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I find it interesting and ironic that Design Star makes such a big deal of the designers being on-camera ready....or not camera shy -- when the very host of the show -- and the most successful winner to-date -- David -- couldn't string two sentences together on camera when he won. Producers must have been sweating bul lets about getting him ready for a show.

Those who've watched from the beginning may remember that he was PAINFUL to watch...the boy was soooo nervous. But he was the first winner...so they sort of were stuck with him and HAD to work with him, or they really would have looked like failures if their very first winner had bombed on TV.

HGTV even made a series of shows SHOWING how they worked with him behind the scenes to get him over his nervousness. They got him a coach and everything. AND had his first show cast with people he could play off of. So it wasn't all on him. .....and to think now he's HOSTING a show. He's still not the MOST comfortable person I've seen on camera -- but he's night and day better than he was.

HGTV worked with him so much....I guess producers are thinking -- "We are NOT going through THAT again." It's clear they want someone who is more ready out of the box to be on TV.

It's ironic that HE is the one having to deliver the message about being relaxed on TV when he wasn't. Clearly, that is NOT a determinant of success on TV. I guess HGTV isn't willing to work with people as they did with him. Too bad others won't get the chance he had.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: clbselah,

Well said!

I have had the same thoughts about the emphasis on camera challenges. Yes, they were willing to invest in David and it paid off. That should tell them something right there. The fact is, you cannot rule out or rule in who might be the best in hosting their own show. Meg seemed comfortable on Nate's show last year, but I think that her energy is over the top on her own show. But, maybe if they worked on her as they did David, she might improve.

I think that Will Smith should have won Season 2, the one that Kim Myles won. He was by far the best designer and ultimately saved the day for Kim and helped her win. But the judges kept criticizing Will's hosting ability. I think that is something that would have become more polished over time. I thought that his southern accent was refreshingly different. Go*d knows we have too many HGTV hostesses and hosts using that same tired interrogative lilt in their speech, ending each statement as if it were a question. I cringe when I hear just about everybody everywhere adapting that "style". I would have voted Meg off last year simply for that.

Why must everyone fit a certain type? That is where HGTV goes radically wrong. There is too much perkiness, juvenile playfulness, and phony wittiness on HGTV as it is. It doesn't look natural with most of the hosts and hostesses. It looks contrived. I stopped watching Candace because she was acting so silly on her show. I can't watch Meg. Her inflections get on my nerves. About the only HGTV host that I can tolerate listening to is Scott McGillivray of Income Property. He is a no-fuss, no-muss personality type, which is a refreshing change. I don't need perky personality as I watch HGTV. It gets in the way of the true purpose for the show.