Hoarders: Belinda & Andrew

[Jennshark]

Am I the only Doper left watching this fascinating trainwreck?

Last night's episode was rough: Andrew seems to be schizophrenic/autistic/something far beyond hoarding and Belinda was . . . was *just wow*

[Scubaqueen]

Nope. It's my favorite guilty watching pleasure right behind 'The Walking Dead,' and '1000 Ways to Die.' :p

For me, being something of a neat freak by nature, watching 'Hoarders' is tantamount to looky-looing a bad traffic accident.

[Cowgirl Jules]

I still watch it too. And I still have to have the house straightened before I turn it on, or else I jump up and take care of more and more stuff as the show creeps me out. Last night, I planned ahead and had laundry to fold during it.

A couple of months ago, someone linked to a Q&A session with Ben Paxton, in which he said the season will get much worse than whatever point it was at. Sure did last night with Andrew, didn't it? I bet they start screening for other motives for people being nominated to be on the show.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

I'll be watching the latest episode online when I get home tonight. I can't stop watching it. I only started watching when season 3 started, and then I watched season 1 on Netflix. Now I'm waiting to see if season 2 comes to Instant.

Afterwards, I have to clean something or throw something out, or both!

[Mahaloth]

Is it "Andrew and Belinda" or "Andrew and Shania"?

The website lists it as Shania.

[gonzomax]

It is too sad when they can not clean up to keep their family together. I understand it is a mental problem, but what is the payoff and how can it compete with their family and keep them living in a stinking mess.

[Mahaloth]

Wow, that was a very interesting episode.

I think the brothers will never resolve their issues and no good will come in that situation.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Quote of the week, thanks to Matt Paxton, who is my favorite regular:

"Working with a homeless guy like that, makes you realize we're all about 4 of 5 decisions away from shitting in a bucket."

I think I have a crush on him.

[AuntiePam]

A couple of months ago, someone linked to a Q&A session with Ben Paxton, in which he said the season will get much worse than whatever point it was at. Sure did last night with Andrew, didn't it? I bet they start screening for other motives for people being nominated to be on the show.

I haven't watched regularly. What do you mean by "motives"? The reason I ask is because I believe that some of the folks on Clean House deliberately junked up their houses so they could get the makeover and free furniture, and 15 minutes on the teevee. (Except for the Wheelers -- they were real.)

Are some Hoarders faking it? Or do you mean something else by motives?

[PeskiPiksi]

I haven't seen the episode yet, but here's what Matt Paxton posted on Facebook:

just wanted everyone to know how good of a guy Andrew is. he simply doesn't live in the same world that you and I live in. He'd give everyone of us anything if we asked for it. He is a simple and awesome dude. Sadly, he will most likely lose that house and ALL of the stuff. and he truly won't u...nderstand why. Hot to trot, was just wasted. We were very kind to him in editing.

[Kyla]

I haven't watched regularly. What do you mean by "motives"? The reason I ask is because I believe that some of the folks on Clean House deliberately junked up their houses so they could get the makeover and free furniture, and 15 minutes on the teevee. (Except for the Wheelers -- they were real.)

Are some Hoarders faking it? Or do you mean something else by motives?

I can't imagine that anyone would fake being a hoarder to get on the show, if only because the hoarders have so many problems with their families. I'm not a regular watcher, but when I have seen it, they almost always have major breakdowns with their spouses/children/siblings over the way they are living. It's obvious that in many of these cases, there are years of resentment and anger over the hoarding, especially from children.

It seems like that sort of thing would be hard to fake.

[Ferret Herder]

I can't imagine that anyone would fake being a hoarder to get on the show, if only because the hoarders have so many problems with their families. I'm not a regular watcher, but when I have seen it, they almost always have major breakdowns with their spouses/children/siblings over the way they are living. It's obvious that in many of these cases, there are years of resentment and anger over the hoarding, especially from children.

It seems like that sort of thing would be hard to fake.
I wonder if they mean the motives might be from the people in their lives. That they're not necessarily wanting to help them, but humiliate them in revenge for screwing up their family's lives.

Seeing some of the cases, I could kind of understand that impulse from some of them, especially the grown kids of hoarders.

I still cringe over the old guy who piled and moved stuff on their stairs, to the point that his wife tripped on something, fell down the stairs, and broke her arm, and he still didn't put away a thing on those stairs. Then he failed to clean the place during the filming period, and she developed heart problems, at least partially from the stress. I forget if he managed to clean up after that.

[Maiira]

I still cringe over the old guy who piled and moved stuff on their stairs, to the point that his wife tripped on something, fell down the stairs, and broke her arm, and he still didn't put away a thing on those stairs. Then he failed to clean the place during the filming period, and she developed heart problems, at least partially from the stress. I forget if he managed to clean up after that.

He cleaned up a bit more after that, I think. They were featured on the follow-up special, and it was revealed that not only had his wife had a heart attack, she had also lost her job, and the family was facing bankruptcy.

[Tom Tildrum]

A couple of months ago, someone linked to a Q&A session with Ben Paxton, in which he said the season will get much worse than whatever point it was at.

I saw a local news item fom someplace where they had gone to film an episode. I'm not sure how complete whatever audition materials they had received were, because when they got there they discovered that the man...

-- (spoilered since it may be in an upcoming episode) --

...kept 1,000 pet rats in his home. Animal Control officials said it was like walking through a sea of rats. They seized the rats and were scrambling to find cages for these docile pets. Meanwhile, the rats were reproducing faster than they could give them away.

[Dolores Reborn]

Quote of the week, thanks to Matt Paxton, who is my favorite regular:

"Working with a homeless guy like that, makes you realize we're all about 4 of 5 decisions away from shitting in a bucket."

I think I have a crush on him.

I know I have a crush on him! ;)

This show is addictive. It is so fascinating to look at the mental illness behind the visible hoard. Unlike shows like Clean House, Hoarders offers these people aftercare funds for psych help as well as organizers.

Poor Andrew didn't want any aftercare, and is now out of the house.

Shania's mom Belinda was a nutjob, too! "I'm leaving if we don't get this house decluttered!" Then she wouldn't throw anything away!