Mar. 17, 2010: HGTV star Cindy Stumpo

HGTV'S NEWEST STAR CINDY STUMPO
IS NO REAL HOUSEWIFE, THOUGH
HER PERSONAL LIFE HAS PLENTY
OF DRAMA, STUMPO SAYS WOMEN
HAVE MORE TO OFFER THAN
MANICURES AND MALICIOUS
GOSSIP.
HER NEW SHOW, "TOUGH AS NAILS"
DEBUTS SUNDAY.
WITH DESIGNER SUNGLASSES AND A
CHANDELIER SIZED ROCK ON HER
FINGER, CHESTNUT HILL
CONTRACTOR CINDY STUMPO IS OUT
TO BUILD A NAME FOR HERSELF IN
REALITY TV.

>> I'M CINDY STUMPO AND I AM
ONE OF THE BEST BILLERS IN
BOSTON.

>> THE 45-YEAR-OLD STUMPO IS
THE STAR OF HGTV'S NEW "TOUGH
AS NAILS" PART BUILDING SHOW,
PART NONSTOP PLAY OF HUTS PA
AND PERSONAL DRAMA.
IT'S LIKE THIS OLD HOUSE MEETS
JERSEY SHORE AT A MCMAHON SHUN
IN NEWTON.
FOR THOSE OF YOU AND THE REST
OF AMERICA, THAT'S PARTS, AND
AN ORDER.
AND WHEN SHE'S NOT BUILDING
HOUSES, SHE'S BUILDING
DRAMATIC TENSION IN HER
PERSONAL LIFE.

>> THIS ONE...

>> YOU COULD MAKE A QUICK GET
AWAY RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT.

>> THE GUY WITH THE CLIP BORE
IS CINDY'S EX-HUSBAND, JOE,
WHO IS NOW HER EMPLOYEE AND
VERY MUCH STILL A PART OF HER
FIXER UPPER PERSONAL LIFE.

>> WE PUT TWO OR 300 KITCHENS
IN AND NOT KNOW HOW TO USE
ANYTHING IN THE KITCHEN.

>> ALSO IN THE CAST, HER
DAUGHTER, HER MOTHER AND
RECEPTIONIST BEVERLY, AND HER
WIDE GRANDMOTHER, NANA.

>> I WANT --
WHAT DO YOU WANT?

>> BETTER STILL, NOW SHE'S GOT
A WHOLE SEASON.
JOINING ME NOW IS THE STAR OF
"TOUGH AS NAILS.
" CINDY STUMPO, THIS IS GREAT.

>> I

>> I THINK EVERYBODY HAS HAD
AN EXPERIENCE WITH A
CONTRACTOR, I DON'T CARE WHAT
THE SCALE OF IT IS, YOU WERE
BUILDING AN ADDITION OR
SOMETHING, AND SUDDENLY THE
WORKERS WEREN'T BEING PAID AND
THE CONTRACTOR HAD ALL YOUR
MONEY.

>> YES.
TAKING OVER.
AND THE FUNNIEST PART OF THAT
WAS PROBABLY A GOOD YEAR PRIOR
TO THAT, I SAID TO MY FATHER,
WELL, I THINK I FIGURED OUT
WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
HE SAID WHAT IS THAT?
I SAID I THINK I WANT TO GO TO
WENT WORTH AND BUILD HOUSES,
NO, I'M SORRY, GO TO WE
BELIEVE WORTH.
HE SAID WHAT, BECOME AN
ARCHITECT, DESIGNER?
I SAID BUILD HOUSES.
HE SAID GIRLS DON'T BUILD
HOUSES.

>> NOT TOO MANY OF THEM DO,
BECAUSE YOU GET RIGHT DOWN IN
THERE --

>> NO, THEY DON'T.

>> IT ATHLETIC, IT STRONG,
IT'S TOUGH.

>> MENTALLY DRAINING,
MENTALLY.

>> WERE YOU ALWAYS GOOD AT
MATH AND MECHANICS AND
ENGINEERING, DID YOU HAVE THE
BASICS DOWN?

