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What happened to Jimmy Hurdstrom in “Yellowstone”?

Published

5 mins ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

The character of the two-time loser, Jimmy Hurdstrom, who was forced to work on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to avoid being thrown into a cell, gained a following in the popular drama TV series entitled “Yellowstone.” His long path to becoming a valued cowboy on the ranch was one of the many great storylines in the cable TV series. Many viewers followed his journey, and empathized with him because his character seemed real as compared to the others. Rumors surfaced that he was written out of the show, and wouldn’t appear in the fifth season.

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Become familiar with “Yellowstone”

‘Nothing happens in this valley I don’t know about.’ was a line uttered by its main character, John Dutton, in the neo-Western TV series “Yellowstone.” His family owned the largest ranch in the United States, and some people wanted to take a piece of it either by force, intimidation, or underhanded tactics. They received attacks in various forms from several groups, including commercial and residential real estate developers, an Indian reservation community, and the local government. Being diagnosed with a terminal illness worried him, as he knew that his children weren’t ready to protect the land that had been in their family for generations, and it didn’t help that there had been squabbling between the Dutton siblings. The fifth season this November 2022 could reek of more violence, as John continues to be pressed against the wall by his enemies.

The origins of the TV series

When Spike TV was rebranded in 2018, it became known as the Paramount Network, and programming content was changed to reach a wider market. The network greenlighted the production of its first scripted drama series, and Keith Fox, the President for Development and Production, had said that they aimed for the series to be a great franchise that could truly represent the network. They tapped the Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan to be its writer and director, confident that he was the best man for the job, as he’d written the screenplay for the critically acclaimed movies “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water.” They were right, as it not only flourished as a successful cable series, but two spin-offs were created out of it as well.

Get to know the generations of Duttons

John Dutton (Kevin Costner) was the widowed patriarch of the Dutton’s sixth-generation family, who’d made a promise to his father that he would never sell the ranch under any circumstances, and would do everything to keep it in the family for future the Dutton generations. He’s a little bit old-school and mostly preferred just to be on his horse. His one nod to things moving forward was his helicopter. John was married to Evelyn, who died when her horse was spooked and trampled her. They had four children: three boys and a girl, and her death was a big traumatic experience for the two youngest children as they were with her when the accident happened.

His eldest son, Lee Dutton (Dave Annable), was the heir apparent, but he died in the first season, making John recalibrate his plans for the future of the ranch. His second son, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), was sent to a university to become a lawyer. He was dying to prove himself to his father and everyone on the ranch that he was capable. In later seasons, it was revealed that he wasn’t a Dutton, but was adopted when he was just a toddler.

His third child was his only daughter, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), who had an assertive and strong personality, and whom John leaned on the most when the family had problems. Viewers of “Yellowstone” couldn’t help but root for her character because, despite her feisty and sometimes suicidal personality, she was loyal to her father. Initially, she worked in a bank and was successful in navigating the corporate ladder, but later on worked for her father. Her affection for John was quite strong, but she would sometimes act out as if she was still a rebellious teen. Beth said that the women in their family didn’t live past 40, so she might as well enjoy her time.

Among his children, John saw more of himself in his youngest son, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), than in the others, but they had a hard time being together in the same room because Kayce hated him. He told Kayce that someday his own son would test him and face the consequences of making the wrong choices. Kayce had a wife named Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille) and a son Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill), who gave the viewers another side of John, the gentler one who often smiled whenever he was in the vicinity of his grandson. John’s enemies described Tate as the one whom John loved the most in his family, and when he was kidnapped, John personally killed one of the bosses who ordered it.

Highlights of Jimmy Hurdstrom in “Yellowstone”

There were several notable supporting characters in “Yellowstone,” and one of them was Jimmy Hurdstrom played by Jefferson White; he had one of the most fascinating character developments in the story.

His introduction to the series, a loser and a drug dealer

Outside of the Montana cattle empire, some people didn’t have the benefit of the financial privilege that the Duttons had, and Jimmy Hurdstrom was one of them, being a low-ranked drug dealer who lived in a trailer park. He no longer had a family except for his loving grandfather, whose only wish was for Jimmy to become a better person.

