Secret Millionaire

[Kip]

i'm the one who posted the screenshot of the check. i chose the name secretmillion cause i didnt want to use my typical online name. i have really no need to be signed up and posting this site except to post that pic.

That was a good catch. I noticed that the checks were dated April something but didn't pay attention to the date. I wonder what it means. I wonder if they couldn't really give the money to the recipients at the time because that would blow

While we were watching, I told my husband they ought to really set up some of these people as non-profit organizations first because of the tax consequences.

Interview with millionaire Todd Graves and producer

Interesting. Todd and his wife have remained in weekly contact with the people in the Louisiana episode.


Imperial Beach unhappy with its portrayal and unintended consequences

Motel manager wasn't collecting city's hotel tax and that will be looked into. The woman who took in all those people sent them on a camping trip. The city's checked her out too - found minor code violations and may shut her down because she can't run a facility like that in her neighborhood. It sounds like there were some complaints even before the show aired.

[burntbrat]

Banks don't even look at the dates on checks. Most of the time they don't even look at the signatures! I worked with two girls who got each other's paychecks once and one girl didn't notice and was able to deposit the check into her bank account with no problems at all. So I wouldn't think the entire show is fake just because one of these millionaires doesn't know "30 days has September, April, June and November..."

[PhoneGrrrl]

The check discussion was making its rounds here in the hometown of Todd Graves. In today's local business news, the situation was explained thusly:

Fox explains Graves' 'Secret Millionaire' checks
Sharp-eyed viewers of the Fox reality show Secret Millionaire might have noticed last week that Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves handed out checks dated "4/31/08.” April has 30 days, and a network spokesman told The Wall Street Journal the checks Graves distributed in Plaquemines Parish were props, but the recipients were paid the sums of money mentioned on the show.

:: Baton Rouge Business Report :: Daily Report

[Unklescott]

Anyone else but me watching again this week?

[Kip]

Anyone else but me watching again this week?

I plan to, but I'm on the West Coast.

[Unklescott]

Well, I won't spoil it for you.

[prhoshay]

OK, was the show worth it this time, or was it more of the same?

[Unklescott]

I thought it was lame, much worse than the previous 2 episodes.

[prhoshay]

I'm glad I watched some of my DVR'd stuff instead.

[syee77]

Just watched the episode with "G" who sold his company to Yahoo for $300 million.

My wife noticed that "G" only gave $90K away instead of $100K (which is the stated minimum in the FOX website for Secret Millionaire). If I recall correctly he made two $35K donations to two charities, and gave two $10K donations to individuals. I was wondering if anyone else caught that?

Also, can someone check my math. $100,000 donation divided by $300 million = 100,000/300,000,000 = .0033. In other words, for a guy who is worth $300 million, to give away $100,000 is pocket change.

Or, to put it another way, if I had a $100,000, and I gave away $33 I would be giving away proportionately the same amount of money as this guy does on the show. Hmmm -- this multi-millionaire doesn't look so generous now.

By the way, before anyone criticizes me, my wife and I regularly donate about $6000 to charity each year -- and we are no where close to being millionaires. I say next season FOX should challenge these multi-millionaires to give away $250,000 or 1% of their net worth (whichever is more).

I just hope that these millionaires keep on supporting these charities for many years to come.