Perhaps in an attempt to quell the high domestic violence usually reported on Super Bowl Sunday, CBS is following the game with “Undercover Boss,” a “reality” show so huggy-weepy that it will put even the most enraged domestic abuser to sleep.
Each week, the CEO of a different company goes “undercover” to do the dirty jobs reserved for less lucky, unbonused employees.
On Sunday’s premiere — the most valued timeslot on TV since it follows the mega-rated Super Bowl — we get to follow Larry O’Donnell, the president and COO of Waste Management (who makes millions) as he goes “undercover” to work menial jobs.
On the first installment of this insanely manipulative CEO-fantasy show, we get to see (at least in Larry’s case), that he’s a sainted regular Joe with a brain-damaged daughter heading a company filled with angels with dirty faces.
Larry works different company jobs undercover — or as undercover as a COO with a film crew following him around can be.
His undercover cover? He says he’s being filmed for a reality show about a newcomer on a job. Right.
Clearly, the workers filmed were handpicked because they are all better than anyone you’ve ever met in your life. Waste Management — which has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in federal fines over the years for dirty doings — must be looking to clean up its image.
During his working week, Larry picks cardboard pieces of trash on an assembly line and meets a woman who gets docked two minutes’ pay for every one minute she’s late. He works a garbage truck and shares the driver’s distress when she doesn’t have enough hugging time with a mentally challenged customer who happens to have written her a poem.
There’s a man who picks up papers with a stick, who’s been on dialysis for 20 years and loves his job. Finally, there’s a 29-year-old five-time cancer survivor who does four jobs, has three generations of her family living with her and is underpaid — but who still, yes, invites Larry over for dinner to share whatever they have. Where’s Tiny Tim?
Does anyone complain? Hell no — they’re all grateful to Waste Management for working them to death. Or so they say in front of the film crew.
Verdict? It’s better than beating up your spouse after the Super Bowl, but a manipulative “waste,” for the most part.