en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/658426 Comments by joanovarq http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34791603 Fat chance of that happening! HGTV does not want to post results that say 60% Dan, 20% Jany, 15% Antonio, and 5% everyone else -- it's going to emphasize how badly they miscalculated in selecting "edginess" over design talent. I'm just grateful they were honest enough to announce Dan as the winner! Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:50:22 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34791603 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34790031 So Dan's fans are the only ones who have computers? Please. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:43:58 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34790031 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34787666 Criticizing Antonio's designs is not a "personal attack," any more than it was a personal attack for Genevieve to say Dan's color palette was "ouch" the week he did Helena's room. Saying what you liked and did not like about each contestant's designs and performance is perfectly appropriate and not a "personal attack." Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:34:20 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/16/dan-is-your-favorite-designer/#IDComment34787666 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34626320 I'm trying to be civil here. Please read people's comments before you start calling people arrogant and accusing people of dismissing facts and logic. First of all, there are more than 3000 comments. Second, I stated that ONLINE POSTERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE OVERALL VIEWERSHIP. Sorry to have to write that in caps but apparently you missed it. Nobody said that the people posting on this blog are the only people who watch Design Star. The question is whether the people who are posting are reasonably representative of the overall viewership. Again, your assumption that the bloggers on this site are overwhelmingly skewed in favor of Dan is not persuasive to me. I gave another example - the ratings on Judge The Designs - which supports my opinion. You don't have to agree with me, but that does not mean I am dismissing facts or logic. In my view, the facts and logic suggest that the viewers prefer Dan. Indeed, I could flip your argument around and say it is arrogant for YOU to assume that the masses of people who are posting here must all be Dan's friends and family, and that everyone who thinks Dan should have won is some freak who is outside the mainstream of HGTV viewership opinion. I could argue that it is YOU who are dismissing facts and logic by refusing to consider the possibility that people posting here in Dan's favor are in fact representative of the views of the overall viewership. Again, we can agree to disagree, but there's no need to be condescending. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:45:58 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34626320 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34622843 I am not upset with Antonio; I just don't think he deserved to win based on his performance and designs. I am upset with HGTV for not selecting the person who had the best designs, the best hosting, and the best overall performance. It appears to me the winner was not chosen based on merit, design or performance, but for other reasons -- e.g., "edgy" personality, "something different," "new demographic," etc. People don't like being told the competition is about design when it is really about something else. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:00:53 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34622843 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34622082 Sorry, I don't buy the argument that only Dan's fans have the time or desire to come vote here, or that a few friends and relatives of Dan's in Idaho and small-town Oregon are the ones flooding these message boards. No, I don't have proof, but it just doesn't strike me as logical. Antonio and Dan were both on Design Star and had equal opportunities to have "exposure" and build a fan base through performance and design. I do agree with you that people who are upset are more likely to blog or complain, so it's possible the messages on this blog are a little more pro-Dan than the overall viewership. I understand that online posters are not a representative sample of the overall viewership. But I don't think it's a significant difference - if the comments here are 80% in Dan's favor, I think it's logical to assume that the majority of viewers (more than 50%) prefer Dan's designs. Another bit of evidence is the ratings on the "Judge the Designs" section. Those ratings have existed throughout this competition, before the winner was announced, and therefore before anyone was upset about the outcome. Dan's designs have consistently been among the top rated (the "orchard" themed white room, Jason Priestley's nursery, the dining room in the first challenge), while Antonio's are barely 3 stars. Those ratings indicate to me that Dan's designs are preferred more by viewers than Antonio's. Again, I just don't buy the argument that only Dan's fans bothered to log on and rate the rooms. At any rate, I do not purport to speak for the viewers; I believe the viewers will speak to HGTV one by one by clicking off Antonio's show in protest, which will reflect on the collective ratings of the show. