NY Post on "Secret Millionaire"
Here's the NY Post on Secret Millionaire, the reality TV show to air in December.
CAREFUL. The homeless man you may have ignored on the way to work today might be a millionaire.Here's an intriguing thought - take a millionaire out of his or her plush lifestyles and plunk them down - undercover - in the crappiest part of town for a week with no money.
When the week is over, let the millionaire reveal himself to the people and groups who have helped him - and then write out a big fat check for them.
Reality TV meets the "Prince and the Pauper."
That's the premise of "Secret Millionaire," a new reality series set to debut early next month on Fox.
Each of the millionaires on the show had to agree to give away at least $100,000 of his or her own money to qualify. In at least one case, a guy gives $500,000 at the end of his harrowing week.
They got something wrong in this part:
The show is based on a British series that has become one of the most-watched on British TV.(In Britain, more than one business tycoon has used the show to repair a tarnished public image, like the sub-prime mortgage lender in the UK last year. The US version includes the wife of an energy exec who took an $18-million severance package after the company lost 75 percent of its value.)
Molly Shattuck, wife of Constellation Energy CEO Mayo Shattuck, is one of the secret millionaires. But Shattuck said he would give up $18 million in severance if the deal to sell Constellation to Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy goes through. He will, however, get plenty of other dough.
Comments
I think this is a great idea (if the people are actually wanting to help and are not doing it to repair their image). I remember going to NYC as a young girl and my brother yelling at me when he stepped outside a store and saw me talking to a homeless man. My husband yells at me when I stop to help someone stranded on the side of the road. Let this be a lesson to all of us to help anyone in need. We are all humans and we have all fallen into bad times/situations. How wonderful is it when there is someone there to help lift you up.
Posted by: K Nojaim | November 29, 2008 1:34 PM
This show has made me cry so much. I have had a layoff and don't know which way to go. I am not asking for help, because the people in your stories are worse off. I cry because I remember the story--- I use to cry because I had no shoes until I saw the man who had no feet.... I will continue to cry and watch the show. Thanks Secret Millionaire.
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 3, 2008 9:16 PM
This is a nice concept. What a great show. It is refreshing to see a show that is worth somthing. It is so good to see caring people giving to someone else. It really gives us all something to think about. In a time when we think of oursellves, it is time to stop being so selfish and self centered. It's time to help someone else for a change. Bravo to you FOX. It is time the entertainment industry shifted gears and started producing great family appropriate shows again.
Posted by: MJ | December 3, 2008 9:30 PM
Give me a break. This show is ridiculous. These people are self serving and looking to profit off of this show. Fox has gone forward with a show to make the rich richer by exploiting the unfortunate. TERRIBLE!!! And another thing, the checks written on tonight's show were bogus. I didnt realize there were 31 days in April. Thats the date written on the checks.
Posted by: Nate | December 3, 2008 11:12 PM
When you look at the amount of money the "millionares" (people like you and me except for they have more money) gave to the needy, it was peanuts compared to what they can afford. I was hoping they would give $100,000 to everyone, and quite frankly I was hoping they would give one million to everyone. It came from their own pockets after all. They could have done that. This show is pathetically sad. It humiliates and exploits the needy for ratings. The amount of money the needy got is NOT going to "CHANGE THEIR LIVES". How sad to use hurting people to be humiliated. If anything, I think it would have been better to end the show with someone like a producer showing up and givintg them a check and telling them the truth. It was horrible when the man who flies around in a jet showed up looking like a prince in his fancy suit. How degrading. I would never watch this show again and didn't watch the one with the couple who owned the chicken place. I turned that off midway. This is using defenseless people for ratings. What if they didn't want it aired? Were they given that chance but allowed to keep the money? I am sickened by this. It reminds me of people who make calendars of kittens and puppies and other animals. People look at the pictures and think "aw, how cute" but those baby animals didn't want to pose with santa caps on and sunglassed and other odd things they do to them to make for a cute calendar. These poor people didn't want to have thier life story shown on TV. This is television at it's worst and morality at it's worst. The millionares were cheap. They could have given much more. Horrible, awful exploitation.
Posted by: chip | December 5, 2008 1:46 PM
I think this is a great Program.I have always won't to do something like this But I not Rich but I do help people alot It makes me happy to be able to help others. This show brought tears to my eyes. Great show thank you Judy
Posted by: Judy | December 9, 2008 9:07 AM
would you help me?
Posted by: henrietta hill | December 10, 2008 12:07 PM
I give credit to Fox for feeding into the egos of these "millionaires" to get them to step into the national spotlight where they can potentially make themselves look really good or really bad. In the case of Gurbaksh Chahal he looked really bad and especially CHEAP given the money he SAYS he has. He gave away pocket change for anybody who really has 300MM so the viewer is left to conclude that he doesn't have it, is cheap, or both.
Posted by: Steve | December 12, 2008 6:08 PM
I've nowhere to turn and my 2 children and I truly need just a little help so we don't lose our home.
If you're interested in helping us, Please, please contact me for details?
Thank you!
Posted by: Lorraine | December 21, 2008 3:08 AM
A better show would have filthy rich persons describe the crimes that got them where they are. A sheriff's deputy could stand by to take them away in chains after their confessions. Granted, obscene wealth is not proof of crime, but it is a clue.
Posted by: patrick k lackey | December 30, 2008 1:35 PM
I've lost everything to a man I was with for 10 yrs. My car, clothes and personal things he either sold, gave away or threw away. Truly, I am starting from scratch. I have a friend that is letting me stay with him until I can get him into court. This won't be until April, 2009. I can't even search for a job as there is no bus service where he lives. Anyone who can give advise or help is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!!
Posted by: Kathy | February 23, 2009 2:34 PM
I've lost everything to a man I was with for 10 yrs. My car, clothes and personal things he either sold, gave away or threw away. Truly, I am starting from scratch. I have a friend that is letting me stay with him until I can get him into court. This won't be until April, 2009. I can't even search for a job as there is no bus service where he lives. Anyone who can give advise or help is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!!
Posted by: Kathy | February 23, 2009 2:34 PM
To those complaining about the show, how many people have you guys helped and how much did you actually help? I think the show is great regardless of how much they give. I have been seeking hlep due to my situation and I haven't seen anyone help me. Get off you soap boxes and back up what you express! Even a little is better than nothing!
Posted by: Kathy | February 23, 2009 2:40 PM