John Dutton gave Jimmy another chance in life

After living a life of crime, Jimmy was given one last chance by John. It started when John was approached by Jimmy’s grandfather in one of the rodeo events in Montana, who’d heard that the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch was hiring, but John told him that he was hiring cowboys, not criminals. The old cowboy begged for his help in straightening out his grandson’s screwed-up life, and John took pity on him and agreed. He instructed his right hand and ranch foreman, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), to bring Jimmy to the ranch.

https://www.facebook.com/yellowstoneparamount/photos/a.2671450009593846/2678681602204020

Jimmy was given the Yellowstone brand

Rip showed up in Jimmy’s trailer and used a Taser on him. When Jimmy woke up, he was tied to a chair about to be branded with the ranch logo, a Hooked Rocking Y. He tried to resist as he told Rip that he wasn’t a slave, but he was only given two options: he would be hauled back to jail and let the Sheriff deal with him, or he would be given an opportunity to prove himself and turn his life around. Rip told Jimmy that he could easily see in him that he didn’t deserve another chance, but it wasn’t up to him. Jimmy asked why John Dutton cared about him, and Rip said that he didn’t, but soon would. He then took the brand bravely and didn’t scream at all during the process.

Just went with the flow at first

Jimmy went to the ranch a few days later, and was thrown into a world that was totally unfamiliar to him. He started with doing janitorial responsibilities, his work included cleaning up the stables, scraping up dirt in the field, and following whatever Rip told him to do. Sometimes he was lost in his own world staring at the trout in the river instead of doing his job. Clearly, he didn’t want to be there, but knew he didn’t have any choice, so he just went with the flow.

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His first horse riding lesson

For a time, Jimmy treated his stay at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch as some kind of adventure, until he realized that John and Rip were serious about keeping him out of trouble by having him work real hard. When John had a tough time breaking a wild stallion, Rip used Jimmy to do it. It was kind of brutal because Jimmy didn’t even know how to ride a horse, much less break one in. He skipped a lot of steps for a beginner, as John and Rip wanted to give him a crash course; they tied his right hand to the front of the saddle and his feet to the stirrup with duct tape while his left hand was free to hold the reins, and instructed him to never let go. They warned him that the horse would hate it and put up much resistance. He rode the wild stallion inside a pen until sundown; it was like riding a mechanical bull or a bucking horse for hours. In the end, the horse was tamed, and Jimmy was so exhausted that he could barely walk, and vomited. John said that there might be a little cowboy in him, after all.

The Rip-Jimmy-Lloyd good cop-bad cop relationship

Rip’s intention was clear, and that was to make a cowboy out of Jimmy. On the next lesson, Rip had him riding with the rest of the ranch hands in herding cattle, and noticed that Jimmy struggled near the trees, and fell off the horse; he was told to get up and get back on it. It was another senior ranch hand named Lloyd who went after Jimmy’s horse as he took pity on the newbie’s situation. Jimmy then told Lloyd that he wasn’t cut out to be a ranch hand, but he was told, ‘Nobody is, Jimmy, it gotta be cut into you.’

Rip took him under his wing, which was the very same thing that John Dutton did for him when he was a kid. He showed him how to be a cowboy, but he had a long way to go. However, just when Jimmy believed that Rip had a soft spot for him, Rip disabused him of that idea. He didn’t want him to be complacent, so he was tough on him, unlike Lloyd who was gentler in dealing with him. Jimmy felt that Lloyd was more humane, but it was just like a bad-cop, good-cop thing.

Jimmy was saved by Rip and was overwhelmed

There was a time after a round of riding with the cattle that Jimmy saved a calf that was left behind, trapped in some bush, and brought it back home. A worker named Fred didn’t like what he did and so he bullied and taunted him for the good deed. Jimmy couldn’t take it any longer and fought back, but he was knocked down and told to stay down. When Rip saw what happened, he punched Fred even though Jimmy admitted that he started the fight. It was his first time being saved in a fight, which overwhelmed him. Afterward, Rip told Jimmy that people like Fred just worked there, and he saw thousands of workers come and go on the ranch but not them. They stayed and died on the ranch, because they were considered family by the Duttons as they carried the “Y” brand. He was told that on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, no one touched a branded man. The “Y” brand was for life, and some sort of pride that they wore on the ranch.

