Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Design and Architecture

    Design and Architecture

    A Local Designer Meets Cut-Throat Reality TV

    Leslie Shapiro Joyal is an LA native who has spent two decades making high quality, locally sourced, minimalist furniture. Then she decided to participate in Ellen’s Design Challenge, a new HGTV reality show produced by Ellen DeGeneres. Was it worth it?

    • rss
    • Share
    By Frances Anderton • Mar 10, 2015 • 1 min read

    Leslie Shapiro Joyal is an LA native who has spent two decades making high quality, locally sourced, minimalist furniture. Then she decided to participate in Ellen’s Design Challenge, a new HGTV reality show produced by Ellen DeGeneres. Was it worth it?

    Shapiro Joyal describes what it was like to be subjected to the “surreal” world of reality TV -- where everything you say or do can be misrepresented.

    The full episode

    2 of 2
    The Googleplex Expands; A Local Designer Meets Reality TV
    1. 1:16The Googleplex Gets a “Transparent” Expansion
    2. 20:50A Local Designer Meets Cut-Throat Reality TVYou’re reading this
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

    • KCRW placeholder

      Caroline Chamberlain

      KUOW

      Culture

    The full episode

    2 of 2
    The Googleplex Expands; A Local Designer Meets Reality TV
    1. 1:16The Googleplex Gets a “Transparent” Expansion
    2. 20:50A Local Designer Meets Cut-Throat Reality TVYou’re reading this
    Back to Design and Architecture