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Claudia A's avatar

It’s just wrong. Cluelessly obscene. Where does one even begin? The colossal misuse of resources to build it, the amount of energy and water it will take to maintain it (even when unoccupied), and, most importantly, the opportunity cost. A gross symbol of a society that has run amuck.

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Jan Peppler's avatar

I couldn't agree with you more. The upkeep alone is outrageous. I know LA can be out of touch with reality but I can't believe banks actually gave this guy money to build this. As a spec house!!! That's irresponsible on SO many levels.

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Peggy Weaver's avatar

I’m hoping the reason they are filming the space for the first time is because no one has shown any interest in purchasing this monstrosity.

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Jan Peppler's avatar

One would hope. ugh - even the interviewer, ProducerMichael - blech! Even Robin Leach from "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" wasn't as vapid as this guy. Soul-less

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Jan Peppler's avatar

Just have to share this response from my friend Nat who wrote me an email:

The perfect temple for admirers of St. Priapus. Will it outdraw the father church in San Francisco? Video cameras covering the urinals for creating phallus envy in the “girls?”

(Recall the builder brought warmth by having a GIRL arriving tomorrow.) The only natural item was the boiled-to-the-bones giraffe, 🦒 not a phallic symbol anywhere …. But it is subliminal, literally under the threshold……they circumcised the mountain to make the surface larger, FOREVER. Priapus never claimed to want a house full of Progeny.

Notice the wine cellar has nothing smaller than Jeroboams. Who has the cutest little pinky?

THE ONE?….NOT!

MOUNT NARCISSUS de BEL AIR

WAITAMINNIT!!! That aerial view photo really shows the phallic footprint design.

***

gotta admit, this was a head-slapper for me. It is, indeed, an altar to the phallus.

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Joan DeMartin's avatar

It doesn't appear to be a "home" to me...and is a truly disgusting mis-use and over-use of precious resources, including the land. In a word: "Ugh"

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Jan Peppler's avatar

I agree completely!

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Joan DeMartin's avatar

BTW, I love your writing style- draws me right in…

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Jan Peppler's avatar

oh, thank you so much, Joan! I really appreciate you saying that. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just rambling too much! And thank you for commenting on the post!

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Jimmy Nyakora's avatar

It's funny, outrageous and pitiful all at once.

I felt sick watching the whole thing. But I was humbled by his emptiness and almost inspired by manic persistence.

It made me reflect on my own values. It made me wonder how one ends up like this.

When I read the title I was expecting something to do with relationships: maybe about how 'The One' with every attractive quality of our dreams can turn out to be a soul-less empty shell. A lie. An illusion we create to insulate ourselves from pain.

The One can be a job, person, career, perspective, a thing... None of us is immune to this grandiosity in even the most minute of things.

The One is represents the respective altars at which we're all willing to sacrifice our souls...

I hope Nile finds peace and acceptance especially now that he's lost the property :/

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Jan Peppler's avatar

That is very perceptive of you, Jimmy. Yes, 'the one' can be anything. And so many times we find that we have projected soul into the shell of an illusion. We, ourselves, are responsible for the lie.

As for Nile, he has developed so many multi-million $ properties and that wasn't enough. And that, to me, is incredibly sad. So representative of success in the modern world. Enough is never enough: never stop striving for more. You say it best, "The One represents the respective altars at which we're all willing to sacrifice our souls." Indeed.

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