Rip & Jimmy: A Lesson in Friendship @colehauser @_JeffersonWhite #Yellowstone pic.twitter.com/TMOgyjamcX

— Yellowstone (@Yellowstone) August 8, 2018

His first time to play Cowboy Poker

Jimmy along with other ranch hands played Cowboy Poker in one episode of “Yellowstone”. It was some sort of a card game in which players were seated at a card table inside a pen with a 2,000-pound bull. The one who stayed the longest at the table would be declared the winner. The game cards were irrelevant, as it was more about who had the guts to stay. Jimmy and the other players drank alcohol to boost their courage, but everyone jumped out of the way as the bull entered and went straight at them.

Met Mia, the barrel racer

In the third season, he had a romantic relationship with Mia, a barrel racer. When he went on to try rodeo to earn extra cash, he broke his neck and was hospitalized. John took care of the bills, and made him promise not to do rodeo anymore. Mia saw how happy Jimmy was doing rodeo, and how he risked his life doing what he loved, and that’s the guy she fell for. She told him to be that man so he could have her; if not, he would lose her. As terrified as he was, he got back on a horse, but fell once more, and was unconscious. He survived but needed therapy to get back on his feet. Jimmy broke his word to John, so he was sent to a ranch in Texas called 6666. John told him that it wasn’t a punishment, but an opportunity if he let it be. Mia said that if he went there, it would be over between them. He left.

Three gods in Texas, and Emily

“Yellowstone” fans were ecstatic that in the fifth episode of the fourth season, the iconic horse trainer in real life named Buster Welch made an appearance. Jimmy was taking a nap one afternoon, and woke up to a conversation between one of the senior ranch hands on the 6666 Ranch, and Buster who played himself in the series. The ranch hand later said that there were three gods in Texas: the Almighty, singer George Strait, and Buster Welch, and that Jimmy just met one of them. Jimmy was lucky to be around these people, who constantly shared nuggets of wisdom with him.

He also met Emily, a veterinary technician who helped him become accountable for his actions. She also encouraged him to dream and understand how to achieve them the right way. She didn’t push him into anything he didn’t like to do just to fit with what she wanted in life, which was the biggest mistake Mia did in Montana.

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Where was Jimmy Hurdstrom and what happened to him?

John Dutton’s instinct to send him away to the Texas ranch was one of the best things that happened to Jimmy. Before he left Montana, John told him to remember the brand that he carried on his chest because he would represent the Dutton ranch. Working at the 6666 Ranch helped him mature, and made him a real cowboy.

Fans were agitated that they wouldn’t see Jimmy again on “Yellowstone”, because the last time he was there, John and Jimmy had a conversation about the latter’s future. Apparently, John let Jimmy decide what he wanted to do with his life, which was a nod that he gained the trust that he wanted from John. The Yellowstone owner gave him and his fiancée, Emily, his blessing to start a new life together.

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As Jimmy talked with Lloyd, he admitted that he wasn’t much of a fighter, and in Texas, he didn’t have to fight his neighbor to do his job, which was the case in Montana, as John Dutton had a lot of enemies who wanted a piece of his ranch. Everyone wished him the best as he decided to go back to Texas. Even Rip was proud of him, and told him that he would always have a place on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.

To appease the fans on social media, Jefferson White confirmed that he would still be part of the fifth season of the show. During the promotion of the DVD release of the fourth season of the series he said, ‘I’m in season 5. Jimmy’s in season 5.’ The loyal viewers of the series still believed that while he was still part of “Yellowstone,” the writer was setting him up to join another spin-off series called “6666”, pronounced as Four Sixes. The new spin-off was announced over a year ago, but no exact date was given for its television premiere.

Martha Clifford

As an Author at Net Worth Post, I guide a dedicated team in the art of revealing the stories behind the world's most influential personalities. Fueled by a relentless curiosity and a knack for uncovering hidden stories, I immerse myself in the intricacies of our subjects' lives, weaving together accurate data and compelling narratives. My involvement spans the entire editorial process, from the seed of research to the final flourish of publication, ensuring that every article not only educates but also captivates and motivates our audience. At Net Worth Post, we are committed to providing thorough investigations into the net worth and life achievements of innovators across diverse sectors such as technology, culture, and social entrepreneurship. My method merges meticulous research with eloquent storytelling, designed to bridge the gap between our readers and the remarkable individuals who redefine our tomorrow. Through spotlighting their journeys to success, the hurdles they've surmounted, and their contributions to society, we aim to give our readers a deep and inspiring insight into the luminaries who are paving the way for progress and ingenuity in the modern era.

