For those unfamiliar with the TLC show’s concept, While You Were Out involves a person who convinces (with the help of the staff of the show) a significant other, relative, or roommate to be out of town for two days, during which time a host, a designer and two carpenters make over the person’s room. A camera follows the ‘victim’ around for two days and asks questions of them, pretending to be for some official business (promotional video, documentary, etc.) The victim’s answers to the questions are used in quizzes interspersed throughout the show and if the other person answers them right, they get certain design items for the room.
So, could your SO, relative, roommate, etc surprise you doing this, or do you think you’d catch on?
Personally, it would be my parents surprising me, and I think that the thing that would tip me off would be the camera. I watch WYWO pretty regularly and it always seems that they set the camera up rather suspiciously. Even if I bought the setup of a promotional video, I’d probably get suspicious if the cameraperson started asking me about my family and such.
As for if I’d be happy…not sure. It depends on what the room looks like. I can’t say I’d be totally happy with any one design and I’d probably end up making small (or large) changes. But I’d be happy with the sentiment, knowing my family wants me to have a neat room.
I think I’d kick their ass by involving me in any way with a TV show like that.
Then I’d burn the room down.
If I were not happy, I would act happy for sake of the camera and the person that is surprising me.
I hate watching when the spouse or whatever is dissatisfied. Atleast be nice about it.
Interesting idea…though my landlord might not be too pleased with anything a carpenter might do to my bedroom. 
Anyone who’d do that to me knows my style; I’d come back to a clean room decorated by someone who had the time to deal with it. I’m not complaining. 
Since I live in an apartment, this would not be possible. But I am in the process of buying a house. It would be a very simple matter to surprise me since I won’t be able to live there until my employment situation changes, so it would be very easy to surprise me.
If anyone wants to contact While You Were Out and have them build a nice garage for me…
They had a show like that just recently. The husband came home from his free trip to Sports Camp and was quite outraged to find strangers on his newly refurbished deck (to the tune of $1,500, complete with a fancy $3,000 blender and expensive deck chairs that his wife had won). He rampaged around yelling that it couldn’t be legal, yelling at his wife for signing a waiver, wanting to know who gave her the right to do that to “his” house. It was really embarrassing. His wife was in tears, the host was in shock… it was just bizarre.
Me? I’d be thrilled. I have a couple of rooms that need a makeover. I’d just hope they’d do something I’d like. At least with WYWO, they do try to do what the HOs want; not like Trading Spaces, where it’s more about what the designer wants.
Well, it would depend on how they redecorated.
Victorian, Art Nouveau boudoir? GREAT!