One of our favorite things to do together is go thrift/flea market shopping and make over the dilapidated things we find along the way, so the HGTV show Flea Market Flip is basically our dream come true (minus the part where we have to be on camera, which gives us both a minor panic attack to think about).
From HGTV
For those of you not familiar with this show, the premise is that two pairs of competitors are set loose at an antique fair where they are given a list of tasks called “the flip list” that tells them three different projects they need to create from what they find — for instance: combine two items to make something totally new, make over something metal, and repurpose an item for an entirely new function.
The teams are given a set budget to buy whatever items they want, and then they have time to make over what they’ve bought. Then they return to the flea market the next day and try to sell their new creations. Whichever team makes the most money wins.
Needless to say, this is right up our alley, and we’ve been scheming for awhile about how one day we might be able to get on the show.
Because we can do that.
So when we showed up at the Brimfield Antique Show a few weeks ago (read more about our Brimfield adventure here) and discovered that they were actively filming several Flea Market Flip episodes in our immediate vicinity, we had a mini meltdown. Not that we would have been able to just jump on camera — the teams are pre-selected well in advance and were already in the process of shopping for their items — but just the mere fact of being so close to the action had us in a tizzy.
In fact, within the first ten minutes of arriving, we found ourselves within spitting distance of a camera crew and pair of contestants (we didn’t spit on them though, don’t worry).
Moments later, they wandered toward us and then stopped immediately next to us as the camera people gave them some helpful feedback, so close that we would have been in the shot had the cameras been running. I made some panicked faces, Naomi laughed so hard she cried. True story.
We managed to calm ourselves down after this initial run-in and go on our merry way around Brimfield, where we most definitely did not practice fake “flip lists” to see what would could come up with in a pinch.
When we finally made it back to the area we’d started in a mere six hours later, they were still filming and the host of the show — the impossibly chic Lara Spencer (also co-host for Good Morning America) — had arrived to film her portions. And somehow we managed to find ourselves in the filming path several times (somehow being that we strategically orchestrated it…), such that we’d be standing there talking and suddenly the film crew would be rushing right at us, walking backwards and filming Lara striding confidently with a team of contestants toward a booth to check out some item or another.
That’s Lara in the purple dress. Hopefully we didn’t ruin this shot, the camera appears to be pointed right at us as we “covertly” take photos…. Oh and if the hutch on the right side of the photo looks familiar, that’s because it’s the one we mentioned agonizing over in our Brimfield post. So basically we were just minding our own business doing legit shopping things when they showed up.
One time we had to dive out of the way because we suddenly realized they were headed for something right behind us. It was this, an item some contestants had marked to buy and were headed back to grab:
In between diving for cover and playing it super cool, we managed to snap a couple more amazing photos. Behold our stellar photography:
She’s really tall and we were trying to be stealthy, okay?
It gets better from there, don’t worry.
Oh yeah, we’re basically famous.
Also, we worked up the courage to ask a crew member how exactly one gets on the show, and she was super helpful — she actually tried to find the casting person for us, but when she couldn’t track her down (maybe because they were, like, actually filming and we were trying to make it all about us) she took down our information and said she would pass it along and put in a good word because we seemed cool. We are, we’re so cool! Be cool.
Anyway, they’re done filming for the upcoming season (which airs this fall), but we’re sure that we’ll be getting a casting call any day now for the next season. Of course we’ll keep you posted, if we still have time for this blog thing once our TV careers take off (panic attack ensues).
UPDATE: Um, somehow this approach actually worked. In case you missed it, we were actually on Flea Market Flip a mere 4 months after this “It would be our wildest dream come true post” (though it didn’t air for another year). Check out our series of posts about our filming experience:
Link to see our episode on Amazon for $1.99 (Season 8, episode 5)
exciting! That cameraman looks a lot like my friend, Joel, from college. But I’m pretty sure it’s not him.
You should tell your friend Joel that we’d be excellent contestants, especially if he is not the cameraman (we’re trying to start a grassroots movement here).
When you achieve fame, just remember us little people.
And you are…?
You 2 are HILARIOUS! Love the play by play. FYI, we’re now casting season 8 so send us your followers!
Love the show, however Lara should back off and let the contestants do their own thing. This is what the show is about, seeing what ideas the contestants come up with on their own.
Thanks for commenting, Sheree! When we were on the show we found Lara’s advice to be super helpful, since she knows the New York City market and has seen over and over what sells and what doesn’t. But I definitely also love seeing what the contestants come up with!