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What is Parijita Bastola from “The Voice” doing now?

Published

1 second ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Parijita Bastola is a Nepali-American singer and songwriter, most known for appearing in season 22 of “The Voice”. One of the most popular contestants, she never failed to impress the fans and coaches with her voice and range. She made it to the Top 8 just before elimination— saddening the thousands of fans she gained in her time on the show. Nonetheless, fans still want to know what this promising artist is up to. Without further ado, read on to find out what Parijita Bastola is doing now.

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Her early life and family background

Parijita Bastola was born in 2004 in Maryland, USA to Nepali native parents – her family relocated to the US shortly before her birth, owing to the political unrest in Nepal. She has an older sister who grew up in India, being separated from the family. Nonetheless, her family is tight knit; she cites her sister as one of the inspirations for her singing interest. She grew up in Severna Park where she attended both elementary and middle school, and where she currently attends Severna Park High School. Her family own a local restaurant where they incorporate their Nepali roots with a modern twist in the food they serve. One family hobby pastime is tuning in to “The Voice” every Monday, even closing early to watch the singing competition. Little did they know that Parijita would soon become one of the most popular contestants in their favorite show.

Her interest in singing

Parijita became interested in singing early on in her childhood, thanks to an entertainment group her father owned, managing Nepali bands who came to the US to do nationwide tours. Always having the musicians around encouraged and inspired a young Parijita to sing, but she also learnt to play a number of instruments, and cites her piano teacher for further pushing her to the singing path. It wasn’t until she reached the seventh grade that Parijita gave her first school performance, and began taking vocal lessons from long-time coach Jennifer Marie. Jennifer commented ‘She has this tone that can’t be taught… she’s a natural and she sings from the heart. That’s why so many people connect with her’.

The Show—“The Voice”

“The Voice” is an American televised singing competition produced by NBC. The 22^nd season of the show premiered on 19^th September, 2022, with coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Camilla Cabello and Blake Shelton, along with host Carson Daly. The show has a number of rounds that a contestant has to pass through, some depending on their coaches and others on the public vote. The contestant successfully passing through all the rounds wins $100,000, and a recording deal.

Her performance in the show

Parijita had her blind audition for the show on the 27^th September, performing Labyrinth’s “Jealous”. John Legend was the first to turn his chair for the artist, gradually followed by the other three coaches: Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton and Camila Cabello. She was praised for her rendition of the song, with coach Camila saying, ‘That was probably my favorite that anybody has sung so far… So masterful’. She was the only artist that night who got all four coaches to turn for her, eventually choosing team John Legend. Prior to her performance, Parijita gifted each coach with Rudraksha beads from her native Nepal, and placed them around the coach’s necks.

In the next round— the Battle round— she performed the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love” and advanced to the next round— the Knockout round— where she performed “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James. For her Top 16 performance, she gave an emotional rendition of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “I’ll Never Love Again”, leaving the audience and coaches in awe, receiving a standing ovation from the coaches, with fans taking to social media to applaud her performance.

The next round was the Top 13, when she sang a cover of Adele’s “All I Ask”, especially close to her since she had won a previous Nepali competition singing the song. Once again, she impressed fans and coaches alike, with coach John saying ‘… how technically amazing your voice is… What a beautiful vocal performance, it was really, really wonderful’. Coach Blake also commented, ‘You are easily one of my favorites in this competition that isn’t on my team. I love you because you’re 100% you. You’re not trying to be anybody else’.

Nervous about the eliminations coming up, Parijita was thankful for the journey so far, saying, ‘It doesn’t even feel like a competition at times, It feels like a group of friends who get to sing on a stage together in front of four awesome singers. The fact that I get to do that is just the biggest gift ever.’. Nonetheless, the Severna Park native advanced to the next round where she sang “Scars to Your Beautiful” in the Top 10, and Sia’ s “Unstoppable” in the Top 8.

