Close to 2 years ago, I received an email in my inbox from a production company looking for messy people in the Birmingham area to possibly be featured on a reality organizing show that was going to be filmed in Birmingham.  I often get pitches like that in my inbox and didn’t think much of it, but sent the email on to my friend, Debbie, In Birmingham. She read it and decided to write in and turn in her son, Brandon, and his wife, Jocelyn, who had moved into a house.  She thought they desperately needed help with organizing their messy spaces and would be great candidates for this new reality organizing show.
She later told me that they got accepted to the show and in the meantime, I had moved away from Birmingham. I heard a few details about the show and she didn’t know when it was going to air. I had no idea what the name of the show would be.
So, last week someone commented in my comments about a new show called The Amandas, a reality show all about a pretty young woman who lost everything to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. She had moved to Birmingham to start over and she had her own organizing business, hiring a bevy of beauties who she then sends out to organize and beautify the spaces of her clients. It’s a colorful cast of characters. The girls all go out in cute dresses and high heels to do their jobs, which is pretty funny to watch.
I had never heard of the show, which just started airing and I was at my sister’s last week and she was watching an episode, which happened to be organizing the office space and delivery truck for Dreamcakes, a very popular and well known bakery owned by Jan Moon, in Birmingham. I had met Jan at one point at a wedding reception, when she delivered the wedding cake a couple of years ago and I was helping the flower person.
I was immediately hooked on the show, which features lots of scenery in and around Birmingham that was so familiar to me. One of the girls on the show, the blonde Rachel, was at my niece’s wedding last March (that’s her in the striped dress). At the time, she was dating one of the groomsmen, so she came to the rehearsal dinner and wedding and of course that is a novelty to see her on the show.
I set the show to record on the DVR and was watching an episode this week, when I saw a snippet from next weeks show (it airs on Monday nights, 8 pm on the Style network) and saw my friend’s son, Brandon and his wife, Jocelyn mentioned, so that’s when the bell went off and I realized The Amandas is the show that they are on. So, next Monday their episode will air. It was filmed last October just before the birth of their baby daughter. My friend, Debbie, was their during filming and will probably get some air-time too.
So, that’s a cute little story about reality TV and how it can brush with real-life. If you want something else to watch, The Amandas is fun to watch and highly entertaining. And you might see some good organizing tips too! For more information, visit My Style.
Have you seen it yet? What do you think?
It’s always a jolt when you see someone you know or used to know on tv. How fun that you have that connection. Thanks for sharing.
I saw this show a long time ago once, and I think it may have been the pilot. All I know is that I’m OCD (yes, my clothes are hanging in my closet on the same color hangers and arranged by color) and this girl scares me! ha!
How fun! I will definitely have to check that out!
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
It is my new Favorite show…glad you got a chance to see it Rhoda. I knew you would love it!
Hi Rhoda,
Looks like an interesting show. I hope we get it in Canada, I am going to have to look for it.
I never the saw the show.
I watch the show faithfully and love it! It is so fun watching someone you know on TV. I have a client who has a show and how he portrays himself on TV is nothing like he is in person. He is a “shark” on TV but so sweet in reality!
Susan
Hi Rhoda, I watch this show too. In fact I can’t remember when, but it was on and then it was off and now it is back as a regular. Not sure if they were just trying it out for awhile or if it was a debut show, but I never saw any episodes until recently and now I record it. I love anything to do with organizing so this is fun to watch. The girls in the heels is crazy, especially when you see the hands on hard labor type work they do in the short dresses and heels, but I am sure it is for the show. I will think of you and your town when I watch it next time, Kathysue
Hi Rhoda
(That’s me in the black and white striped dress 😉
Great blog, and thank you for promoting the show!! Small world indeed. I think your followers will love the transformations that us Amandas do . . . and they will probably enjoy the drama as well.
Many thanks!
Rachel (The Amanda 😉
Our show airs tomorrow night at 9:00 pm central on the style nework. It was so much fun to be a part of the show. You’ll love the nursery!! Thanks for the hook up Rhoda! Wish you still lived here so we could watch together. Miss you!
The proof is in the pudding… I’d bet that most of these people who are subjected to the organization of it all eventually do ‘backslide.’ It’s all good to get someone in to clean up, clear out, and organize, but continuation of the process is another thing. Most of these offenders are just plain old messy souls who will struggle with a true conversion. 🙂
So far, so good… Kali’s nursery has stayed immaculate and so has their kitchen pantry. They really do a great job despite the drama (which who doesn’t like some of that) and in heels! Wish they could do the rest of the house!
One of my new favorite shows! Although I do think it’s a bit ridiculous that the girls wear short dresses and heels to rip carpet out, sand floors and carry heavy stuff! I just feel bad for them and think they are going to hurt themselves. Looks like a fun job though, I would love to help people clean out their crap and get to help organize it.
I’ve seen the show- it’s so cute! Amanda is a little nutso, but in a good “I’m a successful business woman” way. Too funny about the connection.
Love The Amandas…a big relief after watching my other guilty pleasures..’Hoarders’ and ‘Hoarding, Buried Alive’! (BTW, I alphabetize my spices!)
So, when your friends were on the show, (which i saw and loved)did they have to pay for the work? I am curious how much they charge for such an undertaking including the travel expenses…..do tell! 🙂
JoJo, no, the homeowners didn’t have to pay anything to be on the show. All the nursery furniture & everything in there was provided by the show. I have no idea how much Amanda charges for her work locally. I think they mostly take on work in the Birmingham area. My friends loved doing the show!
WOW!!!!
Thank you so much for letting me know!! I recently wrote to them on their website. To my surprise, Amanda wrote back 5 hours later from her iPhone! I couldn’t believe it!!! Then 4 days later, they did a meet and greet in NOLA… I decided to buckle up and drive over to thank her personally. I took her a “look book” of the rooms I needed help in. I am so hoping that if they get picked up for a second season, perhaps they would consider taking on my organizing crisis for an episode!
Wish me luck!
And thanks again! 🙂
I have been following the series of late and I must say ‘that I have learnt so much’ from watching THE AMANDA.