HGTV Has A Secret, And Other Facts
Welcome to What We Learned This Week, a digest of the most curiously important facts from the past few days. This week: The unspoken cruelty of HGTV, a climber who will give you sweaty palms and why you should never play guitar on a date.
HGTV Doesn't Want You To See The Previous Tenants
Have you ever watched an episode of House Hunters or Property Brothers, examined the house along with the potential buyers, and wondered just who used to live here? What loving family dinners were cooked in this "dated" kitchen? What lasting childhood memories remained intertwined into the "embarrassing" shag carpet upstairs? How many relaxing summer afternoons were spent in the "unkempt" backyard?
This, Ann-Derrick Gaillot argues in the Outline, is what HGTV doesn't want you to think about. While the nation finally emerges from the fallout of the subprime lending crisis, HGTV still clings onto that pre-2008 notion that you, yes you, can own a home. Don't pay attention to who used to live there, or your impact on the neighborhood or even your budget. This is your beautiful home, and nothing should get in your way of getting it.
The Guy Who Free-Solo'd El Capitan Just Did It Like, No Problem, Man
By now you've probably already heard that Alex Honnold climbed Yosemite's El Capitan — basically just a big fricking rock wall — with nothing but his hands and feet. No ropes, nothing. Just thinking about it is enough to make your palms sweat (and video of him halfway up will definitely make you squirm)
But in an interview with National Geographic, conducted pretty much immediately after Honnold just did the hardest thing in rock climbing history, it was no sweat. He refers to it as "light exercise" and even felt like doing it all over again.
I guess climbing a 3,000-foot sheer rock face without any safety equipment is a bit like cross-examining a witness — you should already know the answers before you even start asking the questions.
The Old Dos Equis Guy And Obama Are Best Buds
The man who played The Most Interesting Man In The World, his name is Jonathan Goldsmith. On Friday, Politico published an excerpt from his memoir. As you might imagine, being the star of an insanely popular advertising campaign got the attention of the former president.
And so Obama invited Goldsmith to come hang out at Camp David in 2011. According to Goldsmith's account, they had a great time. And why wouldn't they? One pretended to be the Most Interesting Man In The World, and the other was definitely The Most Powerful Man In The World. Game recognize game or whatever you want to call it.
[Politico]
Wish You Would Step Away From That Acoustic, My Friend
Look, we understand. You're in college now and you have all this free time to kill between classes. Why not spend that 45-90 minutes just kinda plucking away at a guitar? Maybe you learn a few songs, or at least a few riffs from those songs and that's good enough for you.
But, please, listen to GQ's Lauren Larson and do not use your newfound talents on women. Look, if you happen to hit it off with someone, awesome, we're very happy for you. Youth is a time to learn who you are through experimentation and testing your comfort level. Playing an acoustic guitar in the hopes of impressing someone does none of that.
You should play guitar for you. Not because you hang with Leonardo, or that guy who played in "Fargo."
[GQ]