Parijita Bastola is just an absolute superstarrrrr pic.twitter.com/pGTZBp8e6d

— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) December 6, 2022

Elimination from the show

Unfortunately, her Top 8 performance led her to be in the bottom 4 contestants and she had to perform one last song. She went up against Kim Cruse, Omar Jose Cardona and Justin Aaron to win the public’s vote by singing Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love”. The instant save went to Omar Jose, making him the last member of Team John and eliminating the other three performers.

Moments before her elimination, Parijita was given a chance to talk about her journey on the competition so far and what it’s meant to her. She acknowledged her growth since the blind audition, and was glad to have picked John Legend as her coach. He was the one who selected her songs, knowing her strengths and weaknesses and coached her well. She said, ‘… You had the best interest in my heart and I’m just so grateful to have had you as my coach. I’m forever changed’. John’s response was equally as heartfelt, praising the gifted singer for her spirit and how proud she makes her parents. He shared, ‘… you represent your family and your culture so well. You’ve been on this show throughout this journey, and I just feel blessed that I get to spend time with someone as gifted as you…’.

However, fans online feel her elimination was undeserved, and thought that she was wrongfully eliminated. In a recent poll by Gold Derby, fans voted a leading 35% that Parijita was wrongfully eliminated, as compared to her fellow eliminated contestants.

Making history

The young artist made history by being the first Nepali-American artist to audition and gain selection for “The Voice”. On her time in the show, she made sure to include her culture in her performances, even with the outfits she wore. She told PEOPLE, ‘Nepal’s not a country that most people know about, and there’s not much Nepalese representation on TV or in media. So I think it’s super cool that I’m able to talk about my family and the clothes that I wear on the show’. She has realized that being herself and showcasing her Nepali roots has helped her teach Americans about her culture. Although she’s honored to be the first Nepali-American competing on the prestigious show, she hopes to not be the last.

Gaining worldwide support and popularity

Parijita always impressed viewers and the coaches with her performances – she always called her vocal coach to cool off her nervousness right before taking the stage. Throughout her time on the show, she gained a huge following and won many hearts nationwide. Before her Top 10 performance, coach John Legend revealed that she’s gained some celebrity fans – former “The Voice” coach, Nick Jonas and his actress wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas sent coach John a direct message on Instagram, praising her performances. He said, ‘… told me how much they love you and love seeing you wear your saree.’ To which Parijita excitedly shouted, ‘You’re kidding! For my American heartthrob and my Indian heartthrob to both tell me that they love what I’m doing on the show, having celebrity fans, it’s insane’.

She gained the support of her local community in Severna Park; Her hometown cheered her on from Sullivan’s Cove, a local restaurant, and even offered a special ‘Pear-l-Jita Margarita’ in her name. Her bandmates, schoolmates and neighbors also cheered her on her journey. Its no secret that her family were her biggest cheerleaders, even closing their restaurant early to tune in to her performance.

What is she up to now?

Singing with band— Bastola

In one of her high school performances, amongst the impressed audience was Zane Brennan and his family. Zane, a fellow student at Severna Park, reached out and asked if she would be interested in being a part of the blues band he was forming. Although initially reluctant due to her unfamiliarity with the blues genre, and unsure of how it would be possible, Parijita agreed to practice with the band. For a while, there were many changing members of the band until the current line-up formed in 2020, with Parijita as the lead vocalist, Jack as the bass player, Bennet Terhune and Jesse Kegley as guitarists and Dylan Hood as drummer. As for their band name, they had decided to use one of the members’ last name and finally settled on Parijita’s. The band covers songs of artists such as Rihanna, Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin, and regularly gig at bars, restaurants and other local events. They’ve even had a couple of paid gigs as well! Unsurprisingly, each member of the band has been professionally training since a young age, and their combined talent has earned them many opportunities. Most recently, Bastola were selected to compete at the 2022 International Blues Challenge, a worldwide scout for blues performers and bands looking for their big break. The band members were expectedly excited yet nervous to be exposed at such a huge event in front of the best blues’ artists. Nonetheless, the band performed flawlessly and experienced their biggest international stage yet, even generating a few standing ovations from judges and the crowd!

https://www.facebook.com/parijitasings/posts/pfbid031giABwXiURACfEZKB8MvG5qfXzZPp5PTaeUbJA537mJBFkHyQ7kif2tR1MDG5qnYl

Where can you find her?

