# How real or fake is Undercover boss? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708 "2012-01-16T17:32:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/21 "2012-01-18T01:20:29Z")
> [@slm2955](#): > > The show just seems so scripted to me… Agreed. It’s phony, and just a big commercial for the company featured on the episode. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/22 "2012-01-18T01:47:26Z")
I’ve seen a couple of episodes, but I kind of have a problem with the entire premise. Basically that it kind of reinforces the idea of the CEO as some sort of clueless buffoon, removed from reality with no clue about how his company works. Not that I don’t think there are a lot of CEOs and executives who are like that. But fundamentally changing the culture of a large company is not something that can be done by throwing on a trucker hat and pretending to be Joe Workerbee for a few days. Although I did have one guy who worked for me years ago who I was absolutely convinced that he was some sort of plant or undercover boss or some eccentric millionare pretending to be a regular employee for whatever reason. The reason was he was so innept at his job and such a massive retard that he was like a characteracture of a terrible office worker. It was as if he didn’t know how regular workers acted so he studied Homer Simpson, Ralph Cramden, Al Bundy and every other fat, drunk, dumb working class jerk. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/23 "2012-01-18T07:03:20Z")
Oh you guys are so cynical. What happened to just sitting back and watching a feel-good show about human perseverance? Then again, I’ve only watched a couple and they were all good bosses and good employees. One was the Waste Management episode, and another had something to do with a hotel chain I think where the Boss promoted one particularly hard working employee and she got to keep her house. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/24 "2012-01-18T07:46:45Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > The only episode of this show that was any good was the Hooters one because the CEO was absolutely furious about the actions of the employee he was following. He practically blew his setup because the guy was doing things that were highly unethical, and if not straight up illegal, at least legally perilous from a liability standpoint. (For example, he was humiliating the women publicly, mostly for his amusement, in order to “win” things like being able to go home early from a shift. For example, he made them all eat plates of beans with no silverware, like a pie eating contest, so they’d all have to bend over and get all sloppied up for his giggles. When asked what the limits were for this sort of thing, he grinned and said there were “no rules”.) And the Hooters boss was shocked, SHOCKED to find that a lot of women (and not a few men) on the street had a negative impression of the Hooters girls, and Hooters in general. Come on, man, the whole Hooters schtick is that sexually attractive women will act flirtatious to the guys who patronize the place. I’ve never heard that Hooters girls (and I think it’s telling that the term is actually GIRLS) are actually prostitutes, but they ARE required to be very, very friendly with their customers. Hooters is not a high class place, and it’s never marketed itself as such. In fact, it’s always been marketed as tacky and unrefined. Why is he shocked that women might not want to go to a place that has mediocre food and service? As my husband says, the only reason someone wants to go to Hooters is for the scenery and the attention, and these days you can see more on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/25 "2012-01-18T13:33:34Z")
I agree that it was hard to believe that it was news to the CEO of Hooters that some people (women especially) might be offended at Hooters’ schtick. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/26 "2012-01-18T14:47:03Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > If I caught wind of my fellow employee having their mortgage paid, or being provided with a week’s vacation at a resort, or given tuition for school, to say I’d be major pissed would be an understatement. I’d be hard pressed to think of someone I work with who doesn’t have some sob story and could use a vacation or cash tossed their way. To do it for one or two employees, but not offer something to everyone? No way. :rolleyes: Spoken like a true democrat. Just because someone is given something, doesn’t mean you get it too. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/27 "2012-01-18T15:17:19Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > :rolleyes: Spoken like a true democrat. Just because someone is given something, doesn’t mean you get it too. If you can’t give something to everyone, then no one should get it! Agreed that companies always end up looking like great companies to work for. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/28 "2012-01-18T16:15:40Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > And the Hooters boss was shocked, SHOCKED to find that a lot of women (and not a few men) on the street had a negative impression of the Hooters girls, and Hooters in general. Come on, man, the whole Hooters schtick is that sexually attractive women will act flirtatious to the guys who patronize the place. I’ve never heard that Hooters girls (and I think it’s telling that the term is actually GIRLS) are actually prostitutes, but they ARE required to be very, very friendly with their customers. Hooters is not a high class place, and it’s never marketed itself as such. In fact, it’s always been marketed as tacky and unrefined. Why is he shocked that women might not want to go to a place that has mediocre food and service? As my husband says, the only reason someone wants to go to Hooters is for the scenery and the attention, and these days you can see more on the internet. I will say, though, that they do make some good wings. A guy at work brought them into a pitch-in once. Everybody made fun of him at first, but were then pleasantly surprised when they actually tried the wings. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/29 "2012-01-18T16:58:40Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I will say, though, that they do make some good wings. A guy at work brought them into a pitch-in once. Everybody made fun of him at first, but were then pleasantly surprised when they actually tried the wings. They’re not nearly as good as people claim them to be. Basically the food equivalent of reading Playboy for the articles. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/30 "2012-01-18T17:58:54Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I will say, though, that they do make some good wings. A guy at work brought them into a pitch-in once. Everybody made fun of him at first, but were then pleasantly surprised when they actually tried the wings. In Texas, the wings \*were \*great. In SF CA, the wings were horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/31 "2012-01-18T19:52:05Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In Texas, the wings \*were \*great. In SF CA, the wings were horrible. They were also horrible in Nashville. There must have been about a pound of that godawful spice blend on each wing. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![LikeItIs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@LikeItIs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LikeItIs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/32 "2012-01-21T02:29:37Z")
The Sunday night Undercover Boss was a real jerk. Look at my private jet, look at my private security guard, look at my beautiful body, look at my trophy wife, see my pretty house, wink, wink. I’m am so damn cool. Did I mention that I work out? Well not every week. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/33 "2012-01-21T03:50:36Z")
> [@psycat90](#): > > The company I work for will be featured in a couple of weeks. The episode was taped last June. We were told it was a documentary, pretty much as hogarth described. Did anyone suspect that it was something else? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/34 "2012-01-21T05:23:12Z")
> [@LikeItIs](#): > > The Sunday night Undercover Boss was a real jerk. Look at my private jet, look at my private security guard, look at my beautiful body, look at my trophy wife, see my pretty house, wink, wink. I’m am so damn cool. Did I mention that I work out? Well not every week. I’m surprised he didn’t also throw in that he was well-hung. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/35 "2012-01-22T19:05:01Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Did anyone suspect that it was something else? I don’t know about the folks that were directly involved, although by all accounts our president’s disguise was pretty good and the story was believable enough. I can only speak for myself and some of my other immediate co-workers. While we were not directly involved, our duties were impacted for various portions of the filming. We had an inkling, though no confirmation until the reveal a couple of weeks later. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/36 "2012-02-25T02:11:16Z")
I was PO’s at tonight’s episode. The “Maintenance Manager” who lowered a new hire into a confined space, with no prominently posted Confined Space Entry Permit, no atmospheric sampling, and into obviously boiling water to boot? The sumbitch should’ve been fired. Out of a cannon. He’s a damned Workman’s Comp./Lost Time Injury accident just waiting to happen. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/37 "2012-02-25T13:35:53Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > If you can’t give something to everyone, then no one should get it! > > Agreed that companies always end up looking like great companies to work for. Sounds like the proverbial school teacher. “Did you bring enough for everyone? Then you can’t have it either.” Amusing how it’s a political statement to some. I guess if one is a Republican hammer, everything one disagrees with is a Democratic nail. And vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/38 "2012-02-25T13:50:19Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > I was PO’s at tonight’s episode. The “Maintenance Manager” who lowered a new hire into a confined space, with no prominently posted Confined Space Entry Permit, no atmospheric sampling, and into obviously boiling water to boot? > > The sumbitch should’ve been fired. Out of a cannon. He’s a damned Workman’s Comp./Lost Time Injury accident just waiting to happen. i don’t watch the show much maybe two previous episodes and parts of a few. watched this one. with all the safety gear and procedure they were using, i was totally surprised it didn’t include taking the temperature of the liquid first. such a simple obvious thing. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/39 "2012-03-10T01:48:00Z")
Every episode of this show I’ve seen has the CEO shocked, absolutely _shocked_ that the workers on the line aren’t rays of sunshine worshipping the customers. Tonight’s episode has the boss working in a warehouse and he’s just amazed that his employees don’t like working in a hot, sweaty warehouse on their feet all day packing boxes. He can’t believe that some of them have a goal in life that isn’t working there sorting inventory for $10 an hour for the rest of their lives. He also went home for his child’s birthday, and his teenaged daughter was just disgusted that he actually went to work with the grimy workers. It was like something out of satire like Office Space. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708/40 "2012-03-10T04:02:24Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > He also went home for his child’s birthday, and his teenaged daughter was just disgusted that he actually went to work with the grimy workers. It was like something out of satire like Office Space. And when he said he worked a shift that started at 10 p.m., she says “People work at that hour?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-real-or-fake-is-undercover-boss/609708.md?page=3)