"Survivor" Scandal?

Contestant's Tale Of Woe Gets $50G From Show Honcho, But Was "Lunch Lady" Lying?

(CBS)  In the season finale of "Survivor: China" Sunday night, Denise Martin, a former school lunch room worker who finished fourth in the competition, told everyone that, when she returned home after the taping of "Survivor," she had lost her job.

"I went back and I talked to the food service director, and they didn't give me my job back," Martin said, "so I ended up having to go -- I'm a janitor now. I clean the toilets, I wash the floors of the bathrooms, I vacuum the kids' rugs. I miss dinner with my family. I haven't been to a field hockey game yet. I'm missing out on a lot more than I originally had planned on doing."

Near the end of the show, host Jeff Probst announced a surprise for Martin -- a spontaneous one, at that.

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Photos: "Survivor: China" Finale

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"This is very much a live show, and our boss and the creator of this show, Mark Burnett, was backstage listening to Denise's story. And, I'm not kidding: Just now on a break, he said to let Denise know that Mark Burnett is going to give Denise $50,000!"

The next day, school officials where Martin works received thousands of e-mails accusing them of treating her unfairly.

But it turns out, the lunch lady's story may be out to lunch.

Nancy Lane, the superintendent of Douglas Public Schools in Massachusetts, says Martin didn't portray what happened accurately -- and had in fact been promoted, at her own request, to the new position, which pays better and has better benefits.

The two of them faced off on The Early Show Tuesday -- with Lane in New York, and Martin in Los Angeles.

To watch the video of their confrontation, click here.

[lindab107]

I''m just hoping for an update. Anyone hear what happened after she was outed as a liar and cheat on national TV!!!

[dylanxxv]

Maybe its just me and but its strange how the Black people get voted off and never get to win anything. Don''''t get me wrong because I''''m White. But they really don''''t get a fair chance because its 20 to 2 in favor of the Whites. Have anyone raise this issue before? We were talking at work and this just seem wrong. And the Blacks have stop looking at it because they know that its not going to be one of them winning. I like things to be right and I will not look at it next season!!!!
Posted by BooBoo656 at 11:20 PM : Dec 18, 2007

Get your facts straight before you go off on a race rant...The gravedigger (who I was rooting to win it all) won $100.000 in the popularity contest...

[halla_stone]

Wow. I watched the video feed of this story. What a compromising position Denise has put herself in! She definately should have chosen her words more carefully. I thought it was a little pathetic to whine to the public like she did. It was almost as if she was asking for a hand-out. She made poor decisions in the game, and worse ones outside of it. If MA is a "right to work" state, she could find herself out of a job for publically humiliating the district she works in...

[texkamaka]

Element

I am at
myspace dot come slash texhayes and I always have room for one more friend in my life..

You still can change the world from a chair, and you can make the world a better place from a chair.

I have my days when I am pissed OFF because of the pain, but I also realize it is good in ways it makes me think and humbles
me.

Life is a gift, not a mystery to be solved,

[texkamaka]

Element

I try to be Beneolent to everyone I meet,, 99% people pop off to me first, and do not take it personal, and i hope what I write that you do not take it personal,, it shouldn''t I do not pay your bills or rub your back, So what I think or say should be frivolous to you.

I believe if someone does there best, Then the best is all they do.

But I do enjoy defending the working poor in America, I also know you can not help most people who need help. I also believe our world is getting better all of the time, and people are creatures of Habit, and people working under a boss lady like Denise does shows that we still are in a infancy as species.

We have along way to go. People are going to make mistakes, As far as i could tell Denise is a good woman, who does her best, It is too easy to pick on people and it is not right. We all make mistakes and have regret,

[element51]

texkamaka....Thank you again for responding to my post. It is indeed strange that we have both gone through similar experiances. Pain is a *** but lucky for me I don''t feel anything. One thing I have learned on my journey is that very few things in this world are black or white. Mostly gray. Try and keep your options open because what is true today may be entirely different tomorrow. Things can change in the blink of an eye.

