The Roloff's New Wedding Farm Series on TLC

Today begins Pumpkin Season 2012 at Roloff Farms. Many changes on the farm from last year and now fans of the Roloff's will be able to keep a closer eye on all the fun and wacky happenings. Check out the exciting news...

http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-10-04/tlc-teams-up-with-the-roloffs-for-new-weekly-series-little-people-big-world-wedding-venue-exclusive

Evening Magazine Interviews Matt Roloff, One of their 25 Most Memorable People

Five years before Little People Big World became a fan favorite every Monday night, Evening Magazine, from NBC affiliate King 5 in Seattle, did a story on Matt Roloff when he was promoting his book "Against Tall Odds" Matt credits that interview as one of the catalysts that led his family to TLC and reality television stardom.

Saint Bryan, an award winning reporter at Evening Magazine visited Matt and Amy at the farm recently as part of EM's 25th anniversary on the air and the story about the 25 most memorable people they have featured on their show.

See below for the interview and wonderful walk down memory lane...

A Roloff Culture 'POP'

Matt Roloff standing in Roloff Farms' "Western Town"

When Duffmano from Culture Brats interviewed Matt Roloff it was clear that he’d watched more that a few episodes of Little People Big World. Culture Brats is a witty, edgy and fun blog about pop culture and I love pop culture and have been a fan of their blog for a while. I was surprised when Matt told me about the interview. His PR people process so many requests from bloggers and other online media sources to do interviews, but its just weird when it is a blog I’ve read often. Matt and Amy are open to talk to anyone as long as they can carve it out of their schedule. It’s nice to see them embrace online media. Anyway, click the link to enjoy the article. I did

http://www.culturebrats.com/2011/09/little-people-big-comeback-our.html

Matt Roloff Takes Time to Chat

Matt has recently done a handful of interviews for various blogs and online news websites talking about the Roloff’s return to television. Marijo Tinlin, the editor of Familyfirst.com reached out to Matt for a quick chat about “The Reality of Reality TV” She starts her article talking about the tragic suicide of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” husband Russell Armstrong. I am a big fan of the Real Housewives franchise and was saddened when I heard about what happened. I watched every episode last season and could see there was stress going on, but I also know that what you see in an hour episode of reality television is such a tiny look into those peoples lives as a whole, that speculation is very often way off base.

Marijo goes on to say that life under the reality show microscope can take a huge toll on a family. I agree whole heartedly. Celebrity in any form or at any level can be pricey. It is great to have people rooting for you and wanting you to succeed, who wouldn’t enjoy that kind of support? But the flip side of the coin that’s hard for reasonable people to wrap their brains around are people who perversely seek and take great pleasure in the prospect of your failure. I personally do not subscribe to that way of being in the world and don’t have respect to those people who do.

Matt talks about how he and Amy recognized the strain on their family and their marriage and the decision to step back and restructure the LPBW commitment so the family could regroup. He expresses how grateful the family is for all of the rewards that the show and their fans have given them. And enlightened us a little on the aspects of television production that people may not think of, like the legal and logistic necessaries of production that affected normal activities the family once took for granted and how sometimes they lost the day to day, face to face communication between one other. I would imagine that finding their new direction after so many years of nearly year round filming is still an ongoing journey. One that we’re certain to get a glimpse of in the new specials this Fall.

To read the complete article at FamilyFirst.com go to:

http://familyfirst.com/little-people-big-world%e2%80%99s-matt-roloff-talks-about-the-reality-of-reality-tv.html

And to get the latest on the plans for Pumpkin Season click on:
http://therolofffamily.com/farm/pumpkin-season

Matt Roloff Gets a Little Extreme!

Many of you already know that Matt is on another trip this week and I don't want to spill too many beans, but thought I would pass on a morsel of information. Matt had an incredible day working with Ty Pennington and the EMHE design team. When he gets back he'll share some photos and behind the scenes stories!

Check out the link:
http://www.joinextreme.com/newyorkfamily/ 

TMZ catches up with Matt Roloff in LA

Is Matt involved in a cover up? Is he a member of a secret society of Little People? Those are a couple of the questions asked of him by TMZ during his recent trip down to LA earlier this week. Matt was between meetings when the roaming pack of paparazzi approached him.

click here to see the video clip:

Is Matt Roloff part of a Secret Society?

