Dreamstalker
Junior Executive Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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Yeah. A storage shed or buying a second house (as one lady did) for one's collections is excessive. Three binders/one file box of CDs is not. Yes, he had them ripped to his computer, but say something happened to the files, or maybe he just likes owning the physical discs (art/linernotes). It pains me when I see obviously-valuable collections just tossed and the owner doesn't have a say in it, especially when it doesn't take up that much room.
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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...I still have "issues" with some of what I see on the show...
Maybe it is my brother, who is a rather esteemed Psychologist. He *was* a 'Criminal Psych' for many years - had to deal with too many 'Critical Bill'-types (reference: "What to do in Denver when You are Dead" - research on your own); got sick of them all and went into Law. Now, he is a certified 'nightmare'.
The stories of hoarders and sickos PWolf told me were possibly the very most disgusting I've ever heard...but he's my beloved Brother. He always dealt with the 'bad ones', I guess - I cannot watch the show without getting ill...
"Forced to watch 'Hoarders'"
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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Hootman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 8151 |
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Thor, I hope you have a turntable. I gave mine to Goodwill a couple of years ago. |
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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Yep. I have a turntable. A nice Technics Quartz one that I got, coincidentally, at Goodwill practically brand new in 1991 for $25. I've only used it this millenium to play songs that weren't available otherwise. Now, those songs are available at iTunes. I've only started to use my receiver again recently when I realized I could hook up my computer to it, so that I can listen to music and radio on my big ol' UA speakers.
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Dreamstalker
Junior Executive Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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You can get USB turntables.
I agree about it being a lot more interesting than "Clean House". I think the only thing that show has going for it are the stupid themed yard sales and the host who needs a Valium. What horrifies both of us are the people who hoard animals; I remember one episode (it was either Hoarders or Hoarding: Buried Alive) with a couple in southern NM who were basically hoarding cats. At least they came to realize that what they were doing wasn't actually helping the animals, and did agree to only keep 4 cats that they could actually care for. |
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Christine
Honor Roll Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 1094 |
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Clearly it's a sickness, and a frightfully common one. Makes no more sense than listening to an anorexic complaining that she's "fat."
Clean House crosses over into hoarder territory, though, and you can tell pretty easily which homes will revert right back to their former state. Frustrating, especially knowing how hard the hosts and crew work to get those places nice.
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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Yeah, I saw that one. But until you mentioned it, I hadn't even realized there were two hoarding shows (other than Clean House).
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msmadz
Honor Roll 8+ years on CIH Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 9952 |
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I began watching one episode of Hoarders. The father, who was also an alcoholic (jumping Jesus, what a combo) had empty wine bottles covering every conceivable surface.
Flash to the crying 21 year old son, bemoaning the fact that "No one should live like this!" Then the camera pulls back and his bedroom was just as filthy and cluttered as the rest of the house. Cripes, son, pick up your garbage. There was an old plate with a fork stuck to it hanging out of an overflowing desk drawer. Clerly, dear old Dad has a problem, but sonny boy, too?
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The artist formerly known as Madawee
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Dreamstalker
Junior Executive Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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Was that the kid who was threatening to commit suicide? We saw that one; struck us as a bit overdramatic (yes, the dad wasn't helping matters). Mom thinks that a few of these people play to the cameras.
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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If the son was in his 40s, that one was on yesterday.
Sometimes, I just wanna tell these people to stop dwelling on every stupid little piece of crap, and just throw it out. Some lady yesterday was going on and on about one of those cheap little plastic hangers that shirts hang on at WalMart. It wasn't even the kind with the clips. She was thinking that it could be broken into pieces and used for an art project. Christ Almighty! Just toss it!
These people that are willing to lose their families and (like one guy yesterday), his hot girlfriend, because apparently it's not within their capabilities to take out the garbage, just amaze me. Sometimes, it just seems these people are basking in the attention of these way-too-sympathetic psychologists. "Poor baby, poor baby. We understand how traumatic it is for you to toss cat sh*t and old plastic bags."
Get over your bad selves, dammit!
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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This woman who I haven't seen in 5 years called last week. Wanted to come over on Friday. I warned her that my house was like the people in Hoarders (it isn't). She believed me. I figured that I'd tell her that so that anything better than Hoarders would impress her. It worked.
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msmadz
Honor Roll 8+ years on CIH Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 9952 |
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Yes, the kid was mentioning how he thinks about dying all the time. I wanted to yell "You have no time for dying if you'd clean up this pigsty"
The people probably do make it way more dramatic. Once that little camera light goes on, people start acting strange.
Do any of these people get cured? I've never seen an episode all the way through.
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The artist formerly known as Madawee
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dp7
Junior Executive Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 969 |
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That brings me to the one-size-fits-all solution that these 'helpers' impose on the hoarder. They instruct the hoarder to take a picture of the item so they can keep that, while they throw away the real item. .......... uh ............ a PICTURE of an item is NOT the same as having it. If this was true, I'd be rich by taking pictures of sports cars and selling them on eBay as the real thing. Plus, I'm sure the helper would hate to have pictures of thrown-away items pile up! Yes, solve a clutter problem with more clutter. The 'helpers' on these shows are also very insensitive to things that are sentimental to the hoarder. Sure, an empty milk carton might be sentimental to a hoarder, but they need to understand that it is perfectly normal for people to keep things that are passed down through the family. I was watching one episode of one the shows and they forced the guy to throw away a framed picture of his dead grandmother because it was taking up space. Same in another episode with a family heirloom vase. Um...hang the damn picture up after the house is clean, and display the vase after the dresser is cleared off! It doesn't have to be thrown away without discretion. And I wonder what they do when they find personal items, like marital aids, etc., because I'm sure the person has no chance to hide them (if they are even accessible.) I'd love to see them uncover a huge pornography collection or fuzzy handcuffs under a pile of trash or something. That'd be funny. |
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Virginia Dare
Junior Executive Joined: 19 Dec 2009 Status: Offline Points: 746 |
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It doesn't matter what any one of thinks these people should do with their "garbage" or "useless things" or "trash". To the Hoarder, this is NECESSARY stuff. They are psychologically attached to it. The stuff brings them comfort. I think maybe some of them get the help they need and can keep a tidy and clean home. But the ones who have had dead and rotting food and animals in their homes and haven't had a clue?? I doubt there's much chance they won't relapse. I feel sad for people who are held hostage by their own sick brains. But these shows are facinating and I've never felt that either Bravo or TLC show on this topic was in any way "staged".
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"Pickle you....KUMQUAT!" |
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Dreamstalker
Junior Executive Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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We never realized until after she died that my grandmother was a hoarder (her other mental issues gave her the ability to hide the mess and/or manipulate others into thinking it wasn't that bad).
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Online Points: 63905 |
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I have plenty of mementos which I never look at or take out of the boxes they're stored in. I can toss those with no loss to my psyche, but it's a total of one box in a closet. The ones that I have in full view are not an impediment in my life. With the hoarders, theirs are so many, that they have a bad effect on their lives. They're possessed by their possessions. Held hostage by unimportant stuff.
I still say (to the hoarding psychologists), get a dumpster, keep a few important things, and toss the rest. F*ck coddling these people. Don't hold a pity party. Just get rid of the stuff, and deal with any psychological repercussions afterwards. The hoarders themselves may be more relieved to be rid of all that crap, than they are upset about losing it all. Sometimes habits are just habits.
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TWCFan
Commercial Hater Joined: 11 May 2008 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 953 |
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This house beats anything that's been on Hoarders.
The real tour doesn't start until 30 seconds in. |
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Closing logos! Now that's something I can watch on TV.
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Christine
Honor Roll Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 1094 |
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The other night, caught the episode of Clean House where the family kept finding not just loose change, but WADS of cash. They donated the money from the yard sale to charity, and the money they found was something like $5,000
The problem was mostly due to the woman shopping. She confessed that it hurt her to look around at all the stuff, "I must've spent fifty grand on all of this," she surmised. Could part of the problem be that people have too damn much money?!!
But true hoarders still find more crap. As one of the people on Hoarders explained, "It's easy to find more stuff- people LOVE to give you stuff for free!"
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Virginia Dare
Junior Executive Joined: 19 Dec 2009 Status: Offline Points: 746 |
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"Pickle you....KUMQUAT!" |
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