[texkamaka]

I to broke my neck c-6 ,, 3 yrs ago,, but I can walk,, I am a very lucky man, But live in Chronic Pain,, But I will not suger coat anything because your in a Chair,, I have lots of friends in Chairs who broke c-6 like me, So I do not complain to them about living in Chronic Pain,
How ironic we have this in common, but my happiend on a Motorcycle,,

I Did not ever fire anyone, again I was lucky, I had good men working for me, Good help is hard to find, I know.

and we can agree to disagree,

[element51]

texkamaha....Thank you once again for your response. Your observations are quite astute and I am amazed at the clarity of your thought. You are absolutely right about me. Until four years ago I owned my own business and employed 30 to 35 people. I paid their salaries, paid half of their social security, paid for most of their health care and did everything I could to keep the doors open and the jobs secure. Yes there were times when I had to fire someone for not showing up for work but it was never something that I enjoyed doing. Then, four years age I was in an auto accident and became a paraplegic. So I guess I do spend to much time on the internet. Had to give up ice skating. Now, I''m sure that being the insightful person that you are you will post back that I am a liar and believe me I wish you were right. But things happen and you have to pick up the pieces and go on with your life. I wish you the best even though you don''t seem to think much of me.

[texkamaka]

(( ELEMNET )))

you live in a make believe world,, your in a LA LA LA LA LA LA state of mind the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experience..

You watch TOO MUCH Dr Phil, Or Leave it to Beaver.

If my statement upset you so bad and you take them PERSONAL and then you say Rude things to me all I can do is Laugh out loud at your reaction ;~}

Your cut from the same cloth as Denise Boss lady,, High-Handed using power or authority without considering the feelings of others..

To me your not having any serious purpose or value, a Cyber Bullie,,Maybe there are some Hadicap folks near your home you can go pick on if it makes you feel like a Big Man !!!!!!

[texkamaka]

Chit we can agree to disagree,

I have been on the bottom digging the ditches,

And I have been on top of my game.and made good money !!!

I have seen so many supervisor like Denises in my lifetime,and I have no respect for them, never will, I have more RESPECT for a White lying Janitor, Take away the Supervisor''s money and everything will change, If she did not get payed the BIG BUCKS she would not give a rats *** what Denise said or did.

It would be GREAT if Denise''s supervisor employees could tell how they all REALY FEEL ABOUT THE BOSS lady.. most people can not manage their money, so they have to eat a ton of dung from supervisor''s like what Denise works under, If Denise had enough money she would tell the world to kiss her buttox and laugh it off like Johnny Rotten.. Bottom line it makes good TV. it is about the MONEY !!!! Make it while you can..

[texkamaka]

If I was the Boss lady

For one she does not have her own Company, She works for the system.

I have my own company, There is a big Difference, working for the government, than working for yourself,

If I was Denise Boss, I would let time take care of it, and let the truth take care of it self. If the local paper ask me the truth, I would of told them the truth. but i would of done it with emapthy and understanding..Denise is a 40 yr old woman not a CHILD, and if Denise was my Husband I would not let my wife work for an abracive supervisor..

So what the BOSS gave Denise time off, It did not cost the boss any money, denise is a FREE PERSON and if she wanted to go on the show, She should be able to, Her boss is her boss not her MASTER, Like I said before, I would not work for a woman like Denise Boss lady, She comes off as an unapproachable Boss,,

If I was the supervisor I would just state it''s not true, and Laugh it off, and I would Help Denise get RICH !!!! That''s what i would do.

[texkamaka]

(((( Element ))))

Your a Bovine Idiot,,

[erasmus6]

"If you will just watch the video above you will hear right out of Denise''''s oun mouth that she agreed that what her boss said was true." posted by Element51


Texkamaka KNOWS that Denise lied, she just doesn''t care. She thinks that a lying deceitful person should get the money. It shows what kind of a person SHE is, doesn''t it?

[robertkjjj]

Lunch Lady is a BABE!!!!!!!!
LOL.

