Collection Intervention

[Taxel]

Wait, this is on Syfy?

...does the host at least dress as a collection abducting martian?

I don't understand syfy programing. Lately they have been playing movies that I don't understand why they are on syfy at all. What is Casino Royale doing on syfy?


I haven't seen or heard of the show. It sounds kind of interesting. Is it an intervention because they're family and friends think it's too much? Or something like they're about to go bankrupt and should sell to avoid it? Or their house looks like the hoarder people's house?

That's happening with most channels. Animal Planet is getting a show about border cops. :/

I didn't see the entire episode, but from what I saw its just their collections are huge and out of control and organized badly. The Barbie collector's two sons had NO closet space because their entire closets were full of Barbie things (none of her family seemed too upset with her), while the GI Joe/Hot Wheels collector's wife seemed to HATE his collection. She thought it was junk and apparently threatened to toss it all in the trash. And she kept being really horrible every time he chose to keep anything. It was really upsetting how she acted, to me.

In clips I've seen on commercials, some houses look kinda hoarder-y while others just have the collection all over the house in every room.

[Moss]

I thought yesterday's ep ended on a rather nice note, actually. The GI Joe guy's wife came around after she saw him selling some things, and she realized how much he knew about the stuff, as well as how much people were willing to pay for it. He sold a lot of it, but he also kept a decent chunk. What he did keep, he put in nice display cabinets throughout the house. The Barbie collector's family bought her the number one Barbie, and she sold more and made more space in her house while still keeping a very nice collection. So I think there was good compromise in both.

I like that the host appreciates the collections, but I hate how she deems a collection good or bad based on it's monetary value. Because to most collectors, that's not what it's all about. And people aren't freaks because they have sentimental attachment to items. My mom watched it with me, and she thinks most collectors are nuts. But when the woman refused to sell the number one Barbie accessories, she thought it was ridiculous that they would even try to take it from her, because that Barbie was what she really wanted. Hosts on these shows usually go for that one item that the person really loves, which isn't fair.

Overall, though, I liked it. I think it did a good job of helping the people get their collections under control while also letting them keep awesome collections.

[rayedelsol]

I didn't see this week's episode, but I saw the Catwoman/Star Wars episode. I felt kinda bad for the Catwoman guy, because his wife was totally un-supportive of his collection. Don't get me wrong, I personally don't understand a collection that is packed up and not able to be enjoyed, but to each his own. I liked that she [the host] didn't force the collectors to sell everything.

[MnDancer]

I don't understand how spouses can be so unsupportive of their spouse's collections. Imean, didn't this person collect these things before they got married? Did they go into the marriage thinking they were going to "change" the collector? Or are they just so selfish they can't let their spouse enjoy anything? I understand if something is getting out of control, like hubby went and spent the rent money on a GI Joe, that would suck, but these people who want their spouses to get rid of the entire collection, I just don't get that!

[Taxel]

I don't understand how spouses can be so unsupportive of their spouse's collections. Imean, didn't this person collect these things before they got married? Did they go into the marriage thinking they were going to "change" the collector? Or are they just so selfish they can't let their spouse enjoy anything? I understand if something is getting out of control, like hubby went and spent the rent money on a GI Joe, that would suck, but these people who want their spouses to get rid of the entire collection, I just don't get that!

I didn't want to say this myself, thank you for saying it! I was absolutely STUNNED with the GI Joe/Hot Wheels collector's wife (though I'm thrilled to know she stopped being so rude and came around). I couldn't believe the way she was acting towards him, I mean she seriously threatened to throw his beloved collections in the TRASH?! I know I didn't see the whole episode and he clearly needed help getting it under control, but really I cannot blame him if his wife was so horrible about what he loved for a long time. My collections provide me with a lot of joy, and when I'm feeling sad I like to play with them, rearrange them, take some photos, or even buy another piece if I can afford it. I know I'm not alone in that.

Especially compared to the Barbie collector's husband! He was amazing! From what I saw he was VERY understanding and supportive. He knows just how much Barbie means to her, and I never saw him get upset or angry. Even her sons, who had zero closet space, I never saw anger (and they had the right to be angry, in my opinion). They didn't seem like pushovers, just understanding family members kindly trying to help their mom get her collection under control.

