From a People Magazine post – so you have to take it with a grain of salt…

• The hosts of four HGTV programs announced on Instagram that their shows had allegedly been canceled
• Bargain Block, Married to Real Estate, Farmhouse Fixer and Izzy Does It have allegedly not been renewed by the network

I watch HGTV all the time, not because I’m that into renovating a house (which is pretty much all any of the shows do now days) but because it isn’t stressful, always has a happy ending, nobody gets shot or cut up or run over with a car. Nothing explodes except an occasional burst pipe or electrical short. And mostly I watch because it isn’t political.

Or is it?

Take a closer look at the shows they’ve reportedly cancelled:

Bargain Block – Hosts, who happen to be a husband and husband couple, renovate delipidated homess in Detroit and have turned whole neighborhoods around. They are fun to watch, have a bit of a crazy decorating edge and are truly good guys. It’s one of my favorite shows.

Farmhouse Fixer – Host Jon Knight, a member of the singing group New Kids on the Block and one of the most sensitive men I’ve seen on TV, is gay, loves old New England houses, farm animals and his family. Jon has such a calming effect, I love to watch him pour his heart into each project.

Married to Real Estate – Hosts Mike and Egypt are a black couple who spread nothing but sunshine as they raise their daughters and renovate homes for happy clients in Atlanta. There’s much laughing on the show and what’s not to like about that?

Izzy Does It – Host Izzy is an hispanic contractor who for years managed remodel projects for the Flip or Flop HGTV show. Now he’s out on his own and though I didn’t think his show was that special I still wonder….is he cancelled because he’s hispanic or because he didn’t have enough viewers?

So…four shows gone. At least 3 of them have had pretty long runs in TV terms. So what caused these shows to be shot down and not, say, any number of similar shows that happen to have white, straight couples hosting?

One example I’ve been wondering about lately is Fixer to Fabulous with Dave and Jenny Marrs, a white, straight couple who I happen to like very much, but whom I’ve begun to realize have never had an episode featuring a gay client. Maybe I’m wrong. But I don’t remember one and the internet doesn’t provide any examples either.

HGTV has plenty of home renovation shows that are now hosted by similar straight, white couples. It’ll be interesting to see what new shows they introduce. You’ll have to let me know, because I’ve decided that I’m not watching any of it anymore.

What do you think? Do you have evidence that my theory is wrong? I hope it is.