Parijita can be found on several social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok where she regularly posts updates on her singing journey, band engagements and other events in her life. Her Instagram account boasts a following of over 41,000, while her TikTok has almost 11,000 followers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ClzdJfLv7Q4/

What’s in the future for her?

Parijita is currently still a high school scholar, juggling academics, band rehearsals, and pursuing her dream career; she plans to study music in her upcoming college years. Although she’s not yet sure of the school or career path she’ll follow, she’s determined to be in the music industry. As she showcased in “The Voice”, Parijita is one extremely talented teen to look out for in the near future. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

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What is Bob Vila from ‘This Old House’ doing now? What happened to him?

Published

3 seconds ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Bob Vila is an American television presenter, author and entrepreneur, most popular for hosting the home improvement shows “This Old House”, “Bob Vila’s Home Again”, and “Bob Vila”. He’s been dubbed the first reality television host, a legendary handyman and an inspiration for television host hopefuls. Decades after his time on the show, he’s still widely remembered as the host from “This Old House”. A burning question on fans minds’ is what happened to Bob Vila, and what is he doing now. Follow along to know more about his life since leaving the show.

Who is Bob Vila?

Bob —the legendary handy man — Vila is widely known by fans as the man in plaid shirts and soothing voice who patiently and passionately educated home owners for decades. Where did he learn his skills? How did his fame come about? Read on to learn Bob Vila’s background.

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His early life and family background

Robert Joseph Vila was born on the 20^th June 1946, in Miami, Florida, USA. Not much is known of his family background, except for the fact that he’s of Cuban ancestry and American nationality. At a young age, Bob witnessed and helped his father build their family home from scratch, an experience that he later cited as the event that piqued his interest in home building and improvement. He attended Miami Jackson High School from where he matriculated, before enrolling at the University of Florida. He studied journalism, eventually graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, after which he enlisted in the Peace Corps and served in Panama from 1971 to 1973. During hhis time, Bob volunteered to build homes for Panamanians in need; it’s there that he worked on his passion, and gained more experience in building homes.

Beginnings in home improvement

Shortly after returning from the Peace Corps, Bob began restoring homes in the community in his spare time, using the first-hand experience he gained in Panama and at home in the part time hobby. A while later, he attended architecture school, but soon dropped out to start his company – named R.J. Vila Designer/ Builder, after himself—based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He realized how little architects earn and soon opted for his first passion: home remodeling, design and improvement. His company mainly focused on restoring antique homes in the area and remodeling them.

A few years into the business, he restored a very old Victorian Italianate house located in Newton, Massachusetts, attracting a lot of attention for the restoration, making it into local magazines. In 1978, he was awarded the “Heritage House of 1978” by Better Homes and Gardens in recognition of the excellent job. This garnered the interest of a television show producer, who approached Bob with the offer of hosting a home improvement show. Since there was nothing of that type at the time, Bob wasn’t very keen on the offer at first, but eventually saw the invitation as a way to promote his services and gain more clients, hence he accepted. Little did he know that this offer would lead to a lifetime of success and recognition amongst millions of Americans.

Careers

Television Host

“This Old House”

Once he agreed to do the show, the team began shooting a couple of pilot episodes. However, Bob heard nothing from the producers for months, then a whole year before they finally reached out to him. They had received funding for the series, and planned to buy an old house and begin renovations on it. Bob spent four months filming the whole process of home improvement— something quite complicated for him since it would usually take about a year to renovate a house. Nonetheless, shooting wrapped up soon, and on the 20th of February 1979, premiered on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Network, Boston. The first of its kind, the show was nominated for and won an Emmy award after just 13 weeks of airing. Vila recalls, ‘… It was a little thing because it was the regional Emmy’s, but that eventually snowballed into a media career that I could never have foreseen’.

Launched at @GBH with the renovation of a Dorchester Victorian on Feb. 20, 1979, @ThisOldHouse is still hitting the nail on the head for viewers like you "whether you own, rent or are about to buy."