I don't know how anyone could be with someone who doesn't support their collections, or how someone could be with someone whose collections they hate so much. Even if they didn't collect until after you began dating/got married, why does it matter? Is it really THAT hard to learn to tolerate something that gives the person you love joy? If its not hurting anything, why flip out? If you dislike it, that's fine, but there's no need to be horrible about it. If its a problem, be respectful and address it kindly. When I needed to stop buying (and I knew it and planned on it), my boyfriend spoke to me calmly and respectfully about how we BOTH needed to cut back on frivolous purchases. He was very understanding with the few remaining items I wanted to get because he knew how much they meant to me. He helped me sell things so I could afford those last few pieces.

Though I will admit it can be a shock when someone starts collecting something after you get into a relationship. I already had a small doll collection before we began dating, and a few months into it he bought me a $100ish doll. But the dolls I collected were expensive (generally around $100+), so I didn't have very many. After we moved in together I got into FiM and began collecting ponies (but the toys took a while so it wasn't a huge transition). After he went to university, I got very into ponies and learned about the amazingness of some playline dolls. Whenever he came back for breaks (and eventually when he moved back), I had acquired a lot of dolls and ponies. It was a shock for him to see so many suddenly and have to deal with them in our room (I'm not allowed to have anything in the rest of the apartment XP). And now I want to collect a variety of other toys. He's adjusted and is supportive now, but it has overwhelmed/shocked him in the past. So yeah, collections can come as a surprise, even if its just expansion.


On a similar subject, did anyone else who saw that episode think it was HIGHLY inappropriate for them to bring in a Barbie expert to look at some of the collector's things and then ask her if she wanted to offer on anything RIGHT THERE in the collector's home?!?! She wasn't even comfortable with someone in her house touching her collection, and I felt so horrible for her being put in that position. I got the impression that the collector wasn't warned about potential offering being made on random things at all. :/

[Eviecorn]

Reality really isn't my cup of tea, especially how they try to portray certain folks.  I may check it out once, though.

[Diamond]

Ah guys some of what you see is pure Hollywood, folks are told to act certain ways for better ratings and the like.

As to spouse not supporting collecting, yeah I can understand - imagine not being able to pay a bill because your spouse went and spent it on another item they did not really need.  My husband I both collect but there are times I want to yell at him and I know there are times he would want to yell at me.  But both of us try to keep an eye on our bills so it is no longer an issue.

Yes folks get attached to there stuff, sometimes it is okay and sometimes it is unhealthy for shows like this they are gonna look for the unhealthy, it makes better TV, plain and simple.

As to who deems what valuable, well there are things in this hobby I do not understand but I am not gonna sit here and yell about it, but that does not again make good TV so that is what they are gonna do on TV. 

All comes down to perception.  Yours, theirs and mine.

[RockinPrettyBeats]

Thanks for bringing this show up. I've never heard of it and love shows like this. I will try to find it and see what I think.

[Jinxxy]

Wow! This show made me re-think things a lot.


I am currently in the process of downsizing my collection now.
I have had mixed feelings about doing this because I had worked SO hard over the last 12 years or so trying to complete sets and get those HTF ponies.. Part of me worries that I'll never get a chance to find them again.

Anyone who has been my friend on the arena knows that I move a LOT. My collection was ever growing and my living situation is ever changing (not a good combo) and this last apartment I don't even have all my ponies displayed ..

I have limited space now so I was only able to display my very favorites.. I put up my favorites from each set (instead of whole sets) and I realized while choosing these ponies that I had a LOT of ponies I felt "meh" about, ponies that would never be my favorites and sometimes ponies that I strait out disliked  but these were kept in my collection just because it belonged to a set.

 I also realized that I had ponies I didn't know about and ponies that went missing because I have too many to remember where each one is >.<
For so long anything pony would come into my house because hey, it's pony so it belongs with me right?.

"So then came the big big decision to downsize...

Rule #1 is that I have to keep reminding myself that I'm no less the pony collector for having less ponies. There is a tiny piece of me that feels like I'm missing out on the ... history?..of not having full sets, but the end result is a more manageable collection where each pony can be appreciated easier... and at the end of the day I know that I don't want EVERY pony anyways.

I don't have a number in mind but I was hoping on keeping one third or less of the total ponies I have now.
A few years ago that number was between 600 and 400 but it's been steadily decreasing.
The strange thing is is I haven't lost interest in ponies at all! I'm crazy about ponies!
 The ponies that are my favorites are still as dear to me as when I first got them.
 I still have a wishlist of ponies that I want, but as as my new rules for myself state, they're only ponies that I would really really like to get, not ponies I'm simply missing from sets.

