A Couple Who Appeared On Fixer Upper Revealed Just How Real The Show Actually Is
Whether you’re a big fan or a casual viewer, everybody knows about Fixer Upper’s easy-to-like star hosts, Chip and Joanna Gaines. And, like everybody else, you’ll probably have one pressing question: are they for real? Well, wonder no more, as folks who have appeared on the series have come forward about their experiences on set. And, tantalizingly, they’ve revealed a secret that Chip and Joanna Gaines can no longer deny – as much as they might like to try.
Behind The Scenes Knowledge
Yes, in June 2018 Country Living magazine got the lowdown from someone who had actually been on an episode of Fixer Upper. Photographer Rachel Whyte and her husband, Luke, featured on season three of the smash hit HGTV offering, as avid followers of the show may still remember. And they had some stories to tell.
Previous Connections
Rachel actually knew the hosts before her TV appearance, too. She had worked for Magnolia – Chip and Joanna’s company. She had even been the Gaines’ employee while season three of the show was being produced. What’s more, everyone involved – Rachel, Luke, Joanna and Chip – were all alumni of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. So if anyone knew the hosts’ dirty secrets, it was going to be them.
Insider Look
Rachel and Luke had in fact been acquainted with Joanna and Chip before the pair had become famous. And the photographer offered Country Living a glimpse of what the pair were like off camera. She said, “Joanna can be more reserved when she’s in work mode, while Chip is pretty much always extroverted and down to chat with anyone he’s around.”
Spending Time
So one aspect of the show that apparently was real was the chemistry between the Gaines. In the couple’s 2016 book, The Magnolia Story, Joanna wrote, “One pretty amazing thing we learned early on was that the more time [me and Chip] spent together, the better our relationship was.” Sweet, right?
Too Sweet
Joanna went on, “I think a lot of couples feel the need to get away from each other now and then – to take little breaks. And they come back after a girls’ weekend or a guys’ fishing trip or something all refreshed and happy to reconnect because they missed each other. We were just the opposite and still are.” So far, so good. But what about the juicy details?
Decisions, Decisions
Well, Rachel explained that she and Luke had actually mulled over potentially appearing on the show before the first episode had even aired. She told Country Living, “We knew that the house we were in at the time wasn’t our long-term home, and we were trying to decide whether or not to move before or after baby number two.”
Going On Camera
The photographer went on, “We started looking at houses online, and we found a few fixer-uppers that were options. I knew I did not want to buy [one] unless we could get Magnolia to do it. I wasn’t interested in renovating anything ourselves.” Then, a couple of months after sending in their application, Rachel and Luke were in front of the Fixer Upper cameras. This put them in the perfect position to find out the Gaines’ secrets.
Blogger Opens Up
But, of course, the pair weren’t the only people to be looking for a new home on the series – nor have they been the only ones to tell all. In February 2016 Jaime Ferguson – who had appeared on the episode “A Big Fix for a House in the Woods” – spoke to blogger Rachel Teodoro about her own time on the show.
100% Goofball
And for her part, Jaime had nothing but praise for Chip and Joanna. “Chip is 100 percent a goofball,” she told Teodoro. Jaime pointed out that he must make hard work for the show’s editors, having to decide what moments of hilarity to keep in the final cut.
Always On Point
Jaime also explained to Teodoro, “I was in awe of [Joanna] during our real estate filming day because she was constantly thinking about different cool things about each house. I think she’s just immensely gifted at what she does.” And that’s not all she had to say.
Varying Prices
When Jaime was asked about the “unrealistic” show budget, she said, “I can only speak for our experience, but the budget is definitely real.” And the cost of the house itself? Of course, the amount of work the house needs is a big factor. But as with most places, prices can vary significantly across Waco depending on the area, neighborhood, or even the street of the property you’re viewing.
Staged Furniture
Still, Jaime revealed, you don’t get to keep all of the furniture seen on screen. A lot of it is just for staging, although the furniture is offered to the clients. But how could you possibly choose what to keep and what to let go of? Jaime said, “[We] had to decide what we really loved, because our budget at that point was pretty spent.”
