About ten years ago, I was obsessed with home remodeling shows. It was so 2000, but it was all the rage. Cliche as it was, I enjoyed me some Trading Spaces. I even applied to the show although my neighbor at the time said she wouldn’t do it if Hilde or Doug would be doing her room. I told her to shut her trap and deal with it- I wanted my 15 minutes of fame and a cheaply remodeled room decorated in poor taste.
My favorite designer was Doug Wilson (not to be confused the with awesome pothead character played by Kevin Nealon on Weed’s- but just as loveable and, likely, high at times, also.)
He was such a shit disturber. If the homeowner hated red, he’d paint the room red. If the homeowner pleaded NOT to take out their brand new carpet- the carpet was definitely gone! He once did a bedroom styled after a prison cell- complete with a ‘toilet’ bench. Or there was the time when he hired nude models so they could trace their silouhette on the wall from a projector. Or when he found a secret boudoir photo that a wife had done for her husband and BLEW IT UP and put it over the fireplace!
Dude had balls!
Apparently, he’s had some tough times…he was arrested for a DUI last year.
Not that I’m encouraging driving under the influence, but, come on, he’s a bad boy and danger is sexy and so is he- maybe not THAT sexy in that pic, but I’m guessing it was a rough night. And I’m 80% sure that he’s straight. And probably a lunatic in the sack. And he can sew.
I outgrew the home show genre- or I got too lazy to care anymore- which ever.
I caught his most recent show Moving Up the other day. Imagine my dismay to find that he’s turned into a lesbian woman! ( That’s her on the right with the long feathered grey hair.)
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: Amy_Urquhart
February 4, 2010 at 9:11 am
I had no idea Doug Wilson had that DUI thing. Graham and I watch “Moving Up” all the time on Sundays and laugh at the endlessly changing styles and colours of Doug’s hair.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 12:57 pm
@Assertagirl, I know- I love that show, but am deeply disturbed by the hair.
Twitter: thecaffeinatrix
February 4, 2010 at 9:17 am
Oh I love Doug…he’s always so sarcastic. However, he’s totally setting himself up for some well-deserved snark with that hair,
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 12:57 pm
@IzzyMom, thank you.
I heart Doug. And his hair is ever changing. Give it a month, it’ll be different and I love Moving Up. Fun concept!
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@LessToLove, wouldn’t you LOVE to see what homeowners have done to your old digs? I’m so jealous.
Twitter: mariamelee
February 4, 2010 at 10:18 am
Hahahaha. WOW. What a transformation.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@MommyMelee, and not in a good way… I wonder if he still has a penis?
I SO loved Doug. He WAS a shit stirrer. But damn dude, WTF happened to his hair?
P.S. Hilde was WACK!
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 1:00 pm
@Tiffany, Hilde was my 2nd favorite- I loved it when people cried- not happy tears, but “Holy FUCK, it’s going to take me months to pull all of these feathers off of my wall” tears. Those were great.
@tena, LOL!! That was the best part of the show. The look of disbelief some of the owners had on their faces during the big reveal. “WTF?!?”
Wow, dude went from a Hottie to a Nottie.
I agree Doug is entertaining to watch!
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 1:01 pm
@Jamie, so entertaining, in an ADHD way.
I know! I can’t even watch Moving Up because my heart just breaks and I want to go run for my scissors. Cut that freaking hair Doug!
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 1:02 pm
@Gwen, it really does pain me to see him looking like this in that show- I just pretend Anne Murray is hosting.
Twitter: lotsOspermies
February 4, 2010 at 1:29 pm
You have him pegged! He totally turned into a lesbian chick! He used to be HAWT!!!!
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:31 pm
@Pamela, I know, right?
Twitter: motherbumper
February 4, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Wow, that is some transformation. DUI grew him up fast, I’d say.
BTW – I’m still addicted to those shows. Totally addicted.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:33 pm
@katie, who knew DUI’s make you make bad decisions with your hair?
I want to be bff’s with Genevieve. still.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:33 pm
@Jen, do you watch Flash Forward? That girl looks JUST like her!
I used to be obsessed with Trading Spaces! I remember the episode with the boudoir picture-I would have freaking killed him if that were me! Love, love, love it.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:37 pm
@Laber of Love, OH GOD! So would I! But I’m about 110% sure there would never be photographic proof of me looking like an ass like that.
And, wait, they did an episode of Moving Up with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs? Dude looks just like him.
What was the redheaded Southern lady’s name? I was on a flight to NY with her and we chatted waiting for the lavatory. I always thought she was so fake but she was genuinely sweet while we were talking.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:44 pm
@danish, laurie Smith, I think, she was cute and her rooms were good, but YAWN! She did seem sweet. She single handedly made it acceptable for hetero couples to use Chartruse in their homes.
Twitter: Mirapelo
February 4, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I feel so left out – I’ve no clue who you guys are talking about …but the comments here cracked me up!!
LMAO @
I loved it when people cried- not happy tears, but “Holy FUCK, it’s going to take me months to pull all of these feathers off of my wall” tears. Those were great.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:46 pm
@Miranda, Home improvement shows. I revel in other’s home tragedies, it’s a sickness.
Ok…really laughing.. I have not seen Doug….I USED to watch these shows or I did until Holmes on Homes started on HGTV…have you seen him…that show gives me a muther freakin panic attack…he finds so much crap wrong with houses even ones looking perfectly normal that I started dreaming about electrical fires, backed up sewage and termites… I went cold turkey no more…not for me, can’t do it.
Twitter: tenakim
February 4, 2010 at 7:32 pm
@Tina, OMG- I think you just pegged why I don’t watch them anymore… I used to watch Home Detectives and it was the same thing- I still think I have a squirrel living in one of my walls.
@tena, I know right. It is terrible!
Holy crap! Other than like every episode with Doug, my favorite one was the one with the fireplace kiddie-cornered in the living room and the woman hating it so much she cried and left the room! I laughed so hard.
Twitter: momneedstherapy
February 7, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Anyone remember when they did a bedroom and put real moss on the walls? I don’t think it was Doug though…
And yes, what the F happened to him? The hair…yikes…