![]() ![]() The “Undercover” formula begins with the CEO making a melodramatic announcement to his executive board that he is stepping down from his leadership role. But they do themselves no favors by appearing on “Undercover Boss.” In the episodes I’ve seen so far, these execs come across as condescending and patronizing as those fake homeless weasels in Harvard Square. In most cases, bosses are the bosses because they have done something right. Why not have temporary and low-paid CEOs and see how well that goes, when the work force under them can fire them if they feel that they are not doing things that are right for the company?” Or as one viewer on the CBS “Undercover Boss” forum puts it, “Why do companies believe that they should get 100 percent enthusiasm and hard work from the least paid and least secure of their employees or temps?. The reality show’s appeal is clearly rooted in class warfare. Six business titans have been featured so far in the role-reversal fantasy, including such scenarios as Churchill Downs racetrack honcho Bill Carstanjen shoveling horse manure, White Castle owner Dave Rife working the drive-through window, and Hooters CEO Coby Brooks worrying about chicken wing orders and confronting accusations that his restaurant chain is sexist. It has already been renewed for a second season. “Undercover Boss,” which premiered after the Super Bowl, is a ratings bonanza for the network, averaging more than 18 million viewers. Real homeless people can’t go back to the dorms and stuff their faces with pizza.Ī similar exercise is now being broadcast on CBS, which has arranged for some of America’s top executives to dress up in aprons and nametags and briefly play in the World of Blue Collar Make-Believe. Whether this charade is for their Facebook status or a sociology term paper, the end result is just plain obnoxious. Perhaps the most despicable creatures on earth are the college kids who pretend to be homeless beggars in Harvard Square, a pathetic exercise to be edgy and “real.” ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |