Bob Villa - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

sashime76 · 01-14-2005, 04:22 AM

How exactly did Bob Villa become the expert of home improvements? Is he as knowledgeable and handy as he appears to be? I've seen enough home improvement shows but none of his shows he actually starts and finishes anything.?

LLL2 · 01-14-2005, 02:33 PM

That's a pretty good question,Heck I want to know it.

Tracybrian · 01-14-2005, 02:51 PM

this does not answer your question at all but.....

Awhile ago I had a landscaping company and worked on the show Curb Appeal on cable as the crew. It is so funny. The job on camera was made to look like we did it in 48 hours it actually took us 3 weeks. The host would sit around talking to his agent or whatever while he drank tea. Then when the camera was on he would get down and dirty as if he as been in the trenchs. He would say stuff like " Could you get someone to loosin up the soil for me so I can get a big shovel full?" Granted it was our job to do all the work and we were contracted for good money. I just thought that the people involved would at least be interested in the project and be a little more involved.

black94lt1 · 01-14-2005, 02:55 PM

Bob started out as the host of This Old House 25 years ago or so, and my guess is he was a residential builder, but I am not sure about that. He may have just been a struggling actor, as the show was definitely lwo budget back then.

iamnormal · 01-14-2005, 03:30 PM

http://www.bobvila.com/Global/About.html

Quote:

A native of Miami, Bob Vila's restoration of a Victorian Italianate house in Newton Center, Massachusetts, was honored as "Heritage House of 1978" by Better Homes and Gardens. A newspaper profile on the project caught the attention of a television producer, which led to the production of a program on home renovations using Bob and his Newton Center home as the focal point. Soon after, Bob was asked to be the host of a 13-part television series on step-by-step home renovation.

He agreed, and, in 1979, "This Old House" premiered and was an immediate hit. The series was picked up by PBS and was broadcast nationwide on public television with Vila as its host for ten years. In 1989, Vila left "This Old House" and founded his own television production company to produce Bob Vila's Home Again.

http://www.bobvila.com/25thAnniversary/Celebrate25.html

Quote:

a carpenter and craftsman

Bobaphat · 01-14-2005, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracybrian

this does not answer your question at all but.....

Awhile ago I had a landscaping company and worked on the show Curb Appeal on cable as the crew.

I love that show. Its fun to get an inside look into it, thanks.

I thought I remembered a while back hearing that Bob was getting sued by seveal homeowners because he would basically go in, tear a bunch of stuff up, then start to put things back together to the point where they had all they needed for the show, then the would pack up and leave. Might explain why you never saw him complete a project

paddyjoe · 01-14-2005, 03:53 PM

My wife and I always used to laugh while watching 'This Old House', because ol' Bob always had Norm doing all the work. Norm musta finally wised up, cause he went out and got his own show. The New Yankee something or other. Norm was definately the brains behind that operation.

sashime76 · 01-15-2005, 11:17 AM

Now Norm knows his stuff, I'm glas he has his own show now. I think Sears should ditch Bob for Norm to endorse their power tools. Norm's shed is every woodworker's dream.

IowaEric · 01-16-2005, 07:00 AM

Bob Vila has never possessed a contractor's license. He might look good on TV, but its the builders doing the building who know their shit, not Bob.

P.S. Most of the tools he plugs for Craftsman suck, too.

kazoo · 01-17-2005, 07:44 PM

Amen to these posts. Norm has forgotten more about contracting and carpentry than Bob knows.

apetaster · 01-17-2005, 07:47 PM

Norm is the man. I have an autographed pic of him above the workbench in my shop (akin to an altar.) Vila is a jerk. Steve Thomas was a pantywaist.

01-14-2005, 04:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Bob Villa How exactly did Bob Villa become the expert of home improvements? Is he as knowledgeable and handy as he appears to be? I've seen enough home improvement shows but none of his shows he actually starts and finishes anything.?

01-17-2005, 07:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	Amen to these posts. Norm has forgotten more about contracting and carpentry than Bob knows. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy

01-14-2005, 02:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
LLL2 Crazy	That's a pretty good question,Heck I want to know it.

01-14-2005, 02:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tracybrian Crazy Location: Tracy, ca	this does not answer your question at all but..... Awhile ago I had a landscaping company and worked on the show Curb Appeal on cable as the crew. It is so funny. The job on camera was made to look like we did it in 48 hours it actually took us 3 weeks. The host would sit around talking to his agent or whatever while he drank tea. Then when the camera was on he would get down and dirty as if he as been in the trenchs. He would say stuff like " Could you get someone to loosin up the soil for me so I can get a big shovel full?" Granted it was our job to do all the work and we were contracted for good money. I just thought that the people involved would at least be interested in the project and be a little more involved.

01-14-2005, 02:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
black94lt1 Tilted	Bob started out as the host of This Old House 25 years ago or so, and my guess is he was a residential builder, but I am not sure about that. He may have just been a struggling actor, as the show was definitely lwo budget back then.

01-14-2005, 03:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
paddyjoe through charlatans phone Location: Northcoast	My wife and I always used to laugh while watching 'This Old House', because ol' Bob always had Norm doing all the work. Norm musta finally wised up, cause he went out and got his own show. The New Yankee something or other. Norm was definately the brains behind that operation.

01-15-2005, 11:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Now Norm knows his stuff, I'm glas he has his own show now. I think Sears should ditch Bob for Norm to endorse their power tools. Norm's shed is every woodworker's dream.

01-16-2005, 07:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
IowaEric Tilted Location: You'd never guess..	Bob Vila has never possessed a contractor's license. He might look good on TV, but its the builders doing the building who know their shit, not Bob. P.S. Most of the tools he plugs for Craftsman suck, too.

01-17-2005, 07:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
apetaster Insane Location: P.R. Mass.	Norm is the man. I have an autographed pic of him above the workbench in my shop (akin to an altar.) Vila is a jerk. Steve Thomas was a pantywaist.