Hoarders - General Discussion

[enoughcats]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

how much rental income she could have collected from the cabins too. 

Those cabins didn't have to be Ritz Carlton grade, but they needed to be clean, not even for the whole year, but for hunting season when hunters flock to the great plains, need a clean place to sleep and a hot bath or shower and a frig.  

I think they said that the loss of motel income was the reason Becky was in debt.  I will admit to fast forwarding through a lot of the family history...it started sounding bad, and Interventions by family or friends should have happened a couple of decades ago. 

[FormerMod-a1]

Becky just seemed so sad, and so broken.  I hope she keeps up with the therapy and gets some help from it.  At least she went, which is more than the other hoarders this season.

[LittleIggy]

Please, someone take that cute little dog away from Becky! ☹️
After reading the end credits, I’m sure the daughters know the score now. They know the clean won’t last. 
That poor house. I noticed some nice woodwork (the door trim, etc.).

[auntjess]

I'm sorry, but when she said she worked at a turkey processing plant, I think the most important thing, is for them to publicize her conditions, and get her fired ASAP.
 

[JudyObscure]

The thing that stopped my brain for most of the rest of the episode was that a little eleven year-old boy was so abused by his mother and step-father that he ran away and turned himself into CPS.  Usually, no matter how bad it is at home children are too afraid of the authorities to make that leap.

Another first is a hoarder so passive aggressive that Dr. Z wanted to strangle her.  I would be the same, the ones screaming cuss words and turning over tables wouldn't make me half as frustrated as someone like Becky who just nods agreement to rules and then goes  right ahead and does what she wants to.

That poor third husband.  He was a lonely man who thought he had finally found a woman who needed him.  He thought he would live out his life helping run a cute little motel with a grateful companion and instead found himself trying to keep ahead of a tsunami of hoard and a wife who went deaf whenever he tried to talk sense to her. Of course he started drinking, Becky could drive the temperance league to drink.

It was interesting that it was the sheer, personal filthiness of Becky that got to her daughters and Cory.  Usually they tactfully don't mention that very much.

I think you could tell no one really expected anything to last. The show didn't bother to sweep out the last of the  trash on the motel rooms floors although they called them "clean."  There was no mention of fumigation or extermination anywhere so you know there were pregnant roaches and mice just waiting to settle down and raise families in the new sofa and fridge.  That poor little dog had never been house trained and it might well be too old to change. 

Becky is back at the auctions, feeling like a big shot as she bids her whole pay check on truck loads of trash.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wish they could have shown the real tourist draw to Huron, SD.   The World's Largest Pheasant is there.    

I feel sorry for Becky's children, who had a raging nutcase for a mother.     When the son ran away to CPS, and the other daughters went to live with the supposedly abusive (only Becky said that) father instead of Becky, and the one daughter's only visitation was at a CPS center with cameras watching every move, I believe nothing Becky said about her life.  

She will never sell that motel and the house there, because she's going to hoard it up again, and is already doing that according to the BSOJ.   If she wanted to change, she would have sold the motel, and it's house 'as is', and used the money to fix her house up, but she didn't.   Maybe she should realize that selling the motel would at least get the taxes off of her budget, and give her more money to rehoard her house.   I feel sorry for the daughters, and the neighbors at Becky's house, and that poor dog. 

I hate that Becky took all of the furniture, and bedroom sets, and appliances, under false pretenses. 

I wonder if the second husband's abuse to Becky was that he wanted her to stop drinking?   My suspicion is that Becky was very bad, and that's why the children all went to live elsewhere.   You don't get heavily supervised visitation with your kid when the ex-husband is the abusive one.   I think Becky's been drinking for many years, and was the abusive one to her kids.   

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[ams1001]

5 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I feel sorry for Becky's children, who had a raging nutcase for a mother.     When the son ran away to CPS, and the other daughters went to live with the supposedly abusive (only Becky said that) father instead of Becky, and the one daughter's only visitation was at a CPS center with cameras watching every move, I believe nothing Becky said about her life.  