I don't think that MY guide line on what *I* find manageable is a guideline for ANYONE! Some people have hundreds and hundreds and that's manageable to them, so I don't thin that shows like this can really put a set number on things for other people..

The show was a little strange. I felt my feathers getting ruffled up abit. For the cat woman guy I personally don't see the point in having a collection that's all boxed up, but then I don't collect MOC ponies for some of the same reasons. To each thier own right?..

Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was when she pretty much led on that she thought collecting new items was pointless. True, newer things take more time to accumulate value, but a lot of collecting has more to do with getting the things you like instead. Even the rarest of ponies aren't so rare and expensive as say, someone who collects antiques.. but we collect them because we love them! So her remark there was kinda snooty IMHO.

My boyfreind is also a HotWheels collector. He got the Hotwheels fever a few years back and tried to get ALL of the new releases.. He did this for a few years. He has thousands of cars. He has been talking about downsizing for quite some time for the same reasons I do.. sometimes it's hard to know where to start! We are thining about moving in together. I've never shared a room with anyone so I have no idea how that many Ponies and hot wheels would all try to cramp together, let alone art and etc on the walls too, The idea seems claustrophobic. I am really happy he is on board with both his and my downsizing. He is a TOTAL sweetheart, always buying me ponies and supporting my habbits and keeping his eyes out for ones I hunt for. I can only imagine that it would be stifling if you had a partner that rejected that part of you, no matter how many ponies you have!

I really hated the way that she negotiated with the collectors. If someone tried to get me to sell one of my very special ponies (Splash or Nachtlicht etc) I would not budge and would be pretty pissed if they kept pushing it.. I couldn't help but see a piece of myself in each one of those collectors so it was a tough show to watch at times...


Only a matter of time before they do a mlp episode!

[zzzova]

I didn't see this week's episode, but I saw the Catwoman/Star Wars episode. I felt kinda bad for the Catwoman guy, because his wife was totally un-supportive of his collection. Don't get me wrong, I personally don't understand a collection that is packed up and not able to be enjoyed, but to each his own. I liked that she [the host] didn't force the collectors to sell everything.

Catwoman-guys wife bugged me too >.< but maybe she was just tierd at everything and it was reflected badly?cus if she was like that always I think that they would have been alot worse of.

I just feelt sad when I saw his collection, all broken up and his reaction when he found out that little it was worth. It was so sad.

[Echo_Shell]

Great.  Another show where "experts" line up to tell some social outlier what's wrong with him/her.  Morbid curiosity will likely have me watch it once or twice, but in general this sort of show bothers me...greatly.  Hollywood or not, it sends the message - conform or we will find you and we will shame you.

[Galactica]

Here is a link to it if someone hasn't seen it yet- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6snC5UemVs

I think I can relate- although lets hope I never let things go this far!  Sometimes it is good for me to see others that have let something get way out of control- it helps me reign things in a bit.  Of course visiting my grandmother's house will do the same thing

[rayedelsol]

Someone remind me, WHEN does this come on?

Also, the Travel channel has a toy collector one too, coming on at 8:00 CST tonight.

[michelle53]

I just watched this show for the first time this morning.  Honestly, I am so tired of people trying to "improve" someone else's lives by forcing them to get rid of their stuff.  It's their life; if someone chooses to out themselves into debt for Transformers, then who are we to judge them?  Since when did purging treasured items become cable gold??

 To me, it's like the show Hoarders: The collectors are portrayed as losers and their collections are seen as clutter.  Basically, the collector is pressured into getting rid of things because their loved one is upset.  I'm sorry, but if you enter into a relationship with someone who has 30 thousand comics, how can you be upset that there are comics all over the house?!  Hello, do you really want to marry someone who is pushing you to change? 

After the show ended, all I could think about were some of the people here with amazing collections, and how angry I'd feel if they were treated in this manner.  Imagine someone showing up at Sarah-Bee's house and telling her she should sell her reverse Gusty, or SoSilver should sell his Italians or Relcelestia her Argies?  That thought makes me mad!!  I'm sorry, but who cares how much money someone spends on their hobby?  It's their life, and they should be free to spend their money how they see fit.  Ugh, these types of shows just get my goat!

[Galactica]

I agree that the shows have a negative/sensational feel to them- I guess to boost ratings.  The shows are nevertheless somewhat interesting to me if only to see other people's collections...