On Thursday, March 27, 1997 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Steven Tyler wrote:   
   > equus@mindspring.com wrote:   
   > >    
   > > On Thu, 27 Mar 1997 00:41:52 GMT, hipster@spacelab.net (Hipster)   
   > > wrote:   
   > >    
   > > >Folks:   
   > > >   
   > > >You know that guy from "This Old House" and "The Renovation Guide"?  I   
   > > >remarked to my wife that he seemed like a decent chap (at least as   
   > > >much as any other TV muckety-muck, anyway) and she said "Oh no!   
   > > >Someone in my office said he sold a house to someone and the pipes   
   > > >were all rotten, and the porch was falling off, and they are suing   
   > > >him, etc., etc."  I tried searching for recent events and news items   
   > > >that might confirm or deny this, but no luck.  Anyone know anything   
   > > >about this?   
   > >    
   > > Bob Vila originally hosted "This Old House", a PBS home improvement   
   > > program.   He then started doing commercial advertisements for Sears   
   > > tools.    "This Old House" producers felt that hosting a PBS program   
   > > and doing commercial advertisements were incompatible and asked him to   
   > > choose one or the other.   Mr Vila chose commercial television.   
   > >    
   > > Bob Vila now hosts a syndicated home improvement program called "Home   
   > > Again", sponsored by Sears.  Some years ago they renovated a home on   
   > > the California coast.  In Malibu, I believe.   
   > >    
   > > That house was later sold to Conrad Bains, a television actor.   You   
   > > may remember him as the dad from that program with the little kid who   
   > > kept saying "What you talkin' bout Willis?"   The name escapes me at   
   > > the moment.   
   > >    
   > > According to news reports, Mr Bains is suing the production company   
   > > and others involved in the renovation.    He claims the house suffers   
   > > from substandard construction, including leaking plumbing, making the   
   > > house unlivable.   
   > >    
   > > I've often wondered about the quality of workmanship on programs of   
   > > this type.   Often they showcase new and untried materials and   
   > > techniques.   Likewise, having construction interrupted for a camera   
   > > shot can't help the quality of workmanship.   
   > >    
   > > Much of the labor and materials are donated.    Small, local companies   
   > > donate their time in order to stand in front of a camera wearing a   
   > > "John Doe's Plumbing and Heating" t-shirt.   How much time are they   
   > > actually willing to put into a project for which they aren't paid?   
   >    
   > Steve Delurks:   
   >    
   > Permit me to join your thread.  Conrad Bains never appeared on Diff'rent    
   > Strokes as a regular character.  He played Mindy's Father in Mork &    
   > Mindy, much as it shames to realize that I still know this fact.  Bains    
   > bought the house from Vila and later sued Vila for fraud and Breach of    
   > Contract (?).  I don't know if the suit was settled yet.   
   >    
   > Here's the kicker:  At his deposition, Vila admitted that: A) He had    
   > never worked as a contractor.  B) He had never worked for a contractor.     
   > C) He had never worked as a builder.  This was in a news cast.  I don't    
   > remember the news show.   
   >    
   > Thanks,   
   > Steve   
      
   I actually watched this on court TV, Conrad Janis sued Bob Vila for selling   
   him a crappie house. Bob's defense was, I'm not a carpenter,or know anything   
   about the construction business, I'm just a TV host that's all. He just tried   
   to play dumb but the    
   judge wasn't having any of it. Conrad won his case and Bob had to pay for   
   repairs.   
      
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