Not So Thrilled
Jaime added, “Joanna gifted some of the music room items that she had custom made for Kyle. So special!” Still, not every Fixer Upper client has left so content. In November 2016 a man called David Ridley – the first bachelor to be a client on the show – took his own thoughts about it all to the media. And what he had to say was eye-opening.
Selection Process
Speaking to Fox News, David alleged that the part of Fixer Upper where Chip and Joanna choose from three possible houses was all faked for the cameras. He told the broadcaster, “You have to be under contract to be on the show. They show you other homes, but you already have one. After they select you, [the show’s staff] send your house to Chip and Joanna and their design team.”
Already Purchased
The Fox News journalist added in their report, “A close look at the show’s application seems to corroborate [David’s] claim. Some questions on the application imply that in many cases, applicants for the show have either already purchased or at least selected their future homes without the help of the Gaines pair. The application also includes a portion where homeowners are told to upload photos of the home.”
An Overlooked Fact
“The fact that many homeowners featured on the show have already honed in on or purchased their houses without the help of the [Gaines] seems to be an open secret,” the writer continued. “A Waco Tribune-Herald article from back in 2014 – when the show first hit the air – described how various couples featured on the [program] already owned their homes. The show’s application is in no way trying to conceal that many applicants may already have a home.”
Showing What's Possible
The Waco Tribune-Herald piece did indeed mention that at least one Fixer Upper participant had already purchased their home. It also featured a quote from Chip himself, who said, “[The program is] going to show people what’s possible in their own backyard. I pray to God that other people take this leap of faith because it’s worth it.”
What Makes The Show Popular
In response to David’s claims, though, HGTV ended up releasing a statement. This read, “Fixer Upper fans enjoy the series because it focuses on the playful banter between Chip and Jo, their home renovation expertise, innovative design tips and families who get the help they need to transform a fixer-upper into the home of their dreams.”
Don't Read The Comments
And although the last episode of Fixer Upper aired in 2018, the show hadn’t ended because of any allegations of fakery. Rather, Chip had thought it was time to move on. Apparently, one tweet of complaint from a customer had been the final straw.
Walking Away
The message directed at Chip had read, “It’s been three weeks, and I still haven’t gotten my wreath. What’s up?!” In his 2017 book, Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff, the TV star claimed that this grievance had “changed everything” for him. This meant, ultimately, that he decided to quit Fixer Upper.
Taking Over His Life
Chip wrote in the book, “Suddenly, filming the TV show looked like ‘the job’ that had seduced me into giving it my precious time that I had always promised would be reserved for my true loves, my family and my business. How had this side gig found its way to competing with the very things that mean more to me than anything else in the world?”
Headed For Disaster
Chip subsequently concluded that Fixer Upper was consuming his life. He added, “So much time was being allocated to filming that the details of the business were slipping. We had been driving so hard for so long now. And I had this sense that if I kept my foot on the gas, we might be headed for disaster.”
Former Employee Speaks Out
But even after Fixer Upper came to an end, people were still interested in what had gone on behind the scenes – and could have been potentially fabricated to make for good TV. That’s where Rachel came in, and the former employee of the Gaines decided to tell Country Living magazine everything she knew.
Not Used To This Lifestyle
Rachel explained to the publication, “We were unique in that we lived in the home for five weeks before renovations began, so that was interesting. And we basically lived as nomads for the entire time the house was being renovated. We slept in 17 different beds in four months. It was an adventure!” Nonetheless, she added, “It was uncomfortable at times because we, like most people, aren’t used to having cameras around us.”
The Hardest Thing
Rachel went on, “But what happens really is real. The producers might have you repeat things a few times, and they might film things multiple times from different angles, but the reactions and conversations are real. The hard thing is remembering what you said before when asked to repeat it.”
Realistic Budgeting
Before the episode’s filming, Rachel and Luke apparently also had to create a budget. The photographer revealed, “You have to sign off on your budget at the beginning, and we actually didn’t have any surprises come up during filming. The budget goes towards your wish list, but the design team will also make decisions about what they think the home needs to be a TV-worthy renovation.”
