49 replies to this topic

[pjamma]

I searched a few times and could not find a thread for my newest favorite home improvement show, Yard Crashers on the DIY Network and HGTV.

From diynetwork.com:

ABOUT THIS SHOW

You never know what you'll be bringing home from the home improvement store. You go in for grass seed but come home with new patio chairs and a bag of cement. If you're lucky enough, you could also bring home a professional landscape contractor. On DIY Network's Yard Crashers, expert Ahmed Hassan waits at stores looking for the perfect weekend warriors who could definitely use his help. Once he finds his target, Ahmed and his team follow the surprised shoppers home and completely transform their yards.

I can't be the only person that keeps an eye out for Ahmed when they are at or passing by an Osh store.

I love how people are genuinely scared of him when he approaches them in the store. Especially older people. I think the funniest response I've seen to date is when Ahmed went up to a guy on the phone who told whoever was on the other end of the call "there's a guy with a camera crew following me, I think it may be that show Cheaters".

I am consistently impressed with what the team comes up with and completes in two days. Although I do wonder about the quality of the work. It always looks great but they accomplish a lot in about 30 hours. Maybe they send in the secret "fix it" crew mentioned on Design Star to go back after the show part is done to make sure the work is solid.

[Grommet]

I recently started watching this show and I think I've now seen them all, since DIY shows it about 80 times a week. Ahmed has great energy and the whole crew seems like a lot of fun. All the homeowners I've seen have also been enjoyable and the yards look fabulous. I'm a bit of a compulsive gardener so my yard is mostly taken up with plants, but I like seeing the different landscape ideas.

[Professor Fate]

I think this is such a fun show - I would definitely bring Ahmed home with me even though I don't have a garden :)

[kers]

Ahmed is adorable, and I like that this show often includes lots of nice softscape details (plantings). Other shows rely so much on hot tubs/patios/furniture and ignore the beauty of good landscaping.

[shipmate]

Mr shipmate and I were just saying today how Ahmed is one of the most natural, likable hosts on Home-based TV. Very smart, approachable and doesn't mug for the cameras (I'm looking at you Team Taniya from DTS!)

I wonder if they venture all over or just within a certain area. I already told Mr shipmate that if he sees Ahmed, he is to bring him home to fix our backyard!

[pjamma]

I read an article that the show takes place in the Sacramento area. I'm not sure how big that area is, like if they came down to San Francisco or over into Reno/Tahoe, but being 60 miles outside of Sac I still look for him, hoping.

Edited by pjamma, Aug 30, 2009 @ 7:07 PM.

[GlennGlenn]

It seems like the show is mostly up in no. cal. area since he uses a lot of the same contractors. He does a great job, very likeable and reminds me of Obama kinda.

[Aunt Esther]

I love Ahmed and you can tell he knows his stuff and he's SUCH a great host. They really do a good job on these people's homes in such a short time.

What cracks me up is when some prissy homeowner is surprised at having to do any work. There was one episode where the wife or girlfriend looked shocked at what they were making her do and her friends who came over to help were huddled underneath a makeshift shelter because it was raining a little because they didn't want to get wet.

Hello, people! You're getting a brand new backyard...FOR FREE!

[SimoneS]

I just found this show. I love Ahmed. People are so strange. A guy with a camera crew approaches them to redo their backyard and they are running away. I bet they feel like fools when they realize what they gave up.

[Suzy123]

Ahemd is so sexy! This is such a shallow post, but whenever he wears he tight jeans and bends down to do work, i am happy.

[mmeginger]

I just found this show. I love Ahmed. People are so strange. A guy with a camera crew approaches them to redo their backyard and they are running away. I bet they feel like fools when they realize what they gave up.

I hope they feel like fools! I can't believe how suspicious people are of a guy walking around with a camera crew in what appears to be a pretty big store (if not part of a chain, even) - do they really suppose the store management has no idea what's going on and hasn't sanctioned it? Overly mistrustful people are so stupid. Sorry, but it just really frosts me every week when I watch this! I am on board with the "I would take Ahmed home for sure!" people - even though I live in an apartment with no property at all! :D

[Suzy123]

Do new episodes still come on?

[mmeginger]

Frankly, I only see this on HGTV on Sunday mornings, which I know are repeats because originals air on DIY, right? And HGTV lately has been showing repeats of repeats.

[Suzy123]

I think it does actually air on DIY, all I have been seeing is repeats also.

[ILNative]

Ahmed's been in the Chicagoland. I watched two episodes yesterday -- one in an older home where he did an awesome backyard complete with cobblestone driveway and fire pit, and one where he did a small backyard with a great outdoor kitchen. Both time he picked up the HOs at Menards.

The couple who had the older home were totally cool. They were at Menards looking at lawn furniture and when Ahmed asked him if they wanted a new backyard and they never missed a beat, "Sure!" "Come on!"

[Suzy123]

The backyard they did on todays episode, was amazing. I loved the table that the waterfall came out of and the fire pit. I wish they could do my backyard.

[LenaJay]

This dude is my type, EXACTLY. I'd bring him home and I live in an apartment. With someone. But that's besides the point.

Edited by LenaJay, Apr 26, 2010 @ 4:31 PM.

[Suzy123]

Ahmed is hot, if I didn't have a backyard, I would lie about it and bring him home. lol!

[AyeshaTheGreat]

I finally saw the episode with Cynthia from Real World Miami. I thought it was fun because the whole family was so cool and their yard really did need a lot of work.

It was also funny because at first her husband was slightly approached when he was walking into the store. I believe he said that he asked around and when he came out, he approached Ahmed. The yard was nice but I am not sure I would want a sail shade above my deck. However, I do understand the differences with living on the west coast compared to living on the east coast.

[Ahoskie59]

Oh, that was Cynthia from RW Miami? I only saw the end of that episode. I had no idea that was her.

[Paula in Playa]

Heh, this is my sister's favorite show on HGTV, and she even gets up early on a Sunday morning to catch it.

One of my favorite homeowners so far is the one youngish woman who is contemplating bringing Ahmed home, and two other women in the store who know who Ahmed is keep pushing her to taker him home. It was pretty cute.

But my one quibble is that he nearly always picks people on the young side (I can only remember one woman who wasn't). I'm guessing it's mostly because the HOs have to do a lot of the work, but it sometimes seems like they're looking for the most telegenic.

[aquarian1]

I just watched an episode that said it was new (on DIY), and I think it was. However, it seems like they made some changes for the worst (imo) - the VO guy/narrator is used WAY too much. He's almost non-stop. You barely hear from anyone else, Ahmed included, except for an occasional soundbyte. And the VOs were constant. Plus the VO guy reminds of the one for Ice Road Truckers, in the phrasing and intonations, etc. It works on that show, but not here. I swear it seems different, but maybe it's just because I haven't seen a new ep is so long.

And I was only half paying attention in the beginning, but I don't think the showed Ahmed hunting people down, it went right to the homeowner.

However, as always, the transformation was great.

The ep that's airing now is a repeat from earlier in the year, and the beginning sequence is more like I remembered. And there is less narration.

[pepperclove]

I've been curious about what the new eps would be like. Ahmed came to my town (Tampa) a few weeks ago, and it was announced in the paper and on the Yard Crashers website that he would be at a certain Lowes on a particular morning. I went down there to wander around the store and hope to run into Ahmed and get to take him home, but instead there was a long line of people waiting to meet him and supposedly pitch their need for a backyard makeover. I waited in line for a while, but the line was absolutely crawling and I didn't have all day so I ended up leaving before I got close to the front. My backyard needs help, too. . . . Anyway Ahmed was signing autographs and taking pictures with people in line. I'm not sure how the lucky homeowners were chosen (hoping I can catch this ep when it comes on), but supposedly some people brought pictures of their backyards and everything. I was wondering if maybe Ahmed has become too well known for the ambush thing to work anymore (although there were people standing in line who had no idea who he was and had never seen the show).

And yes, Ahmed was just as cute in person - and maybe even more high energy than he is on TV. He bounced around just like he does on the show. Made me wonder how anyone could keep up that energy level day after day!

[Suzy123]

Does anyone watch this show anymore? LOL! This thread has been totally silent since May.

The top 10 greatest Yard Crashes came on tonight, Ahmed and his crew does some great work.

[shipmate]

Does anyone watch this show anymore? LOL! This thread has been totally silent since May.

The top 10 greatest Yard Crashes came on tonight, Ahmed and his crew does some great work

We don't have DIY anymore since we downgraded our cable. but we do watch it when HGTV runs it in the morning on weekends.

I love this show but really wish they wouldn't show a shot of the finished product at the very beginning of the episode!

[Suzy123]

I love this show but really wish they wouldn't show a shot of the finished product at the very beginning of the episode!

That is really annoying... LOL!

[osomarie]

Ahmed is hot, if I didn't have a backyard, I would lie about it and bring him home. lol!

hehe me too.
It's funny how some people are seriously angry/frightened - like they'd call the cops, or maybe even shoot him.
The end product is always awesome. Can't believe they do it in just a day or so.

[Suzy123]

hehe me too.
It's funny how some people are seriously angry/frightened - like they'd call the cops, or maybe even shoot him.

I know, lol! How can you be mad at him when he is so freaking hot? I also love the people who say they watch his show all the time, but they don't even know his name.

[EngineerChic]

I was pleasantly surprised by the episode that was on last night ... Ahmed did a yard in Chicago.

That means it was a much larger yard, not surrounded by concrete walls, and something I can sort of relate to. Go Ahmed! Now if I can just get him to come East a little bit more (to New England) I would be a seriously happy girl to run into him at the hardware store :)

[Paula in Playa]

I saw an episode a few weeks ago (I only see the show on HGTV so I'm sure it's an old show). But there was a lady who thought when he said his name that he said "I'm Ed." Cracked me up.

That's weird about people lining up to see him. Is the ambush footage totally staged then?