6/15 Episode Preview: Minimum Wage

[Bill]

From the official site:

The day after the Oscars, Morgan Spurlock and his fiancee Alex uproot themselves from the financial security of their fabulous New York City lives and move to the struggling heart of the midwest -- Columbus, Ohio -- and work at multiple minimum wage jobs for 30 Days.

Their effort to make ends meet is further complicated when Morgan's nieces come to live with him and he explores first hand what it is like to feed and support a family while living on a measly $5.15 an hour.

[John]

Admit it, Unklescott, he worked for you for those 30 days, right?

This is an interesting concept, and I'm honestly interested to see how anyone making a decent income can go from that to minimum wage, even for 30 days.

[Unklescott]

Admit it, Unklescott, he worked for you for those 30 days, right?

This is an interesting concept, and I'm honestly interested to see how anyone making a decent income can go from that to minimum wage, even for 30 days.

I haven't hired anyone at minimum wage in a good 10 years. Heck, I start my people out at $7.00 per hour.

[undertakeress]

I haven't hired anyone at minimum wage in a good 10 years. Heck, I start my people out at $7.00 per hour.

This looks interesting simply because our idea of minimum wage is such a joke. Yeah, it's good for teenagers at their first job, but for people trying to earn a living? Give me a break..Canada has a high minimum wage, I think.

[shyra]

Where I live in Canada I think our minimum wage is either 6.75 or 7.15...not that high here considering the cost of living here

[Dinahann]

I think it's a great idea. It sounds similar to the book by Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America. I wonder if they're going to play it for laughs or if it will be culturally significant. In other words, will they order in pizza and watch it on the big screen when the cameras are turned off, or will they live in a homeless shelter? I don't see how anyone could pay rent on minimum wage unless they live in government subsidized housing, which has a waiting list of several years in most large cities.

[Positive K]

This show looks really interesting. I read about it in my local paper today. It's another show to follow in the summer when I'm not doing a whole lot!

[Lucy van Pelt]

I'll be watching too -- my only "reality" show this summer, so far. Looks good!