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:51:04 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34622082 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34620530 I've read your comments and appreciate that we can have a civil discussion while agreeing to disagree about the outcome of the show. There's nothing "dishonest" about saying that the "lost" comment thread contained comments 20 to 1 in favor of Dan. That was based on my observations having spent a few hours reading those comments. No, I did not count or tally but that was my rough estimate. There is also nothing "dishonest" about deducing from the online comments and the ratings on "Judge The Designs" that most viewers prefer Dan's designs. I understand the online community is not a scientific sample of the total viewership, but I don't think it is significantly different from what the overall viewership thinks. I don't buy the argument suggested by you and MANCAVE that only Dan's fans post and vote here and Antonio's fans either don't have computers or don't bother. Nor do I buy that a significant number of Dan's fans have the time or desire to create multiple accounts just to vote for him. Maybe there are a handful of die-hards but certainly not the majority. Thus, I think it is logical to deduce that the comments and votes on this website are reasonably close to what the overall viewership thinks. No, I don't have scientific proof; that's just my opinion. You may have a different view, but that's mine. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:31:27 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34620530 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34613065 Exactly. HGTV could have given Antonio his own show without doing it through Design Star. What upsets people is the pretense of a competition based on design skills, which were clearly not the criteria this year. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:05:43 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34613065 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34612562 Dan wants the online show. On Sunday, Dan went to a viewing party at a restaurant in Oregon. There were fans there and Dan gave a very humble and classy little speech. On one of the other comment sections, someone posted youtube video of his remarks. He was encouraging everyone to log on to HGTV and vote for him to get his online show. That was just 2 days ago, so I think it's safe to say he wants the online show. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:59:52 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34612562 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34611037 So Dan's fans are the only ones who have computers? Get real! Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:41:02 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34611037 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34610585 I for one don't read Dan's facebook or his blog. I seriously doubt he has encouraged anyone to boycott HGTV (although I know his fans are, based on the whole injustice of it), but if you have some proof of these charges, please post the link. Before Sunday night, I never blogged on HGTV. However, after the shock of the final results, I was moved to do so for the first time. This outpouring of outrage is not attributable to a handful of Dan's friends & family members sitting around computers in Vale, Oregon -- it's coming from viewers like me who faithfully watched all season, saw the beauty of Dan's designs and his other fine qualities as a designer, saw how the judges had no bad things to say about his final design, and then inexplicably heard "the next Design Star is... Antonio!" What?! It's fine if the producers like Antonio's personality, but don't call it "Design Star" and pass it off as a design and hosting competition if these are not the criteria you are using to choose the winner. If they had told viewers from the outset that the criteria would be who can bring the most beer advertisers to HGTV, at least we would all be on the same page and not be duped into thinking this competition was about design. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:35:26 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34610585 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34609332 Months ago, while HGTV was taping Design Star, the producers decided that Antonio would be the winner (regardless of performance) because he was "edgy," "different," would bring a new demographic, etc. I really think they miscalculated the tastes and desires of their viewers, which is why you now see an outpouring of outrage by viewers who are amazed that the better designer did not win. I suspect HGTV thought that with some selective editing and contrived remarks from the judges, they could get the viewers to accept the producer's pre-determined choice of Antonio - hence the misleading editing about the pergola misunderstanding. But Dan's designs speak for themselves, and there is simply no escaping the fact that viewers think Dan's designs are the best, judging from the "top rated designs" section of this website, while Antonio's designs barely crack 3 stars. HGTV, there is still time to do some damage control. Report the REAL results of the fan poll (even if it is 90% Dan), give Dan his online show and follow it up with a regular TV show. There is room in your lineup for both Dan and Antonio. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:19:09 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34609332 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34608084 I think the reason people think it's rigged is because on the last episode, the judges had nothing bad to say about Dan's design, yet had a few criticisms about Antonio's. Usually, in those circumstances, the person who is least criticized is the winner. At least the week before, the judges made an effort to criticize Lonni's performance before she got sent home; although many viewers did not agree with the judges' criticisms at least there was some effort to appear fair. In the finale, everyone was shocked because the judges went from "Antonio, you've still got some issues with space orientation & the little vignettes didn't work" to "Congratulations, Antonio, you're the new Design Star!" What?! Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:04:03 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34608084 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34606422 If the real results are 60% Dan, 25% Jany and 15% Antonio (which is what I would expect from reading these comments) then I think HGTV will still announce Dan as the winner but will modify the results. I think they will say it was like 30% Dan to 20% Antonio, just to save face, because it will make them look bad if the results are heavily skewed in Dan's favor. I can live with that as long as they report the true winner, which everyone knows will be Dan. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:44:41 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34606422 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34606089 That was the one nice thing Antonio did. Unfortunately he did a lot of mean things to outweigh that such as (1) "forgetting" to buy a paint color agreed upon by the group, (2) ruining the river rock pattern created by Lonni and Dan in the backyard challenge; (3) telling the other contestants he would not help them if he was eliminated and (4) refusing to own up to his role in the pergola misunderstanding. I was also turned off by his comments about whether women were single (Genevieve and Kathy Griffin); it's Design Star, not the Dating Game. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:40:44 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34606089 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34605503 If so "many" felt Antonio's designs were better, how come when you click "top rated designs," Dan's designs are the top two of this season -- Dan's white room is first, then his design of the Goldberg home -- followed closely by Dan's design of Jason Priestley's nursery? Notice Antonio's individual rooms barely crack three stars. So if "many" people like Antonio's designs better, why isn't that reflected on the ratings? Design is subjective and reasonable minds can differ; however, when the result of the show is this far off from what the majority of the viewers think, then one does wonder what is going on. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:33:44 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/15/sorry-gang-the-polls-are-closed/#IDComment34605503 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34602201 True, not every room Dan worked on turned out well. Helena's room was his low point in my opinion. Nor did every one of Antonio's rooms turn out good. In my view, however, and apparently in the view of most who watched, Dan had more rooms that turned out well AND Dan's best rooms were really outstanding. Just look at this season's "Top Rated" designs; Dan's white room is the highest rated design of the season, followed by his design of the Goldberg house for the last season, with his design of Jason Priestley's nursery not too much farther behind. Antonio's individual rooms (Connor's room, Kathy Griffin's Office, Starr Remodel, white room challenge etc.) barely even crack 3 stars according to the viewers. Are you trying to say none of Antonio's fans have computers? Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:53:01 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34602201 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34600594 I did not post any vulgarities or hate. If you re-read the second paragraph of my post, I gave specific examples of why I believe Dan should have been the winner, based on performance in this competition and NOT on irrelevant personal attributes such as tattoos. It appears the overwhelming majority of people posting share my sentiments. We are showing support for Dan by pointing out ways in which we believe he performed better than his opponent. While I agree with you that some comments are out of line (e.g., comments claiming Antonio is dirty & uneducated, making offensive sexual innuendos about him and the judges, etc.), it is perfectly legit and appropriate for people to say they don't like his designs. If you start dismissing everyone who doesn't think Antonio should have won as a "hatemonger," YOU lose credibility in this discussion. Save that kind of talk for people who are really making hateful comments. I don't think Antonio should have won, but I flagged a few comments that made vulgar or profanity-laced comments about him. They are neither appropriate nor constructive. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:34:47 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34600594 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34559123 Right. In prior seasons, designers who were better than Antonio, such as Will from Season 2 and Mikey V from Season 3, were allegedly eliminated due to inferior hosting -- in my view, because they came off too "working class." Suddenly, with Antonio, they seem to like that quality. If that is what HGTV is looking for, at least bring a "working class" person who has some design style, like Will or Mikey! Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:56:45 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34559123 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34526068 Do you think HGTV will post the REAL results of the fan poll, or do you think they will rig that too? They probably won't post the real results if it turns out to be something like 90% Dan - too embarrassing to the network! Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:36:54 +0000 http://blog.hgtv.com/design-star/2009/09/14/challenge-9-meet-your-new-design-star-part-2/#IDComment34526068