A Unique Challenge
And, reportedly, Joanna requests Pinterest boards from her clients. Rachel added to Country Living, “I put a white house with grey shutters on my Pinterest board, and they really [went with] that concept. We were also unique in that Luke and I both created Pinterest boards, so [Joanna] had the challenge of making us both happy.”
Limited Contact
However, something else Rachel revealed may have come as a surprise to fans; apparently, she and Luke had only actually met Joanna face-to-face on two occasions throughout the whole process. Yet the host had frequently been in touch to keep the couple informed of what was going on. And altogether, Rachel was very happy with the work done on the show.
Bullet Points
Rachel concluded, “Overall, we were pretty hands-off and fully trusted [Chip and Joanna]. Our only real desires were that the exterior of the house be painted white, that the kitchen was light and airy and that there was some element of mountain ruggedness to satisfy Luke. They gave us all that and more!”
Hesitant
“We were pretty set on the house we now live in, but they did show us two other homes – like you see on the show – and we considered the other options that were shown to us,” Rachel continued. “Even though I had seen our home before our official tour with Chip and Jo, my negative reaction to how it looked was genuine. I was seriously hesitant that they would be able to make the house look good!”
Slight Cheating
The Country Living writer then asked Rachel how legitimate the show’s “reveal day” was. And while the photographer responded that she had indeed closed her eyes while being driven up to the house, she continued, “I snuck a peek to see if the house was white, and I was able to see that it was, so I could rest easy, and the rest would be smooth sailing.”
Sensory Overload
Yes, both the reveal day and the tearing down of the big poster captured genuine reactions, according to Rachel. She added, “How it happens on TV is how it happens in real life!” At this point in filming, she and Luke had been escorted from room to room to see what they thought – an element of the process that the photographer has described as a “sensory overload.”
"Ok, Now Do It Again!"
Rachel said, “They film you walking into each room, then they have you talk about your first reaction, and they might film you walking into the room again. Having to focus on one room at a time is hard because you want to just see it all!” She also admitted that before the cameras had started rolling, she’d tried to practice looks of surprise.
Only Certain Rooms
And Rachel did spill at least one secret that Fixer Upper fans may not know: not all of her house was fixed up. She said, “Magnolia only renovated the parts of our house that were seen on the show as well as one additional bedroom. We did the other two bedrooms and bathrooms ourselves after moving in in an effort to save money. In hindsight, we should have had Chip and Joanna do it all.”
Picking And Choosing
Rachel was also asked whether or not she and Luke got to keep the furniture seen on the show. This was apparently among the most frequent queries she had fielded following her TV appearance, and she replied, “I think it’s so funny because you wouldn’t want to get rid of all your furniture. They give you an itemized list of how much everything costs at the end to see if you want to purchase things at a discounted price.”
Close Enough
So, while things behind the scenes might not be exactly how they appear on the screen, they are pretty close to reality. And at least one of Chip and Joanna’s clients seems happy. In her 2016 interview with Rachel Teodoro, Jaime described the experience of being on Fixer Upper as wonderful.
Feeling Trapped
Even so, in 2018 Chip told Cowboys & Indians magazine that the show hadn’t felt “real” enough for him. He went on, “The more staged something becomes, or the more required something becomes, it boxes me up. And I felt like toward the end of the Fixer Upper journey, I felt caged, trapped.”
Smart On Command
The TV star continued, “Jo and I couldn’t figure it out. I mean, why? You’re getting to have all this fun, right? But it’s like if I put a camera in your face and said, ‘Hey, say something funny.’ Or if I put a camera in your face and said, ‘Hey, be smart.’ I just struggled with that environment – especially at the end of it.”
Exciting News
But not all is lost for fans of Fixer Upper and the Gaines family. You see, Chip and Joanna announced in 2018 that they would be creating their own lifestyle network. Magnolia TV is set to appear – as far as anyone knows – sometime in 2021. And that’s definitely exciting news for those who love the couple’s own chirpy brand of reality television.
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