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Thread: Who will the next "Norm" be?

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Vermeil View Post
    My Dad used to always ask, would you rather have a teacher who has a grasp of 90 percent of the knowledge base, but can only get across 50% of what he knows, or a teacher who grasps only 80% of the knowledge base, but can get across 90% of what he knows?
    My Dad had a math professor who was absolutely brilliant. He probably knew all the numbers of Pi or something equally brilliant and incomprehensible. However, he couldn't convey things to the undergraduate level. When someone asked a question like "Why?", his response was "don't ask, it's magic." He knew why, but couldn't explain it to a single person who wasnt' a mathmatician themselves.

    Personally, the person who seems to be best able to convey what they know and do it in an entertaining manner is Marc Spagnoulo (The Wood Whisperer for any who don't know). Personally, I enjoy his show, even when he's not cutting the fool a bit

    Tom
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  2. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas Knighton View Post

    Personally, the person who seems to be best able to convey what they know and do it in an entertaining manner is Marc Spagnoulo (The Wood Whisperer for any who don't know). Personally, I enjoy his show, even when he's not cutting the fool a bit

    Tom
    How about Mag Ruffman?

  3. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Monroe Brown View Post
    Tommy may be the next Norm. He's got the same type of appeal. Not sure how his furniture making skills stack up.

    Just a thought. Keeps it in the "Old House" family.

    MB
    As much as I like Tommy he doesn't have the same demeanor. Tommy always seems like he's trying to beat the clock. I think a big part of Norm's charm is that he acts like he would be building something and you just stopped by and showed an interest it what's he's doing. The fact that my wife and kids will watch NYWS with me even though they have little to no interest in woodworking makes me think that he's one of a kind.

    Also I think a big part of Norms staying power is that he doesn't seem like he wanted to be on TV.

  4. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by scott spencer View Post
    Gail O'Rourke of course!
    Attachment 82108
    Gail certainly is worthy of a place on the airwaves for a long time to come. She does great work and I think will "click" with the audience quite well.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #35
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    Is Gail on the air? I hadn't heard. I don't imagine we get it locally, but does anyone know how to determine when and where to find her?
    18th century nut --- Carl

  6. #36
    I think it will be Red Green

  7. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Yerardi View Post
    I think it will be Red Green

    What??

    A Canadian Norm?

    Would Red Green have to take elocution lessons to obtain a Bostonian drawl?


    Regards, Rod.

  8. #38
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    I think the only candidate out there who could have an appeal equal to Norm is Marc "The Wood Whisperer" Spagnuolo. He is young, funny, very down to earth, very good at communicating to the average person and he's a David Marks protoge. What more could anyone want? Oh, he's got a cute wife who works behind the scenes and does cameos.

    I'm thinking Marc's format of online video podcasts may be the future of woodworking shows. As many have already mentioned, today's typical DIY show on TV is pretty darned lame. They're more about hot and hunky hosts than actual information.

    Is Gail O'Rourke doing a show? Will it actually come to broadcast or cable TV, or is it currently just in the development and pitch stage?

  9. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thom Sturgill View Post
    I agree, IF they replace Norm, it will be someone you never heard of, but may have seen once. Like when Bob Vila left TOH and they replaced him with Kevin.
    Wasn't Bob Villa replaced with Steve Thomas? Almost nobody liked that guy. He was the proverbial no-manual-labor Yuppie. He was more of a stock broker with a minor interest in old homes.

  10. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Germain View Post
    Wasn't Bob Villa replaced with Steve Thomas? Almost nobody liked that guy. He was the proverbial no-manual-labor Yuppie. He was more of a stock broker with a minor interest in old homes.
    Yes, Steve Thomas replaced Bob Vila. Kevin replaced Steve.
    There's one in every crowd......and it's usually me!

  11. #41
    Actually...Steve made a living as a carpenter, boat builder and sailor before he went to TOH. He is the most talented host that TOH has had. The old guy was a money grubber...and the new guy...well all he knows how to do is touch things...and it drives me NUTS!
    Glenn Clabo
    Michigan

  12. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Germain View Post
    Wasn't Bob Villa replaced with Steve Thomas? Almost nobody liked that guy. He was the proverbial no-manual-labor Yuppie. He was more of a stock broker with a minor interest in old homes.
    Steve was an extremly accomplished woodworker and professional carpenter. I think you're confusing Steve with Kevin (the current host) who at times seems to not know which end of the hammer to swing.

    Eager as all get out, but he hasn't really learned anything since taking over the show from steve.

    Steve left the show on his own terms (to raise his newborn) after a very respectable 13 or 14 seasons.

    mike

  13. #43
    I agree that unless PBS keeps it up it will be unlikely that a traditional commercial broadcast company will do it. The appeal is narrow, the production/delivery cost is high. Heck it costs our own PBS station some crazy amount of money just to have New Yankee Workshop (I want to say they keep telling us during pledge drives that NYW costs our local PBS something like $25000 or more, and that the combo of NYW, TOH, and Ask TOH are something like $100,000 plus per year). So if nobody donates to cover NYW but they all donate to cover another dang cooking show (I think we are up to 7 now on our PBS station, maybe more) then that is what we get. Cooking shows are cheap..you need a stove, a pan, and heck in some cases they don't even shill out for expensive stuff..instead they tell you how to make a meal of tripe and potatoe skins..plus you can make 15 different things in a day....woodworking shows are generally not cheap (unless your Roy Underhill)...lots of machinery, lots of wood, lots of time, several days for a project, etc...

  14. #44
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    The interesting thing, Rich, is that production doesn't have to be expensive. Pro-sumer and even consumer video gear (including HD capable) is relatively inexpensive at this point and since very capable editing software is also readily available at reasonable cost, creating very usable content is approachable by even independents. The planning and organization is the key...something I've been thinking about as I consider doing some short video things for my own online contributions to the community.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    ...something I've been thinking about as I consider doing some short video things for my own online contributions to the community.
    If you persue this thought, I have a wonderful recipe for Chicken Primavera .

    -Jeff

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