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FUNNY
BUSINESS, HAVE YOU TO HAVE A
REALLY GOOD GUT FEELING.
AND I THINK WOMEN HAVE GREAT
GUTS.
WE KNOW WHEN THINGS AREN'T
RIGHT.
WE KNOW WITH OUR KIDS, OUR
HUSBANDS, OUR FAMILIES, WE
KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE GOING
LEFT AND RIGHT.
WOMEN HAVE TO BE MORE MULTI
TASKABLE.
SO IT'S A COMBINATION.
I LIKE BUILDING, OBVIOUSLY I
MADE THE REMARK AND A YEAR
LATER I GOT THROWN INTO IT.
SO IT WAS MY DESTINY.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT
WAY.
THAT RIGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO
HAPPEN, TO HIRE THAT
CONTRACTOR AND HAVE A, YOU
KNOW, A JOB THAT WAS POORLY
BEING CONSTRUCTED.
AND THEN NOT PAYING THE GUY,
NOT PAYING AND HIM TAKING MY
MONEY.
AND I'M A YOUNG GIRL.

>> SO ARE YOU THE CONTRACTOR
NOW?

>> I AM THE G. C. NOW, 20
YEARS.

>> AND YOU RETURN ALL THE
PHONE CALLS AND MAKE SURE THE
WORKERS ARE THERE AND THE JOB
GETS DONE ON TIME AND THE
WHOLE BIT?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO SAY WE JUST
CAME OFF A WEEKEND OF BAD
FLOODING, MOST OF MY CUSTOMERS
HEARD FROM ME.
ARE YOU OKAY?
IS YOUR BASEMENT OKAY.
I DON'T CARE OF IF I BUILT THE
HOUSE EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO.

>> WHAT DID THEY SAY?

>> WE'RE FINE, CINDY, WE'RE
FINE.
MY DAUGHTER WAS OUT THE OTHER
NIGHT AND ONE OF MY CLIENTS
WALKED UP AND SAID CAN YOU
BELIEVE YOUR MOM CALMED TO SAY,
ARE WE OKAY.
THAT'S MY JOB.

>> HOW DID THE REALITY TV
THING COME ABOUT?

>> I WAS BUILDING A HOUSE IN
NEWTON.
I DO NOT RENOVATE HOMES, I
BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP.
AND THIS GENTLEMAN, HIS
PRODUCTION COMPANY IN
WATERTOWN CAME TO ME AND SAID
TO ME, AND HE STARTS TALKING
IN HIS LINK OH.
TV TALK.
AND HE SAID CINDY, LISTEN,
THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY
DIFFERENT ABOUT YOU.
AND I CAN'T BELIEF THESE GUYS,
THESE SIX FOOT GUYS JUMP FOR
YOU.
AND I'M LIKE, AND?
HE SAID I'D REALLY LIKE TO
SHOOT YOU.
AND I WENT WHERE?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE, IN
MY FOOT, MY LEG?
HE SAID, NO, ACTUALLY I WOULD
LIKE TO DO A TEASER.
I SAID ED, CAN YOU GIVE ME A
WORD I MIGHT KNOW HERE,
SHOOTING, TEASERS.
HE SAID OKAY, A TEASER IS WE
GO OUT, WE FOLLOW YOU FOR A
WEEK AND WE SHOOT EVERYTHING
ABOUT YOUR LIFE WHAT YOU DO
DURING THAT WEEK.
AND I SAID, ED, WHY IN MY 40s
DO I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE?
I HAVE A GREAT CAREER, A GREAT
FAMILY, WHY DO I WANT TO DO
THIS?
AND HE SAID YOU'D BE HELPING
ME GO INTO ANOTHER FIELD OF
PRODUCTION THAT I HAVEN'T
ENTERED INTO CALLED REALITY.
AND I SAID, THINKING IT WAS
ABSOLUTELY GOING NOWHERE, THE
WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP, IN
BUSINESS, ONE HAND WASHES THE
OTHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT, ED COULD HAVE
HIRED FIVE OTHER BUILDERS TO
BUILD THIS HOUSE.

>> SO THAT'S HOW HE KNEW YOU.

>> BECAUSE I WAS BUILDING HIS
HOUSE.
SO I SAID WHEN WE GET DONE
BUILDING YOUR HOME, THEN WE'LL
TALK ABOUT IT.

>> THEN DID YOU TAKE THE
TEASER TO HGTV?

>> NO, ACTUALLY HE TOOK THE
TEASER AND SEND IT TO A FEW
MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, AND I
WOULD SAY TO THE BIGGEST
MANAGEMENT COMPANIES IN THE
COUNTRY PICKED IT UP AND SAID
WE CAN SOLVE THIS.
AND IT JUST HAPPENED SO FAST.
THAT THERE WAS REALLY NO TIME
TO SIT GAK AND GO WHAT AM I
DOING.

>> I READ SOMEWHERE THAT
INITIALLY THEY THOUGHT, WELL,
IT'S NOT PERSONAL ENOUGH,
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF YOUR
ANGST IN THERE, YOUR
EX-HUSBAND AND THAT KIND OF
THING.
DID YOU FEEL FORCED TO INCLUDE
MORE OF THAT STUFF?