I think the older daughter also said her step-dad was abusive. But I did have to wonder, if the court decided he was the better option for the kids to live with.

Becky said when Terry started drinking, she did, too, but I suspect it started long before that.

[AZChristian]

Even though Terry signed over the deed under the false pretense that Becky had really changed, he's well rid of her and the house.  Sometimes it's better to just cut your losses and walk away clear of the connection.

Best wishes to all of those who were affected by Becky's evil.  She wasn't sick (IMO), she was - and is - just incredibly selfish.  Nothing matters/mattered to Becky except Becky.

[ams1001]

2 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Even though Terry signed over the deed under the false pretense that Becky had really changed, he's well rid of her and the house.  Sometimes it's better to just cut your losses and walk away clear of the connection.

He probably figured he wouldn't make much on it even if she did manage to sell it and it wasn't worth the aggravation. Probably any proceeds from a sale would have to go towards her massive amounts of debt first.

I wonder if the deed came with divorce papers.

[LittleIggy]

That motel just needs to be razed. Then the cleared land could be sold.

[AZChristian]

26 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

That motel just needs to be razed. Then the cleared land could be sold.

I agree that tearing down the motel would make the land more valuable, but Huron is at least 50 miles from any major highway (interstate).  I'm wondering if there's much interest in land purchases there.  Not my cup of tea, for sure . . . but different strokes for different folks.

[OoogleEyes]

This show makes my back hurt just watching. 

No way will this woman maintain a non hoarded living environment.

The state of that little vintage motel was a damn shame. 

I can't believe that they bothered putting new carpeting in the house. Terry and the daughters were way happier about the changes than Becky. 

[enoughcats]

52 minutes ago, OoogleEyes said:

new carpeting in the house.

New carpeting in the house has bothered me before, but more so this time. The dog wasn't toilet trained so that carpeting was a waste.  Maybe they needed the strength of it to keep the floor from collapsing.  

I will mention this, but I surely don't want to intrude on the brothers' privacy after their childhood.  But the daughters were in contact with the brothers, from what the girls said and the girls were angry that the guys weren't there to help.  I hope the girls got help in understanding that there are no single, right answers for a situation that they had.

And a bit of snark:  the on the road music scene in the Dakotas must have been a real hoot, with young women groupies going after band members with limited financial prospects.  Or was that just in her head? 

 

The 

[OoogleEyes]

2 hours ago, enoughcats said:

 

And a bit of snark:  the on the road music scene in the Dakotas must have been a real hoot, with young women groupies going after band members with limited financial prospects.  Or was that just in her head? 

"We did go to Omaha Nebraska, once"

WHOOT!

[Taeolas]

19 hours ago, enoughcats said:

Those cabins didn't have to be Ritz Carlton grade, but they needed to be clean, not even for the whole year, but for hunting season when hunters flock to the great plains, need a clean place to sleep and a hot bath or shower and a frig.  

I think they said that the loss of motel income was the reason Becky was in debt.  I will admit to fast forwarding through a lot of the family history...it started sounding bad, and Interventions by family or friends should have happened a couple of decades ago. 

While hunters may be one of their major clients normally, they aren't that far from town. Google maps says it's only 9 minutes to the nearest Walmart. The Streetview is from 2009 apparently, and they seemed to have guests at the hotel judging by the cars in the parking lot. 

 

Looking at the Sat vs Street views, there are a lot of new factories/warehouses and other industry just down the road from the hotel that weren't there in 2009. A proper nice motel would probably do nicely there, if it was clean and well maintained, just for people coming in to the industries. 

[Guest]

After 10 years of doing this show, I would have thought that by now Dr Tonya Hoarding might have figured out a better way of dealing with these people beyond throwing her hands in the air and whining that she's 'had it' with them. I mean, let's face it, there really ISN'T any effective way of dealing with.a hoarder that doesn't involve years of serious therapy, so of course whatever she's telling someone in the week she's there isn't going to be much help. It's just seems super unprofessional to me. 

As for Becky, her demeanor at the end of the show said it all -- just phoning it in. Didn't even pretend to be marginally grateful. Didn't care. Could barely get a half-assed "thank you" out of her mouth. It's sad that Becky is such a broken, miserable person. But even sadder that she's foisted it on her children who didn't deserve it.

Also, I really wish they'd cut out the standard, "Oh! I can't wait for my kids to come over and watch movies with grandma now!" Hello, lady! Your fantasy sequence is never going to happen. "Grandma is a toxic narcissist but her house is so CLEAN! Enjoy Frozen 2! I'll pick up up Sunday morning." Come on.

[ams1001]

34 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

Dr Tonya Hoarding

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[CrazyInAlabama]

I realize that being raised in an abusive household leaves a lot of scars, mental and physical.  However, I hate that the production company lies to family and friends to get them on camera, and to help clean up.   The hoarders go right back to hoarding, if they even allow a clean up at all.   The brothers shouldn't be condemned for not helping in another useless clean up.   The sisters should have asked themselves why they were helping in the clean up, and endangering their own health.    Becky will always choose trash, and vermin over her children.   I think Becky absolutely lied to the cameras, and my guess is she was just as abusive as any of the husband's were, and she still is.    I bet she's also a huge drinker too.   

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[fonfereksglen]

2 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

After 10 years of doing this show, I would have thought that by now Dr Tonya Hoarding might have figured out a better way of dealing with these people beyond throwing her hands in the air and whining that she's 'had it' with them. I mean, let's face it, there really ISN'T any effective way of dealing with.a hoarder that doesn't involve years of serious therapy, so of course whatever she's telling someone in the week she's there isn't going to be much help. It's just seems super unprofessional to me. 

As for Becky, her demeanor at the end of the show said it all -- just phoning it in. Didn't even pretend to be marginally grateful. Didn't care. Could barely get a half-assed "thank you" out of her mouth. It's sad that Becky is such a broken, miserable person. But even sadder that she's foisted it on her children who didn't deserve it.

Also, I really wish they'd cut out the standard, "Oh! I can't wait for my kids to come over and watch movies with grandma now!" Hello, lady! Your fantasy sequence is never going to happen. "Grandma is a toxic narcissist but her house is so CLEAN! Enjoy Frozen 2! I'll pick up up Sunday morning." Come on.

I have always preferred TLCs  Dr. Rebecca to any of the AE folks.  

[FormerMod-a1]

52 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

  However, I hate that the production company lies to family and friends to get them on camera, and to help clean up. 

What makes you think they lie?  This show is a known quantity.  It's been on the air since 2009.  The production inserted BSOJs even admit when hoarders revert, and it's often.  

[auntjess]

Sorry, but I'm still hung up on the turkey plant.
She must be dirty and smelly, or so her daughter said, and she shows up at a food plant, and they let her work?  
And why didn't they wear hazmat suits, if there was a hantavirus danger?
I know one of the hoarder shows sometimes has people suit up, and this one certainly merited that.

[amacmom]

1 hour ago, fonfereksglen said:

I have always preferred TLCs  Dr. Rebecca to any of the AE folks.  

I watch all the hoarder shows and thought is was the same pretty blonde, soft voiced Dr. on both AE & TLC. Dang! Learn something new everyday. Yep, this isn't something you can cure in a long weekend and if the BSOJ says the hoarder declined or is "planning on scheduling" therapy, odds are pretty much nil for success.

[fonfereksglen]

28 minutes ago, auntjess said:

Sorry, but I'm still hung up on the turkey plant.
She must be dirty and smelly, or so her daughter said, and she shows up at a food plant, and they let her work?  
And why didn't they wear hazmat suits, if there was a hantavirus danger?
I know one of the hoarder shows sometimes has people suit up, and this one certainly merited that.

Considering most of the upper midwest meat packing/food processing plants are Corona virus hotspots, given her lack of basic hygiene, I am surprised she is still alive!

 

[JudyObscure]

8 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

.

Also, I really wish they'd cut out the standard, "Oh! I can't wait for my kids to come over and watch movies with grandma now!" Hello, lady! Your fantasy sequence is never going to happen. "Grandma is a toxic narcissist but her house is so CLEAN! Enjoy Frozen 2! I'll pick up up Sunday morning." Come on.

The show has always carried the fantasy that all grandparents adore their grandchildren and the best motivation is to tell the Hoarders that if they can part with their stuff the kids will come over more often.  It's just not true.  Many kids are reluctant to visit their grandparents even in the nicest of homes (no wifi or Cheetos!) and it's obvious lots of the Hoarder grandparents would much rather be at the thrift store than home with kids they barely care about.  We just heard Becky's daughter say that when Becks went over all covered in mouse droppings she didn't even speak to one of the kids.

I agree our Dr Zazio is just about over it.  We always hear her say she specializes in "OCD and hoarding" and I think she deserves some time with a few nice compulsive cleaners.  She can tell them that if they didn't have to beach down the kitchen three times a day they would have more time with the grandkids.

[RobustRutabaga]

8 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Dr Tonya Hoarding

😁   I stumbled on this thread the other day and am happy to see some of the nicknames from the old "Television Without Pity" forums thread on "Hoarders" being faithfully carried on! They cracked me up - Dr. Michael Tompkins only being referred to as "Lurch" for example. 😂 

[Ligeia]

I'm sure Becky was as much of an abuser as her husbands were supposed to be. It seems that, among other things that were already mentioned here as well, her sons barely ever talked to her after running away, which is very telling.

Anyway we had Poop Lady, Cat Lady, Carcass Lady, Rat Man, I guess we have our Excuse Lady now ?

Will we ever find a Bra Lady ?

Edited August 12, 2020 by Ligeia

[Guest]

7 hours ago, auntjess said:

Sorry, but I'm still hung up on the turkey plant.
She must be dirty and smelly, or so her daughter said, and she shows up at a food plant, and they let her work?  
And why didn't they wear hazmat suits, if there was a hantavirus danger?

As much as they go on and on about hantavirus in these folks' homes, it makes me wonder if there's actually been a case of the disease with a hoarder? Some of them have been living in these filthy conditions for years or decades and never seem to suffer any ill health effects from the filth. Does anyone else remember that couple who lived in a house that was, like, a foot deep in bunny poop? They seemed rather healthy (physically anyway).  

If Becky is actually processing the turkeys, I'm assuming she'd at least be wearing some standard safety protective gear. This article talks about food safety apparel but who knows if her employer is compliant. So, uh ...

 

[JudyObscure]

My son is a vegetarian who occasionally treats me to a Youtube video produced by the animal rights folks.  Believe me the horrors that go on inside turkey plants are some of the worst.  It would take someone as hardened and heartless as Becky to work there so they probably can't be choosy about the  personal hygiene of the personnel.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Poultry, including turkeys don't smell very good, so no one will care about Becky's funk.  If you've never gone into a chicken house that hasn't been cleaned in a while, you have really missed a horrible stench.   

 I feel sorry for the daughters,  and who thought everything will be rainbows, and lollipops, and everyone would be happy after they helped clean up.   It's only for ratings, and nothing else, and I hate that the shrinks do anything to keep the filming going.     I think the smart kids were the sons that refused to be exploited, and abused by Becky and the show.     

Edited August 13, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[NYCFree]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Poultry, including turkeys don't smell very good, so no one will care about Becky's funk. 

 I feel sorry for the daughters, who were lied to by the show staff saying they were helping Becky, and everything will be rainbows, and lollipops, and everyone would be happy after they helped clean up.   It's only for ratings, and nothing else, and I hate that the shrinks do anything to keep the filming going.     I think the smart kids were the sons that refused to be exploited, and abused by Becky and the show.     

Do you have any reason to know this is what production tells the families? Maybe they do, or maybe they tell the families, we’ll get your mom’s house cleaned out (if she agrees). She’ll at least have a temporary respite from filth and the option of aftercare, many continue to hoard, but some are successful, do you want to try?

[theajw]

21 hours ago, OoogleEyes said:

 

The state of that little vintage motel was a damn shame. 

 

Was anyone else getting Schitt's Creek/Rosebud Motel vibes?

[CrazyInAlabama]

 

I just read that the motel has been condemned, and is being torn down. (On the A&E hoarders FB page).      The cleaners were working on clearing it out for sale, but that never happened.     

Then, there was the basement at Becky's house she owned with the third husband (Teddy, Larry, something like that) shown that was full of water (this was on the FB page preview, I must have missed that on Monday), and Cory said that they never got enough time to tackle the basement, or finish clearing out the motel, and the attached house.   Someone asked why there are always lights hanging through the houses, and Cory said that's for filming, and so the workers can see what they're doing.   Cory said the hoarded houses are very dark.  

I hate that the workers clearing out aren't wearing more protective gear.    They already had a scare about Hantavirus (I don't remember which show it was on), but fortunately, it wasn't Hantavirus after more tests.   

I remember a long time ago they revisited five hoarders, a year after filming.   Four had totally rehoarded, and the other one was working on rebuilding the hoard too.  Many of the family members say they've cleaned out before.    

Edited August 13, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[NYCFree]

50 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I'm guessing about the promises that producers make to get the family to help, and be on TV.   Too many family members on other episodes have also said that they helped clear out many times before, and they also dispute that the hoarding is recent.    

I just read that the motel has been condemned, and is being torn down. (On the A&E hoarders FB page).      The cleaners were working on clearing it out for sale, but that never happened.     

Then, there was the basement at Becky's house she owned with the third husband (Teddy, Larry, something like that) shown that was full of water (this was on the FB page preview, I must have missed that on Monday), and Cory said that they never got enough time to tackle the basement, or finish clearing out the motel, and the attached house.   Someone asked why there are always lights hanging through the houses, and Cory said that's for filming, and so the workers can see what they're doing.   Cory said the hoarded houses are very dark.  

I hate that the workers clearing out aren't wearing more protective gear.    They already had a scare about Hantavirus (I don't remember which show it was on), but fortunately, it wasn't Hantavirus after more tests.   

I remember a long time ago they revisited five hoarders, a year after filming.   Four had totally rehoarded, and the other one was working on rebuilding the hoard too.  Many of the family members say they've cleaned out before.    

Wouldn’t the fact that the family members have helped clear out before demonstrate that they were not being duped by the show? I don’t know why this proves that the show is lying to the families and making false promises.

If I had a hoarding family member I would jump at the chance for them to get help by the show, on the off chance that my relative would be one of the ones who can maintain. At the very least, my relative my get a small break from utter filth.

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, NYCFree said:

If I had a hoarding family member I would jump at the chance for them to get help by the show, on the off chance that my relative would be one of the ones who can maintain. At the very least, my relative my get a small break from utter filth.

My late brother was a hoarder.  We tried several times to help him, and I would have no thought that he would be any different AFTER being on a show like this.  I'd just be glad that it wasn't us doing the cleanup again, but I have little doubt that the filth would accumulate again.  Fortunately, he had lost the ability to drive the last two years of his life, so it did end the amount of new stuff he was able to accumulate from yard sales and thrift shores.  He had just gotten so lazy that he wouldn't even expend minimal effort to clean up after himself.  We could never figure out why he'd throw trash on the floor instead of putting it into a trash can.  He got angry with me for buying him a sectioned hamper for his dirty clothes; he wanted to just throw them all in a pile in the corner.  

Being related to a hoarder is exhausting for any family member who tries to help.  If I were ever in that position again, I would not help.  At all.  No apologies.

[Ligeia]

And aren't the relatives the ones who call the show in the first place ? It surely can't be the hoarders themselves. So I don't see how we can see them as preys of the show.

[atlantaloves]

I am through with this show, enough already. I had to fast forward through that crazy lady. She could have cared less. We are terrified enough in this diseased world without these selfish people. Bye. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

There was a little old lady that lived next to my great Aunt and Uncle when I was a kid.   The lady was one of the religious group that goes door-to-door, and speaks on street corners (in her case, I don't think the others do that), and as she walked for miles every day, she picked up junk of all kinds.     She never drove, so I don't know how she got bigger things home, but her house, her yard, and even the old well were full of junk when she died.    It took her son weeks, to get all of it hauled away, by a hauling service.    No one in the county would do anything about her visible hoard (it filled the front and back yard totally), because her son was a long time county employee.     So sometimes there is no way the local authorities will do anything, depending on who the person is related to. 

I think the show dangles the  possibility that the hoarder will accept help, get a total, expensive clean up, and the aftercare will work this time.  I also think the shrinks are there to keep the filming going.    They find someone local to do aftercare, because  actually do no therapy.  

I have an estranged family member, and I'm sure that since her husband has passed on, that she's taken her one closet, and the attic hoard, and added to it dramatically.   If I was called about going to a clean up, I'd say no, and block their number.    Some people will not change, and hoarders are some of those people.     Name one person on this show, or the other network's show that has ever cleaned up totally, and stayed that way?       They give false hope to the relatives, and it's all on film.    

 

[auntjess]

15 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

As much as they go on and on about hantavirus in these folks' homes, it makes me wonder if there's actually been a case of the disease with a hoarder? Some of them have been living in these filthy conditions for years or decades and never seem to suffer any ill health effects from the filth.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hantavirus-found-in-texas-hoarders-home-featured-on-tlc-show/

I was thinking that a worker was infected on one show, too.
 

And this coming Saturday at 9AM ET, Discovery Life channel has an old show, Help, I'm a Hoarder listed.
9:00 AM

60 MIN|TV-G

More than a million Americans suffer from disposophobia - the fear of throwing anything away. Meet three individuals who face the devastating effects of compulsive hoarding. You'll never look at your clutter in the same way again.

HELP! I'M A HOARDER

Edited August 13, 2020 by auntjess

[fonfereksglen]

26 minutes ago, auntjess said:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hantavirus-found-in-texas-hoarders-home-featured-on-tlc-show/

I was thinking that a worker was infected on one show, too.
 

And this coming Saturday at 9AM ET, Discovery Life channel has an old show, Help, I'm a Hoarder listed.
9:00 AM

60 MIN|TV-G

More than a million Americans suffer from disposophobia - the fear of throwing anything away. Meet three individuals who face the devastating effects of compulsive hoarding. You'll never look at your clutter in the same way again.

HELP! I'M A HOARDER

When we lived in ABQ, NM,  in the early 2000s, the hantavirus, from mice, was a serious health concern, especially in the rural Pueblos.  Seeing all these rodent infested hell holes inhibited by children and sickly adults, since then,  I have been surprised about the casual nature of the clean ups of these disgusting homes.  Especially in the more recent shows. 

[NYCFree]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

9 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I'm guessing about the promises that producers make to get the family to help, and be on TV.   

They give false hope to the relatives, and it's all on film.    

 

Are you guessing about the promises made to the families? Or is it all on film? Perhaps I am misunderstanding you, but those statements seem to contradict one another.

If it’s on film, can you specify in which shows they’ve given false hope to the families?

[Hellohappylife]

13 hours ago, theajw said:

Was anyone else getting Schitt's Creek/Rosebud Motel vibes?

YES!! My thoughts exactly! 

[funky-rat]

Lordy.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g54656-d1632229-Reviews-West_View_Motel-Huron_South_Dakota.html

[JudyObscure]

Whoa, Funky-rat, good find!  Now I'm horrified.  It was real!  Humans actually stayed there!  Becky went through their stuff and yelled at them!

[Ligeia]

Nice find ! Did she build her hoard from stealing to clients ? There's also this review : https://www.yelp.com/biz/west-view-motel-huron

 

[RobustRutabaga]

4 hours ago, funky-rat said:

Lordy.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g54656-d1632229-Reviews-West_View_Motel-Huron_South_Dakota.html

Thanks for this! Google Street View has a 2009 image and the property looks in better shape. Really emphasizes the downward spiral the conditions can take over the years for situations like this.

