'Revolution' Host Ty Pennington on Living in His Dressing Room, Settling Down and His Vomit Bag Collection
Host of the new ABC show "The Revolution" has some strange quirks.
ByURSULA FAHY and LAUREN EFFRON
Jan. 11, 2012— -- Ty Pennington, the host of upcoming show "The Revolution," is known for his strange quirks. Not only does he have an obsession with taking photos of people's feet, but also has, of all things, a prized vomit bag collection.
"I actually use them as artwork, themselves," Pennington told ABC's Andrea Canning. "Sometimes I write words of inspiration, I'll do drawings, and, and, and if you receive one from me, you know, that it's genuine because it's a vomit bag."
The country's most charismatic carpenter has been so busy making the transition as host of ABC's popular TV series, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," to "The Revolution," he hasn't laid down roots yet, but instead lives out of his dressing room.
"It's sort of my home now," Pennington said. "I'm a traveling gypsy and luckily I'm used to that right now. I'm living right here, which is great."
After starring on the near decade-long ABC series that helped families in need, Pennington, 47, moved to New York City to host a new daytime show on ABC with fashion guru Tim Gunn -- "The Revolution," which premieres on Jan. 16, will fill the airtime slot left behind by the canceled "One Life to Live."
Countless tears were shed over "Extreme Makeover's" series finale, which will air this Friday. In this episode, the cast rebuilds seven new homes in seven days in Joplin, Mo., a town that was devastated by a catastrophic EF5 tornado in May.
"I just wanted everyone who was involved to know what it meant to me, and, and how proud I was," Pennington said. "It's one of those things that you -- you work with some really great people... it's not just the families we're helping -- the sort of journeys we got to be a part of."
The end of "Extreme Makeover" also means saying goodbye to the days when Pennington will yell his signature catch-phrase: "Move that bus!"
"I'll be going anywhere, and someone will just yell that down the street, like, "Move that bus!,'" he said laughing. "I think I'll always be known as that guy."
Pennington became emotional when talking about leaving "Extreme Makeover," but after starring on a show that required him to travel 300 days a year, the TV host said he is looking forward to spending more time with the people he loves. A perpetual bachelor, Pennington said he was ready to settle down and have a relationship, perhaps start a family, but for now, there is no woman in his life.
"I've sort of become distant, because I've been working so much," Pennington said. "So, I'm really excited to be able to still continue to help people, but also have a little bit of time so that I can focus on, you know, my family."
Having said farewell to one show and starting another, Pennington will now help to transform people on "The Revolution," in which "lifestyle experts" work to completely makeover women and their lifestyles, whether the problem is overeating, hoarding or intimacy.
The TV host has defied the odds himself, by building a life on television while learning to live with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
"The one big hindrance that comes with that is just a lack of confidence," he said. "Because, at a young age, you're sort of like, 'oh my God, don't let him mow the lawn, he's going to, you know, cut off his toe.'"
Having ADHD caused him to have low confidence levels growing up, Pennington said, but as he learned to cope with the disorder, it changed the way he functioned.
"I think just me sitting here, having an interview... I know my parents would never have thought that would've happened," he said, with a laugh.
While he admitted his ADHD presents a new challenge for when he will be talking in front of a live studio audience on "The Revolution," Pennington said he has managed to turn that energy into a blossoming brand that extends beyond the small screen and into his own lines of lumber and fabric, as well as a home décor collection at Sears and two design books.
Pennington's advice for others suffering from ADHD is to not "get in the way of yourself."
"There's so many obstacles that we face every day in our life and the one that seems to get in the way the most, is just ourselves," he said. "The fear, the, I mean, it's funny, you know, our insecurities, the whether or not you want to take a risk -- I am a firm believer that, take a chance."
But for the man who can't turn his mind off, Pennington also plays guitar and doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
"Occasionally I'll just sit down and be like wow I'm taking a break but I'm kind of good on the go I mean that's sort of me you know," Pennington said. "I'll write a song. I'll write a song about nothing, like this nothing, is nice sometimes."