A lot of HGTV stars recently got the axe, but one is still on the air, with a new season on the horizon, and it’s time to talk about why Celebrity IOU was spared, and answer the question – “Should it have been canceled too?”
Yes, the show gets sunny reviews from viewers, with a current overall ranking of 7.3 out of 10 at Imdb. However, other HGTV series are also crowd-pleasers. Married to Real Estate, Farmhouse Fixer, Izzy Does It, Bargain Block, Christina on the Coast, Battle on the Beach, and Flipping E! won’t be returning.
Stars Flaunt Their Wealth On Celebrity IOU
It Shows How The Other Half Live
Celebrity IOU has its charms, but there’s something unrelatable about the way its celebrity guests spend their money, even if they’re doing it from the goodness of their hearts, and they always are. While the series’ production company covers the main cost of the renos, celebs often add money to the pot so the renos really dazzle their loved ones.
The issue is that most people don’t have that kind of cash to throw around. They might want to give the special people in their lives the same treatment, but they can’t afford to. With Celebrity IOU season 10 on the horizon, there should be more cash splashed out onscreen.
It may actually hurt some viewers to watch them lavish their nearest and dearest with renos that fulfill their wildest dreams, as they’d do the same if they could, but it’s just not possible for them.
Brad Pitt Spearheaded A Luxe Reno For His Makeup Artist
It Probably Cost A Pretty Penny
For example, Brad Pitt did something sweet for his makeup artist of 30 years, Jean Black, who went so far as to “powder his butt” before his nude scenes in Legends Of The Fall, as per their Celebrity IOU episode. To repay all of her love and loyalty, he decided to turn her home garage into a workspace and guest house.
This generous gesture is so Brad. He’s a relaxed and gregarious person, which is why he’s such a natural actor. However, Brad has a softer side, including a keen appreciation for art and design.
He’s actually a talented sculptor himself. So, it’s not surprising, with his elevated eye for beauty, that he’d want to make her world a lovelier place.
There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just the issue of exclusivity. Yes, HGTV does renos for people who aren’t celebrities bestowing favors, but often, the results aren’t as impressive. That’s because stars can use their own money to make sure the renovations have a lot of “polish.”
The results of the reno that Brad envisioned, which Property Brothers‘ Drew Scott and Jonathan brought to life, were so stunning that they were featured in House Beautiful magazine. It wasn’t one of those bare-bones renos where they have a few thousand bucks and some cans of paint.
This reno was super-deluxe, and the finished product featured a clean white palette, custom woodwork (including gorgeous bookshelves), a big TV and more. It was sleek, ultra-modern and totally functional.
The cost of the reno was never made public, but frankly, it looked quite expensive. Jean was “flabbergasted” by the result. This is heartwarming, but it’s not regular people doing things for regular people. In this case, it was an A-List celebrity rewarding a member of his entourage.
The Property Brothers alums Drew and Jonathan have faltered in the past, and gotten embroiled in scandals, but with Celebrity IOU, they’re playing it very safe. Maybe a little too safe…
Maybe This Show Should End
Is The Excess Too Off-Putting?
HGTV shows can be very life-affirming, and this one’s no exception. Above, via a clip from the network’s official Instagram account, there are emotional moments that really stand out. In the video above, some big stars, including Zooey Deschanel, go all out for the ones who matter the most.
This is great, but again, there’s a sense of excess – of celebrities dabbling in being “good” – they benefit from being portrayed this way. In a sense, every Celebrity IOU reno is a PR campaign. The celebrity appears to be angelic, and while some stars are extremely nice people, they aren’t living normal lives. In other words, it’s all too easy for them to be generous.
For the average person who doesn’t have a lot of money, generosity costs more. If they give a homeless person ten dollars, that could actually impact what they buy for themselves on a given day.
If they buy someone a gift to make them happy, they might need to cut corners elsewhere. That being said, people who don’t have a lot are often the most generous people of all, and maybe those are the sorts of people who should be prioritized on reality shows.
Queer Eye does this very effectively. They find truly kind people in society, who have problems but would still give others the shirts off their backs. Then, they reward them with makeovers that give them a break from the daily grind, and a chance to feel like celebrities.
Queer Eye isn’t an HGTV show, but it’s heartwarming in a different way than watching a star spend money, as that celebrity has so much. The cost of even the most tricked-out reno is really nothing to them. Brad Pitt has more money than he can ever spend. HGTV shows can embody the same down-to-earth spirit.
One fun HGTV series that’s more low-budget and relatable is Flea Market Flip. It could be brought back to add a little bit of charm that isn’t so high-end. Season 11 aired in 2018, and it might be time for a revival, just to counteract the sort of moneyed vibe of shows like Celebrity IOU.
That series had an eco-friendly focus, where participants upcycled items they found at flea markets, using roughly $500. They’re then flipped for cash, and the one who makes the most money wins a $5,000 prize.
Celebrity IOU may not fit the spirit of the times, but HGTV is keeping it on the air anyway. Producers have their reasons for making these choices. Just belancing with shows that have more elements of “regular people’s” lives could help the network to avoid going too Hollywood. With a little of everything, the general appeal might be wider.
Celebrity IOU premieres on Wednesday, July 9 at 8:00 pm ET/PT on HGTV
Sources: Imdb, HGTV/Instagram