Stream #TOH episodes anytime with GBH Passport here: https://t.co/fuCUmNRFVO pic.twitter.com/UnMrutVRMk

— GBH (@GBH) April 29, 2022

In the show, Bob guided viewers through the lengthy process of remodeling and designing homes. As host, he invited skilled workers to talk about their craft and help explain to the viewers how a house was built, and all the efforts they put into renovating it. The unprecedented overnight success of the series surprised even the producers – they had eleven million viewers weekly at its peak. At the very beginning, Bob earned $200 a week which then turned into $1200 a week, owing to the success of the show.

Leaving “The Old House”

After becoming a household name, he was approached by many to make commercials endorsing their products. This led to a disagreement with the show’s producer Russel Morash, when Bob commercially endorsed products by Rickel Home Centers, a huge competitor for Home Depot. At the time, Home Depot was the show’s underwriter, and so decided to stop sponsorship for the show, and their lumber supply partner, Weyerhaeuser, also pulled their funding to the show in retaliation to Bob’s commercials. In an effort to return their sponsors, the show’s producers fired Bob from the show, ending his largely successful 10 year run.

Fans of the show were disappointed by the change while Bob was unregretful; he was soon replaced by Steve Thomas and the show went on for 44 more seasons to date. His frequent partner, master carpenter Norm Abram, stayed on until his retirement in early 2022. Luckily for Bob, he was able to use the experience he gained on the show to create his own series and pursue his passion.

“Bob Vila’s Home Again”

Shortly after his departure from his first television show, Bob produced and hosted “Bob Vila’s Home Again” in 1990. The show was a weekly home improvement program by CBS Television Distribution, and lasted a total of 17 seasons over 16 years. In 2005, it was renamed to “Bob Vila”, enough of an explanation to his decade long viewers. Unfortunately, CBS cancelled the show in March of 2007, due to the decline in ratings, but good news for fans though, is that the show is available on streaming site PlutoTV.

Author

Owing to his vast experience as an architect, home renovator and designer, Bob use this knowledge to pen some books – he’s now written an impressive two dozen books and counting! His titles include “This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating and Renovating an Older House”, “Bob Vila’s Guide to Buying Your Dream House”, and “Bob Vila’s Guide to Historic Homes of America”, a five part series focusing on the areas of New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the west, the South and the Midwest and Great Plains.

Entrepreneur

Even before leaving the show, Bob had been involved in several endorsement deals. Starting from 1989, Bob became a spokesman for Sears department stores, and promoted Craftsman tools in commercials. The partnership lasted years until 2006, when a dispute broke out between him and Sears, ending the partnership. He also appeared on Home Shopping Network, on which he sold a wide range of products from his own brand.

Actor

The multi-talented Bob Vila also became an actor, appearing in the comedy show “Home Improvement — a parody of “This Old House”— starring comedian Tim Allen as cable host Tim Taylor. The show included a segment called “Tool Time”, in which Tim paired up with —once again a parody on Bob and Norm Abram’s partnership— where they’d have live home improvements for the audience. Bob became a guest star on “Home Improvement” between 1992 and 1993, as well as in the “Tool Time” segment. He starred as himself as a rival to the host Tim Taylor with an hilarious competition between the two. He then starred in the comedy parody “Hot Shots! Part Deux” in 1993.

What happened to him?

Bob is considered a successful contractor-turned-host, who won the hearts of millions of viewers who tuned in to watch him work on his craft. Fans want to know what has happened to the legend; as explained above, he has been keeping busy over the years.

Although he is most recognizable for the three productions he appeared in, Bob has created many more productions that are not very well known. These include “Guide to Historic Homes of America”, in which he featured homes across four regions of the US. Some of the prominent homes included Ellwood House, the Hammond-Harwood House, the Dana-Thomas House and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. He then produced “In Search of Palladio”, a study of the works of Andrea Palladio, a famed 16^th century architect. Another notable production was “Restore America”, a 50 episode series broadcast from 1999 to 2000 on HGTV, which explored the historic preservation and restoration of buildings in each of the 50 US states.

Bob’s Achievements

Bob Vila has no doubt achieved a lot in his lengthy career. During his time on “This Old House”, an average of 11 million viewers tuned in to watch the show, which also won five Emmy awards with him; individually, he was nominated for a total of seven Daytime Emmy awards. He’s an inspiration for television hosts and entrepreneurs alike, who hope to achieve similar success as he’s had. Jonathon Scott, half of the duo starring in HGTV’s popular show “Property Brothers”, cites Bob as his inspiration; their family almost always tuned in to Bob’s show. He revealed, ‘… That guy was like the soundtrack of our lives, the voice coming from our TV room. I’d recognize his voice anywhere’.