No worries, Matt is wise to the TMZ game and was not about to give up any secrets!

Matt Called...

I talked to Matt earlier today. Like many of you, I have been keeping up with what he and his family are up to on their vacation through his RealMattRoloff fanpage and he hadn’t posted in a while, so what’s up with that Matt Roloff? Answer: Busy, very very busy.

There isn’t one minute of the day when nothing is happening. Most of the activities are centered around family and sports. Zach has been going from one competition to another and doing phenomenal. He won several gold metals in soccer, volleyball and football. Tomorrow he will be competing in basketball. Matt said he fb too soon about the basketball and got his date wrong so he will keep us posted on the outcome when he knows it. Good luck Zach!

Matt told me that going to the LPA conference feels like going to a big family reunion. Some of the people he has known for over 40 years. It’s the same for the kids. Who wouldn’t have a blast hanging out, connecting with old friends and making new ones? Matt said this trip has been especially fun so far. Not that he was complaining before, but so many of the past conferences were entangled with production and filming commitments for episodes of Little People Big World. Matt said it was nice that he, Amy and the kids had this conference just to themselves, but...

Thursday they will hop back into the RV and will say goodbye until next year. Because they are off to other adventures. Stay tuned...

Roloff Adventures

A friend shared a quote on Facebook with me from Helen Keller who said “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit”. I thought, wow, the timing on that quote was incredible. I also thought that I would add “No big adventure should ever be embarked upon without a little bit of regard”.

I was thinking this because of a conversation I had with Matt yesterday afternoon. We were talking about his family’s likely return to filming “Little People Big World” and what that would mean to their lives. Returning was a big decision that has been in discussions really since before the final episode aired last December. At that time the family was somewhat spent and really couldn’t see a return happening for a very long time. They had given a huge part of their lives to the show and they really needed a breather. Sometimes you have to back away from something to get a better view of it and LPBW is no exception. With the distant perspective, it becomes clearer how valuable all of the little nook and crannies are that were overlooked at the time and how the insights and knowledge gained become even more enlightening. You also get a better road map to navigate your future adventures.

Matt mentioned a conversation he had with Molly. It was a simple conversation, just an everyday kind of chat. He was driving down his driveway heading home and Molly was on her way out of the farm to a friend’s birthday and they stopped window to window to catch up. They talked about where she was going and he told her how pretty she looked. He remarked that she was now officially a “Senior in High School” and how proud he was of her. They talked about what her final calculus grade was (A) and how she was hoping for an A+, Matt glowed at her accomplishment, and before she drove off, she said “I love you daddy”. Matt told me that he was thinking at the time that the ‘process of filming’ would sometimes get in the way of the naturalness of their conversations and that was one of the things they were considering when the family discussed the idea to move forward with doing more episodes.

This next go around has a different set of eyes and understanding on it. It took many months of negotiations to lock down the parameters to go forward and a top of the list item was a less time demanding, intrusive or constrictive agreement. That was paramount to the decision being made. Never the less, the family knows that no amount of talking, thinking or planning will totally eliminate the unknowns and that is what makes it an adventure.

To be a Reality TV personality, you have to have a very thick skin, much thicker than I have I must say. So as a friend and a person, I am in awe of each and every one of the Roloffs’. And as a fan, I am truly excited for the possibility of new shows and I’m grateful to the Roloff family if they make the decision to continue to share a little more of their lives with us. On the eve of their new adventure, I wish them all the best.

Digging up a subject...

HELP!...HELP!...Good, I was hoping to get your attention. I have a few ideas as to what I think would be interesting to write about for this blog, but I am really curious to hear what subjects you would like to know more about. Many recent questions I’ve received are regarding the dirt project. I think Matt has covered that one on his facebook, but I will do a quick summary below. Other questions I’ve received are logistic and yes or no answer type of questions, nothing to write a story around. That is why I thought I would ask you.

I don’t want to spoil anyone’s ideas so I won’t share specifics on what I was thinking, but it is along the lines of ‘digging’ up some behind the scenes intrigue on specific LPBW episodes or ‘unearthing’ some hidden facts, like what is the real deal about...?

With that, I am inviting you to comment and/or email roloffworld@gmail.com subjects you would like me to delve into and any specific questions you want me to ask about that subject. Ideas don’t just have to be centered around Matt either. Give me a good reason to poke around and get the scoop.

A little more about dirt:

In early March Intel corporation begun construction on a very large expansion of one of their Hillsboro plants. The expansion and Intel’s training and innovative education plan is what brought Presidient Obama out to Hillsboro. Here is where Matt comes in; On a large piece of property west of the Intel site (not his farm), he has constructed a dirt receiving operation where the excavated dirt from the Intel site is dumped and utilized to build up the property. Dirt can be cut throat, there is big money at stake and his is not the only drop site for the dirt, there are 2 or 3 others. Hundreds of trucks hauling dirt are all over Hillsboro (probably making some locals scratch their heads wondering). To say time is money is an understatement. It is all about timing at the dump site. It is a laborious dance of loaded trucks in and unloaded trucks out with back hoes, track hoes and loaders moving the dirt. This project would be a huge undertaking in dry summer weather, but the rain has been relentless making it much more of a challenge and has created a few dump pad and road maintenance issues that shut down the flow of trucks (and money). With all those guys working long hours, there’s been drama for sure, screaming and yelling and even a meltdown or two. It is kind of like Ax Men, but instead of logs it’s dirt. You could call it “Dirt Men” and at the end of the season, which is coming up soon, we will see which site took the most loads.

Best Laid Plans

Had plans gone as expected Matt would have flown out today with thoughts of sking the white powder slopes of Telluride Mountain and sitting with friends around a roaring fire in the rustic lodge, but alas, those plans have been dashed. Even Matt’s negotiating skills could not sway his doctor from lifting the ‘no skiing in high altitude ban’ that he imposed. Guess the next few days will be spent on less leisurely pursuits. He should however, in my opinion, try to get in a massage or two, because he has been working his body to the bone this last week.

Matt wants to assure people that his health issues don’t appear to be too serious, but having the doctor ban him from his ski trip is still more than a little troubling. He is eager for the doctors to pinpoint the cause of his irregular EKG rhythm and has already gone through a battery of tests but is scheduled for another round of different tests, so we will see what results come from that.

Matt obviously has not shared with his doc the entire scope of his schedule. Otherwise he would likely be looking at even more stringent medical sanctions. In addition to speeding up production on the hotel stool kits and ordering more Roloff Gear for Molly to sell in the online store, he is going great guns on the farm expansion, not to mention a week long, multi-state speaking tour he is doing at the end of the month. Honestly it is a never ending stream of meetings, phone calls, job site visits, brainstorming sessions, more meetings, more phone calls... Late to bed and early to rise is not sustainable. And soon it will be time to plant the pumpkins! OMG Matt, it is not easy keeping up with you. See why you need that massage? You did take Jacob to see “I am Number 4” last weekend, right? Hope so because you really needed the down time.

Now that I got myself all worked up, I also want to mention that I have a bone to pick with Matt. And I think many other people would agree with me. “Matt, would you please focus at least a tiny bit more on TLC and those other production conversations. I know you, Amy and the kids are doing great without the show, and may not be as eager, but I love TV and want to see you back on the small screen. This dirt thing is good money, but come on already. Maybe it’s time to consider their proposals???...and I know it’s been more than one:)

Speaking of dirt...Good thing his doctor’s didn’t ban him from low altitude gravel and mud, did you see his latest video? Take a peek...love the term “Muckin Mud” No doubt I will use that one in the future.

Matt Roloff Unplugged

Thank goodness there are no dramatic trips to the hospital to report about this last weekend. Matt couldn’t wait to unplug  himself from the 48 hour monitor he was hooked up to. Actually Jacob was the lucky one who got to help ‘rip off’ the contacts. Hope Matt didn’t lose too many layers of skin on that deal—Ouch.

Many people have suggested to Matt to take it easy and relax and he is very grateful to everyone who has expressed their concern and shared their personal health stories. Matt told me that he is taking many of your suggestions to heart and wants you to know that he does take the time to relax and wind down in the evenings. Although I do think, especially when Matt is on the farm, he will always find work to be done, meetings to conduct, paperwork to go over and phone calls that need to be made. 

Currently, the dirt project takes quite a bit of his attention because it doesn’t keep business hours. But neither does the production planning he has going on or stool kit manufacturing, or apparently his political interests. Keep an eye out for some more on OR House Bill 2344. When he said he had 14 focus areas I am not sure, but I think he may have under counted. And speaking season has definitely begun. Personally, I don’t know if I would like traveling as much as Matt does (several days a month just with the speaking engagements). That is just too many hours on airplanes and too many days in hotel rooms for me. But he really enjoys moving around the country talking to people and sharing his stories. Tonight he is excited because he’s speaking for a local organization in downtown Portland. No travel time there, perfect.

Don’t be too disappointed that Matt didn’t spend his weekend lounging in front of the television. He did carve out some social time with Amy on Saturday night and on Sunday morning he had breakfast with his folks (Ron & Peggy Roloff) who just returned from an extended trip in Thailand where they were helping protect the lives of young village girls and prevent them from being swept into human traffiking.  I talked to Peggy this morning and she and Ron are happy to be home and running errands around town. They were at a follow up doctor’s appointment to check on Peg’s leg that she had some swelling trouble with while in Thailand. Their next mission was to find some compression socks in downtown Hillsboro. Hope your leg is back to normal soon Peg!

Last Nights Emergency Room Adventure

I have to say that I was surprised this morning to see that Matt had shared Roloff World blog with his facebook friends. He didn't let me know he was going to do that, or even that I had a green light at all, but it works for me and I'm not complaining. I want to emphasize to readers that the stories I share are from my perspective based on conversations, observations and information I come across. Of course I do have to have some cooperation from the subject of these stories or this would not even be possible, but again, the perspectives and opinions are mine and to that I want to be abundantly clear.

So now what? Well he did say that he would tell you more about his visit to the emergency room last night...

Usually Matt see his glass half full, but sometimes even he can feel like his glass has a hole in the bottom. He gives the impression that he thrives when he has multiple balls in the air and projects galore to focus on, and for the most part this is true. Yet, even for him sometimes things become a bit too much. That’s the way it appeared yesterday at lunch anyway.

No one wants to be seen as vulnerable, and Matt is no exception. But I think the prospect of the stress and other heart tests that were scheduled yesterday was wearing heavy on his mind. “If I don’t survive, I want to be cremated” is what he said. Dramatic, you bet, after all this is Matt Roloff. But I could hear the thread of sincerity in his voice too. He was visibly tired and not feeling well and although he'd prefer to focus on his dirt deal, it was not happening. He had a 1pm meeting at the farm before he headed off to his tests that afternoon, I told him to at least try and relax before his tests.

When Matt got in his car to leave, a fan that was also in the restaurant followed us out and wanted to chat with him. I had begun to walk away as Matt got into his car when the man walked around to stand within his open door. He was excited to talk to Matt and seemed to have something specific he wanted to share. Knowing that Matt was truly not feeling well, I was wondering if I should try to step in, but no. Matt graciously talked with him for several minutes and the man left smiling ,not having any idea that he had encountered Matt on a very off day.

At 4pm Matt had been at the hospital for an hour and I was thinking that hopefully the most uncomfortable parts of his tests were behind him and tomorrow he will have the pep back in his step and he will be back up to his eyeballs in dirt. Well that was the idea anyway...

Later in the evening the doctor called Matt to let him know that there was something not right with his (my words, obviously I am not a medical professional) blood work on his lungs. He wanted to schedule Matt to come into radiology for a scan. When Matt told him that his chest was a little heavy and he had some burning sensation too, The doctor changed plans to sooner rather than later and with Jeremy at the wheel, back to the hospital he went. By midnight the scan was complete, showing nothing. I think this is a good thing, because he doesn't have a blood clot or something worse looming in there, but Matt remains frustrated by not having an answer to what is going on.

Matt has only dirt on his mind...

Well I guess it wasn't the best weekend to go rogue on this blog. I didn't think about how focused he would be on his dirt project. He worked dirt all weekend and spent the day working dirt today. He did briefly mention possibly doing a blog on FB last night, but so far, no time to talk more about it. He is beyond knee deep in dirt and that is all he is thinking about. I will keep trying to get a minute of his time and a speck of his focus.