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Who says single Mothers can't raise instense kids into notable adults? Tygert Bruton "Ty" Pennington -- He is most famous for being the host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which currently airs on ABC.
Pennington was considered an unruly child and had difficulty performing throughout school."I would strip down naked, and swing from the blinds in my classroom as a child and swear along with that if I didn't get my way," he said in an interview for E! network. He was diagnosed with hyperactivity (then the term for ADHD) when he was seven by his single mother, who was in graduate school in psychology, and by his pediatrician, who didn't "believe" in Ritalin, so it wasn't tried at the time. Instead, Yvonne Pennington designed a system called "A Token Economy" to end his daily trips to the principal's office and his disruptive behavior in class. The Token Economy was used all the way through his school career. It wasn't until he was seventeen years old that he was treated with medication. He is now a spokesperson for the organization ADHD Experts on Call, and manages his condition with Adderall XR. His mother, Dr. Yvonne Pennington, is a psychologist who focuses on the treatment of ADHD and depression. She teaches other parents in extreme family makeover -- how to raise ADHD kids with or without medication.
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A self-described "Jack of all trades",Pennington learned woodworking early in life. After attending Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, he attended Kennesaw State University, following which he received his undergraduate degree in graphic design from the Art Institute of Atlanta while working his way through school as a carpenter
He continued to work in carpentry after graduation while taking classes in painting and sculpture at the Atlanta College of Art. During his final semester, Pennington was approached by a modeling scout, and soon began a lucrative career in that field. He traveled the world and landed print jobs for J.Crew, Swatch and Sprite, and appeared in television spots for Diet Coke, Levi's, and Macy's, among others. According to TV Guide Channel, Pennington is the highest paid endorser in America.
Pennington parlayed his hands-on skills and design acumen into a career in the entertainment industry, becoming a set designer, including for the critically acclaimed film Leaving Las Vegas in 1995. However, his professional breakthrough came through The Learning Channel's (now known as simply TLC) innovative hit show "Trading Spaces." He quickly became known for his off-the-wall sense of humor and creative style during four years as the show's playful designer and carpenter. Pennington has also taken a hand into acting as well. In 2003, he played Wilbur Wright in the independent film, The Adventures of Ociee Nash, and, in 2004, he made an appearance on the TV series Wild Card.
When ABC began developing a show that would transform the homes of deserving families in seven days or less, Pennington was chosen as the leader of the eight-person design team. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition went on to be a huge hit, and catapulted Pennington into the mainstream. This led to an endorsement deal with Sears, a sponsor of the show. In January of 2005, Pennington underwent an emergency appendectomy, taping an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition while in the hospital. Now entering into his fifth season on the show, Ty spends 240 days out of the year working on the show, and declares it to be “the greatest job in the world”.
Prior to his partnership with Sears, Pennington was the owner and designer of his own online furniture company, Furniture Unlimited, which is based in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He also lends his name to Sears, with their design team guiding the design of every item in the Ty Pennington Style line of bedding, tabletop items, bath accessories, and other miscellaneous home decor. He actually has very little say in the design of the furniture. In addition to his involvement in design, marketing promotions and public relations activities for Sears, Pennington is also active in community outreach through the Sears American Dream Campaign.

Pennington published the book Ty's Tricks: Home Repair Secrets Plus Cheap and Easy Projects to Transform Any Room (2003), a do-it-yourself guide on home improvement. On May 15, 2007, he released the first issue of his quarterly magazine Ty Pennington at Home. He has stated he is currently writing another book, which is to be released in 2008 or 2009.
This Ty's Mother. |
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