Despite it being decades since he left the show, most people still associate Bob with “This Old House”. At the recent Habitat for Humanity awards which he attended with his wife, he noticed his name under “This Old House” in the brochures; his wife wondered when people would finally realize that he’s no longer involved with the show. In reply he said, ‘They don’t have to get it straight. I own part of the franchise’. On 18 June at the 49^th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, he was rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, honoring Bob Vila alongside the cast of “This Old House”. The long-time show has joined the record of being just the third television show to be gain this prestigious award, after “60 Minutes” and “Sesame Street”.

https://www.facebook.com/ThisOldHouse/posts/pfbid04Am53hpmrhZ2bqqzVYLkuPrkBybijNEZsB24dJ2ecJYEVTmzStqJDxUAUKPVpQpil

More about Bob’s family

His wife— Diana Barrett

Details on how the pair met and their subsequent marriage have not been revealed to the public, hence not much is known about the couple, except that the pair tied the knot in a private ceremony in 1975, surrounded by their friends and family. The pair are blessed with three children, a son and two daughters; the family have been kept out of the limelight as well.

Who is Diana Barrett?

According to her Wikipedia page, Diana Barrett is a philanthropist, professor and journalist. She taught at the Harvard School of Public Health and at the Harvard University Business School. She is part of the board of directors of the Peabody Awards— an award presented by University of Georgia’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. As a philanthropist, she serves as president of the Fledgling Fund, an organization she founded.

What is Bob Vila up to now?

It’s sad to inform his fans that Bob is no longer reviewing, remodeling and designing homes on television. Nonetheless, he still works in home improvement, but has since handed control of the business to his son, Chris (a real estate developer). According to some sources, the pair buy the home to be remodeled and (usually) successfully flip it for a higher price. The father and son duo regularly work in Palm Beach, Florida; as per Bob’s tradition, they prioritize older homes from the 1900s. The latest project the pair worked on was a home in Brooklyn, New York.

Bob, similar to his wife, is also a philanthropist and is actively involved in the Habitat for Humanity organization. He is also involved with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Hispanic Society Museum & Library as well as Finca Vigia Foundation, the latter focused on preserving Ernest Hemingway’s Cuba home.

In 2016, he released his line of retail tools named Bob Vila. He then set up his website, before writing a dozen books on various topics including renovation, architecture and do-it-yourself tips. Bob has proved to be one to stay on top of the latest trends, regularly updating his website himself. In an interview he stated, ‘… I just took over as CEO again, because I want to be more involved. I need to update the publishing end. Toward the internet. That’s the way publishing is going. I never thought of becoming a web publisher, but now suddenly I’m a web publisher…’. Among his new content, Bob has included the older shows in a library on the site.

Where can you find Bob Vila?

The living legend can be found on all social media under Bob Vila. He owns a Twitter account that has a huge following of 847,000, his Instagram account has 43,000 followers and his TikTok page has over 9,000 followers. He has a presence on other sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Reddit, on which his do-it-yourself tips have circulated for years.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ1aWDSMtSV/

How much is Bob Vila worth?

Bob Vila has had an extensive career as a television host and entrepreneur that’s spanned decades. His main sources of income include his shows, books he’s authored and the various endorsements he’s done over the years. Additionally, he makes money from the houses he flips with his real estate agent son, and product endorsements on his channel.

Bob and his family currently live in a mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, conservatively worth $30 million. When not in Palm Beach, they live in a home on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, New York City. Bob and Diana also own a number of other properties around the country, including a waterfront mansion in Chilmark, Massachusetts, worth a huge $20 million— impressive since they acquired the property in 2001 for around $4.6 million! It’s safe to say that he’s amassed a fairly huge net worth over the years. According to authoritative sources, Bob Vila is worth a whopping $70 million, as of late 2022.

At 73 years young, Bob is living a quiet life with his family, and regularly keeps up his social media presence. One lesson he’s learned from his ‘accidental success’ is his endless dedication and passion to his job. Although he admits his journalism and architectural background helped him, he attributes his success to being constantly driven and focused on his craft. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors!