Survivor: China

[nekopie76]

So it's confirmed now that Denise lied, huh. Well that totally changes my opinion of her. She really did seem sincere on the show (to me), but now that she's admitted she lied, I think she's just a self-serving shithead.

She should give the money back, but I doubt that'll happen. Maybe Mark Burnett should put a stop payment on that check!


I agree with this 110%. I am so disappointed in Denise. I wonder if she would have said anything if she won the $100k prize that James won.

[JenniferEC]

Didn't Denise win something for coming in 4th? Whatever she won should be enough to help her out. She should feel really bad for misrepresenting what happened and give back the check.

[chefker]

I believe runners-up (i.e., Amanda & Courtney) get something like 75K or 100K for a 'consolation prize'. I don't think the 4th place person gets anything, but I could be wrong.

[krbb]

Didn't Denise win something for coming in 4th? Whatever she won should be enough to help her out. She should feel really bad for misrepresenting what happened and give back the check.

I thought that each player received money based on how many days they were there. So even Chicken would receive a couple hundred for being there a couple days.

ETA: Here is a link to Wikipedia were they discuss the prizes. They do make it sound like each contestant gets something, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_(TV_series)#Prizes.

Oh wow, to me it seems that Denise did not tell the whole story on the finale. She mad it sound as if they removed her from the cafeteria because she is too well known and would cause a distraction. I'm glad she didn't win the whole thing!

[Orange]

Any ideas on who the contestant from this seaso will be on the next season? I am thinking Sherea. It has to have already filmed and she was looking really thin to me at the reuinion show.

[miaclear]

I think it's James....i thought it was already leaked it was him.

Wow....just WOW on denise. I never liked her on the show but for all of two episodes when I had a lapse in judgment. I'm so glad she didn't win. And I'm so glad she got called out. Does anyone have a link to the interview she did on CBS?

[miaclear]

Found it ;)

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3628035n

She looks like a deer caught in headlights through the whole interview.

[Rosebud]

I think it's James....i thought it was already leaked it was him.

Yes, I believe it's James.

Since Survivor: Fans v. Favorites airs so soon, should we start another thread to discuss/speculate that season? I've been reading a bunch of info about it.

p.s. Denise sucks. That really bums me out.

[Orange]

I forgot about James not being available for interviews after he was voted out, I guess that confirms it.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I still like Denise. I think she just said things in a way that she didn't mean to, not realizing the impact it would have. She never said on the reunion show that she was demoted, she just said that they wouldn't give her her old job back and that she didn't like working the night shift. Nothing was a lie, but it was just not the whole truth and was misleading. Probably on a live show she was trying to be concise and left out some important details.

[westamp]

I forgot about James not being available for interviews after he was voted out, I guess that confirms it.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I still like Denise. I think she just said things in a way that she didn't mean to, not realizing the impact it would have. She never said on the reunion show that she was demoted, she just said that they wouldn't give her her old job back and that she didn't like working the night shift. Nothing was a lie, but it was just not the whole truth and was misleading. Probably on a live show she was trying to be concise and left out some important details.

More info on the "demotion"

Survivor Lunch Lady a Big Fat Mullet Liar (http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/18532545.html?nc=46)

Nancy Lane says she spoke with Denise on the telephone on Monday afternoon and that she was apologetic, but that “she did not explain why she said that to my satisfaction,” Lane explained. “It’s difficult to grasp. We did nothing but encourage her. She took leave for almost three months, she was given additional times off when ever she needed it. Now she says this on national TV…. Douglas is a nice little town. Everybody was rooting for her, the local paper was bending over backwards with positive articles. Then to have it end this way. Talk about a letdown.”

I'm not giving her a benefit of a doubt. She knew what she was doing w/ her poor little me, I'm poor schtick. The CBS morning show only cemented this fact that she full out lied (she had her chance to back track but she didn't). I was a fan up until the point this came out. She's pretty stupid to say crap like that and hope that her employer won't refute it.

I don't like the "I feel sorry for myself" crap. If you want a better life, you got to get it. No one is giving you a free ride. And she's not the only one who's poor on that show. Jaime & Frosti are students (w/ mega loans probably). I doubt Chicken is rich either. James, as a gravedigger, probably makes less than her too.

Bet Mark Burnett is kicking himself. She set a bad precedent too cuz now he won't be so inclined to do this for other people in the future.

I may be a little harsh here but I don't believe in biting the hand that feeds you. Especially since that hand has been more than generous.

[JenniferEC]

I'd feel a little better about her if she'd come out and say that she's giving the money back. She was asked twice in that interview about it and both times danced around the issue.

[dal]

She never said on the reunion show that she was demoted, she just said that they wouldn't give her her old job back and that she didn't like working the night shift. Nothing was a lie, but it was just not the whole truth and was misleading. I may be remembering wrong but didn't she start out by saying something like I don't even have that anymore (referring to her $7 an hour job)? Saying that combined with how she talked about her custodial position made it sound like the district demoted her.

Also she gave an actual reason on the show as to why she was "demoted" from lunch lady saying that the district told her it was too distracting. Then today on the early show, Denise basically retracted this statement.

[Kimberland30]

I'm still not sure about Denise and her story. After seeing her on the Reunion, then watching the CBS interview a couple times, and I don't think she flat out lied... think she just chose the wrong words to convey what happened.

In the Reunion show, she specifically stated that when she got back, they didn't give her her old job back, and that now she was a custodian scrubbing toilets, picking up after the kids, and she missed her family because she worked the night shift.

Which if you see the CBS interview, it is all true. However, at the Reunion Show Denise didn't say anything about her being promoted to that position (custodian), or that she meant that she wanted her OLD job back as being in the cafeteria. I agree that her choice of words made it seem like she lost her job, and she had to "settle" for a janitor position that she didn't like because of the time away from her family. But I honestly don't think she meant to portray that. She said in the interview that she did try to get her old job back before leaving for the show, but that she was told "no".

Granted, I hardly watched any of this season...but from what I saw of Denise, I think she just wore her heart on her sleeve. Yeah, she told Amanda a sob story about her life and all that she had to go back to was her $7.00 per hour job. Big deal. How many times did Dreamz say that he used to be homeless? Isn't that what got him the car from Yau-Man? I don't think that people generally expect a handout when they share their life story.

(ETA: Based on the above comment, I must have missed something at the reunion show where Denise said that she was "demoted" because she was distracting...my post above is in response to her initially talking about not having her OLD job, and the CBS interview posted above).

[msnicolea]

I had been looking forward to next season, especially since all the other shows on will be reruns, but having to deal with Boston Rob again would definitely cause me to turn off the tv. Ugh, having to listen to his accent and voice makes me want to claw out my ears... Please, no Boston Rob!

You;re just mad cuz "Ambuh is slammin'".

Boston Rob! Boston Rob! Boston Rob!

[SiValleySteph]

I'm not a Denise fan. I was up until the final episode when she made it sound like she should win because of her circumstances (poorly paid job). That combined with her misleading story on the reunion show really made me lose reguard for her. She did imply that she was demoted. I see what she was trying to say, that she didn't like her new job, but she was not demoted, she was really promoted.

And I hate the mullet. Especially with lipstick at the reunion show.

[Kingdono]

I feel like this situation really does damage her character. It's one thing to put something ouut durnign the game to try and advance on the sympathy but to mislead on National TV that's just silly. In this day and age you are going to get caught and then have to dig yourself out of it.

Can't wait until they confirm the new cast.

[cocopops]

wasn't she (DENISE) the one up there talking to the final three at the finale about how much she hates people who mislead others, liars, etc. :confused: :rolleyes:

[Rosebud]

FYI, I just created a thread for the next season of Survivor (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38770). If you hear any good rumors, post away!

re: Denise... I was really turned off when she was telling Courtney at F4 how she had to go back to her crappy job/life, as if everyone should feel sorry for her and keep her around. And then to spin her job situation the way she did on TV... well, it makes me mad. She manipulated people into feeling badly for her. Looking back at the words she used on the reunion show, she certainly did phrase her story in a way that was designed to make people think she'd been wronged. It's just inexcusable and she should have apologized more thoroughly afterward.

[Sazoo]

re: Denise... I was really turned off when she was telling Courtney at F4 how she had to go back to her crappy job/life, as if everyone should feel sorry for her and keep her around. And then to spin her job situation the way she did on TV... well, it makes me mad. She manipulated people into feeling badly for her. Looking back at the words she used on the reunion show, she certainly did phrase her story in a way that was designed to make people think she'd been wronged. It's just inexcusable and she should have apologized more thoroughly afterward.I completely agree with you, Rosebud! I was no huge Denise fan before, but her conversation with Amanda before she got voted off & the things she said during the final TC really turned me off (like someone said earlier, Survivor is about who played the game the best, not who needs the prize money the most), and now all this stuff about her job just puts an even more sour taste in my mouth about her. Part of me feels a little bit bad for her because she's probably a nice woman who just took playing the sympathy card too far and stuck her foot in her mouth & now doesn't know how to get out of it...but still. She HAD to know saying misleading things on national TV like she did would come back to bite her in the ass. :rolleyes:

[DallasLady]

I feel like this situation really does damage her character. It's one thing to put something ouut durnign the game to try and advance on the sympathy but to mislead on National TV that's just silly. In this day and age you are going to get caught and then have to dig yourself out of it.