>> YOU KNOW, I SAT BACK FOR A
MOMENT AND I SAID TO MYSELF,
OKAY, THIS IS NOT EXTREME
MAKEOVERS, I CANNOT BUILD YOU
--
I CANNOT BUILD A HOUSE IN A
WEEKEND, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS, WE HAVE RULES,
WE HAVE INSPECTIONS, WE HAVE
TO PUT A FOUNDATION IN, WE
CAN'T JUST POUR A SLAB, BUILD
A HOUSE.
WE CAN, BUT I CAN'T IN NEWTON
AND BROOKLINE.
SO OF COURSE IT TAKES ME
ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT MONTHS TO
A YEAR TO BUILD A REAL HOUSE.
SO WE SAT DOWN AND WE TALKED
AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
TO GET YOUR PERSONAL LIFE,
CINDY, AND I WENT, YOU KNOW
WHAT, I SHOULD BE USELESS
LIVING IN NEWTON AND BROOKLINE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS
EVERYBODY'S PERSONAL LIFE AND
EVERYBODY LOVES THE DRAMA.
SO I'M ALL RIGHT WITH THAT.
BUT I REALLY GASPED WHEN THEY
SAID TO ME THIS, WE GET TO
WHERE WE GET NEW LIFE BECAUSE
OF OUR PERSONAL DRAMA.
IF MAYBE I DIDN'T FEEL THAT
HURT OR THAT PAIN OR DEALT
WITH THAT SITUATION AT THAT
POINT IN MY LIFE, MAYBE MY
LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A
WHOLE OTHER PLACE.
AND IF I DID MEET JOE, AND IF
MY CAR DIDN'T BREAK DOWN OR
WHATEVER THE FACTS WERE, I
WOULDN'T HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL
KIDS NAMED SAMANTHA AND CHAD.
SO IT IS WHAT IT IS, THEY WANT
THAT, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE
GOING TO GET IT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY --

>> SOMETHING TELLES ME IT'S
FAIRLY REAL.

>> IT IS REAL, WE TRY TO KEEP
IT AS REAL AS CAN BE.
AND DRAMA IS PART OF OUR LIFE.
IF THERE'S ANY FEMALE OUT
THERE THAT CAN SAY SHE'S NEVER
BEEN HURT, WHETHER IT'S BEEN
JUST BY HER HEART, I'VE TAKEN
A LOT OF PHONE CALLS IN THE
LAST MONTH, BECAUSE THOSE
PROMO ADS HAVE BEEN ON HGTV
AND I'VE HEARD SOME HORROR
STORIES FROM WOMEN THAT HAVE
BEEN PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY,
VERBALLY, I THINK WOMEN CAN
RELATE TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ABUSE.
I'M GLAD I'M SITTING HERE AND
NO ONE HAS PUT THEIR HANDS ON
ME AND HAS WHACKED ME AROUND A
FEW TIMES AS A GUY.
GOOD LUCK TO THEM, BECAUSE I'M
COMING BACK AT YOU WITH TWO BY
FOURS.

>> SO WHAT DOES THE SHOW COME
ON?

>> THURSDAY NIGHT, MARCH 18,
WHICH IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT
9:30 ON HGTV.

>> I LOVE HGTV.

>> BUT REMEMBER THIS IS THEIR
FIRST REALITY SOAP DOC, SO
THIS IS WAY OUTSIDE OF THE
BOX.

>> I'M SURE IT WILL BE GREAT.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, ALL I KNOW,
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FEMALES
IN MASSACHUSETTS TO GET HER G.
C. LICENSE, I WAS NOT
GRANDFATHERED IN.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A FATHER
OR A GRANDFATHER OR HUSBAND IN
THE BUSINESS.
I HAD TO GO TAKE THE REAL
STEPS AND GET MY LICENSE, WHY
SHOULDN'T I BE THE FIRST
REALITY ON HGTV.

>> GREAT TO MEET AND YOU GOOD
LUCK WITH THE SHOW.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NICE
MEETING YOU.

>> THAT'S IT FOR "GREATER
BOSTON".
TUNE IN TO THE NEW 89.7 WGBH
AT NOON FOR MY RADIO SHOW,
FOLLOWED BY CALLIE CROSSLEY.
TOMORROW NIGHT, WHERE SOME CAB
DRIVERS ARE BALKING OVER
GETTING PAID WITH CREDIT
CARDS.
I'M EMILY ROONEY.
GOOD NIGHT.