By Tom Comi
Follow @ChannelGuide
Would you watch a show that is so difficult at times to stomach that you are unable to eat before, during or after it airs?
As part of Channel Guide Magazine‘s segment “Who Watches This Stuff?,” we turned to staff member Laura Duckett to see why she admittedly has trouble watching the A&E reality program Hoarders yet resists the urge to turn away. With a new episode airing tonight (9pm ET), here are her thoughts:
Channel Guide Magazine: What draws you to “Hoarders”?
Laura: It’s compelling TV, and yet disgusting at the same time. One reason, in all honesty, is that it makes me feel better about my own housekeeping skills. Another reason is that I have always been fascinated with psychology. There are different types of hoarders, and the show really helped me understand that. Some hoarders are compulsive shoppers or collectors, and some are just slobs. Others just can’t throw anything away, because of some sentimental reason or emotional attachment.
Do you ever feel guilty watching it?
Yes, especially when there are pets or small children in the house. There have been a few episodes where the subjects actually hoard pets, instead of just stuff. I can’t watch those. It’s so unfair. It’s one thing to live that way by your own free will, but to bring a small child or an animal into it is another thing. They don’t have a choice.
Do you see the show as exploiting those inflicted with the illness or shedding light on a problem very few viewers knew about?
I think it’s a bit of both. Sometimes the editors have some fun at the subjects’ expense. For example, last season someone had a possum living in their yard, and as the cleanup crew ran around trying to catch it, the editors added a soundtrack the just made the whole scene ridiculous. The possum has become the unofficial mascot of the show, he even has his own Facebook fan page. However, I believe the therapists and organizers really have the best intentions. In addition to working with the hoarders themselves, the therapists explain the mindset of the hoarder to the viewers. Also, after the cleanup, the show does provide aftercare funds, which can be used for continued therapy and work with a professional organizer.
Is part of the appeal that they try to get the people on the show help for their problem?
Absolutely, as a viewer I want to see them get help. Unfortunately, after a lot of episodes, I feel like the hoarder is going to go back to their old ways immediately as soon as the cameras are gone. It can be very sad.
Explain why you would or wouldn’t recommend it to others.
I would only recommend to those who have a strong stomach. I never eat immediately before or after the show, and definitely not during it. If you know of anyone that is a hoarder, this show can really help you understand why they are like that, and hopefully how to get them help.
[Note: If you would like to be interviewed for an upcoming segment of “Who Watches This Stuff?”, contact us at editor-tv@tribune.com.]