Exclusive: HDNET 'The Super' shows White blight, Dave Paladino interview

By April MacIntyre Oct 6, 2011, 21:04 GMT

HDNET has a gut-wrenchingly poignant slice of This American Life on October 17, 2011, as "The Super" reveals the White American underclass like never before.

HDNET has a gut-wrenchingly poignant slice of This American Life on October 17, 2011, as "The Super" reveals the predominately White American underclass of Nebraska like never before.

The series stars property manager Dave Paladino, who literally is The Super - or landlord - for hundreds of low income apartments in Omaha, NE.

Dave serves as landlord, a manager, security guard, plumber, exterminator, carpenter, psychologist, social worker and a sounding board to a host of addicted, afflicted and broken people.

Unlike 'Hoarders' or other shows that take you inside the homes of the mentally ill, this series goes deeper into the filth, and you wonder what happened to us as a nation when people refuse to clean their own mess, watch their mouths around kids, attempt any work, or just conduct themselves in a dignified manner.

There's very little of that quality here as Paladino is hardened a bit, dealing with the worst of the working-class poor; those who just don't care anymore. We as viewers  lose patience with seemingly able-bodied people who refuse to look after their own best interests, regardless of income.

There are plenty of hard-up folks who keep a neat home, their cars in working order, and figure out ways to feed their families with low cost staples like legumes and home cooking stretched to incorporate any leftovers. They live within their means and spend their hard earned money on things that matter. It isn't easy, but millions quietly do it, with dignity.

But the depression era values many of us were taught from wizened grandparents to "make it last, wear it out, make it do or do without" are lost on several generations of Americans.

These shown in "The Super" are the worst, the perpetual victims and the entitlement takers who know how to game the system. Those who would spend every penny they had on a flat screen TV, crack rock or spliff, but let their teeth rot in their heads.

The vibe I felt watching this interesting series was one of measured disdain from superintendent Dave Paladino, who, like a worn-out parent of a really bad kid, has heard and seen it all, a cacophony of excuses from wheedling crack heads, complacent inhabitants of bed bug infested dwellings to witnessing bathtub-birthed babies.

HDNET reveals that Dave runs the day to day for 1700 units - all repairs and maintenance calls plus reports of ghosts to tracking escaped potbelly pigs, unclogging python stuffed toilets to busting a family prostitution ring.

Mostly though, Dave jettisons the garbage accumulated from sick and calloused people who have let their immediate surroundings consume them, making them incapable of a healthy and hopeful life.

It's a tough watch at times, but one that needs to be shown to as many kids in school as possible, who need to know that you will only get out what you put into in this brief life.
Mondays 9pm ET Starting October 17th only on HDNet.

I got a chance to speak with Dave Paladino about his new series:

Monsters and Critics: Dave, I have watched 3 episodes of your series and I want to know how you get people to open their doors for the cameras? Is there no perception as to how bad they have let their lives spiral out of control?

Dave Paladino: You know what was interesting about the whole production process; we had very little resistance from people filming their lives.
At first the producers were worried that we would not get the tenants that had truly interesting lives play ball. But this was not the case at all. It was almost like they forgot they were being filmed even though we had two camera crews with us at all times.

I simply think that the people we deal with don’t know that their life is such a mess. There is one episode where our tenant and her friend we are arguing in the front yard of one of our houses. There had to be four or five kids under the age of eight there, and these two ladies were using the F-bomb every other word.

I finally said, “ladies that’s enough we have these little kids we are trying to set an example for and your language has got to get better.” It was like I never said this, they just keep going after one another like they were trained in oratory debate at an Ivy league law school. Except their language was that of an 18 year-old sailor. I am not kidding.

A lot of the people we deal with simply do not know how to behave in a civilized manner. So the fact that the cameras were there, did not even seem to faze most people.

Monsters and Critics: How do you and your crew fight the normal human response of disgust for people who refuse to put any effort into keeping their environment at the very least clean?

Dave Paladino: To put it simply we are just used to it. And maybe more important, if what we see grosses you out, you simply get out of the business.
My kids still are not used to it.

My son says “dad the smell is so bad, I can taste it” I have cleaned so many drains that have completely flooded an apartment with feces that what would literally make you throw up, does not even phase me. I think the same thing can be said for guys that work in slaughterhouses and even surgeons. You see it so much, you just get used to it

Monsters and Critics: Obviously you are dealing with addicts, mentally ill people - how do you handle the behaviors? How do you protect your team from assault?

Dave Paladino: I grew up in a very loving household where although I was the oldest of four boys I was by far the smallest and I developed the mentality then that I refuse to back down to anyone no matter how much bigger someone is that me. I am only 5’5” - so nearly everyone is taller than me.

This attitude transfers into my work life. I will stand toe to toe with guys that are a foot taller than me and double my weight. This can be very intimidating to people.
I have had guys later say to me “Dude, the fact you stood up to me like that made me wonder, --if this guy is that crazy maybe he is a lot tougher than he looks.” But more importantly I learned long ago to defuse situations. I really believe I can talk my way out of anything no matter how crazy it is.

Monsters and Critics: Does this job get to you- how do you keep yourself from absorbing the human misery you deal with daily?

Dave Paladino: I am blessed in one way more than others. I can completely compartmentalize my life. You know the saying, ‘men are like waffles and women are like spaghetti?’

I simply do not think about things that are negative at all unless I choose to. There is no way that you could maintain your sanity in this business if you reflected on the negative stuff.

Landlords by nature get sued A LOT. I have read where truly successful CEO’s of companies will not let the legal head of their company report to them because they want to keep all negative thoughts from them. I really try to abide by this reasoning. I have a huge family to enjoy and have countless friends from all the Cross fit, triathlons, endurance sports, wakeboarding and ultimate Frisbee I do. I have a lot to think about when I am not working

Monsters and Critics: Why do these people give up on themselves, life and any sense of dignity, in your opinion?

Dave Paladino: I think they don’t have a lot of confidence. I am not sure if you have children, but when my kids feel confident in what they can do they have an amazing outcome.

I think a lot of the people we deal with did not have very good parents and they feel that they do not deserve any better than the life they have. Their whole life they have beaten down.

The whole thing is kind of a tragedy and really becomes a central issue in the show. Keep in mind, everything you see, there were children watching it all happen. Can you imagine growing up in this kind of environment? It would change you.