[Elizzikra]

1 hour ago, RobustRutabaga said:

Thanks for this! Google Street View has a 2009 image and the property looks in better shape. Really emphasizes the downward spiral the conditions can take over the years for situations like this.

It's interesting to me to see how the hoard really damages the home. I understand how insect/rodent infestations are a problem and how all that junk in the house prevents repairs - or even possibly identifying issues like water leaks. But until I watched this show, it never occurred to me that one could pile so much stuff into a house that you could damage the structure of the home itself. That's crazy!

[CrazyInAlabama]

Look at the whining that happens when a family member who is trying to help, gets sick of being yelled at, and tries to quit.    That's when the guilt trip starts, trying to keep the family and friends working, and filming.      I admire the people who were told the filming, and clean up would work, and they realize it's a lost cause, and quit.    The speech to the workers, family, and crew at the beginning saying that they're here to help the hoarder, and all of the decisions belong to them is so bizarre.     This season, and the last have people as 'stars' that have so massively hoarded their house,, yard, and multiple properties (Patricia from last season, and Becky from this week), that their is no way they will change.    I feel sorry that people like Becky get a lot of donated furniture, and appliances, because that could have helped someone who actually wanted to have a nice life.     

Look at the daughters this week, telling what happened in their house over the years, and then the (I guess she was oldest)  daughter saying her mother only had supervised visits at a location that was monitored every second.     We are not being told the truth on the sympathetic back story of hoarders.     This show to me is an entertainment show, but not helping anyone.    I feel sorry for the children, and pets raised in a hoard, and the neighbors with vermin coming to their homes, and property values that are lowered because of the house next door.     

There was one house on this show, from the older episodes, where a worker in a haz mat suit, actually fell through the floor because it was rotten from years of being wet (not guessing what it was wet from).      

ANother one that was very scary, was when they were filming in Virginia (I think Virginia) when a big earthquake hit, and everyone ran out of the house.   The workers didn't realize it was an earthquake at first, they thought the house was collapsing.  

Edited August 13, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[FormerMod-a1]

I don't think they are told it's going to "work" and never be an issue again.  I'm not sure where you're getting that.  What the hoarders and family do get is a chance.  And a lot of free labor.  They try to bring the family members back so they can continue the clean out.  There's also a LOT we don't see on camera.  From past interviews and articles, for example, the therapists make contact with the hoarder and family at least a couple of weeks ahead of time (I think it's actually longer, but erring on the side of caution since I'm going on memory). There is a lot of work done before filming even starts.   This show is called Hoarders, not "People affected by hoarders" but even so I think it has shined a huge spotlight on this mental health issue and how this impacts everyone around them.  

Like I said in a previous post, Hoarders is a known quantity.  It's been on the air since 2009.  Their own production inserted BSOJs indicate a very high recidivism rate.  Still families contact the show for help.  Probably because it's free help, but it's not like they don't know what they are getting into.  Even if it's temporary, it's something and will be less to clean out later once the hoarder dies.  (Yes, even if they hoard it all back up, it's still less than it would have been).  

 

[AZChristian]

And I suspect that many of the family members/friends/neighbors just agree to help because they want to experience the process of filming a TV show first-hand.  They end up being horrified/shocked/exhausted by the reality of cleaning up after a hoarder.

[Ligeia]

And Hoarders is a TV show, of course it's entertainment first, the executive people are not philantropists, they're here to make money. But if the families can get free labor and a moment of relief in the process, it's a winner/winner situation for me. If family members expect, when calling the show, that the problem is gonna disappear for good, it's on them for being so clueless. I'm sure they know better than that, most of them at least. And it's one thing to call for a clean up and another to endure the wrath of a hoarder all day long. Of course some family members can't take it and quit. And of course the production tries to keep them around for entertainment's sake, and chances are family members even sign contracts before filming.

Edited August 13, 2020 by Ligeia