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How Clean Is Your House?

Ganesh

11:23 / 08.07.04

This is for Sax, idle little filth-squirrel that he is...

So. It's a couple of series' in, but what do we think of scary bottle-blonde Kim and sensible sidekick Aggie? And, come to think of it, the whole premise?

I'll admit that there's a certain amount of gawp-in-horror entertainment to be had from seeing the scabrous insides of sundry slackers' houses - but the weekly 'look at the BUGS that were in your carpet!' spot always annoys me slightly: there's invariably an alarmist 'this could make your family ILL!' tone, and I think 'well, yeah, but it hasn't happened up 'til now - could it be that the family's become bug-resistant instead?'

And they seem to use vinegar and old newspaper to clean absolutely everything.

Jack The Bodiless

11:25 / 08.07.04

And lemon juice. I'm gonna rub pancakes over my face instead of washing in the mornings.

Jack The Bodiless

11:27 / 08.07.04

Reposted from Supernanny thread:

"Kim in HCIYH is totally not a dominatrix. She's the Northern Nan archetype - didn't you see those repulsive surfers last night ducking with every mal mot, but with that little grin on their faces that said "we love our mam"?"

Is totally NOT a dominatrix. Unless you wanna argue that the Northern Nan archetype is trixy? Of which I would BEWARE...

Ganesh

11:28 / 08.07.04

The other thing that occasionally bothers me about the programme is that some of the punters are quite obviously depressed - making me wonder What Dose Is Your Antidepressant? instead...

Ganesh

11:32 / 08.07.04

Is totally NOT a dominatrix. Unless you wanna argue that the Northern Nan archetype is trixy? Of which I would BEWARE...

In this case, I think they've taken someone who basically is a sort of upmarket version of the Northern Nan (she housekeeps for some Saudi Arabian millionaire or summat, doesn't she?) and given her a dominatrix sheen - hence the severe upswept peroxide 'do', the hectoring innuendo, the lingering shots of rubber gloves...

She's an odd hybrid, I grant you, but I think it'd be foolish to claim there was no 'trix in her.

Kit-Cat Club

11:44 / 08.07.04

Vinegar and newspaper is actually the best way I know of for cleaning mirrors and windows (but doesn't work at all for white tiles etc. - grey smudges all over the place).

Similarly, bicarb is actually good for scrubbing the bath...

I haven't seen this (no TV) but are the houses in question really super-filthy? Or are they averagely dirty?

Pan Paniscus

12:12 / 08.07.04

Really disgustingly filthy most of the time (and I'm a messy monkey, so they must be bad). Despite that, I still don't think it's quite on to devote so many hours of telly time to telling people off. I can't really think of any logical reasons apart from C4's commisioning editors/audience having some pretty kinky sublimated SM fantasies that need feeding.

What with this, the 'Supernanny', that annoying Scottish woman who likes looking at poo and Gordon Ramsey (manners cost nothing, you horrible little man!) it's all a bit too much. I think the point Ganesh made about depression must be valid too. There's got to be a reason these people are failing to control their lives so badly, and I don't know how much telling them off/humiliating them on TV is going to help in the long run.

Sax

14:33 / 08.07.04

I love how this series now has the little segment where Kim does a hilarious Marilyn Monroe skit when she changes into her "whites", such as stepping behind a surfboard or into a cupboard before vogueing horrendously and crossing those fur-trimmed Marigolds over her ample lap.

And another vote for 'trixy. She's an upmarket Scouse madam. Well, not really, C4 lawyers, but she could be. Aggie seems to be being pushed into shedding some of her sensible-sidekick image with a bit of gurning and mugging as well, but she's evidently not comfortable with it.

You've gotta question the sanity of the people who let them into their houses though. We don't mind being fat or ugly because we're fat and ugly wherever we go, but to admit to having poo on your kitchen worktops and 80 zillion bacteria on the gusset of your underpants is something that can usually be locked away from prying eyes.

Pan Paniscus

16:08 / 08.07.04

vogueing horrendously and crossing those fur-trimmed Marigolds over her ample lap.

Isn't that fur trimming very unhygenic when said gloves are used for cleaning toilets?

Warewullf

16:45 / 08.07.04

Worst part about this show? My boyfriend always watches it while we're eating. I can't bear it anymore. He's had to start recording it.

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