Undercover Boss with Herschend's Manby reviewed by EW

Agent Johnson said:
Every park owner I know will pick up trash. Our owners are relentless about it. Its Will's job to set the example. And by the way, its all manager's duties to pick up trash.

I've seen the Park President of at least 2 Six Flags do it as well, and at Solace 2005 the then park president of Knotts did it. Sorry, but that's pretty much the industry standard, and again, while HW is a very nice, very CLEAN park, I prefer what I've seen from Herschend, who is just as clean, and just as friendly, but had better food (and that's saying something cause HW had good food) and the employees are even more personable.

I think this show is pretty ridiculous myself. It perpetuates the average person's misconception that everyone who works above them in the organizational hierarchy is clueless and out-of-touch, while everyone on the front lines is exceptionally hard working despite their personal hardships.

It also seemed to be quite full of the typical reality television staging and editing magic. The themes were very repetitive in the shows I watched.

I'm glad a few people get to have their problems solved as a result of the show. But I'm thinking there's probably a ton more who work in these organizations who are completely worthy and yet not impacted by the boss' "epiphanies." I'd love to see them explain the raises, promotions, and financial support stipends that these select few receive to the other employees.

I'm right there with ya, Carrie.

I still really dig the show, because it provides some kind of entertainment, but I fully support the thought that there's editing and magic involved. One of the very first things I said when I saw the first episode was, "what happens to everyone else who doesn't get special treatment?". I mean, I realize there's only so much they can visit and experience or whatever, but it seems to take some of the equal out of equal opportunity.

Carrie nailed it right on the nose.

Lord Gonchar linkback from February 14th:
It's entertainment - like any reality show. You film a gazillion hours of footage and edit to a neat 44 minute package and create stories with the usual arc that make the average middle american smile in the end.

It taps into all the usual stereotypes - the CEO who's out of touch, the workers who aren't appreciated, the sob story of that one worker on the front lines - it's pure storytelling.

Still can't believe the ratings have been holding up on this one. It's the same audience that feels all warm and fuzzy when they watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition isn't it?

As a huge fan of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, I really don't have an interest in Undercover Boss, Gonch, but I may be the exception the rule, as usual.

How long until we start seeing Behind the Scenes of Reality Show X, where the show is all about the "reality" of filming a reality show (showing the creative/misleading editing, etc.)?

I was curious how they deal with the "special treatment" issues as well. Although in the Hershend show it seemed most of the issues were things that would/could benefit many employees, such as the child care assistance (although not many details were given about it), the scholarship program, and the already existing financial assistance program.

The most notable person that received the "special treatment" from the boss was the young lady who worked at the aquarium. The two things that Joel helped her out with were new items for her home and a raise in wages. Now I am fine with the new stuff for the house but the raise is where I have a problem.

This girl seemed to be the average employee. And by that I mean she was not a supervisor/ manager or any kind of a lead, just a normal base rate employee. Why should she get a raise? I would be pissed if I worked right along side of her doing the same jobs just as good, maybe even better but yet she gets the raise because she was able to tell her sob story to the CEO. How is that in the least bit fair?

If you go through life worrying about what other people make, you will waste loads of productive time to no avail. She was given a raise, not the keys to the GM's bathroom.

She probably received a $2/hr raise, which after taxes, means about $1500 a year. Add that to assistance, like an IKEA giftcard or whatever was bestowed upon her, it helps, but its not a lifestyle changer. Its nice they helped, and not beyond what any other owner may do.

How is that in the least bit fair?

We're promised "fair"? When did that happen?

My post had nothing to do with what we as viewers are promised. Unless you were talking about what we are "promised" in the workplace regarding fairness.

Whether or not the world is fair and whether or not this particular "generosity" is fair has nothing to do with whether the person working along side this woman will see this show and resent her, the boos, and the company for it.

Unless you were talking about what we are "promised" in the workplace regarding fairness.

Precisely.

It's not about being promised anything or even about being fair. It's about handing out raises and such for no other reason than for America's entertainment. That not only is unlikely to boost morale for the entirety of the organization, it's more than likely going to kill it for everyone else.

^Carrie said what I was thinking. Thank you Carrie.

Brian, I do not think anything should be promised to me at my job (unless noted in a contract) but I do think things such as raises should come for your dedication and service, not because you got to tell a sob story to your CEO in front of a national audience. You might think differently but I do not.

Really? You guys would really be pissed off if some Decision Maker, on TV, gave a co-worker an extra few bucks an hour for no good reason?

Fair enough, but I just don't see it. It's not like that extra money, spread over the entire workforce, would mean even a one cent raise for everyone else.

Maybe I have the wrong perspective, because my work environment already has pay that can vary substantially for people in "the same job" and with the same years of experience.

It doesn't matter what would piss me off. I don't work on the front lines as a laborer for a major corporation.

I'm saying that I think the peers of the folks who are receiving those raises and the like for no good reason are likely to feel slighted. If the majority agreed with you about the piddly nature of the gesture and it's insignificance to the receiver and the masses, there wouldn't be any affinity for this show in the first place. The whole premise of the show is based on emotions. I'm simply pointing out that where there's a yin, there's usually a yang.

(And it's not the variance that matters here. It's the reason for it and the public announcement of it.)

When the stakes are small, the fighting gets nasty, I suppose. I don't watch the show, though, so what do I know?

Perhaps. Or perhaps the stakes aren't small to those who don't have much.

I hadn't watched the show either. But I caught a couple of episodes when it was being referenced here in several threads. I figured I shouldn't weigh in on something I haven't seen for myself.

It's never stopped anyone before. ;)