Anitra Mecadon from DIY Network talks with Mark and Theresa

Anitra Mecadon from DIY Network took a break from filming a DIY Network ‘Cool Tools’ special with Chris Grundy at the International Builders’ Show to talk with Mark and Theresa about her show, what she likes to do at her home, and Scooby Doo…. Check it out.

Mark: We are joined by a new friend from the DIY Network, star of ‘Mega Dens’ who is here with none other than the Grundy from ‘Cool Tools’ and saying how much she’s enjoying a break from him.

Anitra: Don’t tell Grundy that! I love him.

M: Anitra Mecadon, who is our guest—I have to say your full name.

Theresa: We follow you on Twitter, and have you been to her website? It’s under construction

A: My life is under construction. We’re busy. Man, we’re always filming. Mega Dens is a crazy fun show to do and we are starting filming our third season, so yeah we are under construction. 24/7.

T: What was the program that you were on sharing your Super Bowl fantasy room?

A: CBS This Morning. Having some fun on that show; it’s a fun show to do.

T: So what is in your Mega Den Super Bowl or like any Mega Den?

A: Mega Dens are all about bringing the family back together again so you have to know your family. If you don’t know your family then you shouldn’t be designing your Mega Den.

T: Do you ever find that when you meet a family that they aren’t really jiving with each other do you have to do anything like an intervention with them?

M: So what she really means is what if the family hates each other?

A: No, no you all love each other, don’t you?

M: We love each other, but yeah we’re contractors too and I’ve been in that room where people don’t like each other and they’re not getting along and all of a sudden you’re their psychoanalyst, too.

A: Yes.

M: And you have to say, ‘Well I realize you want cherry cabinets, how else may I help you with your personal problems.’

A: Ha ha… We do, we have to assess and kinda help people out and we become their everything their therapist, and kinda their…it’s funny cause in the end we’re like their saviors.. I mean even though really it sounds like we’re just building a room but we’re not we’re changing their lives because we give them something that they could hang out in and just be together and be happy. You know it’s like when you change your environment, you change your life. I mean life is stressful, we’re out on the go, 24/7 running around like crazy people you should have this super cool place to relax and a place you actually want to be in when you get home, so when you give them that it’s like you’ve just given them the world.

M: Wow….

T: So speaking of that, what is your super cool fun place to relax when you go home?

A: My super cool fun place to relax when I go home is my bed! Ha ha… yeah it totally is.

M: Hello old friend.

A: I’ve missed you… No but you know I am, it’s terrible I’m a big TV chick. I love TV…when we were raised we sat down in front of the TV and never left it so I’m all about the TV and I do have a cozy environment. I’ve got some funky stuff around—don’t be eyeing me boy!

M: I don’t even know what that means. I just got a ‘Don’t be eyeing me boy’ from Anitra Mecadon. I gotta look out at the crowd to see if anyone is reacting to that as dumbfoundedly as I am. So you watch TV and somehow I’m a jerk. Okay you’d get along with my wife well.

A: I mean you guys if you could see the look he was just giving me…don’t judge me.

T: Mark is really good at watching TV. I wanna give him credit for that.

M: I’m spectacular at watching TV…that’s how you do it!

A: Yeah we’re thumbing it…I don’t know if you can see this movement but we’re thumbing it. But I’m DIY all day long. I even go home and DIY it’s true.

T: You DIY your TV, you turn it on yourself.

A: I do! I love it, I love watching people mess stuff up you know it’s like the tear down and the just ripping stuff apart— I live for it!

M: You must be watching our videos. So of the Mega Dens that you’ve done, is there one that stands out as the best, the hardest, the easiest, your favorite?

T: The one that made you crazy?

M: Yeah the one that made you want to ring someone’s neck? And I’m going for violence here so pick that one.

A: Man my boys, the Scialabbas, are the bomb. These guys can build everything so have there been some that have kicked our butts, yeah like uh the Lucky Show – first season that was a crazy show and we were doing that reveal wee into the night. But um my favorite I would have to say is did you guys see the backyard drive in?

M: No.

A: It was a crazy show. Don’t worry. I don’t hate you. We’re gonna discuss this later though when people aren’t listening…

T: You just keep getting in trouble over and over again.

M: See the reason I said no and fell on the grenade is cause I didn’t want to look like ‘yeah we saw it…don’t ask me any questions’

T: So I have a personal question, so if I’m not feeling well one day and I can’t really give him a hard time can I just call you and you just go all at it?

A: Yes absolutely! 24/7! H

T: I have back up now.

M: Dear Grundy…

T: He invited me to France remember?

A: I’m gonna talk to Grundy later too. You guys, Grundy is insane, he’s so much fun! He is so much fun to work with. I mean we’re here doing the cool tools builders show special and I couldn’t be happier. I’m like a pig in you know what. And there is stuff everywhere for me to look at. You know I love all this stuff, it’s like flooring, all kinds of crazy stuff.

M: What’s jumping out at ya?

A: I got the most excited about a hinge. What does that say about me?

M: Lots.

T: That says a lot of good things actually.

M: And I’m going to write it down on my website.

A: Haha I did, I got excited about a secret spy door hinge.

M: Really?

A: I got excited about everything: the cost, everything. I was like this is the bomb you can hide anything back there. You could hide a secret room back there, bar, whatever.

M: You mean for a big giant door?

A: Yeah it’s a bookcase, you have a bookcase, hinge, door, secret spy, 007!

M: Do you pull the book out and the door opens?

A: No that Scooby Doo, but that would totally rock

M: It is Scooby Doo isn’t it?

A: That would totally rock

T: You could make your own little retreat to watch the history channel instead of having to go up on the roof, which is where he goes now to have like his alone time cause that’s the only place I won’t go.

A: Oh yeah?

T: Yeah like to get away…he goes to the roof.

A: I think you two need a Mega Den.

M: We would love a Mega Den!

A: With a secret spy door.

T: You should see our family room – there’s a hole in the ceiling, there’s a half built wall, it is the worst room in our house.

A: There’s a hole in the ceiling and a half built wall?

M: Yeah.

A: And you guys do what for a living? Just say it one more time for us…what do you do for a living?

M: Home improvement experts.

A: Hahaha… yesss!

T: I know, it’s the worst room in the house.

A: So the cobbler’s daughter has no shoes? Is that pretty much the same? So my house is that way too. What would you say if I told you I don’t have any floors?

M: I’d say you must be able to balance on a joist nicely.

A: I have subfloor. I ripped it all out. I’m like i’ll get to it, but I’m just too busy building Mega Dens.

M: Right on, and you love the tear down as much as you love the build up?

A: Yes, gimme a sledge hammer. Maybe it’s a Northeastern thing, we do we like to just get in there and get dirty and just rip it apart.

M: You ever just punch it

A: The guys are so neat and orderly about the tear down and I’m just like ‘COME ON just smash it!’

M: Sounds about right.

A: It’s the heart of the DIYer.

M: Demolition is about careful deconstruction.

A: Yeah yeah, DIY is about getting in there and getting dirty right? So throw a little spin kick on the wall…hey it’s fine.

M&T: Spin kick! Let’s see it!

M: You have enough wire, let’s go.

A: Can we spin kick? We’ll give it a good kick!…you guys couldn’t see that at home but I was fierce.

T: It was so fierce…40 people like ducked it was awesome.

M: That’s awesome. So now, you’re a very attractive young woman, do you also get fierce when you take photographs?

A: I’m more of the silly girl you know…I like to have fun.

M: So you don’t go all fierce?

A: I don’t go all fierce but that face you just made was hot you should totally do that again.

T: Please don’t encourage him…if you tell him that’s a good thing I will see that tonight, tomorrow, next week, four years from now.

M: Inside my body is like if you take a bottle and empty it out that’s how full I am inside so the fact that you gave me a fake compliment, I believe it. Okay…anything to fill up the empty void.

T: We have to go to break….

Check out the MyFixitUpLife talk show that features this interview with Anitra Mecadon.