• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, June 28, 2023

Coming up with titles for new TV shows can be flippin’ difficult.

Take HGTV’s latest home-renovation show titled “Flip The Strip,” premiering next month.

The show will have four male Las Vegas strippers moonlighting as house flippers, sometimes with their shirts off and sometimes not.

In the show’s three-word title, the word “strip” serves two purposes. It refers to what these exotic dancers do for a living and, at the same time, refers to the Las Vegas Strip, where they practice their profession.

So what’s wrong? First of all, it is unlikely that there are any houses available to flip on the Strip, which is a district of sprawling, gawdy casino hotels and not a region of one-family homes.

In addition, it is doubtful that these exotic dancers-turned house flippers will suddenly morph into a construction crew of Magic Mikes. On the other hand, I have not yet seen the show.

In its promotional material, HGTV seeks to generate heat for this foursome who are performers in “Australia’s Thunder from Down Under,” a male revue.

“The sweltering Las Vegas heat is nothing compared to the smoldering stars of the male revue stage show ‘Australia’s Thunder from Down Under,’ who will launch their home renovation business in HGTV’s newest series, ‘Flip The Strip’,” says an HGTV press release.

“Headliners by night and expert tradesman by day, Ben Cleary, Dan Paterson, Liam Black and Malik Wills-Martin will work with celebrated interior designer Kelly Stone to turn their clients’ humdrum homes into glitzy desert oases,” the release says. 

If “Flip The Strip” is awkwardly worded, then this might be the result of the sheer number of house-flipping shows in the HGTV program portfolio.

The TV Blog counted 11 of them on the Discovery Networks press website -- from five different “Flip Or Flop” shows to “Flip To A Million” and “Flipping Virgins.” No wonder titling a new “Flip” show is so challenging

And yet, the TV Blog has been brainstorming on this very problem and has come up with a few suggestions: 

“Back Flip”: The stars of this house-flipping show are a troupe of acrobats and trapeze artists who back-flip their way to home-renovation riches by applying their gymnastics skills to plastering, painting and plumbing.

“Coin Flip”: In this innovative new take on TV house-flipping, first-time house-flippers are escorted on tours of two houses in need of work, but the decision on which one they will eventually buy will depend entirely on the flip of a coin.

“Flip The Bird”: Great title, right? This concept, which is still early in the development stage, will likely have something to do with bird enthusiasts renovating and designing flip-homes with avian themes.

“Flip Wilson”: Somewhere in the world there must be a charismatic contractor or designer named Wilson who can headline this lighthearted take on home-flipping inspired by the comedy of 1970s TV variety-show star Flip Wilson.

“Flipper!”: Well, why not? The title may remind some of a dolphin show from long ago, but today’s version could feature flip-houses in beach communities that are designed for resale with aquatic themes.

As for “Flip The Strip,” the TV Blog wishes these strapping strippers all good luck in the steamy world of Las Vegas house-flipping. The six-part series premieres on July 10.