Obviously Extreme Home Makeover needs to conduct "are they stupid?" tests first.

As per this story, one would think that if one had to go on national TV and beg for a reality show to come and help your broke ass, then one would think you would do everything you can to NEVER again be in that spotlight. Did these people really think that once the cameras left the street that no one would be watching them? Hello! You just got a BIG ASS house, the largest one of its time built by EHM, that towers over all the neighbours. Do you honestly think that those poor saps who work for a living are not jealous, envious and pissed that while they still are trying to make ends meet that you are living in the lap of luxury, all bills and ills taken care of?

And how dumb do you have to be to not know that the real estate and construction business is in the shit in the US so should be the LAST thing you want to invest money in that is NOT really yours. Did you secure a job to pay back that loan while you tried to get the business off the ground or did you expect everyone to hire you because you were on TV? Why not a proven franchise like Subway's or McDonald's or something recognizable and is a sure thing to bring back in money? Why not at least a proven business at least that is not as big a risk and is something everyone wants (i.e. gas station (I know it has its own issues), convenience store, coffee house). There are a number of different businesses they could have tried and succeeded at but they went looking for the big score. They gambled and they lost; they LOST a lot of OTHER people's money, hard work, kindness and generosity. They also lost everyone's respect.

I can see them getting money from the house to do something that helped themselves and helped other people in the process. I don't see how getting a loan of that size was for anything that trying to live higher off the hog since they had a taste of the good life and wanted it to continue long after the cameras were gone. There is absolutely nothing wrong with chasing the dream but there is something VERY wrong if you do so and yet AGAIN put your family in danger. The parent or parents of this family are severely negligent and should be ashamed of themselves. They should apologize to ABC, to the EHM team, to the builders, to the volunteers, to the city, to the mayor, to their neighbours but especially to their children. To put them family in the spotlight in such a negative light is simply unconscionable.

It's not just bad form, it's bad parenting. And it's just plain stupid.

href='http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/2008/07/28/pf-6289781.html'>CANOE -- JAM! - 'Makeover' house faces foreclosure