[element51]

texkamaha....Thank you for your response. If you will just watch the video above you will hear right out of Denise''s oun mouth that she agreed that what her boss said was true. My God, can''t you even believe your own eyes and ears? As far as my politics go it''s none of you business. I''m not interested in who you support or how you will vote. It''s none of my business. After reading some of your other posts it becomes obvious what you are. It is better to remain silent and appear stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[chitown639]

Sure Tex...please except my apology as well. I know Denise''s boss seem a little ticked. But consider this, say for example that you are a business owner or boss. You have employees, and one of your employees in particular, who only recently had been elevated into a better paying position with benefits, is now requesting a 30 day leave of absence to appear on a internationally known TV show. You grant her the request for a leave of absence, but you marvel that she has the nerve to lie and put your business in a negative light after she has established herself as one of the favorite characters on the show. Your business is immediately over run day after day with calls, emails and letters complaining of how unfair you treated your employee. Most of the people complaining are well-meaning viewers of the tv show, but still there are those few mentally imbalanced individuals sending death threats to your business, a place where children come to learn. That being said, you dont think Denise''s boss shouldnt be a little upset. Denise was granted the job she requested...Denise was granted the leave of absence she requested...And the only thing Denise''s boss got in return for assisting Denise was a smeared reputation and death threats from every nut who happened to watch the show....

[erasmus6]

texkamaka

Tell me something. If you were "Denise''s boss lady", and Denise told the whole world that you wouldn''t give her her job back and made you out to be a jerk in front of the whole world, what would YOU do?

The real boss lady, just stated the facts very calmly to DEFEND herself. Should she not have been able to defend herself? Should she have just let the world go on believing the lies?

There is one thing that I know and that is that if YOU were the boss lady, the whole world would have heard you ranting and raving about what a liar Denise was.

And from looking at all your obsessive posts, I think you should be seeking some mental help sooner, rather than later.

[texkamaka]

CHIT I apologize to you for my crude rude statements,

I believe Denise had no Malice, and got caught up in the moment, Not everyone has the same IQ, We need janitors, I beleive they need the same respect as a CEO.

Denise boss lady came off for and educated lady who is in power and has no emapthy for the working poor in our country.

Like I said before not everyone can do the college thing we are all different, Not everyone can play basket ball like Jorden, It is not a perfect world, it is getting better all of the time, Maybe I can understand Denise better than some highly Educated egocentric fool who had never worked HARD for 20yrs, who had lost their emapathy for the working poor

[texkamaka]

Denise has worked under FEAR for so many years,

Americans work too hard,We need to work SMARTER,

One small example

Lets take you checkout person at your local grocery store,, they have to Stand on their feet ALL DAY LONG,, why not give the a stool =a seat without a back or arms, typically resting on three or four legs or on a single pedestal. So they will be able to enjoy their golden years, and not live in chronic pain.

Now for these people who work in these department stores in the mall,,Who have to listen to the store music over and over day after day, to me this has to be some form of mental abuse.

Americans work way too much overtime, Then you have a boss lady like Denise who you fear to complain to because they may get rid of you or work you harder..

These are only a few facets out of MILLIONS, I am sure Denise was trying to think of anything to say to JEFF, just to have something to say interesting,,It is what people do who have been mentally abused, and lack mental strength, it''s sad

[chitown639]

texkamaka- I went to your my space. Youre right, you are not Denise!!! lol What a surprise!!! Judging from your my space you seem like a pretty normal guy with a great family. But, doesnt change the fact that you have been consistantly attempting to justify the lies Denise used to gain sympathy from viewers. Denise, in her lies, made it personal. She lied to appeal to viewers personal emotions. Using our personal feelings to make gains under false pretenses. Im sure as she gave her false sob story, there were people across the country, who dont have much themselves, considering how they could help Denise. And this is how they are thanked for still having the capacity to feel compassion for a fellow human being this day and age. People dont like others playing with their emotions. That''s why theres anger and outrage. People feel disappointed, tricked, fooled, violated. And as a reward for her lies to Survivor viewers, shes awarded $50,000. It doesnt take too much reason to see how wrong that is....