Ty Pennington is the beloved team leader of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Sundays on ABC, at 8pm/7PM central. Ty works with the design team and hundreds of workers journaling the frantic progress as the team works to completely renovate a home against a seven day deadline. Ultimately, Ty is the one who brings us all to tears when the deserving recipients see their new home.
America was introduced to Ty Pennington on the popular show Trading Spaces. He was the fun, quirky, and often shirtless carpenter who enthralled female viewers. Viewers wanted more of Ty and ABC acquiesced. Thanks to David Goldberg (president of producer Extreme Makeover Producer, Endemal, USA,) and ABC viewers are treated to Pennington’s high energy and charisma every Sunday on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
A hunk with a heart, Ty Pennington is from Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Born October 19, 1965, Tygert Burton Pennington, Ty grew up in Marietta and briefly attended Kennesaw State College, now Kennesaw State University. An art professor suggested Ty go into graphic design. Pennington took that advice and began attending The Art Institute of Atlanta. He practiced carpentry by day and attended school at night.
His professional career began when he was recruited by a scout to model on runways and in television commercials. From commercials, to Trading Spaces to Extreme Makeover, Ty Pennington’s talent, heart, and energy quickly endeared him to viewers. According to his website, Ty Pennington Style, Ty is fueled by…” the joy of doing things for others. Extreme Makeover is about family, it’s about America and it about these random acts of kindness that can restore your faith in people.” The consistency of his character and his desire to positively affect the lives of viewers and fans continues to feed his popularity.
Ty teamed up with Sears to offer Ty Style, a diverse line of stylish additions for the home. Available only at Sears, Ty Style includes furniture and décor for kitchen, bedroom, and living room. The furniture includes straight lines, softened with blended, natural colors. The kitchenware and home decor, far from standard, have a terrific natural look and feel. Ty has the uncanny ability to create things that look different, but feel right.
According to Forbes.com, Sears jumped on Pennington when NPD research found that Ty Pennington had more “purchase influence” than any other celebrity. He was also listed among Forbes Top 100 Celebrities of 2006. Forbes cited his celebrity popularity had a lot to do with his energy and fitness. Forbes failed to cite Ty’s creative intelligence and empathy which draws fans to his celebrity. Ty’s fan adoration and hard work showers him with a $6 million a year salary.
Pennington had the integrity to face the press and apologize for a May 5, 2007 DUI arrest. According to E! News, Ty was stopped by Los Angeles Police and registered a blood alcohol level of .14 %. The next day Ty made a public apology acknowledging his responsibility and called the incident, “a wake-up call.” He pled no contest in exchange for misdemeanor charges for a first offense. According to E! News, he paid a $390 fine, agreed to attend alcohol education classes, and agreed to speak at a Mothers Against Drunk Driving event as community service. Ty’s willingness to own up to his “error in judgment” and apologize soothed his fans. The incident slipped under the public radar without typical celebrity ruckus.
Exploring ventures on and off the small screen, Ty Pennington wrote a New York Times best-selling book in 2003, Ty’s Tricks, released by Hyperion books. Ty’s Tricks offers readers a peek into Ty’s own home which he remodeled himself. It also serves as an easy reference for readers’ home remodeling.
Ty recently re-entered the world of publishing when Ty Pennington: At Home hit newsstands May 7, 2007. Ty’s new magazine offers design tips, home decorating ideas, and lawn and garden tips. According to his website, Ty is working on another book to be released by Simon and Schuster next year. Fans who need a daily dose of Ty inspiration can find it at Ty Pennington Style. www.typenningtonstyle.com . There, Ty will teach you to “visualize and improvise.” It is definitely worth a visit if you are involved in a home improvement project.
Ty Pennington has appeared in an independent film, The Adventures of Ociee Nash. According to Extreme Makeover’s bio, Ty moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles to pursue his career in acting.