Can't wait until they confirm the new cast.

That's what bugs me the most. If she was misleading during the show, well, that's the game. Annoying, but I understand. But to be misleading once the prize money was won makes me think she was trying to find a way to benefit herself. Jeff even prefaced the segment saying someone's life hadn't gone well (paraphrasing) which means she' told her sob story to the producers even before the reunion.

In this age of internet and fast information, how did she think no one would find out??

[miaclear]

I can't wait to hear if Mark Burnett comes out with a statement. I'm sure that his company didn't cut her a check quite yet. Or at least I don't think they could have.

oh and ....I'd love to see Rob and Amber again ;)

[kam]

About Denise's pay for being a contestant, Yau Man came in 4th two seasons ago and he was paid $60k. I thought it was supposed to be $2500 per game week, which was actually 3-4 days (basically $2500 per every tribal council until they get to the jury, then a bit more for jury members, then a bit more if you make it to the final 4).

[ktsb]

I'm sort of in Kimberland's camp as well.

I saw the Sunday show and I saw the CBS interview. Yes she misrepresented the situation although I don't think any of it was that thought out. I don't know if she's capable of being that strategic, KWIM??

I do think in her perception she couldn't get her old job back. We all know every one's perception becomes their reality.

I don't blame the school district for wanting to straighten out the story either.

[ihearttx]

The problem I have with it is that apparently she was promoted to janitor BEFORE she went on the show. So why the entire show was she the "lunch lady" and not the "janitor"? That's what I don't understand.

[westamp]

In this age of internet and fast information, how did she think no one would find out??

Especially when the press and fans would bombard her employer about how "badly" they treated her. The school district only put out that statement on their website after they were hounded by the press.

[miaclear]

The problem I have with it is that apparently she was promoted to janitor BEFORE she went on the show. So why the entire show was she the "lunch lady" and not the "janitor"? That's what I don't understand.

No doubt. You'd think "janitor" would be just as appealing as "lunch lady" in regards to how CBS would want to portray her. Unless she misrepresented herself from the beginning.

[nekopie76]

No doubt. You'd think "janitor" would be just as appealing as "lunch lady" in regards to how CBS would want to portray her. Unless she misrepresented herself from the beginning.

I always thought that CBS (or any other network) did a complete background check on the person. If she was a janitor before she left, I have a hard time believing they didn't know that. Unless the promotion came just as she was leaving. Bottom line, I think they knew and thought that a lunch lady would make her more of a fan favorite than a janitor.

[jesseybell]

It is very common for the hometown and the profession to not be where they are currently living/doing. CBS picks what seems to be the most interesting or diverse sounding, so it could be a job they had for 5 minutes, 10 years ago. And it could be where they grew up or lived in the past.

[jellybeany]

People.com (http://peoplefalltv.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/survivor-chinas-denise-martin-apologizes-for-misleading-viewers/) is reporting that Denise donated the $50,000 to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

[miaclear]

I was hoping she'd do something like that. She really needed to do something to save face.

ETA....after reading the article I wonder if Burnett suggested to her to donate, to save face for herself, and also to benefit the Survivor "pet" charity.

[westamp]

I was hoping she'd do something like that. She really needed to do something to save face.

ETA....after reading the article I wonder if Burnett suggested to her to donate, to save face for herself, and also to benefit the Survivor "pet" charity.

I wouldn't be surprised if MB stipulated to that. Since he was probably mad that he got duped. The best way to do it is to donate it for a good cause.

[Kimberland30]

Well last night I watched the reunion show again (in full) and I still stand by what I said before. However, Jeff did ask her "I heard it was because of the distractions from being on the show" and she did go into detail about how all the kids always say "Hi Denise" to her, etc. She never specified on the CBS interview what those comments are about.

I don't like that reports are saying that Denise lied about losing her job. She NEVER said that she lost her job, and I can see how her original statements were misleading enough to make it seem as though she did. However, when you watch when she said "So if anyone needs a lunch lady, for the DAY SHIFT, let me know", so in her mind she was being honest in that she hated her night shift job, she wasn't given back her "old job", but wasn't necessarily unemployed because of the show. Who knows how much Survivor producers "spin" the reunion show anyway. Not saying that Denise is 100% innocent here, but I still say that she didn't do it intentially.

And I'm sorry, but if I were only making $7 per hour as a lunch lady/janitor and hated my job, I'd sure as shit be bitching about it to anyone who would listen. Some people aren't lucky/educated/talented enough to land higher paying jobs. Not saying that she purposefully played the sympathy card or anything, but it was obviously a big deal for her and she should have a right to say something about it.

[chefker]

Hmm...after reading the above post, it does seem that Jeff Probst has a way of twisting words around, and inferring things that were not even said. I think this thing snowballed, and Denise didn't know how to handle it.

Oh yeah, I'd probably be bitching about my job on Survivor too - especially if I was making close to minimum wage cleaning toilets. Hell, I'd bitch about my current (office) job!

[Rosebud]

It is very common for the hometown and the profession to not be where they are currently living/doing. CBS picks what seems to be the most interesting or diverse sounding, so it could be a job they had for 5 minutes, 10 years ago. And it could be where they grew up or lived in the past.

Yes, totally. Didn't they keep saying Dave was a "male model"? Even Dave said it's been years since he did any modeling.

People.com (http://peoplefalltv.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/survivor-chinas-denise-martin-apologizes-for-misleading-viewers/) is reporting that Denise donated the $50,000 to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

That's good to hear. It just wouldn't be right for her to keep it under the circumstances. I'm sure she's gotten a lot of pressure from multiple sources to give up the money since this whole thing happened.

[ktsb]

Well said Kimberland. I completely agree!

[Sazoo]

Denise's comments on the Survivor reunion show are on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FaJ6-v_5tk) if anyone wants to re-watch it.

[miaclear]

I hate to disagree with the above post but she said the ISD didn't give her her job back because she was too distracting to the kids. So that was a lie. For one thing...they did give her her job back, as a janitor which is what she was when she left. And in the interview on CBS it was stated that Denise never approached the HR dept about getting her lunch lady job back at all.

Denise may not have gone into it with the intention of lying. But she did.

[westamp]

I hate to disagree with the above post but she said the ISD didn't give her her job back because she was too distracting to the kids. So that was a lie. For one thing...they did give her her job back, as a janitor which is what she was when she left. And in the interview on CBS it was stated that Denise never approached the HR dept about getting her lunch lady job back at all.

Denise may not have gone into it with the intention of lying. But she did.

Yes she insinuated these bits of information to mislead the audience into thinking "poor Denise." We had someone like this at work (he has since been fired). He always peppered little false comments when you talk to him to make you believe something was happening when it is not the case at all.

She is one and the same. Give the victim route a rest please. Also, re not having the means to get an education to get a high paying job. That's simply not true. A lot of blue collar jobs make more than desk jockeys (those of us who did get an education are desk jockeys). I know my plumber, auto mechanic and electrician makes more than I do. If the janitorial job is unionized, chances are she probably makes more than I do.

[miaclear]

Granted I don't know the specifics of the job but I thought I'd go and see what a janitor gets paid here in Dallas ISD. Obviously there is a difference in pay for where I live compared to her. A cafeteria worker seems to make about $9 an hour here. Janitors are $12-$20.

[alienhost]

I always thought that CBS (or any other network) did a complete background check on the person. If she was a janitor before she left, I have a hard time believing they didn't know that. Unless the promotion came just as she was leaving. Bottom line, I think they knew and thought that a lunch lady would make her more of a fan favorite than a janitor.

This is my take on the situation after thinking about it for a few days. I think CBS felt "lunch lady" was more interesting than "janitor". There was an article in the Boston Globe that stated she makes $17 and hour as a custodian. She took the job before she even applied for the show. I think CBS told her to act as if she still was a lunch lady and when it came to the reunion she got her story confused and it came out wrong.

I think Mark Burrnet gave her the $50K, knowing she mislead the viewers a bit but it was good PR for Survivor, almost a week later and there is TONS of press on Survivor all over the place. IMO, CBS orchestrated all of this.

In the article, a lawyer for CBS told the School Superintendent "They did explain to me today that reality doesn't necessarily mean factual", not sure how accurate that quote is but CBS does manipulate things to go one way IMO.

And if Denise did lie when she said, "I have to go back to my $7/hr job". That was just another "Survivor" lie to try and win.

See the article here (http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2007/12/18/survivor_tale_of_woe_contested_back_home/)

[miaclear]

Bad publicity is still good publicity ;)

[Michelle]

I think Mark Burrnet gave her the $50K, knowing she mislead the viewers a bit but it was good PR for Survivor, almost a week later and there is TONS of press on Survivor all over the place. IMO, CBS orchestrated all of this.

ITA! They are getting a ton of press! Mark Burnett is definitely getting his 50k worth in PR. I think he knew what he was doing right from the start.